5 Apps for Readers

Reading Time: 3 minutes

With books, you can boost your mental and physical health, whether you’re reading digital books or paper versions. What’s even more awesome is that these benefits will last a lifetime.   

Luckily now with e-readers, you never have to go without a book—no matter how much you read. You only need a smartphone or e-reader to keep your bookshelf stocked.

Below we highlight five excellent apps for readers for desktops, Android, iOS, and other devices.

1. Find Your Next Book With Goodreads

The Goodreads website and app have served as a place for people to share and discover new books since 2007. It’s now one of the largest websites and apps for readers for book recommendations.

People like Goodreads because you can see the books your friends read on the Goodreads social network. Plus, you can also use the site to track what you’re reading, what you’ve read, and what you want to read in the future.

Goodreads also offers personalized book recommendations. It uses a recommendation engine that analyzes over 20 billion data points to create custom literary suggestions. You can also browse community reviews to determine if a book is right for you.

2. Maximize Your Reading Experience With Leio Stats

Leio is an iOS app for managing your reading habits with planning and metrics. You can use it to time your reading sessions and review trends over time. The app also makes predictions about how long it may take you to finish a book using this information. And you can track your reading progress across multiple books.

A nice feature is that as you accumulate Leio metrics, you can check on the evolution of your reading behavior through charts and data for various periods. It also allows you to monitor your pace, which is how long it takes you to read a page or a book.

Leio also lets you set deadlines for completing literature, making it one of the top apps for readers if you want to maximize your reading time.

3. Check Out Digital Library Books With Libby

Want an app for readers that also supports the public library system? If so, you’re in luck. Libby is a free Android and iOS library app (which also works with devices like the Amazon Kindle eReader). You can use Libby to borrow audiobooks, eBooks, and magazines for free from your local library.

Millions of people around the world use Libby. Global library systems sponsor the app in partnership with OverDrive—a digital book company.

Libby allows you to do many things, such as: 

  • Borrow books
  • Make notes
  • Bookmark pages

You can also use the app to sync your reading progress across devices.

Libby also gives you offline access to eBooks and audiobooks for ones you download. Or, you can stream books to save storage space if you prefer. You can even use Libby to listen to audiobooks in your car using Apple Car Play, Android Auto, or a Bluetooth device.

4. Marvin 3 Is a Highly Customizable Reading App for Free eBooks

Marvin 3 is an iOS eReader app where you pay a subscription fee to read e-books and comic books. The makers of Marvin 3 gathered years of user feedback and suggestions to refine the app beautifully. This has resulted in an app for readers that has a wealth of features like:

  • Marvin 3’s Now Reading home screen widget, which reminds you to read
  • Customizable book layouts
  • Dark mode with automatic light to dark switching
  • Split View and Slide Over feature compatible Apple devices
  • Integration with the iOS Spotlight Search feature
  • A great selection of reading fonts and the power to use your own custom font if you desire
  • Many combinations of background colors, text, and page textures
  • Reading statistics tracking like reading sessions and time reports
  • Compatibility with external Bluetooth keyboards

5. Squeeze in the Classics With Serial Reader

Serial Reader is an iOS and Android eReader app that gives you free access to a digital library of more than 850 pieces of classic literature. It promises to take you on a voyage through the Classics in only 20 minutes a day. This makes it the perfect app for readers for people who think they don’t have enough time to read.

Serial Reader delivers a daily serialized issue, making it easier to digest hefty classic tomes. You can also customize Serial Reader’s colors, fonts, and text size for the ideal reading experience.  

Apps for Readers Bring Books to You 

Reading is likely second nature if you’re a book lover. And while you may prefer the weight of a book in your hands and the smell of the pages, digital versions fill in the gaps when a book just isn’t practical or accessible. 

These apps for readers are perfect if you’re low on space or don’t want to lug heavy books around. They also bring many books directly to your living room, bedroom, or bath more easily and cheaply than buying thousands of books.