The free Kindle apps for iPhone and iPad make it easy to access and read books from your Kindle library. But you can’t buy Kindle books on iOS, and that’s a pain. Read on and we’ll tell you the workaround.
How to buy Kindle books on an iPhone
Amazon’s help section clearly states, “The iOS Kindle app and iOS Amazon app don’t support in-app purchasing for Kindle books.” The solution is simple: buy Kindle books from your phone’s browser. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Open your preferred web browser (Google Chrome, Safari, etc.) on your iPhone or iPad.
- Log in to your Amazon account and navigate to the Kindle Store.
- Search for the eBook you want to purchase.
- Check out with whatever payment method you prefer.
- Select the device or app you want the book to be delivered to in the drop-down menu.
Once the purchase goes through, the book should now appear in your Kindle library, which can be accessed by any of your connected devices. If your recent purchase doesn’t show up, try refreshing or syncing the Kindle app.
Why you can’t buy Kindle books on the Kindle iOS app
If you’ve ever tried to buy an eBook through your Kindle for iPhone app, you know how frustrating it can be. You’ll try to navigate to the Amazon app, only to be informed that you can only check out a sample, if anything at all.
The reason this happens is intentional. The Apple store charges high commission rates for any apps that allow customers to make purchases. For example, if a customer bought a Kindle book through the Kindle for iOS app, up to 30% of the profits would go to Apple.
To avoid losing money on sales, Amazon blocks its own app from selling Kindle books to customers on iPhone and iPads. However, there’s a simple solution you can use instead of the Kindle app if you want to purchase new eBooks from your iOS device.
Find free Kindle books
Are you always searching for new books to fill your digital library? Stock up on free eBooks that you can download directly from the Kindle store! JustKindleBooks makes it easy to find your new favorite reads in all of your favorite genres, from psychological horror novels to sweet romance stories. Simply go to our free books page to browse the thousands of titles available for free on Amazon right now! The list is updated daily, so be sure to check back often.