Kindle might have another competitor headed to shelves

In a compelling new development for e-book readers, Bookshop.org, known for championing independent bookstores, might soon bring a fresh competitor to the hardware space dominated by Amazon’s Kindle.

Since its launch in 2020, Bookshop.org has carved out a niche as the Amazon alternative for people who want their online purchases to support small, local shops. Over the past five years, the platform has funneled millions of dollars to independent bookstores, cementing itself as a functional, reader-friendly marketplace.

In early 2025, the company turned a new page by launching its own e-book store and reading app. The app offers an extensive catalog, from bestsellers to niche titles, and lets buyers choose which indie shop gets a cut of their purchase. Right now, Bookshop.org’s digital reading experience lives entirely in software. But that could change.

CEO Andy Hunter has openly floated the idea of a dedicated e-reader, possibly launched via crowdfunding to keep the project aligned with the company’s community-driven ethos. As spotted by GoodEReader, the Bookshop.org site now features a landing page for the potential hardware.

The presumed vision for this hardware isn’t a walled garden like Kindle, but something more open to multiple formats. Think along the lines of Kobo or Boox devices, but with the clear Bookshop.org identity baked in. For readers, that could mean breaking free from the “one-store, one-device” model and choosing an ecosystem that better fits their values. For indie bookstores, it could be a tangible product to sell alongside print titles and a way to reach tech-savvy readers they might otherwise miss. For the e-reader industry as a whole, it could be another voice in the ongoing conversation about digital rights, open formats, and fair revenue sharing.

For now, this is mostly rumors, but if hints turn into hardware, a Bookstore.org e-reader could be an intriguing shake-up of the e-reader space.