Switching and migration
Where to buy ebooks besides Amazon
Short answer
Kobo is the best general alternative: broad catalog, native EPUB, sideloading welcome, and library borrowing in the same app. For DRM-free files you keep forever, buy direct from publishers or DRM-free shops. Apple Books suits Apple-only households. Whichever you pick, the point is the same: buy formats you can move.
Last checked 2026-08-01 — steps, prices, and links are desk-reviewed, not verified at a live checkout. Tell us if something moved and we will date the fix.
What is the best Amazon alternative?
Kobo, comfortably. The store is smaller but covers most trade publishing, the app reads EPUB natively, and the ecosystem does not punish you for owning other devices.
Where can you buy DRM-free ebooks?
Directly from many publishers, especially in science fiction, technical publishing, and independent presses, plus dedicated DRM-free storefronts. The files are yours: back them up, read them anywhere, keep them forever.
Prices are usually comparable to the big stores, and the difference in what you own is total.
How does sideloading work?
Download the EPUB, then add it to your reader: Kobo and Apple Books import directly, and Send to Kindle accepts EPUB with conversion. Calibre manages a personal library and handles format conversion for DRM-free files.
What about the books you already bought on Kindle?
They stay where they are. Nothing legal moves a DRM-protected Kindle purchase elsewhere, so treat the switch as a line in the sand rather than a migration, and keep the Kindle app installed for the back catalog.
Q & A
Questions readers actually ask
- Is Kobo cheaper than Amazon?
- Usually within a few cents on the same title, with promotions and points changing the answer week to week. Buy for portability, not for price.
- Can I read non-Amazon ebooks on a Kindle device?
- Yes for DRM-free EPUBs via Send to Kindle, which converts them. DRM-protected files from other stores will not work.
Refresh schedule: Refreshed every 6 months
Some links earn us a commission. Commissions never move a rank, and every score is set before anyone checks whether a program exists.