E-Readers · owner-verdict comparison

Kindle Colorsoft vs Kobo Clara BW: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Kobo Clara BW: 81% of 458 owners recommend it, vs 49% of 41 for the Kindle Colorsoft.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Kindle Colorsoft

49%of 41 owners recommend

49% recommend · 10% neutral · 41% don't

Owners praise

Color E Ink makes covers, comics, graphic novels, and magazines enjoyable to read
Page turns and navigation feel fast and snappy, comparable to or quicker than the Paperwhite
For the right reader, it's a fun, satisfying device that owners say they love using

Owners complain about

A yellow band or discoloration along the bottom of the screen plagued many launch units, leading some owners to return the device
Quality-control defects like dead or stuck pixels, dark screens, and charging quirks turned up on a number of units
At around $280 it's pricey for an e-reader, and several owners felt the color didn't justify the cost

Full owner report →

Kobo Clara BW

81%of 458 owners recommend

81% recommend · 11% neutral · 8% don't

Owners praise

Crisp, sharp, high-contrast screen
Compact, light and pocketable
Easy sideloading and library support

Owners complain about

Build feels cheap and plasticky
Uneven lighting or yellow tinge
Ghosting on page turns

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Kindle Colorsoft if

✓Readers who want color for comics and graphic novels
✓Kindle Unlimited users reading color magazines
✓People upgrading from an older Paperwhite for speed

Skip it if

Buyers bothered by a yellow band or tint at the bottom
Anyone needing a true dark mode

Get the Kobo Clara BW if

✓Readers who mainly read novels and plain text
✓People wanting a pocketable one-handed reader
✓Library and Libby users leaving the Amazon ecosystem
✓Night readers who want warm front light

Skip it if

Manga, comic, and PDF readers needing a bigger screen
People who want physical page-turn buttons

What Kindle Colorsoft owners say

“I bought it. It’s expensive but I can make up for it by using Libby, plus I don’t drink or smoke or anything so I feel it’s a justified splurge.”
— @Skate_noir on YouTube

“Actually impressed with the color screen”
— @afrothundar on YouTube

“I've had two Colorsofts and sent both back because of screen issues.”
— @gsogymrat on YouTube

What Kobo Clara BW owners say

“I have to say 6" is the way to go. Most comfortable for reading”
— @moltenbullet on YouTube

“Kobo it is then , i will not fed these greedy leeches from amazon”
— @devilhaque on YouTube

“the screen lighting is too uneven to work for me when in any kind of the night mode warm color. I am loving going back to such a smaller size device though.”
— PixelSquish on Reddit

Kindle Colorsoft vs Kobo Clara BW: frequently asked questions

Is the Kindle Colorsoft or the Kobo Clara BW better?

Real owners lean toward the Kobo Clara BW: 81% of 458 owners recommend it, vs 49% of 41 for the Kindle Colorsoft.

Who should get the Kindle Colorsoft?

Owners point the Kindle Colorsoft at readers who want color for comics and graphic novels, and kindle Unlimited users reading color magazines.

Who should get the Kobo Clara BW?

Owners point the Kobo Clara BW at readers who mainly read novels and plain text, and people wanting a pocketable one-handed reader.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Kindle Colorsoft is a yellow band or discoloration along the bottom of the screen plagued many launch units, leading some owners to return the device. For the Kobo Clara BW, it's build feels cheap and plasticky.