Download GemReader
Android 13+ · EPUB format · Free forever
Permissions
We request exactly one. Here's the full list.
We request
Storage
To read and write your EPUB files — nothing else
We never request
Network access
Cannot phone home
Camera
No photo access
Location
Never tracked
Contacts
Not touched
Microphone
Never recorded
Accounts
No sign-in ever
GemReader cannot phone home. Not by policy — by architecture. The network permission is absent from the manifest entirely.
Screenshots
Common questions
Sideloading is unfamiliar for most people. Here's what you probably want to know.
Yes — identical binary, same signing key. Google Play is now in open beta. You can install from Play or sideload the APK directly from this page; both are the same app.
Yes — when you control the source. You're downloading directly from gemreader.com over HTTPS. Android verifies the APK's cryptographic signature on install and will refuse anything that's been tampered with. The only risk in sideloading is sketchy sources. This isn't one.
Fair question. GemReader requests exactly one Android permission: storage. No network permission means the app literally cannot make an outbound connection — it cannot phone home even if it wanted to. After installing, check Settings → Apps → GemReader → Permissions and see for yourself. One permission. That's the whole list.
GemReader stores encrypted copies of your books in private app storage — protected from file browsers, but also removed if you uninstall. Before uninstalling, export your EPUBs via the Share button, or keep your original files somewhere safe. The encryption that guards your library makes backups your responsibility. That's the honest trade-off.
Google Play is the easiest path — automatic updates, no manual steps. The APK is here if you prefer to sideload or avoid Play entirely. Both are identical builds. Either works.
How to sideload
Android 13+ grants install permission per app, not globally. These steps take about 30 seconds.
Download the APK file using the 'Download APK' button above.
Open the downloaded file. Android will ask to allow installs from your browser — tap "Settings", toggle it on, then tap back and "Install."
Once installed, launch GemReader from your app drawer.
Import your first EPUB — it encrypts automatically.