Subscription plans OysterOyster its subscription ebook service for the iPhone last month. For $9.95 a month, users get unlimited access to a collection of over 100,000 books. Similar to Netflix, you won’t have access to all the latest titles, but it’s still a great value if you’re an avid reader. Participating publishers include HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Workman, Melville House, Rodale, Open Road Media, RosettaBooks and Smashwords.I gave the service a spin when it first launched and found a pleasant reading experience and plenty of titles that I’d been meaning to read. Searching for the last couple ebooks I’d bought turned up empty, though.Oyster’s just starting out, so it’s not a cross-platform experience just yet, but the company could gradually bring it to other devices if it picks up traction.

An iPad version is set to arrive later this fall.➤ ScribdScribd is also going for a subscription ebook model. Its plan costs $8.99 a month and includes with major publisher HarperCollins. The company says the majority of the backlist catalogue from HarperCollins US and HarperCollins Christian is available on the subscription plan, while the entirety of the publisher’s works are available for retail purchase from Scribd.Scribd built up 80 million users for its document sharing service, and is now trying to parlay that reach into a mainstream ebook platform. While Scribd is touting its database of more than 40 million books and documents as a plus for its subscription service, I’m skeptical of how many of those the average consumer would pick up and read. Still, Scribd has built up a strong brand in the ebook space, so its subscription offering could do well if it manages to ink deals with more publishing houses.➤ eReataheReatah acts as a subscription book club.

A monthly fee allows you to download a set number of books at a discount from retail prices. $14.99 a month will net you two books, $22.50 gets you three and $29.99 includes four downloads.

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The model’s a bit confusing, but it’s a better fit for regular readers since it lets subscribers amass a collection at a discount.Most of eReatah’s catalogue retails for over $8.99 per title, so customers can save between 25-50 percent off cover price on average. You’ll own the books even if you stop subscribing to eReatah, but you’ll have to read them from within the company’s app. The service, which is currently in public beta with over 90,000 books on offer, offers one free download during its 15-day trial period.➤ Total BooxTotal Boox takes an interesting approach to ebook sales by charging per page (prorated from the list price). There’s something strangely appealing about this model, especially for readers that have a habit of not finishing books. However, if you’re the type of person that finds adding an incremental cost per page actually discourages you from reading, you’ll probably be happier with Oyster or Scribd.One use case where Total Boox does come in handy is for resources like computer books, textbooks and manuals, where you might only have to look up a few pages.➤ Next page: Comics and Indie storesComics Narr8Narr8 a step further by adding extra layers of interactivity and animation to create a “motion comic”. It’s a proprietary platform, so you’ll only be able to open your Narr8 titles from within the company’s own apps. You also won’t find the big name comics publishers here.You’ll get a couple episodes of each series free, but additional titles must be purchased using the company’s NARR virtual currency.

The app will award you a few NARRs every day, but more can be had as an in-app purchase.➤ ComixologyComixology has done fantastic job building up a strong selection of comics from top publishers like Marvel, DC and Image Comics. The company says it has over 40,000 titles on offer. There’s currently no better place to buy digital comics.In a testament to the strength of what Comixology has built, DC’s own mobile apps are powered by the platform. DC recently by bringing dozens of titles, including Watchmen and V for Vendetta, to both Comixology and Google Play.➤ WOWIOOne of the older kids on the block, WOWIO has had its share of troubles after being acquired and then shuffled around. However, it’s still in business offering sponsored free ebooks, comics, and graphic novels. WOWIO works by finding companies to sponsor your purchases and dropping an ad into the ebook.You won’t find the biggest comics publishers at WOWIO, but it does have properties like Darkchylde and Star Trek.➤ Indies FeedbooksParis-based Feedbooks was the first ebookstore to support EPUB when it launched in 2007. It has a large collection on offer, with hundreds of thousands of titles in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

In addition to some of the big-name publishers, it also includes a large selection of public domain and self-published works.Much of Feedbooks’ selection comes DRM-free, so you’ll have an easier time loading its independent books onto your devices.➤ SmashwordsSmashwords is an independent publishing platform that helps authors place their books with many of the top ebookstores while also maintaining its own store. The site boasts a whopping 8.8 billion words published from more than 70,000 authors.You can find Smashwords titles on iBooks, Oyster, Nook, Kobo and other places, but buying directly from the indie publisher ensures that authors will get a bigger chunk of the money.➤Next page: EtextbooksEtextbooks CourseSmartIf you’re looking for digital textbooks, rental service CourseSmart is a good bet. It claims to have 90 percent of “core higher education titles used today”.

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The company touts savings as much as 60 percent off traditional paper textbooks, and it also offers a $200 subscription plan for accessing six textbooks for 150 days.Etextbook purchases can be returned within 14 days, provided you’ve read less than 20 percent of the title.➤ CheggChegg also offers etextbook rentals. You can choose from multiple rental periods, ranging from 60 to 360 days. When we checked pricing on a Chemistry book, Chegg’s 180-day rental pricing was $107.30, compared to CourseSmart’s $98.99 for 360 days.Chegg provides premium guided solutions and 24/7 academic help to go with its textbooks, so you have somewhere to turn when you get stuck on a problem set.➤ InklingInkling’s speciality is interactive iPad books, so its catalogue contains travel guides, photography books, cookbooks and textbooks. You can find Lonely Planet, the For Dummies series, the Missing Manual, and textbooks from McGraw-Hill and Pearson.Inkling sets the standard for the industry by taking a fresh approach to the move to digital. Rather than just reading a scan of the physical book, you’ll get interactive features like video and 3D models.➤ KnoThough most of Kno’s titles are labeled as etextbooks, the company offers a broader selection of children’s books, reference works and popular classics that you might have to read for school. The store carries 200,000 titles from 80 publishers.