What is Readest?
Readest is an open-source ebook reader built with Next.js and Tauri v2, and described as a modern rewrite of Foliate. It reads EPUB, PDF, MOBI, KF8 (AZW3), FB2, CBZ, TXT, HTML and Markdown, and supports both scroll and paginated reading modes. It can read two books side by side in parallel read, sync progress and notes across macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and the web, and synchronise with Koreader devices. It is licensed AGPL-3.0.
Verified product facts
- Type
- ebook readerEditorially reviewed
- Platform
- macOS
- Pricing
- Open sourceDeveloper-stated
- Open source
- Yes
- Relationship to Nuanyue
- Third-party product — not published by NuanyueEditorially reviewed
- Licence
- AGPL-3.0
- Current version
- 0.12.10Developer-stated
- Official website
- readest.com
Last updated . Facts marked developer-stated come from the developer and are not independently confirmed; editorially reviewed marks a Nuanyue judgement.
Key features
What Readest does at a glance.
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
Highlights, bookmarks and notes
Plus full-text search across the shelf
Read-along narration
With EPUB 3 Media Overlays, or paired DRM-free MP3, M4A or M4B
What you can use Readest for
- Reading two books side by side to compare translations or editions
- Keeping notes and highlights in step between a Mac and a Koreader device
Who is Readest for?
- Readers with a large mixed-format library who want one app for all of it
- People who read on several devices and want progress to follow them
Who is Readest not for?
- Readers who need DRM-protected books from a store — the formats listed are DRM-free
Strengths and trade-offs
What Readest does well, and what to weigh before choosing it. Points marked developer-stated come from the developer’s own material and have not been independently confirmed.
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.
- Syncs across six platforms — macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and the web — including book files, not just progress.
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.Editorially reviewed
What it does
Readest is an ebook reader built on Next.js and Tauri v2, and the project describes it as a modern rewrite of Foliate. The format list is the first thing worth checking against your own library: EPUB, PDF, MOBI, KF8 (AZW3), FB2, CBZ, TXT, HTML and Markdown. Nine formats, one app, no converter in the middle.
It does what a reader is expected to do — scroll or paginated modes, highlights, bookmarks, notes, full-text search across the shelf, dictionary and Wikipedia lookup with importable local packs. Two things go further than that.
Where it fits
The first is parallel read: two books open side by side in a split-screen view, which is the feature you reach for when comparing translations or checking a quote against an edition.
The second is sync. Readest runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and the web, and it synchronises book files, reading progress, notes and bookmarks across all of them — not just progress, the files too. It also synchronises progress, notes and bookmarks with Koreader devices, which is unusual enough to be the deciding feature if you own one.
It is pre-1.0 software at 0.12.10, and the README is honest about what is not shipped yet: AI-powered summarisation is marked building, handwriting annotations planned. Worth knowing before you rely on either.
Questions about Readest
Which formats does Readest support?
EPUB, PDF, MOBI, KF8 (AZW3), FB2, CBZ, TXT, HTML and Markdown.
Is Readest free?
Yes. It is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence, with no account required to read local files.
Can I read two books at once?
Yes. Parallel read opens two books or documents side by side in a split-screen view.
Does it work with a Koreader device?
Yes. Readest synchronises reading progress, notes and bookmarks with Koreader devices.
Alternatives to Readest
Apps that could replace this one — the same job, a different trade-off.
Koodo Reader
All-in-one eBook reader supporting over 15 formats.
Both are open-source readers covering many formats. Koodo Reader advertises over 15 formats; Readest lists nine and adds parallel read.
Calibre
Free, open-source e-book manager and reader.
Both handle a large ebook library. Calibre is a manager as much as a reader, with conversion tools; Readest is a reader first.
Clearview
Tabbed style e-book reader for PDF, EPUB (DRM free), CHM, and MOBI.
Both open PDF, EPUB and MOBI on the Mac. Clearview also reads CHM; Readest reads CBZ, FB2 and Markdown instead.
Links
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the sources below. Last updated .
- Readest — official websiteGrade B
- Readest — source repositoryGrade D
