KOReader usage

TheSmitty · 04-02-2025, 12:44 PM

I am curious how many Kobo users use the KOReader instead of the the stock reader that is within the Kobo.

Sirtel · 04-02-2025, 02:07 PM

I've tried KOReader, but I like the patched stock reader better. Of course, I edit my ebooks, so have little need for style overrides that are the main advantage of KOReader. I don't care much about reading stats or customized gestures either.

Quoth · 04-02-2025, 03:18 PM

I tried the KOReader and used it on the Elipsa till Kobo added PDF cropping.

It's so 1960s and awkward with 100s to 1000s of ebooks using a file-system instead of a Library interface. Even the search using Calibre metadata file was slow and clunky.

There are certainly loads of options, but really it's easier to fix formatting in Calibre Editor than navigate all the options. I really tried, but hated it for finding / browsing ebooks. I might reconsider if it ever gets a library interface and the menus are easier to use.

Even the Native UI on Kindle PW3, DXG, K3, Sony PRS-350 is easier to use to browse the ebooks.
It's only any advantage for actual reading if the ebook formatting is broken. I check almost all ebooks as I add them to Calibre and go back to Calibre if the ebook turns out to have issues. This is of extra value for PD titles, which I periodically share with others.

DNSB · 04-02-2025, 05:59 PM

I've tried KOReader and still use it for a limited number of books. Basically, I use RMSDK about 95% of the time, Plato about 2%, KOReader about 1% and Kobo's renderer about 1% (and yes, that only adds up to 99%). Most of my use for Plato and KOReader is for testing while I use Kobo's renderer for books with graphics that I want to be able to zoom (one book last year had two downloadable maps that were 4500x6000 pix that were great when zoomed though the author seems to have abandoned their webpage and no longer offers downloads.

Barty · 04-02-2025, 07:18 PM

I use Plato. It has about 1/5 of koreader's features but it does the job for me. I like the UI better, mainly

7hir7een · 04-02-2025, 08:01 PM

I'm one of the KOReader users. The syncing progress between devices is too valuable for me to give up

Tawn · 04-02-2025, 10:21 PM

I mostly use the (minimally patched) stock kobo reader mainly for reading Overdrive/cloudLibrary books. But I do occasionally read other books on KOreader. I set up a custom menu accessed via gesture, so I don't view the other UI much. Plato is also nice but I quite miss my NickleClock and ability to skim there.

PennyDred · 04-03-2025, 05:15 AM

I use Koreader for pdfs, and only for that. For that reason I wouldn't be without it. I also like the fact that you can type into a 'notebook'- I wish this was more developed. For everything else the patched standard reader is fine.
The poll as it is will not capture our exceptions.

TheSmitty · 04-03-2025, 10:26 AM

Thanks for the responses and votes. I think I was expecting to see more KOReader usage. I have been using KOReader for about two weeks now, mainly because I like the statistics and such. Plus I like to tinker around with things within in from time to time. I think I was expecting a higher usage because many people here seem rather technical and might like the ability to tinker as well.
Having said that, I do miss being able to write on my books and annotate, which I do occasionally.

Sirtel · 04-03-2025, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

Thanks for the responses and votes. I think I was expecting to see more KOReader usage. I have been using KOReader for about two weeks now, mainly because I like the statistics and such. Plus I like to tinker around with things within in from time to time. I think I was expecting a higher usage because many people here seem rather technical and might like the ability to tinker as well.
Having said that, I do miss being able to write on my books and annotate, which I do occasionally.

I do like to tinker, but not when I am reading. I tinker with calibre and ebook formatting. When I'm reading, I just want to read, not constantly tinker with the settings. I set my Kobo up the way I like it, patches and settings, and after that I don't tinker with it anymore, except for adjusting the light. When I want to tinker, I do it in calibre, not on my Kobo.

Lys · 04-03-2025, 01:50 PM

I tried Koreader a couple of times, but I found it very little user-friendly.

I have around 1400 books on my ereader, sideloaded through calibre, without much thinking about folders structure (and I like that way, browsing my library by metadata >>>>>). Trying to go through them using Koreader interface was hellish, and even using the search options... it was not great.

It's probably my fault for not having read any user manual or whatever, but I struggled a lot in trying to find the options I was looking for (while also finding one trillion options I had 0 need for).

In the end, Koreader was just not for me and my user-case scenario, despite having some things I wish were available in "standard" Kobo (mainly sync for everything, and more stats). But those are things I can live without, and the headache of finding a good workflow within Koreader wasn't worth the hassle for me.

Anghirrim · 04-03-2025, 01:50 PM

I mostly use KoReader since Kobo killed the dark mode.

That's an important feature for me as I mainly read by night with my wife sleeping beside me...

TheSmitty · 04-03-2025, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lys

I tried Koreader a couple of times, but I found it very little user-friendly.

100% on the user-friendly aspect. This was why when I tried using it a couple of years ago I abandoned it pretty quickly. But then youtube suggestioned a video by a guy that is pretty enthusiastic about KOReader. And once I watched one or two of them I then better understood what I could do with it and how the UI worked with setting things up.

Sirtel · 04-03-2025, 02:55 PM

I don't mind the trillion settings of KOReader. I do mind the absence of metadata-based library management tools (as I too have thousands of ebooks), but mainly KOReader gives me really nothing I can't get with the patched stock. I don't need most of its style overrides and I care nothing about reading stats. So using KOReader wouldn't add many benefits for me. Yes, syncing would be nice, but I can manage without it perfectly well. I'm not sure I could be bothered with constantly fiddling with wifi on/off anyway. Probably not.

TheSmitty · 04-03-2025, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

... nothing I can't get with the patched stock. ...

I am curious what patches you use? Thanks

View Poll Results: Which do you use?
Stock Kobo reader	48	55.17%
KOReader	39	44.83%
What?	0	0%
Voters: 87. You may not vote on this poll

04-02-2025, 12:44 PM	#1
TheSmitty Addict Posts: 310 Karma: 1181422 Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: DFW, TX area Device: Kindle Colorsoft, Libra Colour, Voyage, iPad Pro 11, iPad Mini 7	KOReader usage I am curious how many Kobo users use the KOReader instead of the the stock reader that is within the Kobo.

04-03-2025, 05:15 AM	#8
PennyDred Member Posts: 23 Karma: 4920 Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: UK Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Aura H2O (original)	I use Koreader for pdfs, and only for that. For that reason I wouldn't be without it. I also like the fact that you can type into a 'notebook'- I wish this was more developed. For everything else the patched standard reader is fine. The poll as it is will not capture our exceptions. Last edited by PennyDred; 04-03-2025 at 05:18 AM.

04-03-2025, 02:55 PM	#14
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,061 Karma: 237062052 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I don't mind the trillion settings of KOReader. I do mind the absence of metadata-based library management tools (as I too have thousands of ebooks), but mainly KOReader gives me really nothing I can't get with the patched stock. I don't need most of its style overrides and I care nothing about reading stats. So using KOReader wouldn't add many benefits for me. Yes, syncing would be nice, but I can manage without it perfectly well. I'm not sure I could be bothered with constantly fiddling with wifi on/off anyway. Probably not. Last edited by Sirtel; 04-03-2025 at 02:59 PM.

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04-02-2025, 02:07 PM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,061 Karma: 237062052 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I've tried KOReader, but I like the patched stock reader better. Of course, I edit my ebooks, so have little need for style overrides that are the main advantage of KOReader. I don't care much about reading stats or customized gestures either.

04-02-2025, 03:18 PM	#3
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,632 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I tried the KOReader and used it on the Elipsa till Kobo added PDF cropping. It's so 1960s and awkward with 100s to 1000s of ebooks using a file-system instead of a Library interface. Even the search using Calibre metadata file was slow and clunky. There are certainly loads of options, but really it's easier to fix formatting in Calibre Editor than navigate all the options. I really tried, but hated it for finding / browsing ebooks. I might reconsider if it ever gets a library interface and the menus are easier to use. Even the Native UI on Kindle PW3, DXG, K3, Sony PRS-350 is easier to use to browse the ebooks. It's only any advantage for actual reading if the ebook formatting is broken. I check almost all ebooks as I add them to Calibre and go back to Calibre if the ebook turns out to have issues. This is of extra value for PD titles, which I periodically share with others.

04-02-2025, 05:59 PM	#4
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 44,466 Karma: 167726775 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I've tried KOReader and still use it for a limited number of books. Basically, I use RMSDK about 95% of the time, Plato about 2%, KOReader about 1% and Kobo's renderer about 1% (and yes, that only adds up to 99%). Most of my use for Plato and KOReader is for testing while I use Kobo's renderer for books with graphics that I want to be able to zoom (one book last year had two downloadable maps that were 4500x6000 pix that were great when zoomed though the author seems to have abandoned their webpage and no longer offers downloads.

04-02-2025, 07:18 PM	#5
Barty doofus Posts: 2,543 Karma: 13088847 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	I use Plato. It has about 1/5 of koreader's features but it does the job for me. I like the UI better, mainly

04-02-2025, 08:01 PM	#6
7hir7een Reader of Books Posts: 249 Karma: 178096 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Clara Colour, Libra 2, Elipsa	I'm one of the KOReader users. The syncing progress between devices is too valuable for me to give up

04-02-2025, 10:21 PM	#7
Tawn Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2022 Device: kobo Libra 2	I mostly use the (minimally patched) stock kobo reader mainly for reading Overdrive/cloudLibrary books. But I do occasionally read other books on KOreader. I set up a custom menu accessed via gesture, so I don't view the other UI much. Plato is also nice but I quite miss my NickleClock and ability to skim there.

04-03-2025, 10:26 AM	#9
TheSmitty Addict Posts: 310 Karma: 1181422 Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: DFW, TX area Device: Kindle Colorsoft, Libra Colour, Voyage, iPad Pro 11, iPad Mini 7	Thanks for the responses and votes. I think I was expecting to see more KOReader usage. I have been using KOReader for about two weeks now, mainly because I like the statistics and such. Plus I like to tinker around with things within in from time to time. I think I was expecting a higher usage because many people here seem rather technical and might like the ability to tinker as well. Having said that, I do miss being able to write on my books and annotate, which I do occasionally.

04-03-2025, 01:50 PM	#11
Lys Groupie Posts: 157 Karma: 722116 Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Not in an English speaking country Device: (Too many) Kobo(s)	I tried Koreader a couple of times, but I found it very little user-friendly. I have around 1400 books on my ereader, sideloaded through calibre, without much thinking about folders structure (and I like that way, browsing my library by metadata >>>>>). Trying to go through them using Koreader interface was hellish, and even using the search options... it was not great. It's probably my fault for not having read any user manual or whatever, but I struggled a lot in trying to find the options I was looking for (while also finding one trillion options I had 0 need for). In the end, Koreader was just not for me and my user-case scenario, despite having some things I wish were available in "standard" Kobo (mainly sync for everything, and more stats). But those are things I can live without, and the headache of finding a good workflow within Koreader wasn't worth the hassle for me.

04-03-2025, 01:50 PM	#12
Anghirrim Seeking for Graal Posts: 202 Karma: 16198 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: France Device: Kobo Forma / Onyx Boox Page	I mostly use KoReader since Kobo killed the dark mode. That's an important feature for me as I mainly read by night with my wife sleeping beside me...

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