Kobo · Updated October 2026

Kobo Clara Colour: price, specs & release date

Kobo Clara Colour, released 2024-04. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.

Source: ereader.kobo.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger

SilverDeskmark59/100#9 of 19 in class

The Kobo Clara Colour is listed at $179.99 on ereader.kobo.com as of 2026-09-30, #5 cheapest of 17 e readers (median $239.99); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Silver Deskmark — 59/100 pay-blind standing, #9 of 19 in class.

Verified Oct 9, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below

Cheapest e readers: Amazon Kindle (2024) — $109.99

Seen at

Each figure is what that seller's own page published on the day we read it — not our price of record, and not a live quote. Follow the link for what it costs right now.

See Kobo Clara Colour on Amazon Live price at the store — may differ from the dated listed price above. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Kobo Clara Colour — Kobo
Image: ca.kobobooks.com (© Kobo)

Price history

$179.99
2026-06-27↑20% on record2026-09-30

Is the Kobo Clara Colour a good buy?

At $180, the Kobo Clara Colour is #5 cheapest of the 17 e readers we track, where the median is $239.99. On the spec sheet, its screen of 6 in is the lowest of the 19, its PPI of 300 black and white is the highest of the 19, and its storage of 16 GB is the lowest of the 19.

Evidence of Record

Our data
Independent labsmeasured it
1
Physical metricsrecorded
4
Outlets on record1 tested · 2 mention-only
3

One independent lab measured this product across 4 physical metrics — weight, resolution, colors displayed and battery. These numbers rest on a single hands-on source so far; 2 other outlets have it on record by mention only.

A coverage record, not a rating. How we count

Review consensus · sourced & dated

What reviewers say about the Kobo Clara Colour

Three whitelisted hands-on reviews (TechRadar, Engadget, Tom's Guide) rate the Clara Colour the value pick among color e-readers: fast, waterproof, light, weeks of battery. Only TechRadar ran a measured battery test. All flag Kobo's smaller store vs Kindle; two note the color layer slightly softens B&W text sharpness.

Based on 3 reviews · 1 lab-tested · 2024-05-22–2026-04-13

Tested by TechRadar, Engadget, Tom's Guide

Consistently praised

  • Cheapest big-brand color e-reader; strong value vs Kindle Colorsoft · 3 sources
  • Fast, responsive processor and page turns · 2 sources
  • Long battery life (weeks per charge) · 2 sources
  • Waterproof (IPX8), compact and lightweight; legible in direct sunlight · 2 sources

Commonly flagged

  • Kobo's book library is smaller than Amazon's, especially self-published titles · 3 sources
  • Color filter layer reduces B&W text sharpness/contrast vs monochrome models · 2 sources

Where reviewers disagree TechRadar found the 6-inch screen too small and B&W contrast slightly lacking, while Tom's Guide called the same display near-perfect and non-grainy. Only TechRadar performed a measured battery test; Engadget and Tom's Guide are hands-on impressions citing spec-sheet numbers rather than instrumented measurements.

The sources (3)

TechRadar lab-tested ·

weight: 174g · black-and-white text resolution: 300ppi · color resolution: 150ppi · colors displayed: 4,096 hues · battery capacity: 1,500mAh · battery test: 34 days of reading about an hour each day before the battery dropped to 21% from full

Page turns are fast, the on-screen keyboard is responsive and the battery life is good too. It's waterproof, lightweight and portable as well.
you can easily eke out up to 5 weeks of use, depending on how you use it
Both black-and-white books and color content look good on the Clara Colour, but I found the former lacked little contrast in comparison to some other monochrome ereaders I've previously tested.

Engadget hands-on ·

A beefier processor makes it zippier than its already-fast predecessor, and the addition of color looks lovely, without detracting from the crisp and easy-to-read text.
But set side-by-side with the Clara 2E, the Clara Colour's page does look less sharp. Get close to the screen and you'll notice noise in the white parts of the page.
Amazon's ebook store is larger than Kobo's, boosted by Kindle Direct Publishing exclusives and self-published books.

Tom's Guide hands-on ·

As you can see, the text is clearly legible, even in strong, direct sunlight. I don't think the screen is grainy at all, nor suffers from leftover shadows (A.K.A "ghosting") like the Kindle Paperwhite is known to, either.
It's $90 cheaper than the Kindle Colorsoft and does everything just as well
If you're the Kindle Unlimited self-published kind of reader, you might be better off sticking to the bigger library.

Specifications

Price (US)$179.99 — current on record (was $149.99)
BrandKobo
Released2024-04
Screen (in)6
PPI (black and white)300
Storage (GB)16
Color displayYes
Warm lightYes
WaterproofYes
Page turn buttonsNo
Battery weeks6
Stylus includedNo

Source: ereader.kobo.com (read 2026-10-09) · corroborated by en.wikipedia.org (read 2026-06-15).

How we checked

6", Kaleido 3 (300 ppi B&W / 150 ppi color), 16 GB, IPX8, 6 weeks battery, $149.99 launch from GoodEReader article. Wikipedia corroborates April 2024 release, 300/150 ppi, 16 GB. Weight 174 g.

Is the Kobo Clara Colour worth it vs cheaper e readers?

Kobo Clara Colour against its closest cheaper and pricier e readers on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 17 ranked

ProductPriceScreen (in)PPI (black and white)Storage (GB)Color displayWarm light
Kobo Clara Colour this$179.99630016YesYes
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)$159.99730016NoYes
Onyx Boox Palma$199.996.13300128NoYes

Frequently asked questions

What do reviewers say about the Kobo Clara Colour?

Three whitelisted hands-on reviews (TechRadar, Engadget, Tom's Guide) rate the Clara Colour the value pick among color e-readers: fast, waterproof, light, weeks of battery. Only TechRadar ran a measured battery test. All flag Kobo's smaller store vs Kindle; two note the color layer slightly softens B&W text sharpness. Praised: Cheapest big-brand color e-reader; strong value vs Kindle Colorsoft; Fast, responsive processor and page turns; Long battery life (weeks per charge); Waterproof (IPX8), compact and lightweight; legible in direct sunlight. Flagged: Kobo's book library is smaller than Amazon's, especially self-published titles; Color filter layer reduces B&W text sharpness/contrast vs monochrome models. (From 3 tester reviews, 1 lab-tested.)

How much does the Kobo Clara Colour cost?

The Kobo Clara Colour has a US price of $179.99, as of 2026-09-30.

How does the Kobo Clara Colour compare on price?

At $180, the Kobo Clara Colour is #5 cheapest of the 17 e readers we track, where the median is $239.99.

Has the Kobo Clara Colour's price dropped?

No — since 2026-06-27 the Kobo Clara Colour has risen 20%, from $149.99 to $179.99; the lowest we have recorded is $149.99 (2026-06-27).

What is the lowest price the Kobo Clara Colour has been?

The lowest we have recorded for the Kobo Clara Colour is $149.99 on 2026-06-27.

Is now a good time to buy the Kobo Clara Colour?

The Kobo Clara Colour is currently $179.99; the lowest we have recorded is $149.99 (2026-06-27). Every price is dated, so you can judge it against its own history.

When was the Kobo Clara Colour released?

The Kobo Clara Colour was released 2024-04.

What are the Kobo Clara Colour's key specs?

Kobo Clara Colour (Kobo): Screen (in) 6, PPI (black and white) 300, Storage (GB) 16, Color display, Warm light. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-10-09.

Price of record: $179.99 at ereader.kobo.com, 2026-09-30. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:

See Kobo Clara Colour on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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