Ebook reader privacy ratings
Apps and tools for reading and managing ebooks.
10 ebook readers are rated against 4 public criteria, and 10 have enough evidence for a letter grade. Of the 5 with a known jurisdiction, 4 are based in a Five Eyes country, and 5 in the wider Fourteen Eyes.
Open-source ebook readers only · Criteria for this category · Suggest an addition · Markdown
| Name | Grade | Score | Data | Jurisdiction | Open source | No trackers or telemetry | No ads or data sales | Independent audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Open-source e-book reader for Linux built with GTK, supporting EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ and PDF. |
Grade B | 80 | 100% | – | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Open-source document and e-book reader for E Ink devices such as Kindle, Kobo and PocketBook, also available for Android and Linux. Supports EPUB, PDF, DjVu, CBZ and more. |
Grade B | 80 | 100% | – | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Free and open-source e-book manager for organizing, converting and reading e-books, with a built-in viewer, editor and device syncing. |
Grade D | 50 | 100% | – | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Open-source e-book reader for desktop, mobile and web, with optional cloud sync of books, progress and notes. |
Grade D | 50 | 100% | – | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Open-source desktop reader for EPUB, PDF, audiobooks and comics from EDRLab, a French nonprofit. It supports LCP-protected library loans, read aloud and screen readers. |
Grade D | 50 | 100% | France Nine Eyes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Open-source Android reader for EPUB, PDF, DjVu, MOBI, FB2 and other formats. A free ad-supported version, a paid PRO version and an F-Droid build are available. |
Grade F | 30 | 100% | – | Yes | No | No | No |
Apple's e-book and audiobook store and reading app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Purchases and reading progress sync through the user's Apple Account. |
Grade F | 25 | 100% | United States Five Eyes | No | Partial | Partial | No |
Google's e-book and audiobook store and reading app. Purchases, notes and reading progress sync through the user's Google account. |
Grade F | 0 | 100% | United States Five Eyes | No | No | No | No |
Amazon's e-book store, reading apps and E Ink e-readers. Books bought from Amazon use DRM and sync reading progress and notes through the user's Amazon account. |
Grade F | 0 | 100% | United States Five Eyes | No | No | No | No |
E-book and audiobook store, reading apps and E Ink e-readers from Rakuten Kobo Inc. in Toronto. Supports EPUB and syncs reading progress through a Kobo account. |
Grade F | 0 | 100% | Canada Five Eyes | No | No | No | No |
Questions
What is the most private option among ebook readers?
No pick has been made yet. The table above is sorted by score, based on public evidence.
How are ebook readers rated?
Each entry answers 4 questions: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales and independent audit. Answers need links to evidence. See the full criteria.
Does jurisdiction matter?
Jurisdiction decides which laws can compel a provider to hand over data. Each entry shows its country and whether it is in the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes. The data a provider can hand over depends mostly on what it stores and who holds the keys. Read about jurisdictions and the CLOUD Act.