If the doubtful ethics of Amazon have been annoying you lately, welcome to the club! We have jackets. We also have great news. Although Kindle has been synonymous with ‘e-reader’ for many years, Kobo, Boox, and Bigme have caught up and now offer e-readers that may be superior to Kindle in many areas.
You don’t even need to worry about losing the abundant library you’ve built from Amazon during your loyal (or imposed) Kindle years, or that you’d have to stop supporting indie authors you love who published on Kindle Unlimited. Two of the electronic readers we talk about below run on Android, allowing you to install the Kindle app just as if you were using a Kindle.
Without further ado, check out the amazing models we’ve selected for you, which compete directly with Kindle Colorsoft.
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Top 3 Electronic Readers Better Than Kindle
1. Boox Go Color 7 (Gen II): Android Power for Readers
Boox’s design is simply delightful – clean and elegant. The Boox Go Color 7 runs full Android, allowing you to install any reading app like Kindle, Kobo, Google Play Books, Libby, and even Audible.
Go Color 7 has built-in speakers and a free TTS feature, allowing you to listen to your stories without the need for Bluetooth headphones or other external speakers. For those who want a quick listen or sharing with others in the room without extra gear, Boox’s device is better than Kindle.
Battery life is not as long as that of the Kobo or Kindle, but still decent. E-ink tablets that run on Android have a shorter battery life than dedicated electronic readers. Depending on your settings and the apps you use, it will last longer – especially if you use it mostly for reading. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll have to charge once or twice a week.
Go Color 7 has many other ‘bonuses’ like incredible note-taking capacities with the stylus sold separately, ergonomic page-turn buttons (a better reading experience), and the possibility to access unlimited news sites and blogs. Even giving you so much more (except for the battery life), Boox is cheaper than Kindle if you buy from the Boox store (US / Europe).
2. Kobo Libra Colour: A Dedicated E-Reader with Library Freedom
Although the Kobo Libra Colour’s design is similar to the Boox Go Color 7, Kobo uses a closed ecosystem and is considered a dedicated e-reader like the Amazon Kindle. Still, you’ll have more freedom with any Kobo device.
Kobo Libra Colour handles EPUB natively (no conversion needed) and has seamless, built-in OverDrive support for borrowing from public libraries directly on the device – a ‘killer feature’ for most of its fans. This means that, even though you can’t buy and download ebooks from other online bookstores directly, you can transfer them wirelessly to the Kobo Libra Colour through Dropbox or Google Drive integration. The process is much smoother than on the Amazon ecosystem, which has complicated it even further recently.
As extras compared to Kindle, Kobo Libra has two lateral page-turn buttons, universally loved by avid readers for better ergonomics; it comes with 32GB (you need to pay more for Kindle Colorsoft Signature), and Kobo Plus Read & Listen has better value compared to Unlimited if you’re willing to give it a try too. You can listen to your audiobooks via Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
Even with all its features and great quality, Kobo Libra Colour is still usually the least expensive of all four e-readers mentioned here. However, considering Libra Colour’s Kobo Stylus 2 compatibility, you’d still get more benefits from this device, making it better than Kindle Colorsoft.
3. Bigme B751C: A Vibrant E Ink Alternative to Kindle
Despite being lesser-known, Bigme is a leading brand specialised in colour E Ink devices and released the world’s first Kaleido 3 colour E Ink tablet. The Bigme B751C has all the features of an Android electronic reader like Boox, but it can come in a bundle with a stylus for notetaking and a case, unlike Boox and Kobo.
Bigme often pushes its software to enhance colour saturation and clarity more aggressively than its competitors. That means you’ll have a more vibrant and engaging visual experience when reading comics, manga, technical diagrams, or illustrated textbooks.
That was already said about Boox, but it’s worth repeating: e-readers that run on Android allow you to install, buy, and download eBooks directly from Kindle, Kobo, Google Play Books, Bookshop, or any other online retailer. This means maximum freedom of choice! It also has built-in speakers, allowing you to listen to audiobooks, podcasts, or use text-to-speech features without any external accessories.
The Bigme B751C Color downside is that its battery lasts days, not weeks. But its price is often lower than Kindle Colorsoft, especially with the discount on their site – the bundle price, with stylus and case.
Comparison: Colour E-Readers vs Kindle Colorsoft
Before we summarise all the info above and more in a table, a quick list of the criteria we used to choose the models above.
- They all have 7” colour Kaleido 3 technology displays, which are identical to Amazon’s ‘Colorsoft’.
- When a brand had more than one 7” display model, we chose the entry-level one.
- Their customisation features are similar.
- They offer colour highlighting.
- Their prices are in the same range.
Comparison Table: 7-Inch Color E-Readers
| Feature | Kindle Paperwhite Color | Boox Go Color 7 (Gen II) | Bigme B751C Color | Kobo Libra Colour |
| Display Tech | ColorSoft (Kaleido 3) | E Ink Kaleido 3 | E Ink Kaleido 3 | E Ink Kaleido 3 |
| Screen Size | 7″ | 7″ | 7″ | 7″ |
| OS / Ecosystem | Amazon Kindle (Closed) | Android 11 (Open) | Android 11 (Open) | Kobo (Semi-Open) |
| Physical Buttons | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Included Stylus | No | No | Yes (Bundle) | No |
| Battery Life | Excellent (Weeks) | Good (Days) | Good (Days) | Excellent (Weeks) |
| Key Advantage | Seamless Amazon integration, simplicity | Power & flexibility of Android, all apps | Colour/, bundle, Android all apps | Library integration, buttons, openness |
| Key Disadvantage | Locked to the Amazon ecosystem, the most expensive, with less value | Steep learning curve, shorter battery | Less polished software & support, shorter battery | Smaller bookstore than Amazon |
| Ideal User | The dedicated Amazon customer who wants a simple, reliable colour reader. | The user who wants ultimate freedom (a single device for all bookstores and libraries) and loves a great ergonomic design and note-taking. | The user who prioritises colour, enjoys note-taking, and wants ultimate freedom. | The library power user and format purist who values physical buttons and a more open approach. |
Final Thoughts: Why These E-Readers Are Better Than Kindle
After all that was said, you just need to want more from your electronic reader to consider ditching a Kindle, for your money and maybe for your peace of mind.
Kindle is a quality product, no doubt, but its leadership may have to do more with Amazon’s monopolistic grip on the market. Despite the company’s unmatched logistical efficiency and customer-centric convenience, it’s hard to ignore its questionable business practices and exploitative treatment of employees and small partners.
But, even if you don’t care about the big retailer’s controversies, you can only gain with a Boox, Kobo, or Bigme e-reader – they not only offer greater value for your money, but they also give you the joy of truly owning your reading journey.
More interested in a basic e-reader? Read this article to discover the best models.