Foliate review
A capable Linux reader for broad format support, annotations, and research lookups.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Foliate is a free, open-source desktop ebook reader for Linux users who want more than basic page turning. It opens EPUB, Mobipocket, Kindle, FB2, CBZ, and PDF files, with paginated and scrolling modes for different reading preferences. Readers can adjust fonts, spacing, margins, and colors, then use a table of contents, in-book search, a progress slider, and navigation history to move through longer books. Bookmarks and annotations also make it suitable for study and research workflows.
Its strongest area is the combination of reading tools and reference features. Foliate supports dictionary, encyclopedia, and translation lookups through Wiktionary, Wikipedia, and Google Translate. Text-to-speech is available through Speech Dispatcher, while support for right-to-left text, vertical writing, fixed-layout books, and media overlays broadens its usefulness across different book types. OPDS catalog support adds a way to connect with compatible ebook catalogs, and its open-source model makes it a natural fit for Linux readers who prefer locally controlled software.
Foliate stores reading progress, bookmarks, and annotations in local JSON files. Those files can be exported or synchronized with external tools or storage services, but this approach requires the reader to manage that process rather than relying on built-in cloud synchronization. The Linux-only desktop scope also makes it less suitable for people who need the same library state across other platforms. Choose Foliate for a focused Linux reading environment with research-friendly tools and broad format support; choose an alternative if cross-platform access or built-in cloud sync is central to your workflow.
Foliate pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports EPUB, Kindle, PDF, CBZ, FB2, and Mobipocket
- Includes bookmarks, annotations, search, and navigation history
- Offers dictionaries, translation, text-to-speech, and OPDS catalogs
- Where it doesn't
- Available as a desktop application for Linux only
- Reading data is stored locally rather than through built-in cloud sync
- Does not include AI features
Foliate fact sheet, pricing and score →
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