Kobo Libra Colour
Exact average 84.3 · 6 printed, 9 estimated · printed scores only: 83
Image: KoboCritics like the Libra Colour's physical page-turn buttons, long battery life and color E Ink for comics and covers. 13 of 15 reviewers recommend it; several find the color washed out and the optional stylus pricey.
Reviewed by Android Central, Woman & Home, Pickr and 12 more
The catch: Color looks washed out next to print.
9 of these 15 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text, then adjusted the estimates against the ratings outlets actually print (ours ran slightly low). An estimate is never higher than 92.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score.
What 15 critics said
Highest score first · all converted to 0–100- 90Android Central
After three months of use the reviewer calls it the ideal successor to the Kindle Oasis, praising the colour panel, buttons and battery, with a smaller store and plastic build as minor drawbacks.
Read Android Central review - 90Woman & Home
A colour e-reader with page-turn buttons and margin annotation that the reviewer could barely fault; the extras cost more and won't matter to every reader.
Read Woman & Home review - 90Pickr
The reviewer finds the Libra Colour a successful colour reader that is especially good for kids' books and comics, and recommends it.
Read Pickr review - 80WIRED
A fun colour E Ink e-reader with page-turn buttons, waterproofing and repairability.
Read WIRED review - 80T3
A viable and cheaper Kindle Colorsoft alternative with great buttons and features, but the colour screen is muted and lower in contrast.
Read T3 review - 70How-To Geek
A fantastic all-round reader thanks to its design, buttons and library integrations, though colour is a niche extra that adds cost.
Read How-To Geek review - 92est.TechRadar
An Editor's Choice review praising the colour screen, writing features, ergonomics and value, with only some lag and a separate stylus as complaints.
Read TechRadar review - 89est.The Strategist
The writer switched to the Libra Colour as a daily reader and praises its colour screen, stylus highlighting and compact size, with only muted colours as a note.
Read The Strategist review - 89est.NBC Select
The reviewer is thrilled with this compact, waterproof color e-reader with page-turn buttons and long battery life, and recommends it to avid readers.
Read NBC Select review - 89est.Trusted Reviews
A very good, more open Kindle rival whose colour E Ink screen, page-turn buttons and feature-rich software make it a worthy alternative.
Read Trusted Reviews review - 85est.The Guardian
Named best overall e-reader after hands-on testing, praised for library and file flexibility, but pricey with quicker battery drain.
Read The Guardian review - 83est.CNN Underscored
The reviewer recommends the Libra Colour for its colour screen, page buttons and stylus note-taking.
Read CNN Underscored review - 83est.The Verge
The reviewer finds both colour Kobos fast and enjoyable, nearly the perfect e-reader, but is annoyed by store lock-in and awkward library borrowing.
Read The Verge review - 83est.Good Housekeeping
Picked as best for annotating after testing, liked for its ergonomics, buttons and stylus notes, but it is pricier with a smaller book store.
Read Good Housekeeping review - 71est.Six Colors
A competent e-reader, but the colour layer lowers contrast and raises the price, making it a worse value than the Libra 2.
Read Six Colors review
"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
How it compares
Direct comparisons by professional outlets, exact models only, in our words. Shown as evidence; they never change the critic score.
vs Amazon Kindle Colorsoft73
- Good Housekeeping UK: it depends. Choose this one if: you are a student or annotator who wants stylus notes and library or cloud integrations.
- Good e-Reader (2025): it depends. Choose this one if: you borrow library books, read many file formats, or want flexible content sources and stylus notes.
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
Other e-readers critics rate highly
Compare head to head
Common questions
Is the Kobo Libra Colour worth it?
Most critics think so: 13 of 15 recommend it. Color looks washed out next to print.
Do critics agree about the Kobo Libra Colour?
Broad agreement: scores range from 70 (How-To Geek) to 92 (TechRadar), a spread of 22 points across 15 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.
What do critics dislike about the Kobo Libra Colour?
Price (8 of 15 reviews), Battery life (2 of 15 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Kobo Libra Colour?
The Kobo Clara Colour (critic score 86), top pick, narrowly.