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Publishing · head to head

Kobo vs Kobo Writing Life

Kobo logo

Kobo

Publishing

Rakuten e-reader hardware, app and ebook store, the reader-facing side of the Kobo ecosystem

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kobo Writing Life logo

Kobo Writing Life

Publishing

Rakuten Kobo self-publishing platform paying a 70% royalty with no delivery fee deduction and no upper price cap, a materially different structure from Amazon KDP

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kobo the overall ebook and audiobook catalogue, especially exclusive or first-run titles, is smaller than Amazon can offer through Kindle and Audible.; Kobo Writing Life kobo overall market share is smaller than Amazon Kindle in the US specifically, so an author relying only on Kobo reaches a smaller US audience than KDP alone would.
  • They diverge on capability: Kobo covers E-ink devices, Kobo Writing Life covers Free publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kobo and Kobo Writing Life actually diverge.

Attributes where Kobo and Kobo Writing Life differ
AttributeKoboKobo Writing Life
Pricing modelFree store and app; hardware sold separately; optional subscriptionFree to publish; Kobo earns a royalty share rather than a fee
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Kobo e-readersWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Publishing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Kobo

  • E-ink devices
  • EPUB support
  • Built-in Libby integration
  • Kobo Plus
  • Kobo Store
  • Note-taking models

Only in Kobo Writing Life

  • Free publishing
  • 70% royalty, no price ceiling
  • No delivery fee
  • Automatic price matching
  • International reach
  • Direct payment threshold

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Kobo

  • A reader who wants dedicated e-ink hardware instead of reading on a backlit phone or tabletnot Kobo Writing Life
  • Someone who borrows heavily from a public library and wants OverDrive integration built directly into the devicenot Kobo Writing Life
  • A reader outside the Amazon ecosystem who wants an open EPUB-based alternative to Kindlenot Kobo Writing Life
  • Someone who wants the option of both buying individual ebooks and an unlimited subscription from one storenot Kobo Writing Life

Kobo Writing Life

  • An author with a long or image-heavy ebook wanting to avoid the delivery fee that would apply on KDP at the same pricenot Kobo
  • An author pricing a book above $9.99 who wants the 70% royalty without hitting the price ceiling that would apply on Amazon before its July 2026 expansionnot Kobo
  • A wide-distribution author targeting Canadian, UK or other international markets where Kobo has stronger relative reach than in the USnot Kobo
  • An author who wants to understand that price-matching to other retailers may automatically change their Kobo price without a manual updatenot Kobo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Kobo

  • The overall ebook and audiobook catalogue, especially exclusive or first-run titles, is smaller than Amazon can offer through Kindle and Audible.
  • Kobo Plus, the unlimited subscription layer, is not available in every country the hardware and store otherwise serve.
  • Hardware pricing for higher-end note-taking models runs into the several-hundred-dollar range, which is a real commitment against reading on a phone for free.
  • Software updates and app polish have historically lagged the Kindle app in some regions, particularly around syncing and highlighting features.
  • This is a distinct product from Kobo Writing Life, and readers looking for author or publishing tools need that separate platform, not this one.

Kobo Writing Life

  • Kobo overall market share is smaller than Amazon Kindle in the US specifically, so an author relying only on Kobo reaches a smaller US audience than KDP alone would.
  • Automatic price matching to other retailers means an author discounting on one platform can see their Kobo price change without a deliberate action, which requires active monitoring to avoid unintended royalty impact.
  • The requirement to price at least 20% below any physical edition to qualify for 70% is easy to overlook and can silently drop an author into the 45% tier if a print edition price changes without an ebook price adjustment.
  • Below the qualifying threshold, the fallback royalty is 45%, not the 35% floor on KDP, which sounds better but is a smaller total addressable audience given lower Kobo market share, so gross revenue comparison still favours evaluating both platforms together.
  • As with any single-retailer self-publishing tool, relying solely on Kobo concentrates risk in one platform policy and market position rather than spreading across a wide-distribution strategy.

Pricing, plan by plan

Kobo

Free
  • Kobo app and storeFree
    • Free app and store, pay per ebook or audiobook
    • Hardware sold separately, from around $110 for entry e-readers
    • Full library of individual purchases
  • Kobo Plus$9.99/month
    • Unlimited access to a Kobo Plus catalogue
    • Available in supported countries only
    • Layered on top of the regular store

Kobo Writing Life

Free
  • 70% royalty tierFree
    • Applies from $2.99 USD (or currency equivalent) with no upper price cap
    • No delivery fee deducted, full 70% kept
    • Ebook must be priced at least 20% below any physical edition list price
  • 45% royalty tierFree
    • Applies below the $2.99 threshold
    • No delivery fee deducted

Which should you pick?

Choose Kobo if

  • You need e-ink devices.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Kobo e-readers.
  • You also want epub support.
Kobo review

Choose Kobo Writing Life if

  • You need free publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want 70% royalty, no price ceiling.
Kobo Writing Life review

Questions people ask

Is Kobo or Kobo Writing Life better?
Neither clearly leads. Kobo starts at Free and Kobo Writing Life at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kobo or Kobo Writing Life?
Kobo starts at Free and Kobo Writing Life at Free.
Does Kobo or Kobo Writing Life run on more platforms?
Kobo runs on iOS, Android, Web, Kobo e-readers. Kobo Writing Life runs on Web.
Can I use Kobo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kobo best used for?
Kobo is most often used for a reader who wants dedicated e-ink hardware instead of reading on a backlit phone or tablet, someone who borrows heavily from a public library and wants overdrive integration built directly into the device, a reader outside the amazon ecosystem who wants an open epub-based alternative to kindle, someone who wants the option of both buying individual ebooks and an unlimited subscription from one store. Of those, a reader who wants dedicated e-ink hardware instead of reading on a backlit phone or tablet and someone who borrows heavily from a public library and wants overdrive integration built directly into the device are not what Kobo Writing Life is typically brought in for.
What can Kobo do that Kobo Writing Life cannot?
Kobo covers E-ink devices, EPUB support, Built-in Libby integration, Kobo Plus. Kobo Writing Life covers Free publishing, 70% royalty, no price ceiling, No delivery fee, Automatic price matching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kobo: Is this the same as Kobo Writing Life?

No, Kobo Writing Life is the separate self-publishing platform for authors; this entry is the consumer reading app, store and hardware.

Kobo Writing Life: Does Kobo Writing Life charge a fee?

No. Like KDP, it is free to publish; Kobo earns its share through the royalty percentage on each sale.

Kobo: Can I borrow library books on a Kobo device?

Yes, many Kobo devices have built-in OverDrive/Libby integration for direct library borrowing.

Kobo Writing Life: Is there a price ceiling on the 70% royalty?

No. Unlike KDP, which caps the 70% band at $12.99 as of July 2026, Kobo 70% rate has no upper price limit, only the $2.99 lower threshold.

Kobo: Do I need a subscription to use Kobo?

No, you can buy ebooks and audiobooks individually; Kobo Plus is an optional unlimited add-on where available.

Kobo Writing Life: Does Kobo deduct a delivery fee like Amazon?

No. Authors keep the full 70% regardless of file size; there is no per-megabyte delivery deduction.

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