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Readest

readest.com

From $4.99/mo Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
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Spec score 8.7 #4 of 27 in Ebook Reader Software

What it is

Readest is an ebook reader for EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ and TXT files, with additional listed support for ZIP and Markdown. Readers can highlight, bookmark, take notes and search across their ebook library. Parallel Read presents two books together with synchronized scrolling and navigation. The app can translate passages, look up words in Wiktionary or Wikipedia, and read books aloud using on-device, browser or cloud text-to-speech. It connects to OPDS catalogs and calibre libraries, and can export highlights to Readwise or Hardcover. Readest runs on the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, and supports screen readers and offline reading. The software is open source under AGPL-3.0. Ebooks, notes, highlights and bookmarks are stored locally by default; optional third-party cloud sync requires a paid plan. The free plan includes 500 MB of cloud storage, and paid plans start at $4.99/mo.

Spec sheet

What it does
Readest is a free, open-source EPUB and PDF reader with annotations, split-screen reading, text-to-speech and cross-device synchronization.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Security
The privacy policy says Readest uses encryption for sensitive data and secure app code practices, while noting that no electronic storage or transmission method is completely secure.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Privacy
The privacy policy says ebooks, notes, highlights, and bookmarks are stored locally by default and are not uploaded without explicit action such as optional syncing.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Support
Free and paid users can get support through documentation, community channels, GitHub issues, and support email.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
License
The source repository licenses Readest under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 or later.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Accessibility
The download page says Readest supports screen readers for visually impaired users.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Account and sync limits
The pricing FAQ says books already in Readest Cloud remain downloadable after downgrading, but uploads above the free 500 MB limit and third-party cloud syncing pause.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Annotations
The app provides highlights, bookmarks, structured notes, deep links to passages and annotation export.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
API and extensibility
The latest release adds support for connecting a user-supplied OpenAI-compatible voice service.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Catalogs and library tools
Readest connects to OPDS catalogs and calibre libraries, and supports exporting highlights to Readwise or Hardcover.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Cloud integrations
Sync options include Readest Cloud, WebDAV, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud Drive and S3-compatible storage.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Documentation depth
Official documentation covers installation, formats, reading, library management, customization, sync, listening and troubleshooting.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
File formats
Readest supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ, and TXT files.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Latest release
GitHub lists Readest 0.12.16 released on October 13, 2026, with new premium voices, handwriting annotations, quote-card sharing and sync fixes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Legal maker
Readest’s website copyright and Google Play developer information identify Bilingify LLC.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Library integration
Readest connects to OPDS catalogs, Calibre and Calibre-Web, including covers and metadata.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Limit: bulk tagging
A Google Play reviewer says adding tags to multiple books at once is missing.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Limit: contributor complexity
An independent technical review measured 1,652 packages, 1.8 GB of dependencies and 46 failing tests in its test run.Read 14 Oct 2026 · mrkeyoor.com
Limit: no bookstore or DRM ecosystem
An independent review says Readest is not a Kindle, Kobo or Apple Books store client and should not be treated as a DRM replacement.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itechguides.com
Limit: PDF specialization
An independent review warns that fixed-layout and scanned PDFs may not provide EPUB-level reflow, selection, translation or text-to-speech behavior.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itechguides.com
Limit: pre-1.0 maturity
The same technical review describes the project as pre-1.0 and advises validating the exact formats, sync paths and accessibility features required.Read 14 Oct 2026 · mrkeyoor.com
Limit: text-to-speech reliability
A Google Play reviewer reports that TTS stopped at random sentences and sometimes required restarting the app or phone.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Maker founders
The project blog identifies Huang Xin and Hou Qingping as the people who started Readest.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Maker headquarters
Google Play lists Bilingify LLC at 30 N Gould St Ste R, Sheridan, Wyoming 82801-6317, United States.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Maker origin
The project says Readest began in the Berlin State Library, where its first code was written.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
News: secure open-source fund
Readest announced participation in the GitHub Secure Open Source Fund on August 29, 2026, covering threat modeling, code scanning and incident response work.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Open source
Readest says its free software is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Parallel reading
Parallel Read displays two books or documents side by side with synchronized scrolling and navigation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Praise: cross-device reading
Google Play reviewers praise polished syncing across phones, tablets and e-readers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Praise: customization
Apple reviewers repeatedly praise the extensive customization options and Calibre plug-in.Read 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Praise: synchronization
Apple reviewers praise KOReader synchronization for allowing them to resume reading across Kindle and phone devices.Read 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Privacy practice
The privacy policy says ebooks, notes, highlights and bookmarks remain local unless the user explicitly enables syncing, and that Readest does not sell or share data with third parties.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.5 out of 5 from 179 ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Google Play
4.3 out of 5 from 1.17K reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Reading and annotation
Readers can highlight passages, bookmark pages, take notes, and search across their ebook library.Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Reading customization
Users can adjust fonts, margins, line spacing, themes, colors and other display settings.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Reading integrations
The documentation lists KOReader, Readwise, Hardcover, BookOrbit, Notion, Audiobookshelf, LocalSend, Obsidian, Calibre and CrossPoint integrations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Security and privacy limits
The privacy policy states that no electronic storage or transmission method is completely secure.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Security claim
Readest says desktop installers are signed with minisign and supplied with matching signature files.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Self-hosting
The project describes WebDAV and other user-controlled storage as self-hosting-compatible sync choices.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Support channels
Free and paid users receive documentation, GitHub issue tracking, Discord or Reddit community help and email support.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Supported formats
The reader supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ, TXT and Markdown files.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
System requirements
Windows downloads include x64 and ARM64 installers; macOS provides a universal build for Intel and Apple Silicon; Linux offers AppImage, deb, Flatpak and Nix packages.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Text-to-speech
Readest offers text-to-speech with downloadable offline voices; Android listing also states Android Auto support.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Translation and lookup
Readers can translate sentences, pages or books and look up terms through dictionaries and Wikipedia.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Web availability
The browser reader runs at web.readest.com and works offline after its first visit.Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com

Plans and prices

Free Plan Free $0.00/month 500 MB cloud storage · 10K AI translation characters/day · AI read aloud · basic customization · community support Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Plus Plan $4.99 a month 5 GB cloud sync storage · 100K AI translation characters/day · unlimited AI read-aloud hours Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Plus Plan $4.99 a month $4.99/month 5 GB cloud storage · 100K AI translation characters/day · unlimited AI read-aloud hours · DeepL Pro · full customization · priority support Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Lifetime storage 1 GB $9.99, paid once One-time payment Adds 1 GB cloud storage permanently Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Pro Plan $9.99 a month $9.99/month 20 GB cloud storage · 500K AI translation characters/day · all Plus benefits · early feature access · advanced AI tools Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Pro Plan $9.99 a month 20 GB cloud sync storage · 500K AI translation characters/day Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com
Lifetime storage 2 GB $14.99, paid once One-time payment Adds 2 GB cloud storage permanently Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Full Customization $19.99, paid once One-time payment Own-cloud sync · Send to Readest email · offline read-aloud downloads · Audiobookshelf offline downloads · trusted-device BookDrop Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Lifetime storage 5 GB $29.99, paid once One-time payment Adds 5 GB cloud storage permanently Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Lifetime storage 10 GB $49.99, paid once One-time payment Adds 10 GB cloud storage permanently Read 14 Oct 2026 · readest.com
Lifetime Plan Price not published One-Time Payment 1 GB $9.99 · 2 GB $14.99 · 5 GB $29.99 · 10 GB $49.99 · Full Customization $19.99 Read 29 Sep 2026 · readest.com

Every Readest plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ and more
  • Parallel reading synchronizes two books
  • Works offline and supports annotations
  • Local storage is the default
  • Available on six listed platforms

Limits

  • Third-party cloud sync requires a paid plan
  • Free cloud storage is limited to 500 MB
  • Plus costs $4.99 per month

Who it suits

Readest suits people who want ebook reading and annotation across desktop, mobile and web, including readers who use screen readers. Its side-by-side reading, lookup and read-aloud tools may also suit readers working with multiple books or languages.

Readest in depth

Read the full write-up

Readest is a cross-platform ebook reader for people who want to annotate, compare and listen to books as well as read them. It suits readers with files from several sources; choose another app if you need more than 500 MB of cloud storage without paying.

Overview

Readest handles EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW, AZW3, FB2, CBZ, ZIP, TXT and Markdown files, with offline reading and a library search. Its format range and connections to OPDS catalogs and calibre libraries make it useful for readers who maintain a varied collection rather than relying on one storefront.

Highlights, bookmarks and notes support close reading, while exports to Readwise or Hardcover can carry highlights into those services. Readest stores books and reading data locally by default; optional cloud sync is an explicit choice. That is a sensible privacy default, though anyone who wants syncing must account for the paid-plan requirement for third-party cloud services.

The software is open source under AGPL-3.0. Readest says it uses encryption for sensitive data and secure app-code practices, while acknowledging that no electronic storage or transmission method is completely secure. Screen-reader support is also available, which matters to visually impaired readers.

For more options, browse Ebook Reader Software.

Key features

Annotation and lookup: Mark passages, bookmark pages, add notes and search the library. Word lookup uses Wiktionary or Wikipedia; passages can be translated using Google, Azure or DeepL. The daily character caps on AI translation make plan choice relevant for frequent translation.

Parallel reading: Two books can appear side by side with synchronized scrolling and navigation. This is useful for comparing editions or reading related texts, rather than switching repeatedly between books.

Read-aloud: Books can be spoken using on-device, browser or cloud text-to-speech. Plus includes unlimited AI read-aloud hours; the free and Pro plan summaries do not include that allowance.

Library connections: OPDS catalogs and calibre libraries connect external collections, while highlight exports support Readwise and Hardcover.

Sync: WebDAV, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud Drive and S3-compatible storage are supported, but third-party cloud sync requires a paid plan. Free users get 500 MB of Readest Cloud storage; after downgrading, existing cloud books remain downloadable, but uploads above that cap and third-party sync pause.

Pricing

Readest is freemium. The Free Plan has 500 MB of cloud storage and 10K AI translation characters per day. It is a reasonable starting point for local reading and light translation, but the storage ceiling and paused uploads after exceeding the free allowance constrain cloud-dependent libraries.

The Plus Plan costs $4.99 a month and includes 5 GB of cloud storage, 100K AI translation characters per day and unlimited AI read-aloud hours. It fits readers who use speech regularly or need more room to sync. The Pro Plan costs $9.99 a month, raises storage to 20 GB and translation to 500K characters per day, and is better suited to heavier cloud and translation use; its plan summary does not include Plus's unlimited read-aloud allowance.

Lifetime Plan options are billed as a One-Time Payment: 1 GB $9.99, 2 GB $14.99, 5 GB $29.99, 10 GB $49.99, and Full Customization $19.99. Custom pricing applies to plans without a stated price. The listed terms give no basis to treat those one-time options as a substitute for the monthly plans' translation or read-aloud allowances.

Free and paid users can seek support through documentation, community channels, GitHub issues and support email.

Platforms

Readest runs on web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. That breadth suits readers moving among desktop and mobile devices, with offline reading available when a connection is not at hand.

Who it's for

Readest is a strong fit for readers with mixed-format libraries who value annotations, side-by-side study, lookup and flexible read-aloud. It also suits privacy-conscious users who want local storage by default and open-source software. Readers who need cloud syncing without a subscription, or whose libraries exceed the free storage allowance, should weigh the paid tiers before settling in.

Pros and cons

Pro: Broad file support, including archive and text formats, reduces the need to convert a varied ebook collection.

Pro: Parallel reading, notes and highlight export serve study and reference workflows beyond simple page turning.

Pro: Local-by-default storage and offline reading keep the core reading workflow from depending on cloud upload.

Con: Third-party cloud sync is gated behind a paid plan, limiting free users who want to keep libraries synchronized through their own storage.

Con: Free cloud storage is capped at 500 MB, and uploads beyond that allowance pause after downgrading.

Alternatives

Libby is the better fit for readers borrowing digital content with a valid library card: it is free to install and has no subscription costs, while Readest is built around reading files and collections.

Adobe Digital Editions is another free reader option for users who prefer Adobe's ebook software.

ReadEra suits Android and iOS readers who want free reading without ads or registration; its 14.99 USD one-time Premium plan includes Google Drive sync and background text-to-speech. Readest is the stronger choice for Linux and web access or parallel reading.

eBoox is a freemium alternative for readers looking for a free, ad-free option on Android, iOS or web.

Thorium Reader is a free option for readers on Linux, macOS, Windows or iOS who want a reader developed by the EDRLab non-profit.

Kobo Books makes more sense for readers seeking a storefront and audiobook subscription: Kobo Plus Listen costs $7.99 a month after a 14-day free trial, with audiobook availability varying.

PocketBook Reader is a free reader app for Android or iOS, though its app stores indicate in-app purchases.

DinoReader is a free Android ebook app if that narrower platform choice meets your needs.

Verdict

Choose Readest if you want one open-source reader for a varied ebook library, with serious annotation, parallel reading and optional listening across desktop, mobile and web. Its local-first defaults are a meaningful advantage; the main reason to look elsewhere is cloud sync, which requires a paid plan and makes the free storage cap a practical limit.

Verdict

Readest combines broad format support with annotation, lookup and read-aloud tools. Its locally stored-by-default approach and cross-platform availability are useful, while optional third-party sync sits behind a paid plan.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to ReadestAll alternatives →