# Any apps that will show a wide range of text format (epub, mobi, pdf, azw, cbz, cbr, etc) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359 "2016-04-16T13:56:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/1 "2016-04-16T13:56:07Z")
Kindle mostly does mobi and pdf, I believe. A person can use calibre to convert other formats into mobi to make them readable, but having an app that can just read a wide range of formats would be better. There are apps I have downloaded that will play almost any video file I try, is there an app that will do the same for text? Mostly just something that can read epub, cbz, cbr as well as mobi and pdf would be nice. Preferably a free app, but I’d pay if it was worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/2 "2016-04-16T15:03:44Z")
Calibre is what you’re looking for. It will convert between most or all of those formats as well. > **[calibre - E-book management](https://calibre-ebook.com)** > > calibre: The one stop solution for all your e-book needs. Comprehensive e-book software. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/3 "2016-04-16T15:35:05Z")
I agree. However calibre is really only good in my experience for converting epub to mobi. I have not had success with converting cbz or pdf to mobi. I’d like to find an app where I can just upload an epub or cbz file and be able to read it on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/4 "2016-04-16T15:51:49Z")
You know what? Let me apologize here. I clearly didn’t read your question thoroughly enough; I’m used to seeing these things pop up and the answer’s almost always caliber. But I will say I have very little issue with how it converts, but then again I’m always converting to EPUB. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/5 "2016-04-16T15:54:07Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I’d like to find an app where I can just upload an epub or cbz file and be able to read it on my phone. PocketBook for Android claims that it can handle both those formats, and many others. > > > Read PDF, EPUB, DjVu, FB2, CHM, CBR, MOBI, mp3, m4b, AZW and othe... ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/6 "2016-04-17T04:35:11Z")
If you hadn’t said phone, I’d say [SumatraPDF.](http://www.sumatrapdfreader.org/free-pdf-reader.html) Despite the name, it handles a whole lot of book filetypes. The website specifically says PDF, ePub, Mobi, XPS, DjVu, CHM, CBZ, and CBR, though Wikipedia lists a few more. But I haven’t seen a phone version. And [AlternativeTo](http://alternativeto.net/software/sumatra-pdf/?platform=android) only lists PDF and XPS readers. Still, it is open source, so maybe a port is out there. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/7 "2016-04-17T05:00:25Z")
Oh, wait. As I was closing the tab, I scanned through those alternatives again, and saw Cool Reader. It’s the oddball. It has MOBI and EPUB, but no PDF and CBR/CBZ. But it also has FB2, TXT, RTF, DOC, TCR, HTML, and CHM. So maybe get that with a CBZ/CBR reader and a PDF reader? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/8 "2016-04-17T05:08:56Z")
Or, hunting some more, you could try [Moon+ Reader](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flyersoft.moonreader). The free version appears to have epub, mobi, chm, cbr, cbz, umd, fb2, txt, html, rar, zip and OPDS (Calibri server). The $5 paid version adds PDF support. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/9 "2016-04-17T15:58:43Z")
I love Moon+. So far it’s opened everything I’ve tried. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/10 "2016-04-17T17:27:30Z")
I use [FBReader](https://fbreader.org/). It supports most of the OP’s formats natively but others require the use of supplied plugins. No matter what reader or converter you use, you’re going to run into PDF’s that just come out awful. It’s not designed for page/line reflowing. Be ready to accept that. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-apps-that-will-show-a-wide-range-of-text-format-epub-mobi-pdf-azw-cbz-cbr-etc/752359/11 "2016-04-17T19:32:36Z")
I’m willing to give up pdf functionality because almost every other reader I’ve seen can read them. If I could find a read that does everything except pdf, that is fine (not ideal, but I can live with it).