Amazon retired the legacy Kindle for PC app on June 30, 2026. The replacement is Microsoft Store only, Windows 11 only, and the Mac version now lives exclusively on the App Store. For any reader on Windows 10, Linux, or an older Mac, that means either downgrading a machine or finding a new ebook app entirely. Here are seven Kindle alternatives for desktop that read your library without the platform lottery.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calibre | Managing a large ebook library | Yes, unlimited | Free | Format conversion and metadata editing |
| Kobo Desktop | Buying non-Amazon ebooks | Yes | Free (books priced separately) | Kobo store integration |
| Adobe Digital Editions | Library-loaned DRM ebooks | Yes | Free | Handles Adobe DRM used by public libraries |
| Sumatra PDF | Lightweight reading | Yes | Free | Fast, tiny footprint, PDF and EPUB in one |
| Thorium Reader | EPUB standards purity | Yes | Free | W3C-compliant EPUB rendering |
| Icecream Ebook Reader | Familiar Kindle-like UI | Yes | Free (Pro $19.95) | Reading progress across formats |
| KOReader | Cross-device reading with sync | Yes | Free | Excellent typography engine |
Why readers leave Kindle
The end of Kindle for PC on Windows 10 pushed the conversation. Amazon now supports Windows 11 exclusively, and only through the Microsoft Store. If you are on Windows 10 by choice or by hardware constraint, the app is gone.
The DRM. Amazon’s KFX format locks books to Amazon accounts. Even ebooks you paid for cannot be moved to a Kobo or a non-Amazon reader without stripping DRM, which is legally murky depending on your jurisdiction. Users who want format-agnostic ownership look elsewhere.
The store lock-in. Kindle only reads books bought from Amazon or sideloaded via Send to Kindle. Public library borrowing (through OverDrive/Libby) works on Kindle in the U.S. only. In Europe, Australia, and Asia, library integrations run through Adobe DRM and require a different app.
Finally, the interface. The new Kindle for Mac is a wrapped web app. Fonts are limited, typography controls are shallow, and the reading experience feels less responsive than Calibre’s or Thorium’s native rendering.
1. Calibre — Best for managing a large library
Calibre is the free open-source ebook manager that has been maintained by Kovid Goyal since 2006. It reads and converts between EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, PDF, CBR, and dozens of other formats, edits metadata, and syncs with any e-reader over USB or Wi-Fi. Desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Where it falls short: The UI is dense, and the sheer feature count intimidates newcomers who just want to read a book. Reading experience is functional, not beautiful.
Pricing:
- Free and open source (GPL)
- vs Kindle: free forever, no DRM ties
Migrating from Kindle: Calibre imports Kindle libraries via drag-and-drop from a Kindle device or via a Send-to-Kindle folder. DRM-stripped books convert to open formats trivially.
Download: calibre-ebook.com
Bottom line: Pick Calibre when your library is large and heterogeneous. Skip it if you just want a clean reading pane.
2. Kobo Desktop — Best for non-Amazon ebook buying
Kobo Desktop is Rakuten Kobo’s official reading app, focused on their store. It syncs bookmarks and reading position across Kobo e-readers, phones, and desktops. Available for Windows and macOS.
Where it falls short: Locked into the Kobo store like Kindle is locked into Amazon’s. Third-party imports work via drag-and-drop but the app is opinionated about its own catalog.
Pricing:
- Free app; books priced individually
- Kobo Plus: $9.99/month unlimited subscription
- vs Kindle: same store lock-in with a different vendor
Migrating from Kindle: No direct import from Amazon. Kobo accepts EPUB drag-and-drop for non-Amazon books. Books bought on Amazon stay on Amazon.
Download: kobo.com/desktop
Bottom line: Pick Kobo Desktop if you want to move off Amazon but still want a curated store. Skip it if you prefer store-neutral reading.
3. Adobe Digital Editions — Best for library-loaned DRM ebooks
Adobe Digital Editions is the reference implementation for Adobe Content Server DRM, the format most public libraries outside the U.S. use for ebook lending. If OverDrive or a similar library service hands you an ACSM file, ADE is what opens it.
Where it falls short: The UI is stuck in 2015. Adobe DRM has known compatibility issues with newer macOS versions. It is a utility, not a pleasant reader.
Pricing:
- Free
- vs Kindle: free, exists specifically to handle library DRM Kindle cannot
Migrating from Kindle: No direct migration. ADE is for public-library loans, not Amazon purchases.
Download: adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions
Bottom line: Pick Adobe Digital Editions specifically for library ebooks in non-U.S. regions. Skip it for everything else.
4. Sumatra PDF — Best for a lightweight reader
Sumatra PDF started as a fast, minimal PDF reader and grew into a lightweight EPUB, MOBI, DjVu, and CHM viewer for Windows. It launches in under a second, uses almost no RAM, and stays out of your way.
Where it falls short: Windows only. No sync, no annotations beyond bookmarks, no library management.
Pricing:
- Free and open source (GPL)
- vs Kindle: no cloud sync, but instant launch and true offline
Migrating from Kindle: DRM-free files (MOBI, EPUB, AZW3 without KFX wrapping) open directly. Amazon-locked KFX does not.
Download: sumatrapdfreader.org
Bottom line: Pick Sumatra when speed and simplicity matter more than sync. Skip it on Mac or Linux.
5. Thorium Reader — Best for EPUB standards purity
Thorium Reader is the reader the EDRLab (the European Digital Reading Lab) built to demonstrate what modern EPUB 3 should look like. Font selection, spacing controls, TTS, and Readium LCP DRM support all work out of the box. Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Where it falls short: Library management is thinner than Calibre. Amazon KFX and Adobe DRM are not supported.
Pricing:
- Free and open source (BSD)
- vs Kindle: free, modern EPUB rendering, no proprietary DRM
Migrating from Kindle: DRM-free EPUB and PDF open directly. Kindle-purchased books must be converted first via Calibre.
Download: thorium.edrlab.org
Bottom line: Pick Thorium if your library is already EPUB. Skip it if you buy through Amazon.
6. Icecream Ebook Reader — Best for a Kindle-familiar UI
Icecream Ebook Reader replicates the Kindle desktop reading experience: library on the left, book cover carousel in the middle, reading progress badges. Reads EPUB, MOBI, FB2, PDF, and CBR. Windows-only.
Where it falls short: Windows-only. The Pro tier is required for cross-device sync, cloud storage, and PDF export. Free version has occasional prompts.
Pricing:
- Free: full basic use
- Pro: $19.95 one-time
- vs Kindle: comparable free tier, Pro adds sync
Migrating from Kindle: Import EPUB and MOBI directly. KFX is not supported.
Download: icecreamapps.com/Ebook-Reader
Bottom line: Pick Icecream if you want the Kindle look-and-feel on a Windows machine. Skip it on other platforms.
7. KOReader — Best cross-device reader with sync
KOReader started life as a firmware for e-ink readers and grew a desktop version for testing. That heritage shows: the typography engine, dictionary integration, and margin annotation are best-in-class. Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Where it falls short: The UI is functional, not beautiful. Menus are deep. Setup is the price of the power.
Pricing:
- Free and open source (AGPL)
- vs Kindle: free, better typography, no cloud
Migrating from Kindle: DRM-free EPUB, MOBI, PDF, and CBR open directly. Amazon KFX requires conversion via Calibre.
Download: koreader.rocks
Bottom line: Pick KOReader if typography and annotations matter and you can tolerate a spartan UI. Skip it for casual reading.
How to choose
Pick Calibre if your reading spans multiple formats, stores, and devices. It is the all-purpose choice.
Pick Kobo Desktop to switch stores while keeping a shopping experience similar to Kindle.
Pick Adobe Digital Editions only for public library ebook loans, especially outside the U.S.
Pick Sumatra PDF when speed and minimalism win over features.
Pick Thorium Reader for a modern, EPUB-standards-first reading experience.
Pick Icecream Ebook Reader on Windows for a Kindle-familiar interface.
Pick KOReader if you care about typography and annotation depth.
Stay on Kindle only if all your books live in Amazon’s KFX format, you use a Kindle e-reader as your primary device, and you are on Windows 11 or a supported Mac. Otherwise, the platform lottery makes moving off cheaper long-term.
FAQ
Is Kindle for PC still available in 2026? The legacy Kindle for PC app was retired on June 30, 2026. Amazon now supports a Microsoft Store app for Windows 11 only, and a Mac App Store app for supported macOS versions. Users on Windows 10 or older Macs need an alternative.
What is the best free Kindle alternative? Calibre for library management, Sumatra PDF for lightweight reading on Windows, Thorium Reader for modern EPUB. All three are free forever.
Can I read my Amazon Kindle books on Calibre? Yes, once the books are DRM-free. Amazon’s KFX format is DRM-protected; stripping it is a legal grey area depending on jurisdiction. Once open, Calibre reads and converts them freely.
Which Kindle alternative works on Linux? Calibre, Thorium Reader, and KOReader all support Linux. Adobe Digital Editions and Kobo Desktop do not.
Do any Kindle alternatives sync reading position across devices? Kobo Desktop syncs across Kobo devices. KOReader syncs via community-run servers. Calibre sync happens via cloud storage folders (Dropbox, OneDrive) if you point its library at one. Kindle’s cross-device sync remains the smoothest for Amazon customers.
