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Kobo Books VS Scribd

Compare Kobo Books VS Scribd and see what are their differences

Kobo Books logo Kobo Books

Kobo Books is a best in the class eBooks and eReadering apps for many reasons.

Scribd logo Scribd

Unlimited books, audiobooks & comics. Unparalleled discovery. Any device. $8.99/month
  • Kobo Books Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-02
  • Scribd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16

Kobo Books features and specs

  • Wide Selection
    Kobo Books offers a large variety of books, eBooks, and audiobooks across multiple genres, catering to various reading preferences.
  • Cross-Platform Accessibility
    Kobo Books can be accessed on multiple devices, including Kobo eReaders, smartphones, tablets, and PCs, ensuring flexibility for the user.
  • Competitive Pricing
    Kobo often has competitive pricing and frequent promotions, making it an attractive option for bargain readers.
  • Integrated Reading Experience
    Kobo provides features such as bookmarks, annotations, and syncing across devices, which enrich the reading experience.
  • Extensive Library Integration
    Kobo supports OverDrive, allowing users to borrow eBooks from local libraries, which is a unique advantage.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The Kobo app and website are known for their user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate and find books.
  • Personalized Recommendations
    Kobo offers personalized book recommendations based on your reading history and preferences, enhancing the user's experience.
  • Support for Multiple Formats
    Kobo supports various book formats, including EPUB, PDF, and MOBI, offering flexibility in reading options.

Possible disadvantages of Kobo Books

  • Geographical Restrictions
    Some books may not be available for purchase in certain regions due to geographical restrictions, which can limit selection for some users.
  • DRM Limitations
    Books purchased through Kobo often have Digital Rights Management (DRM) protections, which can restrict the ability to share or transfer books to other devices.
  • Limited Audiobook Selection
    Compared to other platforms like Audible, Kobo's audiobook selection may be somewhat limited.
  • Inconsistent Syncing
    Some users have reported issues with syncing books and annotations across devices, leading to a fragmented reading experience.
  • Customer Service
    Kobo's customer service has occasionally been reported as lacking in responsiveness and efficiency, which can be frustrating for users needing support.
  • Interface Lag
    Some users have reported occasional lag or slow response in the mobile app and website interface, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • Limited Social Features
    Kobo has fewer social features compared to competitors like Goodreads, making it less engaging for readers who enjoy interacting within a book community.

Scribd features and specs

  • Extensive Library
    Scribd offers a wide variety of content including books, audiobooks, magazines, and even documents from multiple genres.
  • Unlimited Access
    Subscribers get unlimited access to a rotating library of titles at a fixed monthly fee, allowing ample reading without purchasing each book individually.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform provides an easy-to-navigate interface with personalized recommendations and a customizable reading experience.
  • Cross-Device Syncing
    Scribd syncs your progress across devices, so you can start reading on your phone and continue on your tablet or computer seamlessly.
  • Offline Reading
    Users can download titles for offline reading, making it convenient for areas with limited internet access.

Possible disadvantages of Scribd

  • Rotating Library
    While Scribd offers unlimited access, some books may become unavailable over time due to the rotating nature of the library.
  • Limited Audiobook Selection
    Compared to dedicated audiobook services, Scribd's audiobook selection is not as extensive.
  • Regional Restrictions
    Certain books and content may not be available in all regions due to licensing agreements.
  • Monthly Fee
    Although comprehensive, Scribd does come with a monthly subscription fee, which might not be justifiable for infrequent readers.
  • Data Consumption
    Streaming or downloading large files such as audiobooks and high-resolution magazines can consume significant data, affecting users with limited internet plans.

Kobo Books videos

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Scribd videos

Is Scribd Worth It?

More videos:

  • Review - Scribd Review
  • Review - Audible vs Kindle Unlimited vs Scribd Review (and why I switched)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Kobo Books and Scribd)
eBook Reader
57 57%
43% 43
Digital Publishing
0 0%
100% 100
Ebooks
60 60%
40% 40
eBook Manager
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Kobo Books and Scribd

Kobo Books Reviews

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Scribd Reviews

10 of the Best Ebook Readers for Windows, macOS, and Mobile
The reader itself is gorgeous to use and is available on iOS and Android. It’s a bright and modern app that includes a host of options to help you read content from the community. It’s not as in depth with regards to features as other solutions, but like Scribd, the experience trumps all.
Top 25 SlideShare Alternatives To Create & Share Online Presentations
With over 80million monthly active readers Scribd is the world’s most popular open platform for publishing and sharing documents of all types. You can upload your academic or business presentations to Scribd for free and share with anyone. Yes, you can embed your Scribd documents on your own website too.
Source: slidehelper.com
17 Powerful Issuu Alternatives Nobody Told You About (1 BIG winner)
When looking at the costs, Scribd is cheaper, so for anyone publishing a paid for magazine, it could be a consideration. However, the possibility to share isn’t there, and you can’t embed your publications on your website, although it is quite straightforward to load to services like Behance. But, if you are looking for something with an Issuu like PDF viewer, Scribd is not...

Social recommendations and mentions

Scribd might be a bit more popular than Kobo Books. We know about 54 links to it since March 2021 and only 38 links to Kobo Books. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Kobo Books mentions (38)

  • Buying a Clara HD in 2023?
    If I were in your position I would spend the extra and get the 2e, if for no other reason than iirc, it has an audiobook feature. The clara2e is only $139 on kobo.com right now. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Tolino Vision 6 eManga
    Im buying my manga from kobo (kobo.com). Theyre usually drm protected, but its incredibly easy to remove it. After doing so you get a standard epub file which you can read on basically any ereader, including yours. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • How do you keep up with LNs that have dozens of volumes? Is it even possible to keep track and remember what happen in each?
    LNs are short. If they look like they're as long as your typical Western novel, it's only because of the font size or thickness of paper used. You'll probably find similarly thin books in the YA section of a bookstore, but most Western books are longer. And while Harry Potter books start out shorter, in general, they absolutely dwarf the size of the typical LN, and I don't know if there are even any LNs which are... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Some kobo.com purchased books not showing up on Kobo Clara HD
    I purchased some ebooks and I can see them at kobo.com but not all of them show up on my Kobo Clara HD reader. Everything is up-to-date and synced. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Is piracy my only option?
    I usually buy from either ebooks.com or kobo.com (sometimes Google Play). They have their own Android apps where you can read your purchases without removing the DRM. On Boox, I've only ever tried the ebooks.com app, but I've found it to have a very limited feature set, so I prefer Pocketbook. By the way, ebooks.com sells DRM-free ebooks whenever the publisher allows it. I usually don't buy Kindle books, because... Source: almost 2 years ago
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Scribd mentions (54)

  • “Manitoba Affidavit” 1870
    If you go to https://scribd.com and enter search term Lawrence Barkwell + Métis and change results to documents/articles, all of his 2,000+ research papers are there. He was the historian for the Louis Riel Institute and Gabriel Dumont Institute for over 20 years. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Complete plans for a 2-storey residential Building
    Look on scribd.com. They have several plan sets for residential structural buildings. Source: over 1 year ago
  • whats your opinion on elvis as an actor?
    Jerry Schilling speaks to this in his book, "Me and a Guy Named Elvis." Highly recommend this audiobook available for free on a trial basis at scribd.com. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • whats your opinion on elvis as an actor?
    There are several Elvis ebooks and audiobooks you can access for free with a 30-day trial at scribd.com. Registration requires a credit card but you can cancel before the first payment. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • f*cking scribd amex offers
    Get a $6 statement credit by using your enrolled eligible Card to make a single purchase of $11.99 or more online at scribd.com by 10/31/2023. Limit of 5 statement credits (total of $30). See terms. Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Kobo Books and Scribd, you can also consider the following products

Google Play Books - Google Play Books lets you search, preview, and buy millions of books using Google Book Search.

Issuu - Issuu is the leading digital publishing platform delivering exceptional reading experiences of magazines, catalogs, and newspapers.

Amazon Kindle - Amazon Kindle software lets you read ebooks on your Kindle, iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, and...

calibre - Ebook manager, viewer & converter

SlideShare - Discover, Share, and Present presentations and infographics with the world’s largest professional content sharing community.

Cool Reader - Fast and small cross-platform eBook reader for desktops and handheld devices