Library Guides @ VIU: eBook Creation 101: Formats

Most Popular Formats

These are the three most popular types of eBook formats:

.epub

epub is a free and open format. It's used on Kobo, Sony, and Nook devices. epubs won't work on Kindles.

.mobi

mobi is a proprietary format from Amazon. It's only used on Kindles and can't be used on other devices.

.pdf

Portable document format is a file format that's independent of software, hardware, and operating system. It can play on almost all e-readers.

Which Format(s) Should I Choose?

In Canada, Amazon has 50% of the marketshare, with Rakuten Kobo 25% and Apple eBooks 14%. Amazon's default format is .mobi. Kobo uses .epub. Source

If users are downloading eBooks from their public libraries, chances are that they're getting used to content from OverDrive, which is currently only available in .epub in Canada.

It's always wise to create a .PDF file, so your book can be viewed independent of devices.

Supporting Platforms

Chart from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats

Reader	Plain text	PDF	ePub	HTML	Mobi- Pocket	Fiction- Book (Fb2)	DjVu	Broadband eBook (BBeB)^{[h 1]}	eReader^{[h 1]}	Kindle^{[h 1]}	WOLF^{[h 1]}	Tome Raider^{[h 1]}	Open eBook^{[h 2]}	Comic Book	OpenXPS
Amazon Kindle 1	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?
Amazon Kindle 2, DX	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?
Amazon Kindle 3	Yes	Yes	No^{[h 3]}	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?
Amazon Kindle Fire	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[h 4]}	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?
Android Devices	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[h 5]}^[34]	Yes	Yes^{[h 5]}^[35]	No	Yes^{[h 5]}^[36]	Yes	No	Yes^{[h 5]}^[29]	Yes^{[h 5]}	?	Yes
Apple iOS Devices	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[h 5]}	Yes^{[h 5]}	Yes^{[h 5]}	No	Yes^{[h 5]}	Yes^{[h 5]}	No	Yes^{[h 5]}	Yes^{[h 5]}	Yes^{[h 6]}	?
Azbooka WISEreader	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Barnes & Noble Nook	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	?	?
Barnes & Noble Nook Color	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Bookeen Cybook Gen3, Opus	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[h 7]}	Yes	Yes^{[h 7]}	Yes^{[h 8]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	?	?
COOL-ER Classic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Linux Operating System	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[h 9]}	Yes	Yes^{[h 10]}	?	?	?	?	?	Yes	Yes
Foxit eSlick	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	?	?
Hanlin e-Reader V3	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	?	?
Hanvon WISEreader	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
iRex iLiad	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Iriver Story	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes^{[h 5]}	Yes^{[h 5]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Kobo eReader	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	?
Nokia N900	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	?
NUUTbook 2	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
OLPC XO, Sugar	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Onyx Boox 60	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Mac OS X	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	?	?
TrekStor eBook Reader Pyrus^[37]	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?	?
Windows	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[h 11]}	Yes	?	Yes	Yes^{[h 12]}	?	?	Yes	?	Yes^{[h 13]}
Pocketbook 301 Plus, 302, 360°	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Pocketbook Aqua	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Sony Reader	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Viewsonic VEB612	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	?
Windows Phone 7	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?

Subject Guide

KJ Reed

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Assessment and Data Librarian
Vancouver Island University
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Nanaimo, BC
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Email: kj.reed@viu.ca

Subjects: Graduate Student Resources, Social Sciences

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eBook Creation 101: Formats

Most Popular Formats

Which Format(s) Should I Choose?

Supporting Platforms

Subject Guide

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