What it does
Foliate is an open-source Linux reader supporting several ebook formats, annotations and configurable reading layouts. It also handles right-to-left and vertical text.
Choose paginated or scrolling mode, then adjust the margins for the book rather than the desktop window alone. Foliate stores progress and annotations in plain JSON files, giving you a documented route to export or synchronize them. Some lookup and translation features use external services.
Text-to-speech uses Speech Dispatcher, while dictionary and translation lookups call named external services. That distinction matters when setting up a machine for reading away from a connection.
Strengths
- Flexible layouts and writing-direction support
- Plain-file annotation storage
Best for
- Reading and annotating ebooks on Linux
Sources
- Foliate — E-book Reader for Linux (Oct 26, 2026)