ConsFirst / E-readers / Compare
Kobo Libra Colour vs Kobo Clara BW
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes what we report. Learn more
The short answer
Kobo Libra Colour ranks higher (#2 vs #3 of 8) and scores better on book store & formats, ease of use. Kobo Clara BW wins on screen.
The biggest complaint about the Kobo Libra Colour is stylus sold separately; small for notes; for the Kobo Clara BW it's shorter real-world battery than kindle. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Kobo Libra Colour | Kobo Clara BW | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in e-readers | #2 | #3 |
| Price tier | $$ | $$ |
| Type | Color e-reader | E-reader |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 8% | 12% |
| Overall score | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Screen | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Battery | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Book store & formats | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Ease of use | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Build & durability | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Price tiers: $ under $120 · $$ $120–250 · $$$ over $250. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.
Top complaints
Kobo Libra Colour
- Stylus sold separately; small for notes
TechRadar and Engadget note the stylus costs extra ($290 with stylus vs $220 without, per Engadget). TechRadar says the 7-inch screen is too small for heavy note-taking.
- Lag and mixed screen and reliability reports
TechRadar lists a couple of functions that suffer from lag. Amazon's summary says screen quality and reliability are mixed, with some owners reporting visual clarity issues and finding it doesn't meet their needs. Some also find the 7-inch size too small. Wirecutter says the colors look subdued.
- Smaller store, aging design
Engadget's only listed con is that Kobo's store is smaller than Kindle's. TechRadar was initially disappointed by the dated design, notes the model is over two years old, and says Kobo hasn't released new readers in a couple of years.
Kobo Clara BW
- Shorter real-world battery than Kindle
Kobo claims up to 53 days, but Wirecutter's reviewer got just a few weeks at higher brightness, versus about six weeks for the basic Kindle and two-plus months for the Paperwhite.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT) - Software crashes
Amazon's review summary says the software gets mixed feedback, with some owners reporting crashes.
- Small screen, plain build, no cloud transfer
TechRadar lists no cloud file transfer, a dated plastic design, and a 6-inch screen that some may find small. It also notes only Kobo-store audiobooks will play. Engadget notes Kobo's store is smaller than Kindle's.
Who should pick which
Pick the Kobo Libra Colour if
One-handed reading with page-turn buttons
Color comics with room for 32 GB
Margin notes with the optional Kobo Stylus 2
Skip it if: You don't need color (cheaper grayscale readers exist); You'll take lots of notes (7 inches is cramped); You buy mostly from the Kindle store
Pick the Kobo Clara BW if
Readers who want to avoid Amazon's ecosystem
Library borrowers (OverDrive built in)
Sideloading EPUBs over USB
Skip it if: You already own a big Kindle library; You want the longest time between charges; You want a screen bigger than 6 inches
We don't list prices — they change daily. Paid links.