Bookshop.org to Launch Kobo E-Reader Support This Year, Taking on Amazon

If you’re looking for an e-reader that lets you buy bestselling books from your favorite local independent bookstores, the Rakuten Kobo eReader may catch your attention. However, its good reputation largely stems from outdated purchasing methods that involve setting up a Kobo account through bookstore websites.

While a handful of indie bookstores still offer Kobo support through this channel, many have phased out this practice years ago. I’ve personally struggled to buy e-books for my new Kobo from any of my beloved local bookstores.

I aim to support these bookstores without needing a physical copy of every book I read. Moreover, I prefer an e-reader over an Android or iOS app on my phone or tablet, as e-readers provide fantastic battery life, digital ink, and low-glare screens. These features enable me to read comfortably for long periods, even outside, akin to reading a physical book.

A potential solution for Kobo owners, initially scheduled for 2025, involves a partnership with Bookshop.org, an Amazon competitor that supports local bookstores with every purchase. Currently, Bookshop.org offers e-books through its mobile app available for both iOS and Android.

This collaboration was first expected in 2025 but has now been pushed to 2026, and earlier this year, it appeared it might be delayed indefinitely.

Upon noticing that Bookshop.org altered the wording on its webpage regarding Kobo support, changing “2026” to “sometime in the future,” I reached out for an update.

Andy Hunter, founder and CEO of Bookshop.org, informed me via email that progress has been made with Kobo. The webpage has been updated to indicate that support is expected to roll out “later this year.”

“The Kobo integration is something that both Kobo and Bookshop.org are excited to implement,” Hunter stated.

The delay has been attributed to business negotiations and engineering hurdles to ensure compliance with publisher requirements for digital rights management. “We needed time to finalize business terms and invest in the necessary engineering resources,” he elaborated.

Hunter, whose company also competes with Amazon in selling physical books, mentioned that his team has been focused on improving the mobile app, which debuted about 15 months ago.

Their focus is now returning to supporting Kobo, although the timeline remains uncertain. “We have recently agreed on business terms with Kobo and are confident about the collaboration, but we cannot promise a specific launch date until we make further engineering advances,” Hunter noted.

Even if Bookshop.org doesn’t establish Kobo support, Kobo users are not restricted to buying from the Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten. They can explore a broad range of digital rights management (DRM)-free titles on their devices, along with a sizable collection of library books available via Overdrive. The independent e-book retailer Books.com also claims it offers DRM-protected books in formats compatible with Kobo.

Alternatively, if your goal is to support local bookstores through your e-book purchases, you may want to consider using a different e-reader. An Android device like Boox or Meebook, which supports the Google Play app store, should be able to download the Bookshop.org app, according to the bookseller.

That said, like many other Kobo enthusiasts, I remain hopeful for the Bookshop.org integration to materialize. Supporting local independent bookstores was a key reason I chose this specific e-reader, although my online research (and the well-meaning advice from ChatGPT) led me astray.

Now that I have a Kobo Libra Colour, I truly appreciate its reading screen, swift response, and long battery life. I still keep my six-year-old Kindle for the same reasons.

However, I also value the small local bookstores for their personalized recommendations, support for local authors, and genuine passion for literature. Here’s hoping that Bookshop.org, a prominent e-commerce platform championing local bookstores, will soon provide support for the popular Kobo device, which boasts 12 million users across 190 countries.