The short answer. The first split is reader versus library manager, and Calibre is on the second side: if the job is converting, tagging and moving books between devices, it is the tool and nothing else here competes. For reading, Readest if you want an open-source reader with a modern interface, Koodo Reader if you need many formats in one place, Bookshelves if you want a free reader with a built-in public-domain catalogue, and Clearview if your library includes CHM or DRM-free MOBI files. If you read in order to study rather than to finish, MarginNote 4 puts the notes and the spaced repetition beside the text, and ReadAny lets you search and question the book instead of only reading it.
This guide covers 9 ebook readers for macOS. Every fact below is drawn from the same verified records that back each app’s own page. The recommendations are our editorial judgment, not payment. Last verified 2026-10-16.
Quick comparison
| App | What it is | Pricing | Licence | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BookShelves | ebook reader | Free | not published | 1.0.39 |
| Calibre | ebook reader | Free | not published | 9.15.0 |
| CHM Reader | ebook reader | Free | not published | — |
| Chmox | ebook reader | Free | not published | — |
| Clearview | ebook reader | not published | not published | — |
| Koodo Reader | productivity app | Free | not published | — |
| MarginNote 4 | productivity app | not published | not published | 4.4.6 |
| ReadAny | productivity app | Open source | not published | 1.3.6 |
| Readest | ebook reader | Open source | AGPL-3.0 | 0.12.10 |
What actually decides this
- Reading, or managing the library. A library manager converts formats, fixes metadata and moves files to a device. A reader displays a book. Some tools do both and do one of them better, and knowing which one you came for settles most of the choice.
- Which formats it opens. EPUB, PDF, MOBI and CHM are four different problems. A reader that lists fifteen formats is often excellent at two of them, and the formats you actually own are the only ones that matter here.
- DRM. A DRM-protected book opens only in the application the store allows. A reader’s format list tells you what it can open when the file is unencumbered, which is not the same as what you can open today.
- Annotation and notes. Highlighting is a reading feature; a searchable notes store is a studying feature. MarginNote and ReadAny are on the second side, and if you read for work that is the side you want.
- Where the library lives. A folder of files you own is portable and boring. A managed database is convenient and holds your library in a format only that application reads. Neither is wrong; the second is worth choosing knowingly.
Our picks
- Calibre — Its record describes it as a complete e-book solution rather than a reader, which is the library side of the split. Choose it when the job is managing a library — converting, tagging, transferring — more than reading it.
- Readest — It is open source under AGPL-3.0 and its record describes a clean interface with reading tools as the product. Choose it when you want an open-source reader with a modern interface.
- Koodo Reader — Its record states support for more than fifteen formats across desktop and web. Choose it when you need many formats in one reader.
- MarginNote 4 — Its record describes deep reading combined with mind mapping, spaced repetition and note taking, which is a study workflow rather than a reading one. Choose it when you read to study, and want the notes and the spaced repetition beside the text.
- ReadAny — Its record describes semantic search, chat and note management over the book. Choose it when you want to search and question the text rather than only read it.
- Clearview — Its record lists PDF, DRM-free EPUB, CHM and MOBI, which covers the formats most readers here skip. Choose it when your library includes CHM or DRM-free MOBI files.
The apps
BookShelves
BookShelves is an ebook reader for macOS. Ebook reader and library manager with public-domain books and sync. It is free.
What it does. Free ebook reader for macOS, iPhone, and iPad. Read EPUB, PDF, and Kindle formats. 1.5 million+ free classic books, no ads, and optional Pro iCloud sync. No account needed.
BookShelves is listed with current version 1.0.39.
Full profile and verified facts for BookShelves →
Calibre
Calibre is an ebook reader for macOS. Free, open-source e-book manager and reader. It is free.
What it does. calibre: The one stop solution for all your e-book needs. Comprehensive e-book software.
Calibre is listed with current version 9.15.0.
Full profile and verified facts for Calibre →
CHM Reader
CHM Reader is an ebook reader for macOS. Read Compiled HTML (.chm) documents on your Mac. It is free.
Full profile and verified facts for CHM Reader →
Chmox
Chmox is an ebook reader for macOS. Read CHM documents on your Mac. It is free.
Full profile and verified facts for Chmox →
Clearview
Clearview is an ebook reader for macOS. Tabbed style e-book reader for PDF, EPUB (DRM free), CHM, and MOBI. Its pricing is not published.
Full profile and verified facts for Clearview →
Koodo Reader
Koodo Reader is a productivity app for macOS. All-in-one eBook reader supporting over 15 formats. It is free.
What it does. Koodo Reader is an all-in-one eBook reader for Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web, supporting over 15 formats.
Full profile and verified facts for Koodo Reader →
MarginNote 4
MarginNote 4 is a productivity app for macOS. In-depth PDF and EPUB reading, learning, managing and note taking app. Its pricing is not published.
What it does. All-in-one PDF deep-reading, mind-mapping, FSRS spaced-repetition, and AI-assisted learning tool. Card Axis architecture + git-like data sync.
MarginNote 4 is listed with current version 4.4.6.
Full profile and verified facts for MarginNote 4 →
ReadAny
ReadAny is a productivity app for macOS. AI-powered e-book reader with semantic search, chat, and note management. It is open source.
What it does. An AI-powered desktop e-book reader with intelligent chat, semantic search, and knowledge management.
ReadAny is listed with current version 1.3.6.
Full profile and verified facts for ReadAny →
Readest
Readest is an ebook reader for macOS. Open-source ebook reader for EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, CBZ and more, with parallel reading and sync. It is released under AGPL-3.0.
Strengths. Reads nine formats — EPUB, PDF, MOBI, KF8 (AZW3), FB2, CBZ, TXT, HTML and Markdown — in one app. Parallel read opens two books or documents side by side in a split-screen view. Synchronises reading progress, notes and bookmarks with Koreader devices, which most readers do not offer.
Trade-offs. The version on offer is 0.12.10, so it is pre-1.0 software and the interface may still change. Several headline features are still listed as building or planned rather than shipped — AI summarisation and handwriting annotations among them. The formats it reads are DRM-free; a store-locked book will not open.
Not for. Readers who need DRM-protected books from a store — the formats listed are DRM-free.
What it does. Reads EPUB, PDF, MOBI, KF8 (AZW3), FB2, CBZ, TXT, HTML and Markdown. Parallel read: two books side by side in a split-screen view. Syncs book files, progress, notes and bookmarks across six platforms. Synchronises reading progress and notes with Koreader devices.
Readest is listed with current version 0.12.10.
Full profile and verified facts for Readest →
How to choose
- Free of charge. BookShelves, Calibre, CHM Reader, Chmox and Koodo Reader — no payment is required.
- No licence fee, source available. ReadAny and Readest — the source can be read and, under the terms of each licence, reused.
- Pricing not published in our data. Clearview and MarginNote 4 — check the developer’s own site before assuming anything about cost.
Open source: ReadAny and Readest (2 of 9).
Common mistakes
- Confusing a reader with a library manager. One displays a book; the other converts, tags and moves it, and the disappointment runs in both directions.
- Buying for the format count. A long list usually means two formats are well supported and the rest are not.
- Assuming a format list means you can open the books you own. DRM decides that, and the reader does not get a vote.
- Doing research reading in a reader with no notes store. The highlights you cannot search later are highlights you will not use.
How this guide was put together
Each app’s facts come from its own record: the developer’s own pages and repository, the App Store listing where one exists, and the documentation, each with a source grade and an access date. Where a fact rests on the developer’s own statement rather than on something we verified independently, the sentence says so. Where our data has no value for something, the guide says “not published” instead of guessing.
A price appears here only where the record carries one from a stated source; the guide never estimates one, and it records the pricing model alongside so the two can be read together. Prices change and vary by region, so each app links to its own page for the current detail.
The facts and the recommendations are kept apart on purpose. Everything in the app entries, the comparison table and the answers above is composed from the records. The short answer, the criteria and the picks are our editorial judgment: they reflect what we would choose and why, and they are not paid for. Where we make a recommendation we name the condition it applies under, because we do not call anything “the best” without explaining the criteria.
Verified 2026-10-16.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between these ebook readers?
There is no single answer — it depends on what you need. This guide covers 9 ebook readers: BookShelves, Calibre, CHM Reader, Chmox, Clearview, Koodo Reader, MarginNote 4, ReadAny and Readest. They differ mainly in pricing model, licence and the trade-offs each one carries. Pick by the trade-off you care about rather than by rank.
Are these ebook readers free?
Pricing across this group: free (BookShelves, Calibre, CHM Reader, Chmox and Koodo Reader), not published (Clearview and MarginNote 4) and open source (ReadAny and Readest). Where we list pricing as not published, the developer does not state a model we could verify — check their own site before assuming anything about cost. We quote a price only where the record carries one from a stated source, and we never estimate one. Prices change and vary by region and by store, so always check the developer’s own page for the current figure.
Which of these ebook readers are open source?
ReadAny (not published) and Readest (AGPL-3.0) are open source.
Do these ebook readers support Apple Silicon?
Our data does not carry an explicit Apple Silicon statement for any app in this group, so we do not claim one. The absence of a statement is not the same as the absence of support.
How do I choose between them?
Start with how you pay: the guide groups these apps by pricing model, because the budget is the constraint most people actually have. Then check the trade-offs listed for each app: the limitations are the part that decides most people’s choice, because they describe what the app will not do for you.
Who should not use these apps?
Readest each list an audience they are explicitly not aimed at. Those notes come from the same verified records as the rest of this guide, and they are worth reading before you install anything.
When was this data last verified?
The facts in this guide were last confirmed on 2026-10-16. Every app page carries its own verification dates and source list, so you can check any individual claim.
