In your quest for eBooks, you may find that there are many eBook formats. These are the most best eBook formats (and most popular) you will find in your quest to e Reading.
EPUB 
The ePub format is an open ebook format designed by the Open eBook Forum and developed by the International Digital Publishing Forum.
Based on XHTML and XML, it was made with the intention to be a both source file format and end user format. Examples of software that can open this format are EPUBReader Firefox add on, Adobe Digital Editions, and QuickReader.
Meanwhile, devices that can open this file include the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Sony Readers, Kobo Reader, and the Nook from Barnes & Noble.
AZW
This is an Amazon ebook format used exclusively on the Amazon Kindle. It is basically a MOBI format that uses a high compression option. Kindle apps have been released for devices other than the Kindle reader.
AZW format files can also be opened on smartphones (iPhone, Android phones, and BlackBerry), computers (Mac and PCs), and tablets (iPad, Android, and Windows 8/10 tablets) using the respective Kindle Apps.
PDF
The Portable Document Format was created by Adobe for its Acrobat products. This is a probably the most popular ebook format since software support for this format exists for almost any device – PCs, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and Tablets etc.
There are many PDF viewers in the market, including Adobe Reader, Foxit Reader, Nitro PDF reader and otherm Most of which are free.
One downside of this format is that content in PDF is usually scaled for A4 or letter size, which becomes very difficult to read when adapted to small screens of smartphones or other eBook readers, such as Amazon Kindle.
MOBI
This ebook format, used by the MobiPocket Reader, MOBI was originally made as a PalmDOC format’s extension. It can be opened using MobiPocket’s reading software, which can be installed on a lot of PDAs and smartphones.
There are limitations of the MOBI format. For example, sizes of images cannot be scaled with the font size; tables display differently on different readers, especially if the table covers more than one screen; and there is an absence of support for nested tables.
Third party readers such as Stanza, FBReader, Kindle for PC and Mac, and STDU Viewer can open MOBI files.
One thing that an e-book user should know is that formats can be unprotected or protected by a digital rights management (DRM) wrapper. The DRM, which is used as an anti-piracy tool to protect authors, can prevent you from opening an e-book file even if the format is compatible with your reader. Amazon Kindle books are all DRM-protected. Also, many PDF and ePUB eBook from publishers might be DRM-protected as well. Apple iBooks is one of them.
Great write up!
Are EPUD, AZW, PDF and MOBI the only types of eBooks? PDF is the most popular and most easy to read of all, it can easily be read on almost all devices; from PC to Android, I POD I PAD and I Phone even Java and Symbian Phones.What is the full meaning of EPUD, AZW, PDF and MOBI? What other type of eBooks format are available?
Hey there,
There are many ebook formats available. Even the plain old .doc or .docx of MS Word is an ebook format.
ePub is a technical standard for e-books created by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF).
AZW is a format created by Amazon for Kindle.
PDF is created by Adobe and is omnipotent.
The Mobipocket e-book format is based on the Open eBook standard using XHTML and can include JavaScript and frames.
You can read more about ebook formats here
Tanks for stopping by!
Marios
This is insightful and I must say its a lovely review; Its an eye opener for meI am just getting to know about AZW and MOBI.I have an indepth experience with all the other ebook format and i must say your review about them is on point.I think pdf is the most common of all.Thanks for sharing this lovely review. its well appreciated
Hey Ola,
I’m glad you found the post useful and informative. If you have any other questions, please let me know. I’d be glad to help 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Marios
Hi,
Thank you very much for sharing with us such an important blog. If I did not read this blog I can not find the details about “eBook Formats”. This blog will be very much helpful who want to know the benefits of ebook formats. The most interesting thing I just learn from here is this is an Amazon ebook format used exclusively on the Amazon Kindle. We can use it different devices like iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Sony Readers, Kobo Reader,iPhone, Android phones, BlackBerry, Mac, PCs,iPad, Android, and Windows 8/10 tablets using the respective Kindle Apps. I will definitely share this blog with my friends.
Hey there,
I’m glad you liked this post. If there is anything you want to learn, please let me know!
Marios