It’s only fitting that numerous ebookstore services emerge for us to read on all the different devices we have. With the increase in ebook adoption, a new batch of services has also emerged with unique business models for reading. Now you can subscribe to Netflix-style unlimited reading plans, pay on a per-page basis and even rent etextbooks by the semester or year.
Here are 20 of the most popular destinations for buying, downloading and renting digital books, comics and textbooks:
Subscription plans
Oyster
Oyster launched its subscription ebook service last month. For $9.95 a month, users get unlimited access to a collection of over 100,000 books. Similar to Netflix, you won’t have access to all the latest titles, but it’s still a great value if you’re an avid reader.
➤ Web | App Store
Scribd
Scribd is also going for a subscription ebook model. Its plan costs $8.99 a month and includes a catalogue of books from major publisher HarperCollins.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play
eReatah
eReatah acts as a subscription book club. A monthly fee allows you to download a set number of books at a discount from retail prices. You’ll own the books even if you stop subscribing to eReatah, but you’ll have to read them from within the company’s app. The service, which is currently in beta, offers one free download during its 15-day trial period.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play
Total Boox
Total Boox takes an interesting approach to ebook sales by charging per page (prorated from the list price). There’s something strangely appealing about this model, especially for readers that have a habit of not finishing books. One of its most popular uses is for resources like computer books, textbooks and manuals, where you might only have to look up a few pages.
➤ Web | Google Play
Next page: Comics and Indie stores
Comics
Narr8
Narr8 takes ebooks a step further by adding extra layers of interactivity and animation to create a “motion comic”. It’s a proprietary platform, so you’ll only be able to open your Narr8 titles from within the company’s own apps.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play | Windows 8
Comixology
Comixology has done fantastic job building up a strong selection of comics from top publishers like Marvel, DC and Image Comics. The company says it has over 40,000 titles on offer.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play | Windows 8
WOWIO
One of the older kids on the block, WOWIO has had its share of troubles. However, it’s still in business offering sponsored free ebooks, comics, and graphic novels.
➤ Web
Indies
Feedbooks
Paris-based Feedbooks was the first ebookstore to support EPUB when it launched in 2007. In addition to the big-name publishers, it also includes a large selection of public domain and self-published work.
➤ Web
Smashwords
Smashwords is an independent publishing platform that helps authors place their books with many of the top ebookstores while also maintaining its own store, which offers higher margins. The site boasts a whopping 8.8 billion words published and 70,000 ebooks.
➤ Web
Next page: Etextbooks
Etextbooks
CourseSmart
If you’re looking for digital textbooks, CourseSmart is the place to go. The company touts savings as much as 60 percent off traditional paper textbooks, and it also offers a $200 subscription plan for accessing six textbooks for 150 days.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play
Chegg
Chegg is a rental service for etextbooks. You can choose from multiple rental periods, ranging from 60 to 360 days.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play
Inkling
Inkling’s speciality is interactive iPad books, so its catalogue contains travel guides, photo books, cookbooks and textbooks.
➤ Web | App Store
Kno
Though most of Kno’s titles are labeled as etextbooks, the company offers a broader selection of children’s books, reference works and popular classics that you might have to read for school.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play | Windows 8
Next page: Device platforms
Device platforms
Kobo
Kobo, which makes e-readers to go with its bookstore, says it has over 3.5 million titles, including ebooks, newspapers and magazines, on offer. Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten bought Kobo for $315 million in 2011.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play | Mac/PC
Sony Reader
Sony gets credit for creating the first e-ink reading device, but its Reader ebook store has since been eclipsed by Amazon.
➤ App Store | Google Play | PC/Mac
Nook
Barnes & Noble tried to make the jump from physical books to digital with its Nook store and e-readers. However, the company decide to stop making its own devices in-house.
➤ App Store | Google Play | Windows 8
Kindle
Most of you probably already make ample use of Amazon’s Kindle store, but leaving the market leader off this list felt neglectful.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play | Mac/PC
iBooks
Apple’s iBooks has been in the headlines lately, but mostly because of the US government’s antitrust lawsuit against it. Buying from iBooks will keep you locked in to your iOS devices.
➤ App Store
Google Play Books
Not to be outdone by Apple, Google also has its own bookstore for Android. Unlike iBooks, however, you’ll be able to read your Google Play Books titles on another platform.
➤ Web | Google Play | App Store
Miscellaneous
eBooks.com
I couldn’t decide where this fit, but eBooks.com claims to be the “world’s leading source of ebooks”. Amazon probably deserves that title, but at least eBooks.com has an SEO-friendly domain.
➤ Web | App Store | Google Play
Header image credit: Shutterstock / jorisvo