In today's digital age, reading on phones, tablets, or e‑readers has become very common. One popular app for this purpose is PocketBook Reader – any books, developed by Pocketbook International SA. This app is designed to let you read many kinds of books, magazines, comics, and even listen to audiobooks — all in one place. In this blog, we will explore what this app is, its key features, advantages, possible drawbacks, and why someone might choose it over other reading apps.
What Is PocketBook Reader – Any Books?
PocketBook Reader is a free application that turns your device (smartphone or tablet) into a powerful e‑reading tool. According to its description, it supports a huge variety of formats, giving you flexibility to read almost any e-content you have.
This app is not just a simple reader — it’s more like a full library and bookshelf packed into your device. You can read books, textbooks, magazines, comic books, and also listen to audiobooks.
Major Features of PocketBook Reader
1. Wide Format Support
PocketBook Reader supports many e-book formats — around 19 book formats and 7+ audio formats. (Obreey Reader)
Some of the supported text formats include:
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EPUB (including Adobe DRM protected) (APKPure.com)
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PDF (Adobe DRM) (Obreey Reader)
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MOBI, FB2, DJVU, DOCX, RTF, TXT, CHM, HTML (APKPure.com)
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Comic formats like CBZ and CBR (Obreey Reader)
For audio content, it supports:
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MP3, M4B for audiobooks (Obreey Reader)
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A built-in Text-to-Speech (TTS) engine, so you can make the app read text out loud. (Obreey Reader)
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You can even replace the default TTS engine with another from your device, if you want. (Obreey Reader)
2. Library & Cloud Synchronization
PocketBook Cloud: The app gives you free cloud storage via PocketBook Cloud, where you can sync not just your books but also reading positions (where you left off), notes, and bookmarks across devices. (Obreey Reader)
It also supports network libraries via OPDS catalogs, which means you can connect to public or private e‑book libraries. (PocketBook)
You can bring in your existing files from other services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Google Books, and connect multiple accounts if needed. (Obreey Reader)
If you also own a physical PocketBook e‑reader device, the app supports synchronization with it. You can scan a QR code on your reader and sync your app library with the device. (Obreey Reader)
3. Customizable Reading Experience
One of the strengths of PocketBook Reader is how customizable it is. You can:
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Change font size, line spacing, margins, font style, text and background colors. (PocketBook)
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Crop page margins so the text fits better on your screen. (Obreey Reader)
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Choose from several interface themes (at least seven) to match your reading mood or preference. (Obreey Reader)
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Control the page-turn animation (how pages flip), which makes reading more natural. (Obreey Reader)
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Use night-reading modes, which are easier on the eyes when reading in the dark. (Obreey Reader)
4. Notes, Bookmarks, and Progress
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You can bookmark pages, make notes, and add comments while reading. (Obreey Reader)
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All your notes, bookmarks, and comments can be easily viewed later, and you can share them by email or messenger. (Obreey Reader)
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You also get smart search within your library: the app scans all your files and finds content quickly. (Obreey Reader)
5. Dictionary and Translation
PocketBook Reader integrates built-in dictionaries and a translator, so when you read in another language, you can look up word meanings or translate phrases. (Obreey Reader)
It also has “quick search” capabilities in Google or Wikipedia for words or phrases from the book. (Obreey Reader)
6. Easy Import and File Management
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The app lets you choose which folders on your device it can access, so you can manage where your book files are stored. (APKPure.com)
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It scans for all supported book files and pulls them into its internal library. (Obreey Reader)
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You can sort books, filter them, or mark them as read/unread. (Obreey Reader)
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Audio files (like audiobooks) can be sorted and played within the app. (Obreey Reader)
Advantages: Why PocketBook Reader Is Great
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Format Flexibility: Because it supports so many formats, you are not locked into one ecosystem. Many other readers support only a few formats.
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Free & Ad-Free: The app is free to use, and there are no annoying ads while you read. (Softpedia Mobile)
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Synchronization: The PocketBook Cloud means you can switch between devices (phone, tablet, or e‑reader) and pick up right where you left off.
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Customization: You can make your reading experience very personal — size, layout, color — everything can be tweaked.
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TTS and Audiobook Support: If you like listening to books, the integrated TTS engine or support for MP3/M4B gives a strong advantage.
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Library Access: With OPDS support, you can access network libraries. Also, the ISBN scanner helps you quickly find electronic versions of physical books. (Obreey Reader)
Some Drawbacks & User Feedback
While PocketBook Reader is powerful, it’s not perfect. Based on user feedback (from Reddit and other forums), here are some common pain points:
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DRM Issues: Some users find it difficult to handle DRM-protected books. For example, transferring Adobe DRM-protected files like ACSM may not always work smoothly. (Reddit)
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Sync Problems: A few users report that cloud sync doesn’t always work reliably. (Reddit)
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OverDrive / Libby Integration: While some PocketBook devices support OverDrive natively, others require extra steps. (Reddit)
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User Interface Limitations: In some forums, people have said that they don’t like the app experience as much as using Calibre for managing books. (Reddit)
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Library Store Limitations: Some users feel that the built-in PocketBook store doesn’t have a very strong selection of English (or their local language) books. (Reddit)
Comparing PocketBook Reader With Other Apps
To understand where PocketBook Reader stands, let’s compare it briefly to other popular e-book reader apps.
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Kindle: Kindle is very popular but is more locked into Amazon’s ecosystem, and supports fewer open file formats. PocketBook Reader is more flexible with formats.
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Aldiko: Aldiko also supports EPUB and other formats, but its customization and cloud syncing are not as advanced as PocketBook Reader. (Wikipedia)
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Bluefire Reader: Bluefire supports EPUB and PDF, and is good for DRM-protected content, but again, PocketBook’s wider format support (CBR, MOBI, etc.) gives it an edge. (Wikipedia)
How to Use PocketBook Reader Effectively
Here are some practical tips to get the most out of PocketBook Reader:
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Import Your Files Carefully: Place your e-books in folders that the app can scan, so they appear in the library.
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Use Cloud Sync: Set up PocketBook Cloud to keep your reading progress, bookmarks, and notes safe and available across devices.
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Tweak Settings: Spend a little time customizing font, margins, and screen theme. A well-configured layout will make reading much more comfortable.
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Use Dictionaries and Translator: While reading in another language, use the built-in dictionary to learn and understand words.
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Borrow From Libraries: If your library supports OverDrive or OPDS, use the app’s features to borrow books and load them into PocketBook Reader.
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Backup Your Notes: Regularly export or backup your bookmarks and notes in case something happens to your device.
Who Is PocketBook Reader Best For?
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Avid readers who have books in different formats: If you have e-books in EPUB, MOBI, or even comics in CBR, this app makes life easy.
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People who switch devices: Since you can sync across phone, tablet, and e-readers, it’s great for multi-device reading.
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Users who like personalization: Those who want control over how their text looks — font, color, layout — will appreciate PocketBook’s customization.
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Listeners too: If you enjoy audiobooks or want text read out loud, the TTS feature and audio file support are very useful.
Conclusion
The “PocketBook Reader – any books” app is a strong, versatile, and free e-reading application. Its support for a wide variety of file formats, cloud sync, customization options, and audiobook features make it a go-to for many digital readers. It may not be perfect — especially around DRM or library integration — but for most users, its flexibility and power outweigh the drawbacks.
If you’re looking for a robust app that adapts to your reading style, rather than forcing you into a specific ecosystem, PocketBook Reader is definitely worth a try.