EPUB vs PDF: which should you use?
Use EPUB for books meant to be read on phones, tablets and e-readers: the text reflows to fit any screen. Use PDF when the exact page layout matters, as in print documents, forms and design-heavy reports. Here is how the two formats compare, and which to pick in each case.
Quick comparison
| EPUB | ||
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Reflows to fit the screen | Fixed pages |
| Small screens | Comfortable to read | Needs zooming and scrolling |
| Font size | Chosen by the reader | Set by the document |
| Best for | Novels, nonfiction, anything read on a device | Printing, forms, manuals, papers, magazines |
| Editing | Possible with free tools | Hard without paid software |
| Opens on | E-reader and reading apps | Almost any device |
When EPUB is the better choice
EPUB is built for reading. Because the text reflows, the same file is comfortable on a 6-inch e-reader and on a large tablet, and the reader can change the font, size and margins. That makes it the right format for novels, nonfiction and any text you read from start to finish. It is also the format e-reader stores use, and the one Send to Kindle now accepts.
When PDF is the better choice
PDF preserves every page exactly as it was designed, with the same line breaks, page numbers and positions. Choose it for documents that will be printed, forms to fill in, technical manuals with complex diagrams, academic papers you'll cite by page, and magazines whose design is part of the content.
What about comics and picture books?
This is where EPUB's fixed-layout mode comes in: each image is a full page, exactly like a PDF, but in a format e-readers handle well, with a cover, a table of contents and right-to-left reading for manga. You can make one from your images with the PNG to EPUB converter, or from a comic archive with the CBZ to EPUB converter.
EPUB or PDF for Kindle?
A Kindle can open PDFs, but on a 6- or 7-inch screen a full page is usually too small to read without zooming. An EPUB sent with Send to Kindle is converted to Kindle's own format and reflows like any Kindle book. For text-based books, EPUB wins clearly; see how to put EPUB books on a Kindle.
Can you convert between EPUB and PDF?
- EPUB to PDF works well for text-based books: apps like Calibre can convert them, and many reading apps can print an EPUB to PDF.
- PDF to EPUB is harder. A PDF only stores where each piece of text sits on the page, so converters have to guess paragraphs, headings and reading order. Our PDF to EPUB converter offers both options: Text rebuilds paragraphs and headings so the book reflows, and Exact layout keeps each page as an image, which is the only choice for scanned PDFs. Check the result before you rely on it, especially with complex layouts.
If your files are in another ebook format altogether, EPUB vs MOBI explains the Kindle formats.
Frequently asked questions
Is EPUB or PDF better for e-readers?
EPUB. It reflows to fit the screen and lets you change the text size, which a PDF can't do.
Is EPUB smaller than PDF?
Usually, for the same text-based book, because EPUB doesn't need to store page layout. Image-heavy books can be large in either format.
Which is better for textbooks?
PDF if you need the printed page numbers and layout, for example to follow a class. EPUB if you mainly read on a phone or e-reader.
Can I open an EPUB on a computer?
Yes, with a free reading app. See how to open EPUB files on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Related guides
EPUB vs MOBI
How EPUB, MOBI, AZW3 and KFX compare.
How to open EPUB files
Free ways to read EPUB on any device.
Can Kindle read EPUB?
Three ways to put EPUB books on a Kindle.