For users that prefer to use an iPad or Android tablet for reading, many eReader apps offer display customizations such as adjustable text sizes, options for changing page colors, and other ways of configuring page layouts that can make it easier to read with low vision. However, it can be challenging to find detailed information about eReader apps and low vision accessibility for users who rely on these types of display customizations in order to read.
Knowing about eReader apps and low vision accessibility features is especially relevant since DRM protections for purchased eBooks can limit users to certain reading tools (e.g. Amazon Kindle title cannot be read on the Barnes and Noble Nook app). That said, many eReader applications offer features that make it easier to read text and feature cross-platform support for reading across devices. Here is an overview of several mainstream eReader apps for iPad and Android tablets, as well as available accessibility features that benefit low vision users. All apps listed are free to use but require users to create a free account or purchase books separately.
Background: Listing accessibility features for eReader apps
This post on accessibility features for eReader apps documents options for customizing the appearance of text and page layouts for popular eReader applications. The applications included in this list are connected to an eBook store or allow users to download/purchase books within the app itself; apps that are designed with the sole purpose of reading eBooks or that only allow sideloaded content are excluded. Detailed information about screen reader access or accessing eAudiobooks is excluded from this list.
With the exception of Apple Books (which is only available for iOS devices), I compared both the iOS and Android versions of each eReader application to verify that accessibility settings and available font sizes and typefaces were consistent across devices; I used an iPad Air 4th generation for iOS apps with iOS 18.6 and a OnePlus Pad 3 with Android 15 for Android apps.
To test the eReader customization options, I used an EPUB of Pride and Prejudice that had been downloaded from the eBook store for the corresponding app (e.g. Apple Books, Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Google Play Books, Kobo, Libby). Inclusion of an app on this list is not an endorsement or guarantee that it will be accessible for a particular user; available features are subject to change.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- My Favorite Free Fonts For Print Disabilities
- File Formats For Low Vision and Print Disabilities
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How I Read Research Sources With Assistive Technology
Listing eReader app font size estimates
Because many eReader applications have proprietary reading software that does not list precise font sizes, it is impossible to give exact values for eReader font sizes because of the ways in which digital text is rendered in a mobile application and varying screen sizes across devices. I have provided my own estimates based on comparing screenshots to printed samples of text written in Microsoft Word, but these are only an estimate; I had a sighted assistant measure the smallest font size since I cannot see it.
Even if a user theoretically can’t read the largest font size listed for a particular app, I recommend at least checking out the app in case factors like a backlight, increased line spacing, or angled display make the text easier to read compared to reading from paper.
While there are a lot of factors that go into font size and how fonts are displayed on different sized displays, I noticed that some fonts appeared slightly larger (by around 2 pts) on my Android tablet. This makes sense, as the OnePlus Pad 3 has a larger screen size, higher resolution, and pixel density compared to the iPad Air. All font sizes listed within this post are taken from the iOS app.
Related links
Amazon Kindle font sizes and accessibility for low vision
Amazon Kindle apps have several options for loading content purchased or downloaded outside of the Kindle store, including the option to add files up to 200 MB to the library, sending files to the library using Send-to-Kindle, and reading library books with Libby.
Supported file types for Amazon Kindle app
- EPUB (.EPUB)
- PDF (.PDF)
- Microsoft Word (.DOC, .DOCX)
- HTML (.HTML, .HTM)
- RTF (.RTF)
- Text (.TXT)
- JPEG (.JPEG, .JPG)
- GIF (.GIF)
- PNG (.PNG)
- BMP (.BMP)
Platforms supported
- Android
- ChromeOS
- iOS
- iPadOS
- Mac
- Windows
- Web browser
Amazon Kindle fonts
- Amazon Ember Bold (iOS)
- Baskerville
- Bookerly
- Caecelia
- Droid Serif (Android)
- Georgia
- Helvetica
- Lucida (Android)
- OpenDyslexic
- Palantino
Amazon Kindle font sizes
The Amazon Kindle app has 18 font size options, which are configured on a slider; 1 is the smallest option, and 18 is the largest. The smallest font size for the Amazon Kindle eReader app is equivalent to approximately 8 pt font, and the largest font size for the Amazon Kindle eReader app is equivalent to approximately 32 pt font, based on comparisons with printed text.
Amazon Kindle page colors:
- White (dark text)
- Sepia (dark text)
- Light Green (dark text)
- Black (light text)
Customize Kindle page layout
Font
- Line spacing: Five options adjusted on slider, up to 2.5x
- Paragraph spacing: Five options adjusted on slider
- Word spacing: Five options adjusted on slider
- Character spacing: Five options adjusted on slider
Layout
- Continuous scrolling
- Align text left, justified text
- Margins: wide, default, narrow
- Column: single column, double column
- Customize brightness in-app
Kindle reading tools
- Option for highlighting and annotating text
- Built-in dictionary
- In-app reading ruler (line guide)
- Read aloud/text-to-speech with word-level highlighting (Assistive Reader)
Other Amazon Kindle features
- Sideload content purchased/downloaded from other sources with Send-to-Kindle or file browser
- Read audiobooks with accompanying text (audio-supported reading) or titles purchased from Audible
Related links
- How I Use Send-To-Kindle With Low Vision
- Amazon Kindle App and Low Vision Accessibility
- Kindle Unlimited Accessibility For Visual Impairment
Apple Books font sizes and accessibility for low vision
Although many eReader apps have dark mode or support system dark mode, Apple Books offers multiple light mode and dark mode color schemes, as well as multiple options for fine-tuning margins, character spacing, and word spacing. For families of young students with visual impairments looking for iBooks, Perkins School for the Blind has a library of free iBooks downloads that cover a variety of topics related to concept development.
Supported file types for Apple Books (iBooks)
- EPUB (.EPUB)
- PDF (.PDF)
- iBooks (.IBOOKS)
Platforms supported
- iOS
- iPadOS
- Mac
Apple Books fonts
- Original
- Athelas
- Avenir Next
- Canela
- Charter
- Georgia
- Iowan
- Palatino
- Proxima Nova
- Publico
- San Francisco
- New York
- Seravek
- Times New Roman
- Bold option for fonts
Apple Books font sizes
The Apple Books app has 15 font size options, which are configured on a slider; 1 is the smallest option, and 15 is the largest. The smallest font size for the Apple Books eReader app is equivalent to approximately 6 pt font, and the largest font size for the Apple Books eReader app is equivalent to approximately 36 pt font, based on comparisons with printed text.
Apple Books page colors
- Original (white with black text or black with white text if dark mode on)
- Quiet (charcoal with silver text)
- Paper (silver with black text or black with silver text if dark mode on)
- Bold (white with black text or black with white text if dark mode on)
- Calm (sepia with dark brown text, or dark brown with sepia text if dark mode on)
- Focus (ivory with black text or black with ivory text if dark mode on)
Customize Apple Books page layout
Font
- Line spacing: 0.85x to 2.5x, adjusted on slider
- Character spacing: -10% to +10%, adjusted on slider
- Word spacing: -20% to +20%, adjusted on slider
Layout
- Continuous scrolling
- Align text left, justified text
- Margins: -10% to +10%, adjusted on slider
- Column: single column, double column
- Customize brightness in-app
Apple Books reading tools
- Option for highlighting and annotating text
- Built-in dictionary
- Line guide for reading
- Compatible with VoiceOver and Speak Text/Speak Selection for text-to-speech
- Keyboard access
Other Apple Books features
- Sideloading with file browser
- Support audiobooks downloaded from Audiobooks Store
Related links
- Ten Questions To Ask When Buying Digital Textbooks
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Choosing Between Light Mode and Dark Mode For Low Vision
- Perkins School for the Blind iBooks Repository
Barnes and Noble Nook font sizes and accessibility for low vision
The Barnes and Noble Nook eReader app has the most color customization options for users. This is helpful for users with low vision that benefit from the use of colored backgrounds, options for changing the text color, and customizing highlight colors. Users can also pick their own colors using a HSB slider.
Supported file types for Barnes and Noble Nook app
- EPUB (.EPUB)
- PDF (.PDF)
- Microsoft Word (.DOC, .DOCX)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (.PPT, .PPTX)
- HTML (.HTML, .HTM)
- Text (.TXT)
- RTF (.RTF)
- JPEG (.JPEG, .JPG)
- GIF (.GIF)
- PNG (.PNG)
- BMP (.BMP)
Platforms supported
- Android
- iOS
- iPadOS
- Mac
- Web browser
Barnes and Noble Nook fonts
- Original font
- Baskerville
- Crimson Text
- Gelasio
- Gentium Book
- Jost
- Lato
- Merriweather
- OpenDyslexic
- Roboto
- Regular or thicker font weights
Barnes and Noble Nook font sizes
The Barnes and Noble Nook app has 15 font size options, which are configured on a slider; 1 is the smallest option, and 15 is the largest. The smallest font size for the Barnes and Noble Nook eReader app is equivalent to approximately 8 pt font, and the largest font size for the Barnes and Noble Nook eReader app is equivalent to approximately 32 pt font, based on comparisons with printed text.
Barnes and Noble Nook page colors
- White
- Black
- Orange
- Silver
- Pale Yellow
- Gray
- Sepia
- Twelve additional color options available in themes, with option for users to pick their own color using HSB slider
Customize Barnes and Noble Nook page layout
Font
- Line spacing: Compact, auto, wide
- Word spacing: -20% to +20%, adjusted on slider
Layout
- Line spacing: Compact, auto, wide
- Justification: Align text left, auto justification, align text center
- Margins: wide, automatic, narrow
- Column: single column, option to turn on two-column mode in landscape using Reader Settings
- Customize brightness in-app
Barnes and Noble Nook reading tools
- Option for highlighting and annotating text, including customizing highlight colors and link colors in Themes
- Built-in dictionary
- Keyboard access with VoiceOver; can also read text with VoiceOver or TalkBack but does not have built-in text-to-speech
Other Barnes and Noble Nook features
- Sideloading with file browser
- Support audiobooks downloaded from Audiobooks Store
Related links
- How I Use My eReader For School and Online Classes
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- E-Ink Displays and Low Vision Accessibility
Google Play Books font sizes and accessibility for low vision
For users looking for large print eReader apps or eReaders with very big fonts, Google Play Books has the largest font sizes of any app on this list. Users can also save their books to Google Drive and track their reading process across devices.
Supported file types for Google Play Books app
- EPUB (.EPUB)
- PDF (.PDF)
Platforms supported
- Android
- ChromeOS
- iOS
- iPadOS
- Mac
- Windows
- Web browser
Google Play Books fonts
- Original font
- Helvetica (iOS)
- Verdana (iOS)
- Literata
- Georgia (iOS)
- Baskerville (iOS)
- Cochin (iOS)
- Palatino (iOS)
- Times New Roman (iOS)
- Sans (Android)
- Merriweather (Android)
- Goudy (Android)
- Volkorn (Android)
Google Play Books font sizes
Google Play Books font sizes are adjusted differently than other eReader applications, as it automatically displays text with the system font size. The smallest possible font size is 20%, and font sizes can be adjusted in increments of 10%. As for the largest font size on Google Play Books, the text size can be enlarged up to 200% on web applications, and up to 800% on mobile applications.
For a device with the default system font size of 16px (equivalent to 12-point font) at 100% zoom, the largest possible font size would be equivalent to 96-pt font. For users that have a larger font size enabled for system font or Dynamic Type, the default font sizes will appear much larger.
Google Play Books page colors
- Bright (white with black text
- Sepia (light sepia with brown text)
- Dark (black with silver text)
- Customize brightness in-app
Customize Google Play Books page layout
Layout
- Line spacing: 80% to 300%, adjusted in increments of 10%
- Justification: default, left, justified
- iOS page layout: two-column layout in landscape, single-column layout in portrait
- Android page layout: auto, 2 pages, 1 page
Google Play Books reading tools
- Option for highlighting and annotating text
- Built-in dictionary and translation for selected text
Other Google Play Books features
- Sideloading with file browser
- Read & Listen eBooks with built-in audiobook
Related links
- Make Android Easier To See With Large Print Apps
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Android Phones
Rakuten Kobo font sizes and accessibility for low vision
For users that want to annotate their books beyond just using a highlighter, the Rakuten Kobo eReader app for iOS/iPadOS supports the use of Markup for drawing, highlighting, adding shapes/stickers, and using the digital ruler either as a line guide or drawing tool. There are also several options for using read aloud or built-in text-to-speech.
Supported file types for Rakuten Kobo eReader app
- EPUB (.EPUB)
- PDF (.PDF) (iOS only)
Platforms supported
- Android
- iOS
- iPadOS
- Mac
- Web browser
Rakuten Kobo eReader fonts
- Publisher Default
- Avenir
- Baskerville
- Cochin
- Georgia
- Helvetica
- Optima
- OpenDyslexic
- Rakuten Serif (Android)
- Rakuten Sans (Android)
- Noto Serif (Android)
- Noto Sans (Android)
- Volkorn (Android
Rakuten Kobo eReader font sizes
The Rakuten Kobo eReader app has 12 font size options, which are configured on a slider; 1 is the smallest option, and 12 is the largest. The smallest font size for the Kobo eReader app is equivalent to approximately 6 pt font, and the largest font size for the Kobo eReader app is equivalent to approximately 24 pt font, based on comparisons with printed text.
Rakuten Kobo eReader page colors
- Light (white with black text)
- Sepia (tan with black text)
- Dark (black with silver text)
- Charcoal (dark gray with silver text)
Customize Rakuten Kobo eReader page layout
- Line spacing: compact, auto, wide
- Margins: wide, automatic, narrow
- Alignment: original, left, block, center
- Vertical scrolling for text
- Columns: single column, option to enable double-column/two-page view
- Customize brightness in-app
Rakuten Kobo eReader reading tools
- Option for highlighting and annotating text
- Built-in dictionary and translation tools, as well as option to look up selected text on Wikipedia
- Read aloud option supports configuring speech rate and choosing voice for text-to-speech
Other Rakuten Kobo eReader features
- Use Markup to write on top of text in iOS/iPadOS or add annotations; can also use digital ruler
- Support audiobooks downloaded from Audiobooks Store
Related links
- Using The iPad Markup Tool With Low Vision
- Digital Rulers For Dysgraphia and Low Vision
- Apple Pencil Customizations For Writing With Low Vision
Libby font sizes and accessibility for low vision
Unlike other apps that require users to purchase or lease eBooks, Libby allows users to borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks using their local library card at no additional cost. For users that prefer to read with the Kindle eReader app, Libby books can also be read with Kindle by selecting “Read with Kindle” when opening a title for the first time.
Supported file types for Libby app
- EPUB (.EPUB)
- PDF (.PDF)
- AZW3 (.AZW3)
Platforms supported
- Amazon
- Android
- ChromeOS
- iOS
- iPadOS
- Mac
- Windows
- Web browser
Libby eReader fonts
- Original font (iOS)
- Palatino (iOS)
- Georgia (iOS)
- Old Style (iOS)
- Cochin (iOS)
- Serif
- Sans Serif
- OpenDylexic (available in Book Design)
Libby eReader font sizes
The Libby app has 15 font size options, which are configured on a slider; 1 is the smallest option, and 15 is the largest. The smallest font size for the Libby eReader app is equivalent to approximately 8 pt font, and the largest font size for the Libby eReader app is equivalent to approximately 28 pt font, based on comparisons with printed text.
Libby eReader page colors
- Bright (white with black text)
- Sepia (sepia with dark brown text)
- Dark (black with silver text)
Customize Libby eReader page layout
- Line spacing: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0
- Normal or heavy weight font
- Column: single column, option to turn on two-column mode by selecting option for two pages per screen
Libby eReader reading tools
- Option for highlighting and annotating text
- Built-in dictionary
- Can read with VoiceOver or TalkBack
Other Libby eReader features
- Check out eAudiobooks from Libby
- Open Libby books in Kindle app for reading
Related links
More resources on eReader apps and low vision accessibility features
- I have low vision and use eReader apps to access textbooks, cookbooks, and other types of content that have a lot of pictures in them. Learn more about how I choose textbooks in Ten Questions To Ask When Buying Digital Textbooks and how I read cookbooks in Baking Banana Bread With Assistive Technology
- For novels and text-heavy content, I prefer to read from an eReader. Learn more about choosing an eReader with low vision in Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: eReaders
- As an assistive technology specialist, I am hesitant to say which app is the “best eReader app for low vision” or “most accessible eReader app for visually impaired users” because everyone’s access needs are different.
- Need to display text with even larger font sizes? Consider using a web reader, or enlarge text using a tool like Microsoft Word to read text. I share more about using Word to read in Reading Bookshare Titles With Microsoft Word
- Want to read short amounts of text in super large print? Check out Ways To Use Teleprompter Apps As Assistive Technology
Published March 1, 2024. Updated December 2025