PocketBook e-reader
Hacker ApprovedShares rank 12 of 29 e-readers by recommenders
People recommend PocketBook e-readers for their open Android software, wide file format support and physical buttons. The most common caveat is that flat bezels make the screen fragile to bumps.
People recommend PocketBook e-readers for their open Android software, wide file format support and physical buttons. The most common caveat is that flat bezels make the screen fragile to bumps.
18 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 16
- criticize it
- 2
- approval share
- 89%
Recommended in 7 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 16 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 8 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 7 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Long-lasting and reliable
“My last Pocketbook lasted for 12+ years until something heavy fell on the screen one day.”
Comment from 15 Jun 2026 in “Your ePub Is Fine. Kobo Disagrees. Blame Adobe” “it worked perfectly fine and there was no reason to get a new device”
Comment from 24 May 2026 in “Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers” “I've had two Pocketbooks and never encountered these issues.”
Comment from 20 Apr 2026 in “I'm never buying another Kindle, and neither should you” - Comment from 20 Apr 2026 in “I'm never buying another Kindle, and neither should you”
Hackable, runs Android, installs anything
“Pocketbooks just run Android and you can install what you want without any issue.”
Comment from 4 Oct 2026 in “Amazon introduces a redesigned Kindle family” “PocketBook is by far the most hackable, especially their b/w readers”
Comment from 24 May 2026 in “Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers” “no complaints there and you can install software”
Comment from 23 May 2026 in “Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers” Reads many file formats
“it reads all imaginable file formats and I can just send books to it via email or cable”
Comment from 15 Jun 2026 in “Your ePub Is Fine. Kobo Disagrees. Blame Adobe” “The Pocketbook reads more formats natively like CBR, CBZ, which I also use.”
Comment from 18 Dec 2025 in “Quill OS: An open-source OS for Kobo's eReaders” Physical page-turn buttons
“Hardware better than Kobo imo (e.g. their 6-inch eReader has buttons, Kobo's doesn't), and the software is even more open.”
Comment from 16 Dec 2025 in “Quill OS: An open-source OS for Kobo's eReaders” “PocketBook are the kings of buttons (and well placed at that)”
Comment from 18 Jul 2026 in “Open Book Touch: open-source e-reader”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Fragile screen with flat bezels
“Their use of flat bezels means that any small fall or bump will destroy the screen too.”
Comment from 16 Dec 2025 in “Quill OS: An open-source OS for Kobo's eReaders” “My flat-bezeled Onyx Boox and Pocketbook readers have proven much more fragile”
Comment from 16 Dec 2025 in “Quill OS: An open-source OS for Kobo's eReaders”
Other e-readers people recommend
The four most recommended other e-readers, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Kindle | 222 | 255 | 47% | 12 | 12 yrs37 owners | — |
| Xteink X4 | 178 | 47 | 79% | 10 | 2 mo31 owners | Approved |
| Kobo e-reader | 154 | 53 | 74% | 12 | 7 yrs14 owners | Approved |
| reMarkable 2 | 93 | 45 | 67% | 12 | 5 yrs13 owners | Approved |
| PocketBook e-readerThis page | 16 | 2 | 89% | 7 | — | Approved |
What people said
All 26 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“Pocketbooks just run Android and you can install what you want without any issue.”
“Kobo, Boox or PocketBook are all good choices.”
“I read the contents later in a PocketBook, free of distractions from the normal devices.”
“just buy an xteink-x3 with CrossPoint or PocketBook”
“PocketBook are the kings of buttons (and well placed at that)”
“the bonus is that it's clicky and instant”
“this little tool I made to print out and zine-fold Project Gutenberg books”
“I can't count on pocketbook.”
“My last Pocketbook lasted for 12+ years until something heavy fell on the screen one day.”
“it reads all imaginable file formats and I can just send books to it via email or cable”
“PocketBook is by far the most hackable, especially their b/w readers”
“it worked perfectly fine and there was no reason to get a new device”
“no complaints there and you can install software”
“I've had two Pocketbooks and never encountered these issues.”
“which has been great these last 4 years”
“the USB port is extremely finicky (often can't charge, can't get Calibre to detect it)”
“a front page that just features my books instead of whatever they want me to buy”
“I've stuck with Kobo, Pocketbook, and reMarkable and have been happy with them.”
“ADE supported eReader like Pocketbook”
“The Pocketbook reads more formats natively like CBR, CBZ, which I also use.”
“My flat-bezeled Onyx Boox and Pocketbook readers have proven much more fragile”
“Their use of flat bezels means that any small fall or bump will destroy the screen too.”
“Hardware better than Kobo imo (e.g. their 6-inch eReader has buttons, Kobo's doesn't), and the software is even more open.”
“I went from Kobo to PocketBook, and I am very satisfied with this change.”
“I can read it in complete darkness which with a physical book you can't.”
“PocketBook and Kobo both have good alternatives.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.