The 7 best reading & news apps in 2026
Our pick: The best reading app in 2026 is Libby (9.1/10), followed by NetNewsWire and Readwise Reader.
The best reading apps make it easy to start and hard to put down. We rank ebook and library apps, read-later tools, book trackers and news readers on what you can read, how pleasant they are for long sessions, price and how much they track your reading.
LibbyBorrow free ebooks and audiobooks with your library card
9.1
Most private
NetNewsWire9.1 overall
Quick answers
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Libby
Best free · Best for iPhone · Best for Android · Best value
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NetNewsWire
Best for Mac · Most private
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Readwise Reader
Best for Windows
The full ranking
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1
Libby9.1
Borrow free ebooks and audiobooks with your library card 9.10 -
2
NetNewsWire9.1
Free, open-source RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad 9.10 -
3
Readwise Reader8.7
Read-later app for articles, PDFs, ebooks and newsletters 8.70 -
4
Instapaper8.7
Save articles now and read them clean and quiet later 8.70 -
5
The StoryGraph8.5
Track your reading and get picks based on mood and pace 8.50 -
6
Kindle8.3
Read your Amazon ebooks on any phone, tablet or browser 8.30 -
7
Ground News8.0
See how left, center and right outlets cover each story 8.00
Votes don't change our scores. They show whether readers agree with the order — sort by Most upvoted to see theirs.
Head to head
Libby
9.1
vs
NetNewsWire
9.1
Libby
9.1
vs
Readwise Reader
8.7
NetNewsWire
9.1
vs
Readwise Reader
8.7
Guides for reading & news
Questions
What is the best reading app in 2026?
Libby is our top pick, with an overall score of 9.1 out of 10. Libby turns your library card into a free ebook, audiobook and magazine app. Borrow titles, place holds and get told when they're ready, download them for offline reading, set audiobook speed from 0.6x to 3x and, in the US, send loans to a Kindle. You can link several library cards at once. The only real cost is patience, since popular books often have long hold queues.
What is the best free reading app?
Libby is also the best option you can use for free. Yes. Libby is free with no in-app purchases; you only need a card from a library that uses OverDrive.
Which reading app is best for privacy?
NetNewsWire has the highest privacy score in this category at 9.8 out of 10.