Pickr90
The Kobo Libra Colour is a highly recommended eReader that successfully introduces a colour E-Ink display, making it an excellent choice for comics, children's books, and note-taking, despite some minor software limitations.
Kobo Libra Colour
13 expert reviews#1 in e-readersChecked 1 Nov 2026
Quick answer
The Kobo Libra Colour has a critic score of 82 out of 100 from 13 professional reviews, and 10 of them recommend it. It ranks #1 of 2 e-readers we score. Critics praise its picture quality and design. The most common complaint is software and app.
Reviews checked 1 Nov 2026
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Best overall
Our verdict
Critics like the Libra Colour's physical page-turn buttons, long battery life and color E Ink for comics and covers. 10 of 13 reviewers recommend it; several find the color washed out and the optional stylus pricey.
The catch: Color looks washed out next to print.
Critic agreement: Medium
Scores run from 61 to 90
7 of these 13 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text and corrected for the known tendency of estimates to run high.
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What do critics say about the Kobo Libra Colour?
TechRadar90
The Kobo Libra Colour is an excellent, well-priced ereader that successfully integrates a color display and writing capabilities into a familiar, ergonomic design.
Android Central90
The Kobo Libra Colour is an excellent e-reader that serves as the perfect upgrade for former Kindle Oasis users, offering a great color E Ink display, physical buttons, and modern connectivity.
The Strategist90est.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a highly recommended e-reader that successfully integrates color display and note-taking capabilities into a portable, daily-use device.
CNN Underscored85est.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a highly recommended e-reader that successfully introduces color to the E Ink experience while offering excellent physical buttons and stylus support.
The Guardian85est.
The Kobo Libra Colour is the best overall e-reader due to its excellent library integration, versatile file support, and customizable reading experience.
Good Housekeeping85est.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a highly versatile e-reader that stands out for its note-taking capabilities, stylus support, and excellent library integration, making it a great choice for students and power users.
EFTM83
The Kobo Libra Colour is a highly versatile e-reader that excels due to its color display, stylus support, and broad file format compatibility.
T380
The Kobo Libra Colour is a well-featured, ergonomic e-reader that offers a compelling, more affordable alternative to its Kindle rival, despite the inherent limitations of current colour E Ink technology.
The Verge79est.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a physically excellent and responsive e-reader that offers a great reading experience, though it is hampered by a restrictive ecosystem and clunky library management.
SlashGear74est.
While the device offers a solid screen and useful physical buttons, the high cost of the required stylus and performance slowdowns during drawing make it a difficult value proposition.
How-To Geek70
The Kobo Libra Colour is an excellent, ergonomic eReader that excels at the fundamentals of reading, though the color display is more of a nice-to-have feature than a transformative one.
Six Colors61est.
While the Kobo Libra Colour is a functional device, the addition of color comes at the cost of reduced screen contrast and a higher price point compared to its predecessor, making it a disappointing value proposition.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict. How we score
What critics praise most
Picture quality7 of 13
Design7 of 13
Battery life2 of 13
What critics dislike most
Software and app6 of 13
Price5 of 13
Missing features4 of 13
Alternatives
Not sure about the Kobo Libra Colour?
Common questions
Is the Kobo Libra Colour worth it?
Most critics think so: 10 of 13 recommend it. Color looks washed out next to print.
What do critics dislike about the Kobo Libra Colour?
Software and app (6 of 13 reviews), Price (5 of 13 reviews), Missing features (4 of 13 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Kobo Libra Colour?
The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft (critic score 79), color kindle.