Kindle
Amazon's reading app for the ebooks you buy, borrow through Kindle Unlimited or read with Prime
by AMZN Mobile LLC · listed Oct 31, 2026
Quick verdict
If your books come from Amazon, this is a must-have and a genuinely good reader. If you buy elsewhere, a store-neutral app may suit you better.
Best for People who buy ebooks from Amazon or use Kindle Unlimited and want to read them on any phone or tablet
Reviewed by AppsPicks on Oct 31, 2026. How we review
Kindle review
Kindle is Amazon's free reading app for phones and tablets. Any ebook you buy from Amazon shows up in your library automatically, and Kindle Unlimited subscribers and Prime members can pick up included titles straight from the app. It suits anyone already buying ebooks from Amazon, or anyone who wants a reader that works the same on a phone, a tablet and a Kindle device.
Day to day, it stays out of the way. You can change the font, text size, margins, background colour and brightness, and choose page turns or continuous scrolling. A long press looks up a word, and X-Ray helps with characters and places you have forgotten. Highlights, notes and your reading position sync across devices, so you can switch from tablet to phone mid-chapter. Books you have downloaded can be read offline.
Why we picked it: If your ebooks come from Amazon, this is the simplest way to read them anywhere, with a polished, customisable reader and reliable sync.
Watch out for: It is tied to Amazon's store. Buying books inside the app can be limited on some platforms, and the shop and subscription prompts are always close at hand.
What we like
- Purchased Amazon ebooks appear automatically
- Flexible text, layout and background settings
- Reading position, highlights and notes sync across devices
- Built-in dictionary and X-Ray for looking things up
- Free samples let you try a book before buying
What could be better
- Locked into Amazon's ebook ecosystem
- Buying books in the app is restricted on some platforms
- Frequent nudges toward Kindle Unlimited and the store
Questions about Kindle
Is the Kindle app free?
Yes, the app itself is free. You pay for the books you buy on Amazon, and Kindle Unlimited is an optional paid subscription. Prime members also get a rotating selection of included titles.
Which platforms does it run on?
It is available for iPhone and iPad on the App Store and for Android phones and tablets on Google Play. Your library and reading progress sync with Kindle e-readers too.
Can I read without an internet connection?
Yes. Once a book is downloaded to your device, you can read it offline. You need a connection to download new titles and to sync progress.
Can I buy books directly in the app?
It depends on your platform and region. On some devices you complete purchases on Amazon's website, and the books then appear in the app.
What are the alternatives?
Apple Books, Google Play Books and Kobo are the main alternatives. Libby is a good option if you borrow ebooks from a public library.
From the developer: how Kindle describes itself
READ ANYTIME, ANYWHERE On the bus, on your break, in your bed—never be without a book. Kindle books you have purchased on Amazon will automatically appear in your app. Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime members can select and download Kindle books directly in the app.
FIND YOUR NEXT GREAT READ • Read the books you buy on Amazon in the Kindle app. Choose from over six million Kindle books (including those with Audible narration), magazines, and comics and start reading in seconds. Explore Amazon Charts best sellers and titles across genres like romance, science fiction, children’s books, self-help, religion, nonfiction, and more—and try any book with a free sample straight from the Kindle app.
• Kindle Unlimited members can enjoy unlimited reading and listening, with the freedom to explore over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and current magazines.
• Over 1,000 books, magazines, comics, and more included with Amazon Prime.
GO BEYOND PAPER Turn your iPhone or iPad into a book with the free Kindle app—so you can read anytime, anywhere. Explore these reading features in the Kindle app:
• Read your way. Customize your text size, font type, margins, text alignment, and orientation (portrait or landscape)—and choose whether to turn pages from left to right or continuously scroll. Read comfortably day and night with adjustable brightness and background colors. Go to the Aa menu in your book to get started.
• Look up words, people, and places while you read. Breeze through words you don’t know and characters you can’t remember with the built-in dictionary, X-Ray, Wikipedia lookup, instant translations, and search within your book. Simply tap and hold a word to view its definition, or use the Google and Wikipedia links to get more information.
• Track your reading progress. See what percent of the book you’ve read, real page numbers (for most top titles), and how much time you have left in the chapter or book based on your actual reading speed.
• Bookmark places you want to revisit, and make highlights and take notes throughout your book. Open My Notebook to see all your notes in the same place.
• Hop, skim, and jump with Page Flip. Flip between pages or get a bird’s-eye view of your book with Page Flip—don’t worry, we’ll save your place.
• Zoom in on high-definition color images in Kindle books, magazines, comics, and manga.
• Sync your books across devices. When you’re reading a book, the Kindle app will automatically sync where you left off—along with any bookmarks, highlights, or notes—so you can start reading on one device and pick up where you left off on another.
Text from the app store listing, quoted for reference. Our own take is above.
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