Kobo adds $3.99 monthly fee to send files to e-readers
Rakuten Kobo is testing a new feature called Send to Kobo in its beta update 6.0+, according to Good e-Reader.
Rakuten Kobo is testing a new feature called Send to Kobo in its beta update 6.0+, according to Good e-Reader. The feature lets users securely send files to the Kobo Libra Colour, Clara Colour and Clara BW e-readers, but it runs on the Kobo Stack service, which costs $3.99 per month, the outlet reported.
Good e-Reader reported that Kobo is the first company to charge for a send-to-device service of this kind. Amazon offers similar functionality for free, and PocketBook and Onyx Boox also offer comparable features, according to the outlet. Good e-Reader noted Kobo's version includes a few extra features, such as syncing and extra warranty, which the outlet said might make the fee worth it.
Here's the thing nobody at Kobo had to do: charge for a feature every competitor gives away. Amazon doesn't charge you to get your own files onto a Kindle. Kobo just decided its version of the same job is worth $3.99 a month, and it's bundling in syncing and an extra warranty to make that number easier to swallow. Watch this one rather than panic over it — it's in beta, on three devices, and the backlash from readers may still shape what ships.
From the Coral Wire edition of Sat, Nov 7 2026 · Coral Index 5/100 (Storm warning)
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