Bookshop.org Confirms Kobo Support in 2026 After Settling Terms
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 6
Bookshop.org Confirms Kobo Support in 2026 After Settling Terms
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 6
Summary
Later this year is Bookshop.org’s new target for Kobo eReader support, after founder Andy Hunter said the companies have now settled business terms.
DRM requirements and engineering constraints caused the delay, with Hunter saying both sides needed a structure that satisfied publishers and freed resources to build the integration.
The project had been promised for 2025, pushed to 2026, then briefly looked indefinite when Bookshop.org removed the year from its website before restoring language pointing to a 2026 rollout.
Bookshop.org’s e-book app launched about 15 months ago and had taken engineering priority; Kobo support now returns to the queue, though the company still will not give a specific launch date.
The integration matters because Kobo says it has 12 million users in 190 countries, and many readers want to buy e-books through local independent bookstores rather than Amazon or Rakuten.