Choosing an e-book store can be really confusing, right? When there are too many options like Kindle, Rakuten Kobo, and ebookjapan, you end up wondering which one really fits you. So I actually tested multiple services thoroughly.

The key points to consider when comparing e-book stores are: how robust the discounts are, how many titles they carry, and how easy they are to use. It’s not just about the initial discount—whether you can keep using it at a great deal from the second time onward is the key to continued use.

If you want to keep using it regularly, ebookjapan is recommended. They distribute six 70% off coupons for first-time users, so even when you buy multiple books, it’s a good deal with split purchases. They also have plenty of campaigns on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, making it ideal for people who buy in bulk over the weekend. Being able to line up books on your shelf by their spines is also subtly convenient.

If you want to read a large number of books right away, DMM Books seems like the better choice. The initial discounts are big, and manga and light novels always get 25% points back. It’s also appealing that buying 10 books at once is more cost-effective—not just buying one.

If you prioritize the lowest prices above all else, dブック (d Book) is the one to go with. It’s rare for it to be cheap not only for the first time but also for subsequent purchases. Since they offer 20% points back on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of every month, you can save money by buying with a plan. If you use d points, it’s also a great match.

Comic Cmoa is extremely cheap for first-time purchases, and if you read about one book, it’s essentially free to read. However, their benefits after the first purchase are weak, so it’s best for people who want to go all in and buy a lot right from the start.

If you’re thinking about bulk buying, au Book Pass is worth considering. Because the first-time coupons apply to up to 100 books, the more you buy, the cheaper it becomes than other services.

When comparing e-book stores, it’s easy to overlook, but whether they support purchases within the app is also important. ebookjapan and Kinoppy support it, while DMM Books requires going through a browser. Even the new-release notification feature can make a big difference in day-to-day usability—having it or not changes everything.

Readability is also surprisingly important. Fine features like adjusting the background color, line spacing, switching between vertical and horizontal page layout, and supporting vertical and horizontal reading for manga reduce stress. honto and Kinoppy are well-equipped in this area.

For the titles they carry, major services are almost the same. No matter whether you want popular manga, novels, business books, or light novels, you can generally find what you’re looking for. However, the Kindle Store also has exclusive distribution titles, and some works aren’t available there.

In the end, it depends on how you use it. If you care most about ongoing use: ebookjapan. If you care most about first-time discounts: Comic Cmoa. If you care most about low prices: dブック. If you’re buying in bulk: au Book Pass. If you care most about readability: honto or Kinoppy. The right way to compare e-book stores is to choose based on your needs.