FBReader

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

FBReader provides a cross-platform ebook reading platform with support for multiple formats and a developer SDK to build your own reader.

Target Customer

End users who want to read ebooks across devices; developers who want to build their own reader using the FBReader engine

Key Differentiator

Lightweight, fast, highly customizable rendering engine with cross-platform support (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS), Readium LCP support for protected ePubs, and a commercial SDK to build custom readers; not open-source since 2015

Implementation Timeline

Not explicitly stated; SDK can be downloaded and tested in demo mode; production deployment requires purchasing the SDK key (pricing from £1100).

Pain Points

1iOS free version limits library to ten books and disables online translation tools
2Android Premium requires a one-time purchase; PDFs/DjVu require external plugins in Free/Premium setups
3Linux code stopped being open-source since version 2.0 and latest packages are provided as AppImage
4Some platforms (e.g., iOS catalog integration) have feature limitations due to platform guidelines

Key Features

1Supports multiple formats: ePub (unencrypted and Readium LCP-protected), fb2, mobi, HTML, RTF, and plain text
2Own lightweight parsing and rendering engine
3Cross-platform availability across iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Chrome OS (via Android app on Chromebooks)
4Book Network: online storage with Google Drive integration, syncing reading positions and bookmarks across devices
5FBReader SDK to create custom ebook readers; demo mode available before purchasing SDK key

Target Customer Industries

Client Results

1Large user base (30+ million installs)
2Ability to build and deploy your own reader using the FBReader SDK with a trial/demo mode
3Cross-device synchronization of library, reading positions, and bookmarks

Competitive Advantages

1Cross-platform support across major desktop and mobile OS
2Support for Readium LCP-protected ePubs
3Lightweight, fast, and highly customizable rendering engine
4Official SDK enables rapid development of a custom reader; trial/demo available
5Built-in cloud library synchronization via Book Network

Key Benefits

1Reads multiple formats including ePub, fb2, mobi, HTML, RTF, and text

2Cross-platform availability (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS)

3Cloud synchronization of library, reading positions, and bookmarks via Book Network

4FBReader SDK enables building your own reader with access to parsing and rendering engines

Additional Product Information

Product Description

FBReader is an ebook reader that opens multiple formats, uses its own parsing/rendering engine, and offers a developer SDK to build custom readers; it supports Readium LCP-protected ePubs and provides cloud library synchronization.

Target Market

Individual readers seeking a cross-platform reading app and organizations/developers wanting to integrate or build ebook-reading capabilities using the FBReader engine

Unique Value Proposition

A proven cross-platform ebook rendering engine with broad format support, Readium LCP protection, and a commercial SDK to build and deploy custom readers

Technical Requirements

Windows 10/11 (Intel); Windows Arm via emulation; Mac OS 10.14+; Linux (AppImage, code no longer open-source since 2.0); Android (3.8.x stable branch and 4.0 beta); iOS 9.3+; Chrome OS uses Android app; PDFs require PDF plugin for Android Free edition; Premium includes built-in PDF support; FBReader SDK available for Android and iOS; licensing required for production deployments

Pricing Model

{"Android: FBReader Premium is a one-time purchase on Google Play or AppGallery","SDK: downloadable with a free demo; SDK key required to unlock features; price starts from £1100 for a single key; other platforms may have additional terms; SDK for other platforms available by request"}

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