9 Best Apps for Reading Novels on Android

Reading novels can be a great way to spend your free time, whether you're on vacation or simply unwinding at home. While teenagers are often the most enthusiastic novel readers, many adults also find joy in this activity.

In today's digital era, there's no need to carry physical books with you. With just an Android smartphone, you can enjoy your favorite digital novels anytime, anywhere.

In this article, Carisinyal will share a list of the best apps for reading novels on Android devices. Let’s take a look at the top recommendations!

1. Wattpad

This app is likely familiar to many as Wattpad is one of the most popular and widely used platforms for reading novels, with over 100 million downloads.

Wattpad offers a wide range of genres to explore, including horror, science fiction, action, romance, and more. Beyond being a reading platform, it also serves as a space where users can write and publish their own stories directly through the app.

However, this openness is also one of Wattpad’s drawbacks, not all stories go through a professional editing process. If you're looking for well-polished, professionally edited content, you can opt for Wattpad Originals.

The reading interface on Wattpad is user-friendly. You can customize the font type and size to suit your preferences. Plus, readers can leave comments on specific parts of a story, giving writers real-time feedback.

Every story you’ve read or are currently reading is automatically saved in the “Library” tab. This feature helps you organize your collection by genre and lets you download novels for offline reading anytime you like.

Things I Like About Wattpad:

• Offers a wide selection of novels that can be read for free.
• Comfortable reading interface with special features to enhance the reading experience.
• Allows offline reading for downloaded novels.
• Provides a platform for users to write and publish their own stories.

Things to Note About Wattpad:

• Due to the large number of indie novels, not all content on Wattpad has gone through an editing process.

2. Kobo

Kobo doesn’t focus solely on digital novels, but it also offers a variety of other e-book types, including non-fiction titles and audiobooks.

While most of the content on Kobo requires a purchase, the platform also features a selection of free books that users can access without any cost. These are typically classic novels that are in the public domain.

To start reading on Kobo, simply select the book you’re interested in and tap the “Save to My Books” button to add it to your library. Once saved, you can go to the “My Books” tab and open the downloaded title. The book will launch automatically, taking you straight to the reading page.

Kobo’s reading interface comes equipped with several useful tools, such as options to add notes and highlights, as well as access to dictionaries and encyclopedias. You can also adjust various reading settings, including background brightness, margin size, and page transition effects, to enhance your comfort.

By default, the font size is set to a comfortable level for typical reading distances. It’s not too small, and each page generally displays just one to two paragraphs, which makes the reading experience smooth and easy on the eyes.

Things I Like About Kobo:

• Offers a wide variety of books, including novels, non-fiction, and audiobooks.
• While most e-books are paid, there is a category of free books that can be accessed freely.
• Supports offline mode for books that have been "purchased."
• The app interface is clean and simple in design.

Things to Note About Kobo:

• The latest books are only accessible through purchase.

3. WebNovel

WebNovel offers a vast selection of novel genres, ranging from mystery, eastern fantasy, and western fantasy to sci-fi, xianxia, xuanhuan, wuxia, and many other subgenres. In addition to novels, the app also features manhua, manga, and webtoons.

Novels on WebNovel are categorized not only by genre but also through specific tags. These tags make it easier for readers to discover stories based on particular themes, such as isekai, magic, cultivation, and more.

Personalization is powered by WebNovel’s AI assistant named W. After selecting your preferred topics, W allows you to further refine your preferences, such as choosing between ongoing or completed novels, and whether you prefer translated versions or the original language.

This AI-driven personalization helps WebNovel deliver more accurate and relevant recommendations based on your interests.

Interestingly, many of the novels available on the platform have been adapted into manhua, anime, or drama series. Most of these stories are original works that are exclusive to WebNovel.

However, while the reading interface is quite functional, I initially found the navigation tools to be a bit confusing. This is because there's no visible menu button for accessing the reading tools. After some experimentation, I discovered that these tools only appear when you tap the screen during reading.

Things I Like About WebNovel:

• Offers a wide variety of web novels across different genres and storylines.
• Some popular titles are available here, including Solo Leveling.
• Features personalized novel filters to match the reader’s interests.
• Available in multiple languages.
• Supports text-to-speech and other useful reading tools, such as font type and size adjustment, and page orientation settings.
• Allows offline reading.

Things to Note About WebNovel:

• The reading tools can be a bit hard to access since there’s no dedicated shortcut menu.
• The app interface feels somewhat cluttered, which may be overwhelming for some users.

4. Google Play Books

Google offers an e-book reader app that can also be used to read novels. The app features a vast collection of millions of digital books, both paid and free.

In addition to being a standard e-book reader, Google Play Books also supports audiobooks. One of its features, Read Aloud, uses text-to-speech technology to read books aloud, perfect for those who are always on the go but still want to enjoy their favorite reads.

Google has clearly prioritized user comfort when designing the reading experience in this app. It includes features that let you customize the font style and size, as well as adjust screen brightness to suit your preferences.

One of its newer features, Night Light, automatically changes the background color to make reading in low-light environments more comfortable. This feature also helps reduce exposure to blue light, which can be harmful to the eyes over long periods. Pretty neat, right?

Also, the novel collection on Google Play Books is quite up-to-date. However, keep in mind that most newly released and popular e-books typically require a purchase to access the full content.

Things I Like About Google Play Books:

• Has a large collection of books, including novels.
• Offers audiobooks.
• Includes a text-to-speech feature that reads books aloud.
• The Night Light feature helps reduce blue light exposure while reading on your phone.

Things to Note About Google Play Books:

• Access to free books and novels is quite limited, and newly released books can only be read after making an in-app purchase.

5. NovelToon

This app is actually a sister platform to MangaToon, so it’s no surprise that some of the novels here come with visual adaptations or even chat-style story formats, much like the content found on MangaToon.

NovelToon offers a wide variety of content, including novels, light novels, fan fiction, and chat stories, many of which are available for free, especially those created by independent authors.

Similar to Wattpad, NovelToon also supports a writing platform where users can contribute their own stories and potentially earn royalties through its monetization program.

As a reading app, NovelToon includes several features designed to enhance user comfort. You can adjust the font style and size, screen brightness, and background color theme to prevent eye strain during long reading sessions.

The app also supports offline reading by allowing you to download novels, though this feature is only available after you’ve registered an account with NovelToon.

If you ever get bored of the original content, be sure to check out the “Public Book” section. Here, you’ll find digital versions of popular and classic works by well-known authors like William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and many others.

Things I Like About NovelToon:

• Offers a large collection of novels that can be accessed for free.
• Features a special collection of digital versions of books by popular authors.
• Some of its novel collections are also available as visual comics and chat stories.
• Novel content can be downloaded for offline reading.
• Includes Dark Mode and a range of features to adjust reading comfort.
• Available in various languages.
• Specializes in Asian-style web novels.

Things to Note About NovelToon:

• Not all content on NovelToon has gone through professional editing.
• Some premium content can only be accessed using coins or tokens.

6. Kindle

Kindle is one of the most popular apps for reading novels and e-books, particularly when it comes to English-language books. Often referred to as a "digital library," it offers an extensive collection of digitized books, ranging from timeless classics to recent bestsellers, across a wide variety of genres.

While most books on Kindle require payment, the platform also offers a Kindle Unlimited subscription service, which allows you to read as many books as you like for a fixed monthly fee.

Additionally, there are several books available for $0.00, or free of charge. These can be downloaded directly from the app without needing to input any payment details.

To enhance the reading experience, Kindle provides a dedicated reading mode packed with useful features. You can annotate pages, take notes, and highlight your favorite quotes with ease.

If you encounter unfamiliar words or phrases, Kindle includes a built-in dictionary and encyclopedia, both of which can be downloaded and used directly within the reading page.

You also have the ability to adjust margins, line spacing, and text alignment to suit your preferences. Plus, there's a text-to-speech feature that can read the book aloud, ideal for multitasking or accessibility needs.

While the interface might feel a bit overwhelming for first-time users, the wealth of customization options is incredibly helpful, especially for readers with dyslexia or visual impairments.

Things I Like About Kindle:

• Offers a vast collection of books and novels, especially in English.
• The reading mode includes many features that can be customized to suit user preferences.
• The app interface is intuitive, modern, and clean, with a signature look similar to Amazon’s main site.
• Offers a Kindle Unlimited subscription service with unlimited access.
• Includes a selection of books that can be read for free.

Things to Note About Kindle:

• Most books on the app need to be purchased before reading.
• The abundance of features in Kindle’s reading page may feel overwhelming for some users.

7. GoodNovel

If you're interested in reading web novels with Western-style characters and storytelling, GoodNovel could be a great choice. The app features a wide range of genres, including romance, fantasy, action, thriller, and mystery, making it especially appealing to fans of those categories.

However, access to content in GoodNovel is based on a coin system. While the app offers several free chapters at the beginning of each novel, you'll need to use coins to unlock the remaining chapters.

Coins can be obtained through in-app purchases or by completing daily missions provided by GoodNovel. Once you've unlocked all chapters of a novel, you're given the option to download the entire book for offline reading.

In terms of features, GoodNovel provides a standard reading interface. One downside is the limited commenting feature, unlike other platforms that let readers comment on individual paragraphs, GoodNovel's comment system is more basic.

Still, one feature I appreciate is the age rating warning displayed before each novel. This helps users know the recommended age group for the content before they start reading, which is especially useful for younger readers or parents monitoring content.

Things I Like About GoodNovel:

• Specializes in Western-style web novels.
• Includes age rating warnings before reading a novel.
• Simple and user-friendly reading interface.
• Available in multiple languages.

Things to Note About GoodNovel:

• Only the first few chapters are free; the rest must be unlocked using coins.

8. Book Walker

In addition to manga reading apps, Book Walker is a must-have for any otaku with an Android phone. This app offers a wide collection of light novels from major Japanese publishers like Kadokawa, Yen Press, and Kodansha. Book Walker is a legal platform, so you don’t have to worry about authors missing out on royalties when you access their works.

Besides its extensive library of light novels, Book Walker also provides digital manga, all of which can be purchased individually. Once bought, the content is yours to enjoy anytime.

Light novels in this app are displayed in vertical scrolling mode, allowing readers to smoothly navigate from page to page. There's even an audiobook feature, so you can listen to your favorite stories being read aloud, perfect for multitasking or relaxing.

Things I Like About Book Walker:

• It's an app dedicated to Japanese light novels and manga.
• Includes an audiobook feature for listening to novels in audio format.
• A legal platform with a book collection directly from several well-known Japanese publishers.
• The translations are professionally done.

Things to Note About Book Walker:

• Every book must be purchased before it can be read.

9. NovelUP

Want to enjoy a variety of web novels without worrying about paywalls or locked chapters? NovelUP could be your best option, as it offers free access to all its content.

While it may not host widely popular titles, the stories on NovelUP are still engaging, offering a rich mix of genres and popular tropes. You’ll find everything from romance, family drama, adventure, to mystery and more.

The reading interface is also very user-friendly, featuring large text sizes that make reading easy on the eyes, perfect even for elderly readers using their smartphones. NovelUP also includes a text-to-speech feature, although this can only be used for free after watching a short advertisement.

Another convenient perk: every time you finish a chapter, the app automatically recommends other novels with similar tropes. So you won’t have to waste time searching for your next favorite read. Practical, right?

Things I Like About NovelUP:

• Offers a wide range of novels that can be read for free.
• The available novels feature a variety of tropes and genres.
• The default reading mode is very comfortable, with a large enough font size for normal reading distance.
• The system recommends other novel titles with similar themes and topics each time you read a novel.

Things to Note About NovelUP:

• Not a platform for popular or mainstream novels.
• The text-to-speech feature is only accessible after watching an advertisement.

Well, those are some of the many novel-reading applications available for Android. Each app comes with its own unique features, strengths, and limitations, so it all comes down to your personal preferences.

Whether you're into romance, mystery, fantasy, or just want something simple and accessible, there's definitely an app out there for you. Choose the one that suits your reading style best and enjoy your literary journey!