E-Readers

Kobo Clara BW vs Kobo Clara Colour

Kobo Clara BW and Kobo Clara Colour are the same compact 6-inch Kobo idea split into two reading priorities. Clara BW saves money and gives sharper black-and-white text with longer official battery life, while Clara Colour adds color E Ink for covers, highlights, illustrated books, and visual reading.

Last updated: August 12, 2026

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Rakuten Kobo

Kobo Clara BW

A compact 6-inch black-and-white Kobo with E Ink Carta 1300, 16GB storage, ComfortLight PRO, Bluetooth audiobooks, and IPX8 waterproofing.

Rakuten Kobo

Kobo Clara Colour

A compact 6-inch color E Ink Kobo with Kaleido 3, 16GB storage, ComfortLight PRO, Bluetooth audiobooks, and IPX8 waterproofing.

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Specifications

FeatureKobo Clara BWKobo Clara Colour

Product typeCompact black-and-white E Ink e-readerCompact color E Ink e-reader

Official model numberN365 or P365N367

Official US price$159.99 on Kobo official US store$179.99 on Kobo official US store

Display6 in glare-free E Ink Carta 1300 HD touchscreen with Dark Mode6 in E Ink Kaleido 3 display with FastGLR and Dark Mode

Resolution / pixel density1448 x 1072; 300 ppi inferred from Kobo's 6-inch HD screen resolution and listing language1448 x 1072; 300 ppi black-and-white content; 150 ppi color content

Color displayNo; black-and-white E InkYes; E Ink Kaleido 3 color

Storage16GB; up to 12,000 eBooks or 75 Kobo Audiobooks16GB; up to 12,000 eBooks or 75 Kobo Audiobooks

CPU1.0 GHzDual 2.0 GHz

ConnectivityWiFi 802.11 ac/b/g/n dual band 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth wireless technology, USB-CWiFi 802.11 ac/b/g/n dual band 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth wireless technology, USB-C

Battery1500 mAh; up to 53 days under Kobo test conditionsBlack: 1500 mAh; White: 1900 mAh; up to 42 days under Kobo test conditions

WaterproofingIPX8; up to 60 minutes in up to 2 m / 6.6 ft of waterIPX8; up to 60 minutes in up to 2 m / 6.6 ft of water

Front lightComfortLight PRO with adjustable brightness and color temperatureComfortLight PRO with adjustable brightness and color temperature

Page-turn buttonsNoNo

Stylus supportNot compatible with Kobo StylusNot compatible with Kobo Stylus

Integrated cloud storageNo integrated cloud storage listed in Kobo comparisonNo integrated cloud storage listed in Kobo comparison

Dimensions112 x 160 x 9.2 mm / 4.41 x 6.30 x 0.36 in112 x 160 x 9.2 mm / 4.41 x 6.30 x 0.36 in

Weight174 g / 6.14 oz174 g / 6.14 oz

Supported formats15 native formats: EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR; Kobo Audiobooks15 native formats: EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR; Kobo Audiobooks

Library borrowingOverDrive / Libby in supported countriesOverDrive / Libby in supported countries

Repairability / materialsRepairable; exterior made with recycled and ocean-bound plasticRepairable; exterior made with recycled and ocean-bound plastic

WarrantyOne-year limited warranty for new Kobo eReaders sold in the United StatesOne-year limited warranty for new Kobo eReaders sold in the United States

Pros & Cons

Kobo Clara BW — Pros

✓Lower official US price than Kobo Clara Colour.

✓Black-and-white E Ink Carta 1300 screen is the cleaner choice for mostly text reading.

✓Longer official battery estimate: up to 53 days versus up to 42 days for Clara Colour.

✓Same 16GB storage, IPX8 waterproofing, ComfortLight PRO, Bluetooth, USB-C, and native format support as Clara Colour.

✓Same compact dimensions and official 174 g / 6.14 oz weight as Clara Colour.

✓Made with recycled and ocean-bound plastic and promoted by Kobo as repairable.

Kobo Clara BW — Cons

✕No color E Ink display for covers, comics, illustrated nonfiction, recipes, maps, or color highlights.

✕Less visually engaging for browsing a library because book covers and artwork stay grayscale.

✕Uses a slower 1.0 GHz CPU spec than Clara Colour's official dual 2.0 GHz CPU spec.

✕Only available in black on Kobo's current product comparison section.

✕No Kobo Stylus support or integrated cloud storage, matching Clara Colour's limitations.

✕If you read comics, manga, cookbooks, or diagrams, the price savings may feel less important than color.

Kobo Clara Colour — Pros

✓Color E Ink is the main upgrade over Kobo Clara BW.

✓Same compact size, same 16GB storage, same IPX8 waterproofing, and same official weight as Clara BW.

✓Kobo lists a faster dual 2.0 GHz CPU compared with Clara BW's 1.0 GHz CPU.

✓Black-and-white content remains 300 ppi, while color content appears at 150 ppi.

✓Available in black and white on Kobo's current US product page.

✓Better fit for readers who use highlights, illustrated books, light comics, cookbooks, travel guides, or visual nonfiction.

Kobo Clara Colour — Cons

✕Higher official US price than Kobo Clara BW.

✕Color content is 150 ppi, so color images are not as sharp or saturated as a tablet screen.

✕Shorter official battery estimate than Clara BW under Kobo test conditions.

✕The core 6-inch size, storage, waterproofing, audiobook support, and format support are otherwise very similar.

✕No Kobo Stylus support or integrated Dropbox / Google Drive support.

✕If you read almost entirely black-and-white books, the color upgrade may not be worth paying extra.

Best used for

✦Read novels, nonfiction, essays, and long-form text on a crisp black-and-white 6-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display.

✦Choose the lower-cost current Clara when color covers, color highlights, and illustrated reading are not priorities.

✦Read outside, in bed, or during travel with glare-free E Ink, Dark Mode, and ComfortLight PRO.

✦Borrow library eBooks through Libby or OverDrive in supported countries.

✦Listen to Kobo Audiobooks over Bluetooth in supported countries while keeping a compact e-reader.

✦Carry a lightweight waterproof reader for commuting, beach trips, bath reading, and everyday bags.

Best used for

✦Read book covers, color highlights, illustrated nonfiction, recipes, charts, maps, manga, and light comics in color.

✦Browse a Kobo library where cover art and store pages feel more visual than on a grayscale e-reader.

✦Use multiple highlight colors for book clubs, research notes, school reading, and quote organization.

✦Stay with the compact 6-inch Clara size while gaining color instead of moving up to Kobo Libra Colour.

✦Borrow library eBooks through Libby or OverDrive where supported and keep color cover art and highlights.

✦Carry a waterproof travel reader that feels more visual without becoming a tablet.

⚖️

Our Verdict

Choose Kobo Clara BW if you mainly read novels, nonfiction, articles, and black-and-white library books and want the cheaper Clara with longer official battery life. Choose Kobo Clara Colour if the extra $20 is worth seeing covers, highlights, illustrations, recipes, charts, manga, and light comics in color while keeping the same compact waterproof 6-inch Kobo body.

Where to buy Kobo Clara BW

Find best price on Amazon →

Where to buy Kobo Clara Colour

Find best price on Amazon →

Paid link.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Kobo Clara BW if...

→You want to spend less based on Kobo's current official US prices.

→You read mostly novels, nonfiction, and text-heavy books.

→You prefer the longest official Clara battery estimate.

→You want a black-and-white E Ink Carta 1300 display instead of color E Ink.

→You do not use color highlights, illustrated reading, comics, cookbooks, or visual study material.

→You want the same waterproofing, storage, Bluetooth audiobooks, ComfortLight PRO, and native format support without paying for color.

Choose Kobo Clara Colour if...

→You want color book covers, color highlights, and a more visual Kobo library.

→You read illustrated nonfiction, cookbooks, travel guides, charts, manga, or light comics.

→You like marking eBooks with multiple highlight colors for study, research, or book club notes.

→You want the faster official CPU spec listed for Clara Colour.

→You are comfortable paying $20 more at current official US pricing.

→You want the same Clara size and waterproofing but do not want to stay black-and-white only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Kobo Clara Colour better than Kobo Clara BW?

A: Kobo Clara Colour is better if you want color covers, color highlights, illustrated content, and a faster official CPU spec. Kobo Clara BW is better if you read mostly text and want the lower price and longer official battery estimate.

Q: What is the price difference between Kobo Clara BW and Kobo Clara Colour?

A: Kobo's current official US store lists Kobo Clara BW at $159.99 and Kobo Clara Colour at $179.99, so the current official difference is $20.

Q: Do Kobo Clara BW and Kobo Clara Colour have the same size?

A: Yes. Kobo lists both at 112 x 160 x 9.2 mm and 174 g, though actual size and weight may vary by configuration and manufacturing process.

Q: Which one has better battery life?

A: Kobo Clara BW has the stronger official estimate at up to 53 days. Kobo Clara Colour is rated up to 42 days under Kobo's stated test conditions.

Q: Which one is better for comics or illustrated books?

A: Kobo Clara Colour is the better choice because it can show color content. It is still E Ink color, not tablet color, but it is more useful for covers, diagrams, highlights, and light comics than Clara BW.

Q: Are both Kobo Clara models waterproof?

A: Yes. Kobo lists both as IPX8, rated for up to 60 minutes in up to 2 meters of water.

Q: Do either Kobo Clara BW or Kobo Clara Colour support Kobo Stylus?

A: No. Kobo's comparison table lists both Clara BW and Clara Colour as not compatible with Kobo Stylus.

Q: What are the official model numbers for Kobo Clara BW and Kobo Clara Colour?

A: Per Kobo's official device-identification page, Kobo Clara BW is model N365 or P365, and Kobo Clara Colour is model N367.

Sources & References

Prices, features and specifications in this comparison were verified from official sources.

Last verified: August 2026

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Kobo Clara BW vs Kobo Clara Colour

Kobo Clara BW

Kobo Clara Colour

Specifications

Pros & Cons

Kobo Clara BW — Pros

Kobo Clara BW — Cons

Kobo Clara Colour — Pros

Kobo Clara Colour — Cons

Best used for

Best used for

Our Verdict

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Kobo Clara BW if...

Choose Kobo Clara Colour if...

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & References

Community (0)

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