EPUB vs PDF: which one do you actually want?
One format adapts to the reader, the other fixes the page. That single difference explains everything else.
2 min read · updated
The one difference that matters
EPUB is reflowable. The file contains text and styling, and the reading app decides where each page ends based on your screen and your chosen font size. Two people reading the same EPUB are not on the same page number, because there are no page numbers until the app makes them.
PDF is fixed. Every page was decided when the file was made. It looks identical on a phone, a laptop and a printer — which is a virtue when you are printing and a problem when you are reading on a small screen, because the text does not get bigger, the whole page does.
Side by side
| EPUB | ||
|---|---|---|
| Page layout | Created by the reading app, per device | Fixed when the file is made |
| Changing text size | Text reflows around it | Zooms the whole page |
| Reading on a phone | Comfortable | Usually cramped |
| Printing | Unpredictable | Exactly what you see |
| Citing a page number | Not meaningful | Stable and citable |
| Opens without extra software | Needs a reading app | Opens almost everywhere |
| Complex layout and typography | Limited | Complete control |
| Accessibility | Good, by design | Good only if the file is tagged |
| Typical size | Small | Larger, especially with images |
Which to choose
Convert EPUB to PDF when you need to print it, mark it up, hand it to someone who should not need a reading app, cite a stable page number, or submit it somewhere that only accepts PDF.
Stay with EPUB when you are reading on a phone or e-reader, when you want to change the font or text size, or when you rely on a screen reader and the EPUB is well made.
What you lose when you convert
Converting EPUB to PDF is not lossless, and it is worth knowing which losses are real:
- You lose adaptability. The PDF’s text size is now permanent, so choose it before converting rather than after.
- You do not have to lose the text itself. A good conversion keeps the PDF searchable and selectable rather than turning pages into images.
- You do not have to lose navigation, either. The contents and chapter bookmarks can carry over.
- You may lose exact image placement, because images now have to fall on fixed pages.
If you need the fixed version, the converter keeps the text, the links and the navigation intact.