Book Apps for iPhone: Read, Track & Discover Books

Your iPhone can offer you much more than just a phone. It can turn into a library in your pocket, an audiobook player, a reading statistics counter, and a book discovery app for you to find new books. But how do you know which book apps for the iPhone are worth your attention?

Some of them are intended for ebook reading, some for borrowing books from libraries, discovering new books, following up on your reading process, listening to audiobooks on the way, or even helping an author or a writer to find out about the discoveries readers have made.

This article will show you five of the best book apps for the iPhone, telling about what features it has, who should use it, and when it will suit you most.

If you’re looking for an ebook reader for iPhone, free library books, reading statistics, or audio books for iPhone – here they are.

Table of Content

Quick Look: Best Book Apps for iPhone

App	Best For	Ebooks	Audiobooks	Tracking	Free Access
Apple Books	All-in-one Apple reading	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes*
Kindle	Large ebook library	Yes	Some titles	Limited	Yes*
Libby	Free library books	Yes	Yes	Basic	Yes
Goodreads	Discovery & tracking	Limited	Limited	Excellent	Yes
Audible	Audiobook listening	No	Yes	Listening-focused	Yes*

*The app can be downloaded for free, but many books or audiobook titles may require payment, a subscription, or another form of access.

Editor’s note: “Best” depends on what you want from a reading app. Instead of choosing one universal winner, this guide matches each app to a specific reading need. 

What Makes the Best Book Apps for iPhone?

Before downloading another reading app, think about how you actually consume books. The ideal app for someone who reads two novels a month may be very different from the ideal app for someone who listens to three audiobooks during their daily commute.

Here are the features worth considering.

1. Reading Experience

The ideal ebook reader should allow prolonged periods of reading to be comfortable. The ebook reader should have features like adjustable font size, themes, brightness options, bookmarking, highlighting, and ease of navigation.

The interface of the ebook reader is also an important consideration. When you spend time finding where you were or adjusting the screen, the app is not serving its purpose.

2. Audiobook Support

Audiobooks play an essential role in today’s reading practices. According to the Audio Publishers Association, in 2025 the earnings from audiobooks in America amounted to $2.43 billion, while 58% of American adults claimed to have listened to an audiobook. 

Thus, it is necessary to take into account audiobook support when selecting an audiobook application for iPhone.

3. Book Discovery

The right app should help you answer the question every reader eventually asks:

“What should I read next?”

Personalized recommendations, curated lists, reviews, genres, author pages, and community discussions can all make book discovery easier.

4. Reading Tracking

If you like setting reading goals every year, maintaining a TBR list, keeping track of completed books, or tracking your reading patterns, then reading trackers can turn your hobby into an organized one.

5. Price and Free Access

Every user does not want yet another monthly subscription service. There are some applications that will enable access to free e-books that are in the public domain, while there are those that link you to the nearest library or paid e-books and audio books.

It is important to be able to distinguish between the free application and the free content.

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1. Apple Books — Best All-in-One Reading App

If you are highly dependent on the Apple platform, then Books by Apple would be one of the most convenient apps to read and listen to right from your iPhone.

This app brings together everything ranging from ebooks and audiobooks, personal recommendations, reading goals, collections, and digital library into a single application.

The present Books experience by Apple gives its users the ability to browse books and audiobooks, maintain a list of books to be read, create collections, and track their reading history.

Why Choose Apple Books?

Apple Books works particularly well for readers who don’t want to manage several different apps.

You can:

• Buy and read ebooks
• Purchase and listen to audiobooks
• Download books for offline use
• Create reading collections
• Bookmark pages
• Highlight passages
• Search within books
• Adjust fonts and page appearance
• Set reading goals
• Track books finished during the year

The app also supports PDFs, which makes it useful for writers, students, researchers, and anyone who frequently reads digital documents.

Apple Books for Audiobooks

For people searching for audio books on iPhone, Apple Books provides an integrated audiobook experience. Its player includes playback controls, speed adjustment, a sleep timer, and track navigation.

That makes it convenient for reading during activities where looking at your screen isn’t practical.

Who Should Use Apple Books?

Choose Apple Books if you:

• Use an iPhone as your primary reading device
• Want ebooks and audiobooks in one app
• Prefer Apple’s interface
• Want built-in reading goals
• Frequently read PDFs
• Don’t want a separate reading-tracker app

Best feature: The all-in-one Apple experience.

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2. Kindle — Best Ebook Reader for iPhone

The Kindle app is one of the most popular applications for reading books on an iPhone, especially among those who purchase ebook editions from Amazon.

There is no requirement of a Kindle device in order to read books using the app. The iPhone acts as the Kindle reading device for accessing the ebooks you buy from Amazon.

The app allows you to customize fonts, text sizes, brightness levels, page colors, highlights, translations, definitions, etc.

Why Kindle Is Popular With Readers

The biggest advantage of Kindle is the size and variety of its ebook ecosystem.

Readers can explore:

• Fiction
• Non-fiction
• Romance
• Fantasy
• Mystery and thriller
• Science fiction
• Biographies
• Self-help
• Business
• Academic titles
• Comics and graphic novels
• Magazines and other digital publications

Many books also offer free samples, which is useful when you want to decide whether a book deserves your time or money.

Kindle as an Ebook Reader for iPhone

As an ebook reader for iPhone, Kindle is particularly useful for readers who already buy books through Amazon.

Features such as adjustable typography, dark or alternative reading modes, highlights, notes, and in-book definitions can make longer reading sessions more comfortable.

For writers, Kindle can also be useful for researching how ebooks are presented to readers, from cover design and descriptions to categories and reader reviews.

What About Audiobooks?

Some Kindle titles support narration or work with Amazon’s audiobook ecosystem. However, Kindle’s primary strength remains ebook reading rather than being a dedicated audiobook platform.

If your main priority is listening rather than reading, a dedicated audiobook app may suit you better.

Who Should Use Kindle?

Kindle is a strong fit if you:

• Buy ebooks from Amazon
• Want a large ebook catalog
• Read novels frequently
• Like customizable reading settings
• Want to sample books before buying
• Already use Kindle devices or Amazon’s reading ecosystem

Best feature: A huge ebook ecosystem combined with a flexible reading interface.

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3. Libby — Best Free Book App for iPhone

Tired of reading ebooks after purchasing each of them?

Try your local library.

Developed by OverDrive, Libby serves as an intermediary between participating libraries and its users by offering ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines using a library card.

It makes Libby one of the most helpful free book apps for iPhone.

How Libby Works

The concept is straightforward:

1. Download Libby.
2. Find your participating library.
3. Sign in with your library card.
4. Search for a book.
5. Borrow an available ebook or audiobook.
6. Download it or stream it.
7. Return it when you’re finished.

Availability varies by library, so the exact catalog depends on your library system.

Why Readers Love Libby

“Libby’s greatest strength is that it ties into public libraries.

Rather than buying each individual e-book or audiobook, users who are eligible may get them from their library for free.

In addition, the app allows for offline access, which makes it convenient to use during trips or commutes, where there might not be internet.

The e-book reader allows for adjustments of font sizes, whereas the audio book player allows you to control your pace.”

Libby for Audiobooks

For anyone searching for audio books on iPhone without wanting another paid subscription, Libby is worth checking.

Your library may offer popular audiobooks, classics, nonfiction, biographies, and children’s titles. However, popular books can have waiting lists, just as physical library books can.

Who Should Use Libby?

Libby is ideal if you:

• Have a public library card
• Want free access to digital books
• Enjoy borrowing rather than buying
• Listen to audiobooks
• Read ebooks
• Want offline access
• Don’t mind waiting for popular titles

Best feature: Library access to ebooks and audiobooks at no additional title cost for eligible users.

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4. Goodreads — Best for Tracking and Discovering Books

Not all users require an alternative ebook reader. Some of them just require a more efficient means for finding, organizing, and discussing books.

And here enters Goodreads.

Goodreads is especially useful for those readers who have long TBR lists, track authors, read book reviews, take part in reading challenges, and wish to have a list of what they have already finished.

Goodreads as a Book Discovery App

Picture yourself entering an enormous bookstore where each shelf is stocked based on millions of other people’s suggestions.

That’s essentially the appeal of Goodreads.

You can use it to:

• Search for books
• Read reader reviews
• Rate books
• Create reading lists
• Mark books as Want to Read
• Follow authors
• Track your current reading
• Record finished books
• Participate in reading challenges
• Discover popular titles

For readers who frequently say, “I have nothing to read next,” Goodreads can become a valuable discovery tool.

Goodreads Reading Challenge

Each year, one can participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge where one sets a goal regarding the number of books he or she would like to read in that particular year.

One is not obligated to set a challenging target. One may just opt to set a reasonable target for giving oneself a bit of discipline in reading.

Goodreads also offers valuable information to writers on the discussion of books and writing.

Is Goodreads an Ebook Reader?

Not primarily.

Goodreads is better thought of as a book discovery and tracking platform than a full-featured ebook reader.

You might discover a book on Goodreads and then purchase or borrow it through another service.

That distinction is important when comparing the best book apps for the iPhone.

Who Should Use Goodreads?

Goodreads is a great choice if you:

• Maintain a TBR list
• Love book recommendations
• Enjoy reviewing books
• Follow authors
• Set annual reading goals
• Want to track your reading history
• Enjoy book-related communities

Best feature: Book discovery and reading tracking.

5. Audible — Best Audiobook App for iPhone

In case listening to stories is your preferred method of consuming them, then there is no doubt that Audible is a must-have in your iPhone.

While other e-book applications are quite generic, Audible has concentrated mostly on spoken word stories and is among the top choices when looking for an audio book application for iPhone.

Why Choose Audible?

Audiobooks are especially useful when your eyes and hands are occupied.

You can listen while:

• Commuting
• Walking
• Exercising
• Cooking
• Traveling
• Doing household tasks
• Taking a break from screens

Increased use of audiobooks demonstrates this convenience factor. According to the Audio Publishers Association, multitasking and the ability to listen on the move are among the top advantages offered by audiobooks.

What Makes a Good Audiobook App?

When evaluating audiobook apps, consider more than the size of the catalog.

Look for:

• Playback-speed controls
• Sleep timers
• Offline listening
• Bookmarks
• Chapters
• Listening history
• Easy library management
• Narrator information
• Discovery tools

A great narrator can completely change how a book feels. For literary fiction, memoirs, poetry, or character-driven stories, narration can become part of the reading experience itself.

Audible for Writers and Authors

Audible books are not only for people who read books.

The author needs to be aware of this medium since reading audible books is a significant element in today’s publishing world.

When writing a book, one needs to think about the fact that there is an opportunity to create an audio version of this book.

Who Should Use Audible?

Audible is best suited to people who:

• Prefer listening to reading
• Consume several audiobooks
• Listen while commuting or exercising
• Want dedicated audiobook features
• Care about narration and production

Best feature: A dedicated listening experience designed around audiobooks.

Conclusion

However, the best book apps for iPhones are those that are able to seamlessly integrate with the current habits of readers.

Consider Apple Books if you are an Apple fan looking to enjoy an integrated Apple reading and listening experience. Go with Kindle if you use mostly ebooks. Select Libby when you plan to borrow digital books from the library. Go with Goodreads if you want to discover and track books, and consider Audible if audiobooks are your choice.

You are free to use more than one app too.

For example, a highly effective setup could include Goodreads as a tool for discovering, Libby as a tool for borrowing, Kindle as a tool for accessing ebooks and Audible for listening to audiobooks. This way, your iPhone would be able to provide you with a comprehensive reading experience.

For readers, the key thing to do is to make it easier to discover their next book and continue reading.

Aspiring authors need to remember that every reader they will find starts with discovering a good story first. Once they are ready to publish their manuscript in the form of an ebook, paperback or audiobook, they can consider professional publishing services.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best book apps for the iPhone?

Some of the most useful options include Apple Books, Kindle, Libby, Goodreads, and Audible. The right choice depends on whether you prioritize ebook reading, library borrowing, book discovery, reading tracking, or audiobooks.

What is the best free book app for the iPhone?

Libby is one of the most useful free options for readers with access to a participating library. It allows eligible users to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines through their library.

What is the best ebook reader for the iPhone?

Kindle and Apple Books are two strong options. Kindle is particularly useful for readers who purchase ebooks through Amazon, while Apple Books integrates closely with the Apple ecosystem.

What is the best audiobook app for iPhone?

Audible is a dedicated audiobook platform, while Apple Books and Libby also support audiobook listening. Your best choice depends on whether you prefer purchasing, subscribing to, or borrowing audiobooks.

Can I read books for free on an iPhone?

Yes. Depending on the app and availability, you can access public-domain books, free titles, samples, and library-borrowed ebooks. Libby is particularly useful for accessing digital books through participating libraries.

Can book apps help me track my reading?

Yes. Apps such as Apple Books and Goodreads provide reading-tracking features. Goodreads is particularly focused on reading history, goals, reviews, and book discovery.

Are book apps useful for authors?

Absolutely. Authors can use them to research genres, discover competing titles, observe reader discussions, build reading habits, and understand how books are presented digitally.