Can I use the Kindle app without a Kindle?
Want the benefits of ebooks without buying a new device? Nothing’s stopping you from using the Kindle app (available on Android on iOS) without owning a Kindle at all. We’ve used it on both iPhones and Android devices, and think it’s excellent on both platforms (it would work well on a tablet like an iPad too).
We think the app is best used as a companion to a Kindle, though. It’s ideal for a bit of quick reading on the commute or searching through your books on the go.
We love how it syncs your reading progress, so you can always pick up where you left off on your other device. For the full distractionfree experience, it’s worth grabbing an actual Kindle – you’ll appreciate the bigger screen, easiertoread display and absence of intrusive alerts and unwanted distractions from your Instagram feed or news apps.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Kindle?
Kindles are all lightweight and backlit with room for thousands of books, but what are the other advantages?
You’ll get a distractionfree experience (unlike on a tablet), customisable fonts and text sizes, builtin dictionaries, and the ability to highlight key passages.
When it comes to downsides, though, you’ll miss out on real paper pages and the “new book smell”, and you won’t be able to lend your favourites to friends.
Is it possible to get library books on a Kindle in the UK?
While you can access library books on certain Kindle devices in some countries, the situation in the UK is a bit different.
In America, Kindles work seamlessly with public libraries thanks to partnerships with Amazon and platforms like OverDrive. Borrowing a library book is as simple as choosing a Kindlecompatible ebook from your library’s site and having it delivered straight to your device.
Unfortunately, in the UK, Kindle ereaders don’t support library ebooks because UK libraries primarily offer them in the EPUB format, which isn’t compatible with these devices. However, if you’re happy to read via your phone, iPad, Android tablet or Amazon Fire tablet, you can download apps like BorrowBox or Libby to borrow and read library books directly on your device.
If the lack of library book borrowing is a dealbreaker for you, we suggest looking at Kobo ereaders. These support Libby/OverDrive so, through supported libraries, you should be able to reserve and borrow books digitally.
Don’t mind paying a monthly fee and happy with Amazon’s selection of books? It might be worth considering whether Kindle Unlimited could work for you. It offers millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines.
Is Kindle Unlimited worth it?
Kindle Unlimited – essentially, Netflix for reading – offers access to over a million books, thousands of audiobooks, and a wide selection of magazine subscriptions for £9.49 a month.
You can keep 10 titles from Unlimited in your library at once, so it’s good for avid readers and if you love audiobooks.
However, you won’t find most mainstream authors or bestselling books on the service – it features mostly selfpublished titles.
Here’s a full explainer for Kindle Unlimited, detailing everything you need to know.
