Readest is a modern open source ebook reader designed for readers who want more than a basic EPUB viewer. It combines support for multiple ebook and document formats with annotations, customizable reading layouts, text-to-speech, translation, side-by-side reading, library management, and cross-device synchronization. It is available across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the web.
Readest is built around the idea of making digital reading feel consistent across devices. Instead of maintaining separate applications for desktop, mobile, and web reading, users can keep the same library and reading progress across supported platforms.
The project is a modern rewrite of Foliate and uses Next.js and Tauri as part of its technology stack. It is released under the AGPL-3.0 license, making the source code available for inspection, modification, and contribution.
Key Features of Readest
Wide Format Support
Readest supports a broad range of formats, including:
This makes it useful as a general reading application rather than an EPUB-only reader.
Customizable Reading Experience
Readers can adjust typography, fonts, margins, spacing, themes, and reading layouts. Both scrolling and paginated reading modes are available, allowing users to choose an experience that suits the book and device.
Parallel Reading
One of Readest's most interesting features is Parallel Read. It allows two books or documents to be displayed side by side with synchronized navigation.
This is particularly useful for comparing translations, studying textbooks, reading technical documentation, or working with two related documents.
Notes and Highlights
Readest provides tools for highlighting passages, creating notes, and bookmarking important sections. These features make it suitable for studying and research as well as casual reading.
Annotations can also be exported, while integrations with services such as Readwise and Hardcover provide additional ways to manage reading information.
Text to Speech
The built-in text-to-speech functionality allows users to listen to supported books instead of reading them manually. Readest supports on-device, browser, and cloud TTS options depending on the platform and configuration.
Translation and Lookup
Readers can select passages and use integrated tools for translation or terminology lookup without leaving the book. DeepL, Wikipedia, and Wiktionary integrations make this particularly useful for language learners and readers working with unfamiliar subjects.
Cross-Device Sync
Readest can synchronize reading progress, highlights, notes, and library information across supported devices. It also supports integration with OPDS catalogs and personal Calibre libraries.
The project also supports synchronization with KOReader, which is especially useful for users who read on dedicated e-ink devices.
Local-First Approach
Readest emphasizes privacy and control over personal reading data. The application can be used locally, while cloud synchronization is available when users want it. The project states that it does not require forced accounts or data harvesting.
Web Version
A web version makes it possible to access the reading experience without installing a desktop or mobile application. This complements the native applications and makes the platform more flexible for users working across different devices.
Download Readest v0.12.10 - Software Mirrors |
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Readest v0.12.10 for WindowsReadest_0.12.10_x64-setup.exe | 57.98 MB Readest_0.12.10_x64-portable.exe | 96.64 MB Readest_0.12.10_arm64-setup.exe | 56.41 MB Readest_0.12.10_arm64-portable.exe | 87.57 MB |
Readest v0.12.10 for macOSReadest_0.12.10_universal.dmg | 78.81 MB |
Readest v0.12.10 for LinuxReadest_0.12.10_arm64.deb | 180.84 MB Readest_0.12.10_amd64.deb | 176.18 MB Readest_0.12.10_amd64.AppImage | 206.23 MB Readest_0.12.10_aarch64.AppImage | 243.16 MB Readest-0.12.10-1.x86_64.rpm | 139.8 MB Readest-0.12.10-1.aarch64.rpm | 138.78 MB |
Readest v0.12.10 for AndroidReadest_0.12.10_universal.apk | 313.86 MB Readest_0.12.10_arm64.apk | 85.57 MB |
Others Download related to Readest v0.12.10send-to-readest-0.2.1.zip | 466.5 kB Readest_0.12.10_universal.app.tar.gz | 78.6 MB Readest-0.12.10.calibre-plugin.zip | 43.21 kB Readest-0.12.10-1.koplugin.zip | 5.52 MB |
Readest v0.12.10 Source Code
Readest v0.12.10 Source code (zip)
Readest v0.12.10 Source code (tar.gz)
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Readest v0.12.10 Release Notes: Release Highlights- Library: You can now organize books into configurable bookshelves, tag books in bulk
- Audiobooks: You can download Audiobookshelf books for offline listening, stream audiobooks from OPDS catalogs and BookOrbit
- Reading: You can now open HTML files as books, and select, highlight, and look up text in Paragraph Mode
- Sync: Reading progress refreshes when you return to the app, WebDAV sync is more reliable, and Readwise exports now include bookmarks
- TTS: You can now browse and resume your books from Android Auto and pick up recent books from CarPlay
- PDF: Page-turn animations now work on PDFs, comics, and fixed-layout books, and wide comic pages get a spread of their own
- KOReader: Added background sync, group downloads, and more library controls, and highlights you delete stay deleted
- Dictionary: Pronunciations can play automatically on lookup, accented words are easier to find
- More: Backups are much faster and keep the screen awake, and fixed freezes on App launch and in image-heavy chapters
What's Changed- release: version 0.12.8 by @chrox in #6135
- fix(library): keep the context menu actions wired to their items by @chrox in #6143
- fix(reader): draw the selection toolbar above the footnote popup by @chrox in #6146
- fix(ci): bundle libxkbcommon-x11 in the CEF AppImage by @chrox in #6151
- fix(proofread): keep selection rules applied after a toggle, edit or reopen (#6148) by @chrox in #6152
- chore(deps): bump the github-actions group with 3 updates by @dependabot[bot] in #6166
- fix(txt): detect Chinese chapters numbered with δΈ€ or uppercase numerals (#6172) by @chrox in #6181
- fix(annotator): keep a highlight's rounded caps on its own page, closes #6128 by @chrox in #6182
- feat(reader): hide the image viewer controls on tap by @chrox in #6183
- Fixed translation error by @tygoee in #6215
- fix(reader): keep sliders mirrored when a book turns the layout RTL by @jadhavgaurav in #6168
- docker: pull minio images from quay.io, Docker Hub removed them by @thietala in #6196
- fix(payment): resolve the user's plan across every billing provider by @chrox in #6228
- fix(reader): open image-heavy sections in paged mode without freezing by @chrox in #6229
- fix(linux): drop the WebKitGTK assumptions now that Linux is CEF only by @Berserker-GM in #6218
- chore(deps): bump the github-actions group with 5 updates by @dependabot[bot] in #6236
- ci(android): stop asking sdkmanager for the removed
tools package by @chrox in #6238 - Fix page-turn direction fallback and add missing applyMarginAndGap for vertical layout by @JackyHe398 in #6197
- fix(opds): persist sync progress incrementally so a large first sync can converge by @raman325 in #6237
- fix(android): stop the app freezing at launch on a page load deadlock by @chrox in #6240
- test(paginator): wait for the scroll relocate in the scrolled cover test by @chrox in #6243
- chore(agent): update agent memories by @chrox in #6244
- fix(epub): play embedded media the OPF manifest never declares by @chrox in #6245
- feat(reader): animate page turns on PDF, CBZ and fixed-layout books by @chrox in #6246
- fix(tts): keep a non-English book on its own voice when the doc says en-US by @chrox in #6247
- fix(reader): select text on a long press near a link on Android (#6242) by @chrox in #6248
- fix(paginator): keep an RTL book's progression when a re-render lands mid-load by @chrox in #6249
- fix(reader): backward page curl on PDF/CBZ froze a few pixels in by @chrox in #6250
- feat(reader): animate Push on PDF, CBZ and fixed-layout books by @chrox in #6251
- fix(reader): keep a page-wide image inside its column in paginated mode by @chrox in #6252
- fix(macos): keep the traffic lights on the library page and stop them jumping on navigation by @chrox in #6253
- feat(reader): confirm before following external links by @chrox in #6254
- fix(ios): restore cross-page selection on iPadOS 27 by @chrox in #6255
- fix(reader): let the macOS annotation export save to disk (#6201) by @chrox in #6260
- feat(reader): select, highlight and look up text in Paragraph Mode by @chrox in #6258
- fix(ios): keep reader screen awake with native idle timer by @chrox in #6261
- fix(reader): restore tablet toolbar taps at fractional display density by @chrox in #6263
- feat(audiobookshelf): sync reading progress for ebook-only books (#6257) by @chrox in #6264
- feat(audiobookshelf): download books for offline use and import ABS zips from the web browser by @chrox in #6267
- fix(abs): stream audiobook tracks through a loopback media proxy so self-signed servers play (#6216) by @chrox in #6268
- fix(annotator): hand the selection back when the instant dictionary closes by @chrox in #6272
- perf(reader): split chapter loading to reduce swipe stalls by @chrox in #6266
- feat(reader): give each wide comic page a spread of its own (#6210) by @chrox in #6273
- fix(reader): preserve style tag attributes in the style transformer by @jadhavgaurav in #6270
- fix(nix): add imagesize to the CEF lockfile by @chrox in #6274
- feat(reader): cache wide comic pages and find them in streamed comics (#6210) by @chrox in #6276
- fix(bookdrop): only sound on a completed transfer, enable Nearby BookDrop by default by @chrox in #6277
- feat(reader): add pull-down bookmark gesture setting by @chrox in #6278
- fix(sentry,about): report the real WebView build via webview_version() by @k6G52m4Dz75W in #6275
- test(bookdrop): make the cue test independent of test order by @chrox in #6279
- feat(reader): import and render HTML files, closes #6198 by @chrox in #6281
- feat(dictionary): auto-play pronunciation on lookup by @chrox in #6280
- fix(nix): don't query wry's webview_version on Linux by @chrox in #6282
- feat(readwise): export bookmarks and their notes by @chrox in #6294
- fix(android): recognize iReader devices in e-ink detection by @k6G52m4Dz75W in #6293
- fix(backup): keep the screen awake and move bulk zip work to Rust, closes #6291 by @chrox in #6299
- fix(translate): remember source language per book by @chrox in #6300
- feat(wordlens): Traditional Chinese hints and an English→Arabic pack by @chrox in #6303
- fix(test): stop ResizeObserver notices flooding the browser-test log by @chrox in #6305
- fix(linux): explain missing X11 display on startup by @chrox in #6302
- feat(android): browse and resume books in Android Auto by @kelvinalfaro in #6285
- feat(opds): stream audiobooks from OPDS catalogs, with a BookOrbit connector (#6224) by @chrox in #6301
- fix(reader): keep highlight options inside the reading area by @chrox in #6306
- chore(agent): update agent memories by @chrox in #6309
- feat(audiobook): stream BookOrbit audio through the loopback media proxy (#6224) by @chrox in #6308
- fix(sync): retry failed WebDAV writes without advancing config state by @chrox in #6310
- fix(sync): preserve WebDAV errors and report incomplete syncs by @chrox in #6311
- fix(reader): prevent vertical toolbar swipes from paging Push books by @chrox in #6313
- fix(mobile): align reader menus and improve dialog dismissal by @chrox in #6314
- fix(translate): decode HTML entities in popup text by @chrox in #6317
- fix: correct remaining-time sorting and chapter estimates by @chrox in #6319
- fix(dictionary): normalize Unicode and fold Latin diacritics by @chrox in #6320
- feat(koreader): background sync, group downloads, and library controls by @chrox in #6321
- fix(koreader): keep synced highlight deletions from reappearing by @chrox in #6322
- fix: refresh sidebar note timestamps every minute by @kv-chiu in #6324
- feat(library): add configurable bookshelves by @chrox in #6329
- fix(library): improve e-ink pagination and bookshelf sync by @chrox in #6330
- fix(reader): keep note editors open until saving succeeds by @chrox in #6331
- fix(sync): refresh reading progress when the app resumes by @chrox in #6332
- fix(reader): read M4B chapters when moov comes after the audio (#6262) by @knigam in #6327
- feat(library): book tags in the list view and a Tag Books action by @chrox in #6334
- fix(ui): smooth bottom-sheet gestures and Settings scrolling by @chrox in #6335
- fix(library): prevent scrollbar initialization layout shift by @chrox in #6336
- chore(payments): end the Full Customization grace period for storage add-ons by @chrox in #6337
- fix(reader): size annotation toolbar to enabled actions by @chrox in #6338
- fix(payments): store Play cancellation time as a timestamp by @chrox in #6342
- feat(ios): add CarPlay recent books and fix scene handoff by @chrox in #6339
- fix: harden ebook content and proxy trust boundaries by @chrox in #6343
- fix(tts): bound startup probes and filter Apple system voices by @chrox in #6345
- fix(android-auto): play cold EPUBs in media service by @kelvinalfaro in #6341
- fix: align player headers and restore mobile view menu dismissal by @chrox in #6346
- chore(agent): update agent memories by @chrox in #6348
- release: version 0.12.10 by @chrox in #6349
New Contributors- @tygoee made their first contribution in #6215
- @thietala made their first contribution in #6196
- @Berserker-GM made their first contribution in #6218
- @JackyHe398 made their first contribution in #6197
- @raman325 made their first contribution in #6237
- @kelvinalfaro made their first contribution in #6285
- @kv-chiu made their first contribution in #6324
- @knigam made their first contribution in #6327
Full Changelog: v0.12.8...v0.12.10 |
Performance and User Experience
Readest has a clean interface that focuses on reading rather than surrounding the user with unnecessary controls. The application feels closer to a modern productivity tool than a traditional ebook utility.
Its biggest strength is the combination of simple reading features with tools aimed at deeper study. Side-by-side reading, annotations, translation, TTS, and customizable typography make it useful for everything from casual novels to technical books and academic material.
The project is also developing quickly. Recent releases have improved library performance, PDF support, reading layouts, synchronization, OPDS management, and accessibility.
Because Readest is still actively evolving, users should expect some features and interfaces to change over time.
Pros
Free and open source.
Supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ, and TXT.
Available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the web.
Clean and customizable reading interface.
Side-by-side Parallel Read mode.
Highlights, notes, and bookmarks.
Text-to-speech support.
Translation and dictionary tools.
Cross-device synchronization.
OPDS and Calibre support.
KOReader synchronization.
Local-first and privacy-focused design.
Active development.
Cons
Some advanced functionality is still evolving.
Cloud-based features may require additional configuration or services.
Users looking for a very minimal ebook reader may find the feature set extensive.
The ecosystem is smaller than established commercial ebook platforms.
Who Should Use Readest?
Readest is an excellent choice for students, researchers, developers, language learners, academics, and anyone who reads across multiple devices.
It is particularly appealing to people who want more control over their ebook library while still having modern conveniences such as synchronization, text-to-speech, annotations, translation, and OPDS support.
For users who already have a Calibre library or use KOReader on an e-ink device, Readest is also worth considering because of its interoperability with those ecosystems.
Final Verdict
Readest is one of the most impressive open source ebook readers currently available. It combines the simplicity of a traditional reader with features normally found across several separate applications.
The ability to read multiple formats, compare books side by side, annotate documents, translate passages, listen through TTS, and synchronize reading progress across platforms gives Readest a strong advantage over basic ebook readers.
It is not simply trying to replace a conventional EPUB viewer. Its focus on deep reading, study, interoperability, and cross-platform access makes it a compelling choice for anyone who wants a more complete reading environment while keeping their books and data under their control.
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