What's the best format for your e-book?

1 PDF: The universal format

PDF stands for Portable Document Format, and it's one of the most widely used and recognized file types. PDFs preserve the layout, fonts, images, and design of your e-book, regardless of the device or software used to open them. They're also easy to create, edit, and distribute. However, PDFs are not very flexible or interactive. They don't adjust to different screen sizes, orientations, or resolutions, which can make them hard to read on small or mobile devices. They also don't support features like bookmarks, hyperlinks, audio, video, or animations.

2 EPUB: The flexible format

EPUB stands for Electronic Publication, and it's the standard format for most e-book retailers and platforms. EPUBs are designed to be responsive and adaptable to different devices, screen sizes, and reading preferences. They can reflow the text, adjust the font size and style, and support features like bookmarks, hyperlinks, audio, video, animations, and interactivity. However, EPUBs are not as consistent or predictable as PDFs. They can look different depending on the software or device used to open them, and they may lose some formatting or design elements. They also require more technical skills and tools to create, edit, and validate.

3 MOBI: The Amazon format

MOBI stands for Mobipocket, and it's the exclusive format for Amazon Kindle devices and apps. MOBIs are similar to EPUBs in that they can reflow the text and adjust to different screen sizes and reading preferences. They also support features like bookmarks, hyperlinks, audio, video, and interactivity. However, MOBIs are not compatible with other e-book retailers or platforms, and they have some limitations and quirks. They don't support some fonts, images, and design elements, and they may display errors or glitches. They also require a conversion process from EPUB or other formats, which can affect the quality and appearance of your e-book.

4 HTML: The web format

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, and it's the language used to create web pages. HTML files are essentially web pages that can be viewed in any browser or device. HTML files can be very flexible and interactive, and they can support features like hyperlinks, audio, video, animations, and interactivity. However, HTML files are not very user-friendly or convenient for e-book readers. They don't have a standard layout or design, and they can vary widely in quality and functionality. They also don't have features like bookmarks, pagination, table of contents, or metadata.

5 How to choose the best format for your e-book

When deciding on the best format for your e-book, it's important to consider your goals, audience, content, and distribution strategy. Factors such as what kind of e-book you're creating, who you're targeting, where you're selling or distributing it, and how much control you want over the layout and design can all help narrow down your options. It's also possible to use more than one format for different purposes or platforms; for example, a PDF version for direct downloads and an EPUB or MOBI version for online retailers. Above all else, make sure to test your e-book on different devices and software before publishing, so that it looks and works as intended.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?