E-Readers Statistics By Geography, Demographics, Genres and Users

Introduction

E-Readers Statistics: The e-reader market has experienced significant changes in recent years. As of 2023, e-readers still appeal to certain demographics, with 21% of Americans aged 30 to 49 reported to own one. Although overall sales have declined due to the increasing popularity of multifunctional devices like tablets and smartphones, dedicated e-reader devices are still evolving. For example, Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Colour are gaining popularity in 2024.

Companies such as Huawei are also introducing hybrid models like the MatePad Paper, which combines tablet functionality with e-reader efficiency. This evolving landscape highlights the enduring relevance of e-readers in the digital age, catering to avid readers who value the convenience of digital books without giving up the comfort of traditional reading.

Editor’s Choice

• By 2031, the global market size for e-readers is projected to reach USD 46.94 million, growing at a CAGR of 15.3% from 2021.
• The Asia Pacific region will see significant growth, with e-reader use increasing by 31% from 2022 to 2027.
• It’s estimated that by 2027, the total number of e-reader users will reach 1.12 billion.
• Amazon, Kobo, and Sony are the top three e-reader companies, controlling 88% of the market.
• In the United States, over 75% of people were using e-readers in 2023.
• Approximately 11% of Americans between 18 and 29 years old were using e-readers as of September 2023.
• In 2023, about 72% of American e-reader users primarily read on Amazon Kindle across various genres.
• Amazon sold more than 900,000 Kindle e-readers in the United States in 2023.
• In 2023, the e-reader market was valued at USD 20 billion and was growing annually by 5%.
• China held the largest share of the e-reader market at 70% in 2023.

Facts About E-Readers

• E-readers are portable devices that let you read digital books, magazines, and documents.
• These devices are known for being easy to carry and can hold many books in one compact gadget.
• Unlike laptops, e-readers are cheaper and the battery lasts longer, often using e-ink technology that mimics paper for comfortable reading.
• Despite their advantages, the demand for e-readers like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook has decreased because people prefer using smartphones and tablets for reading.
• Sales of e-readers have dropped, but companies like Amazon and Kobo continue to make new models like the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Colour.
• In 2023, 21% of Americans aged 30 to 49 owned an e-reader.
• E-books are still widely read around the world; for example, 41 million e-books were sold in Germany in 2023.
• Amazon and Apple Books are popular places to buy e-books in the United Kingdom.
• The average cost of a Kindle e-reader ranges from USD 150 to USD 179.
• The future might see smartphones and tablets incorporating the best features of e-readers, such as their display and price.

General E-Readers Statistics

(Source: mordorintelligence.com)

• The E-Reader Market is projected to grow from USD 7.82 billion in 2024 to USD 10.62 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 6.31%.
• In the EU, countries like Germany have reduced the VAT on electronic publications from 19% to 7%, making e-books more affordable.
• The EPUB format is the most common for e-books, while PDFs are also widely used for their simplicity.
• Hachette Livre is actively adapting to these tech changes to protect the financial interests of its authors.
• Platforms like ACX simplify creating and distributing audiobooks, offering up to 40% royalties and connections to audio professionals.
• The E-learning industry is growing because more people are using online learning tools on devices like smartphones, tablets, and even wearable technology.
• Schools and universities are switching from traditional teaching methods to smart technology-based E-learning to better equip students with industry-relevant skills.
• Qatar’s National e-Learning Portal provides over 2,500 courses in areas like information technology and business, with 24 organizations and 37 small and medium businesses using the portal to enhance employee skills.
• Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha Bank, and Qatar Petroleum have effectively integrated courses from Qatar’s National e-Learning
• Portal into their employee development programs.
• Designers of mobile learning courses face challenges in creating content that doesn’t use too much data or bandwidth, aiming to produce short learning modules that are easy to view on small screens.
• Reskilling involves teaching current employees new skills to adapt to changes like automation, with 37% of companies currently offering training and 56% planning to start within the year.
• Popular reskilling methods include coaching or mentoring (57%), job shadowing (41%), and on-the-job training (65%).
• E-book sales in the United States were estimated at USD 1,000 million by the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
• The growth of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets is expected to increase the demand for digital reading, with projected mobile subscriptions reaching 78 million in Western Europe and 69 million in Central and Eastern Europe by 2027.

• North America is leading the market for eReaders and eBooks due to the high use of connected devices like smartphones and tablets.
• Companies are making eReaders that are innovative, such as Rakuten Kobo Inc.’s Kobo Libra H2O, a 7-inch waterproof and lightweight device that enhances the reading experience.
• Amazon is attracting more authors to its platform with services like Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), where authors can publish books and start earning within 24 hours.
• Amazon also provides e-books through apps on various devices, offering special rates for Prime customers and expanding its e-book collection.
• Overdrive, a major digital distributor for public libraries, powers their collections of audiobooks and e-books, although they charge libraries for each book separately, and some books have a borrowing limit.
• In July 2023, Amazon launched three new Kindle Paperwhite models with features like a new processor, larger 6.8-inch screen, warm light support, and USB-C charging, which can last up to ten weeks on a single charge.

E-Book Readers Statistics

Ten-year analysis of e-book readers from 2018 to 2027

(Reference: statista.com)

• According to a report published by Statista Research Department, the total number of e-book readers in 2023 was nearly 98.2 million users.
• The global number of e-book readers is increasing continuously, and between 2024 and 2027, the total number of readers will be 92.9 million, a rate of 9.02% growth.
• Furthermore, in coming years, expected e-book readers are going to be 2024 (1.03 billion), 2025 (1.06 billion), 2026 (1.09 billion), and 2027 (1.12 billion).

E-Readers Revenue Statistics

(Reference: justpublishingadvice.com)

• Global market revenue earned by e-readers in 2024 will be $200 billion, reduced by $260 billion from 2020.
• By 2025, global revenue is expected to reach $160 billion.

E-Readers Statistics by Geography

(Source: technavio.com)

• The Asia Pacific region will account for a growth rate of e-readers, resulting in a 31% growth from 2022 to 2027.
• China will have the largest e-reader market share of 70% in 2023.
• In the North American region, the market growth of e-readers is supposed to reach a CAGR of 6.3% from 2023 to 2030.

E-Readers Statistics by Demographics

• E-book readers are 2.5 times more likely to prefer tablets for reading in 2023.
• 56% of internet-savvy owners are reading e-books via e-reading devices.
• As of 2023, global women and men e-readers were 56% and 42%, respectively, whereas others covered 1%.
• Conversely, 60% of e-book readers were under 45 years old.
• Almost 66% of e-readers are more likely to have a degree from college or postgraduate.
• 40% of e-readers are households whose annual earnings are above $75,000.

(Reference: similarweb.com)

• As of 2023, the E-readers Statistics by the demographic state that the highest number of readers observed is between 25 and 34 years, resulting in 32.15%.
• There are 21.46% of e-reader users aged between 35 and 44 years.
• 72% and 14.82% belong to 45 to 54 years and 15 to 24 years.
• 3% of users are aged between 55 years to 64 years.
• And 5.56% of e-readers contributing are from the age group of 65 years and above.

E-Readers Statistics by Genres

(Source: thgmwriters.com)

• In recent years, 39% of history and 35% of Mystery, Suspense, or detective fiction are mostly preferred for e-reading.
• Furthermore, other shares of e-book genres preferred by e-readers are followed by general biography (34%), Fantasy (30%), Science fiction (27%), business (24%), self-help (23%), romance (21%), other fiction (38%), and other non-fiction (35%).
• Almost 38% of e-readers spend less than $5 on single genres in 2023.

E-reader Statistics by Users

• In 2023, around 72% of American e-readers will have read most genres on Amazon Kindle.
• An alternative app is used by 18% of e-readers for digital reading.
• Whereas the 10%e-readers market belongs to Barnes $ and Noble Nook.

Books vs. eBooks Statistics

• By 2027, there will be approximately 1.87 billion paper book readers globally, compared to 1.2 billion e-reader users.
• In 2022, U.S. consumers bought 788.7 million print books.
• A 2021 survey found that 68% of young Americans, ages 18 to 29, prefer printed books over digital versions.
• January 2023 saw a 3.7% growth in eBook sales in the U.S., earning USD 85 million in revenue.
• Amazon’s Kindle leads the e-reader market with a 72% share.
• The price difference between eBooks and hardcover books on Amazon widened by 75% between 2021 and 2023, making eBooks cheaper.

• Last year, 75% of U.S. adults read at least one book in any format.
• Of Americans, 32% read only print books, 33% read both print and eBooks, 9% read only eBooks, and 23% did not read any books.
• Print books sell four times more than eBooks.
• eBook sales in the U.S. in 2020 were 191 million.
• Between 2019 and 2021, print book sales grew by 21%.
• eBook sales rose by 22% in 2020 but fell by 8% in 2021, still being 8% higher than in 2019.

Kindle vs Book Statistics

• Amazon’s Kindle is the leading e-reader, holding 72% of the market.
• The Barnes & Noble Nook holds 10% of the e-reader market.
• Other digital reading apps account for 18% of the market.
• A Pew Research study indicates a shift from e-readers to reading on smartphones and tablets, reducing e-reader sales.
• In 2012, there were 17.4 million active Kindle Fire users compared to 30.5 million iPad users in the United States.
• By 2018, Amazon had sold approximately 90 million e-readers.
• Projections by Statista suggest that the number of e-reader users will reach 1.2 billion by 2027.
• Revenue from the eBooks market is expected to hit USD 15.39 billion by 2027.

Reader vs E-Reader Demographics

• In 2021, the US book publishing industry saw its highest revenue at USD 29.33 billion, a 12.3% increase from USD 26.1 billion in 2020.
• Physical books generated over 75.5% of the revenue for consumer books.

• The revenue from e-books dropped by 5.0%, totaling USD 1.97 billion and accounting for 10.5% of the total publisher revenue.
• The projected market for physical books is expected to reach 1.87 billion users by 2027, with each user spending an average of USD 37.41.
• 90% of college graduates read books, compared to 61% of high school graduates and 32% of those who did not finish high school.
• People earning over USD 75,000 a year represent 86% of book readers, while those earning under USD 30,000 are 62%.
• In 2020, 19% of adult readers had an e-reader, down from 32% in 2014.

E-Readers Website Statistics

By Country

(Source: similarweb.com)

• As of December 2023, the United States of America had 36.73% of total traffic on goodereader.com, but it recorded an increase in total website visitors by 11.39%.
• Honduras follows total traffic contribution in other countries = 11.06% (+14.83%), the United Kingdom = 5.38% (-11.86%), Canada = 4.07% (-22.8%), and Germany = 2.85% (-23.21%).
• Meanwhile, other countries collectively made around 39.92% of website traffic.

By Device

(Reference: semrush.com)

• Around the world, 31.9% are desktop e-reader users, and 68.1% are mobile users.
• 76% of e-reader users belong to the United States of America, resulting in 320.72K; 32.35% are desktop users, and 67.65% are mobile players.
• The United Kingdom has 152.08K users, resulting in 17.43% of these, 42.61% on desktop and 57.39% reading on mobile devices.
• Of the total players, 8.34% are from Colombia, resulting in 72.77K, with 100% access via mobile devices.
• Canada and Australia have around 49.96K and 40.34K respective e-readers, resulting in 5.73% and 4.62%, respectively.
• Out of these, in Canada, 36.9% are desktop users and 63.9% are mobile readers, while in Australia, 14.32% of users access E-Readers on Desktop and 85.68% read on mobile.

By Distribution Channel

(Reference: semrush.com)

• According to e-reader statistics, the highest traffic rate towards goodereader.com is by organic search, resulting in 59.32%.
• 13% is direct traffic, while 4.26% is from social search.
• Furthermore, other traffic sources towards goodereader.com are Referral (1.5%), paid search (1.45%), Mail (0.23%), and Display (0.12%).

By Social Media Referral Rate

(Reference: semrush.com)

• YouTube has the highest rate of social media referral, resulting in 66.19%.
• Reddit and Facebook contribute by 17.35% and 10.22% respectively.
• Traffic sent by Twitter is 1.94%, and SoundCloud contributes 1.28%.
• Other social media networks with nominal contribution percentages collectively make up 4.27%.

Best E-Readers of 2024

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (overall best)

(Source: cbsnewsstatic.com)

• This e-reader costs $190 and is available at Amazon, and the monthly subscription cost is $11.99.
• Specifications: display size (6.8 inches), display resolution (300 pixels per inch), screen lighting (17 LEDs), dimensions (6.9*4.9*0.32 inches), weight (7.3 ounces), storage capacity (32GB), and battery life (up to 10 weeks).
• Features: Available in 3 colors: black, agave green, and denim blue; wireless charging technology, auto adjustable screen contrast and brightness.

Amazon Kindle (best budget)

(Source: cbsnewsstatic.com)

• As of now, this e-reader costs $100 at Amazon.
• Specifications: display size (6 inches), display resolution (300 pixels per inch), screen lighting (4 LEDs), dimensions (6.2*4.3*0.32 inches), weight (5.56 ounces), storage capacity (16GB), and battery life (up to 6 weeks).

Amazon Kindle Scribe (best for note-taking)

(Source: cbsnewsstatic.com)

• This e-reader is available at Amazon and costs $270.
• Specifications: display size (10.2 inches), display resolution (300 pixels per inch), screen lighting (35 LEDs), dimensions (9.0*7.7*0.22 inches), weight (15.03 ounces), storage capacity (16GB, 32GB, 64GB), and battery life (up to 12 weeks).
• Features: This e-reader allows users to draw and handwrite using a stylus on the display and can choose the amount of storage they need during purchase.

Book Tab Ultra C Pro (full-color-e-ink display)

(Source: cbsnewsstatic.com)

• This e-reader is also available at Amazon and costs up to $650.
• Specifications: display size (10.3 inches) color e-Paper, display resolution (1,240*930 pixels) color and (2,094*1,860 pixels) B&W, screen lighting (adjustable front light), dimensions (8.9*7.3*0.26 inches), weight (15.9 ounces), storage capacity (128GB), and battery life (up to 4 weeks).

Kobo Sage (best for accessing free e-books from a library)

(Source: cbsnewsstatic.com)

• This e-reader costs $270 and is available on Amazon and Kobo.
• Specifications: display size (8 inches, e-Ink), display resolution (1,440*1,920 pixels), screen lighting (adjustable comfort Light Pro), dimensions (7.14*6.2*0.3 inches), weight (8.49 ounces), storage capacity (32GB), and battery life (up to 4 weeks).
• Features: waterproof (IPX8 rated) and supports 15+ file formats.

E-Books Market Revenue Statistics

(Reference: statista.com)

• Revenue generated by the e-books market has been expanding over the years and, in 2023, will account for around $14,160.67 million.
• Furthermore, in coming years, e-books market revenue is followed by 2024 ($14,610.09 million), 2025 ($14,915.72 million), 2026 ($15,136.76 million), 2027 ($15,330.41 million), and 2028 ($15,508.95 million).

E-Readers Purchased Brand Statistics.

(Reference: statista.com)

• In September 2023, e-reader users in the United States preferred purchasing e-books from Amazon the most, resulting in 79% of the share.
• Other brands shares are followed by Apple Books (37%), eBooks.com (34%), Barnes & Noble (33%), Walmart (33%), Google Play Store (31%), Digitaltextbooks.com (21%), Free-Ebooks.net (19%), Harlequin (13%), Pocket Book (13%), Kobo (12%), Smashwords (12%), and others (4%).

Conclusion

E-readers offer users a compelling reading experience and provide extra features of adjustable brightness and waterproofing; some allow users to take notes, a physical page-turning option, and others. However, long-term usage may cause eye strain and dry eyes, which are some negative impacts. Thus, after completing this paper, the market will grow positively in the coming years. This article will provide you with potential market knowledge and trends.

Joseph D'Souza

Joseph D'Souza started Coolest Gadgets in 2005 to share his love for tech gadgets. It has since become a popular tech blog, famous for detailed gadget's reviews and companies statistics. Joseph is committed to providing clear, well-researched content, making tech easy to understand for everyone. Coolest Gadgets is a trusted source for tech news, loved by both tech fans and beginners.

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