Paperback, Hardcover, or eBook: Which Format of Book is Best for You?

Even when you know what title you are reading next, it can be hard to decide what format of book is best for you. There are so many things to love about physical books: the smell, the feeling of tracing your fingers on an embossed cover, displaying them in colorful rows on your shelves, lending them out and sharing a special story with a friend. On the other hand, eBooks give you the ability to carry the contents of a book around in your phone or e-reader, making it easier to bring your latest read everywhere.

When it comes to choosing between hardcover and paperbacks, price points can play a huge role in making a decision. Recent data shows that children’s hardcovers sell at more than twice than children’s paperbacks, young adult fiction and adult fiction hardcovers sell at a little over a third more than young adult fiction and adult fiction paperbacks, and mass market paperbacks sell for less than a third of the price of an adult fiction hardcover. Ebook prices tend to vary, but recently, most are listed at a range in between the price of a hardcover and paperback versions of a book, around $15.

So which is the right format for you? Paperback, hardcover, or eBook?

Hardcovers

If you’re a collector, you probably prefer a hardcover book to a paperback or eBook. Hardcovers are built to last, with heavy covers, high quality paper, and a protective dust jacket. If you want to display your favorite books, hardcovers are a good choice, but they are also an investment if you’re someone who likes to read books and resell them. While they cost more than paperbacks, they typically resell for higher prices. It’s harder to keep a paperback in pristine condition than it is a hardcover, which means that if you're careful, you can count on selling your hardcover books in “excellent” or “like new” condition, whereas with paperbacks it may be a toss-up. For instance, some of our 2021 bestsellers like Erin Sterling’s The Ex Hex have “like new” hardcovers listed at $15, while “like new” paperbacks of the same book are listed at $5. The same prices are reflected for this “new” hardcover of Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation versus its “new” paperback listing.

Paperbacks

If you’re a romantic who likes to see the way a book distresses after reading it over and over, paperbacks are may be your choice. Paperbacks weigh less than hardcovers, which makes them easier to carry around if you prefer to read all over and don’t like reading on your phone or e-reader. They’re also a more budget friendly option, since they often cost less than hardcover, sometimes by as much as 50 percent. Paperbacks often have different covers from hardcover versions of the same book, which makes them collectible in their own right. And if you are a paperback lover who takes great care of your books and likes to resell to make space for new books, you can certainly find a great market for a second life for your books. However, they are more easily damaged due to the weight and material of their covers and pages compared to hardcover books.

eBooks

If you don’t care for collecting and displaying books or lending and reselling books, you may prefer eBooks. You may also prefer eBooks if you’re a speedy reader, or one who likes to juggle a few books at a time, or if you don’t have ample space to physically collect books. Some people even like to buy eBooks and paperbacks or hardcovers of the same book, just to be able to read it in more than one location. But while eBooks are instantly delivered and virtually weightless, you can’t lend them to friends or re-sell them when you’re done, which means there isn’t really any kind of return on investment, just the joy of owning an electronic version of a book you love.

While hardcovers are the most expensive option, they do tend to have a higher return on value and are easier to keep in like new condition, whether that’s for your own bookshelves or your Pango bookshelf. Paperbacks and eBooks are great lightweight/travel options, but may have a shorter “shelf” life due to their more fragile state (paperbacks) or inability to resell once owned (eBooks).