ONYX BOOX
ONYX BOOX is a privately held China-based consumer electronics brand that designs and sells Android-powered E Ink e-readers, ePaper tablets, and monitors across 100+ countries via direct-to-consumer e-commerce. It serves productivity professionals, digital nomads, and e-reader enthusiasts seeking an open-app alternative to Kindle and Kobo.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersGuangzhou, China
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ONYX BOOX does
ONYX BOOX is the consumer electronics brand of Onyx International Inc., a privately held China-headquartered company that designs, manufactures, and sells E Ink (ePaper) devices to consumers and professionals in more than 100 countries. The product portfolio spans five active hardware lines plus accessories: the Go Series of portable e-readers (e.g., Go 6 Gen II at $199.99 and Go 10.3 Gen II at $419.99), the Note Series of productivity-oriented ePaper tablets with stylus support (Note Air5 C at $529.99, Note Max, Note Air4 C), the Palma Series of pocket-sized readers (Palma 2 Pro with 5G at $399.99), the Tab Series of color ePaper tablets (Tab X C), the Mira Series of E Ink monitors, and the Page 7-inch reader at $250. All BOOX devices run Android with Google Play built in, support up to 26 document and ebook formats, and are positioned as a third-party-app-friendly alternative to the closed Kindle and Kobo ecosystems.
The core technology is reflective E Ink Electronic Paper Display using microcapsules with charged black and white particles, which consumes power only during page turns and produces a glare-free, paper-like reading experience. BOOX is credited as the world's first company to apply Android 10 OS to e-readers and has been selling into international markets since 2009. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time hardware sales (e-readers, ePaper tablets, monitors) and accessory sales (cases, keyboard covers, styluses), distributed primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce via three regional online storefronts (shop.boox.com, euroshop.boox.com, cht.boox.com), supplemented by an affiliate program and earned media coverage in Forbes, WSJ, PCMag, and TechRadar. The company employs 251-500 staff, is privately held with a 2024 funding round involving Chuangyu Investment Management, Jingbai Fund, and Lenovo Capital and Incubator Group, and most recently refreshed its lineup with color Kaleido 3 displays, Android 15, AI Smart Scribe stylus features, and 5G connectivity on the Palma 2 Pro.
ONYX BOOX firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ONYX BOOX
- Legal name
- Onyx International Inc.
- Website
- https://boox.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- ONYX BOOX is a privately held China-based consumer electronics brand that designs and sells Android-powered E Ink e-readers, ePaper tablets, and monitors across 100+ countries via direct-to-consumer e-commerce. It serves productivity professionals, digital nomads, and e-reader enthusiasts seeking an open-app alternative to Kindle and Kobo.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ONYX BOOX industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Electronics
- SIC
- Household Audio & Video Equipment (3651)
- akta.pro primary industry
- eReaders & ePaper Tablets (HDACAMAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- E-Note Devices (E-Ink Writing Tablets) (CRACAMAF), E-Readers (E-Ink Readers) (CRACAMAE), Tablet Accessories (Keyboards, Styluses, Cases, Screen Protectors, Docks) (CRACAMAJ)
Keywords
Where ONYX BOOX is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guangzhou
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
ONYX BOOX business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- E-Reader Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of e-reader devices including Go Series, Page, and Palma Series. Devices range from entry-level to premium with various display sizes and features.
- E-Ink Tablet Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of e-paper tablets including Note Series and Tab Series. Premium devices with larger screens, stylus support, and productivity features for professional use.
- E-Ink Monitor Sales: Sale of BOOX Mira Series monitors for extended screen use with e-paper technology.
- Accessories Sales: Sale of accessories including magnetic cases, protective cases, stylus pens, keyboard covers, and other add-ons. Accessories include BOOX Magnetic Case for Go 10.3 Series ($50.99) and Magnetic 2-in-1 Protective Case for Palma 2 Pro ($21.99).
- Used Device Sales: Dedicated section for refurbished or used BOOX devices at lower price points.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Go Series - Portable e-readers ranging from 6-inch to 10.3-inch displays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Note Series - Productivity-focused e-paper tablets with stylus support |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Palma Series - Compact e-readers with smartphone-sized design |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Page - 7-inch e-reader with ergonomic design and page-turn buttons |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tab Series - Premium e-paper tablets with color displays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Monitors - E-ink monitors for extended screen use |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories - Cases, keyboards, styluses |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Anniversary Promotion Discounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
ONYX BOOX product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ONYX BOOX designs, manufactures, and sells E Ink (electronic paper) consumer devices, including portable e-readers, large-format ePaper tablets with stylus-based note-taking, and E Ink monitors. All devices run Android OS with Google Play built-in, supporting reading, handwritten notes, and productivity use cases. The company sells its own hardware under the BOOX brand directly to consumers worldwide.
Product overview
BOOX (ONYX BOOX) is a consumer electronics brand specializing in E Ink (ePaper) devices. The product portfolio consists of multiple ePaper tablet and eReader lines built on Android OS: Tab Series (color productivity tablets), Note Series (large-format tablets including Note Max, Note Air5 C, Note Air4 C), Go Series (portable devices including Go 10.3 Gen II, Go 10.3 Gen II Lumi, Go Color 7, Go 7, Go 6 Gen II), Palma Series (pocket-sized devices including Palma 2 Pro, Palma 2, Palma), Monitors (Mira Pro Color Version), and Page (7-inch eReader). All devices run Android with Google Play integration and support multitasking, third-party apps, and stylus input where applicable. The ecosystem includes accessories like magnetic cases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tab X C Color ePaper tablet in the Tab series, featuring E Ink display technology for productivity-focused tasks and professional reading.
- Note Max Large-format ePaper tablet in the Note series, designed for reading and note-taking with an extended screen size for productivity use.
- Note Air5 C 10.3-inch color ePaper tablet featuring Kaleido 3 color display, Android 15 OS, AI Smart Scribe stylus features, and bundled Boox Pen 3 stylus, targeted at productivity professionals.
- Note Air4 C Color ePaper tablet in the Note Air series with stylus support for productivity tasks and reading.
- Go 10.3 (Gen II) 10.3-inch ePaper tablet running Android 15, designed for digital nomads with distraction-free productivity, featuring a front light option and Google Play app support.
- Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi 10.3-inch ePaper tablet with an enhanced Lumi front light for improved visibility in various lighting conditions, sold as part of the Gen II Go 10.3 line.
- Go Color 7 Color eReader with note-taking capabilities and third-party app support via Android OS, marketed as a Kindle alternative for open-ecosystem users.
- Go 7 7-inch eReader in the Go series for portable reading and basic productivity.
- Go 6 (Gen II) 6-inch monochrome eReader with 300 dpi E-Paper display, Android 11 OS, support for 26 ebook formats, optional InkSense Plus stylus, and four color options, targeted at portable reading users.
- Palma 2 Pro Pocket-sized 6.13-inch color e-reader featuring E Ink Kaleido 3 display, Android 15, 8GB RAM, stylus support, and 5G mobile data connectivity via hybrid SIM slot, targeting mobile reading and digital nomad use.
- Palma 2 Monochrome pocket-sized e-reader in the Palma series, sold as the more affordable option for basic mobile reading.
- Page 7-inch E Ink reader with simplified Android 11 OS, ergonomic design with page-turn buttons, note-taking, internet browsing, and approximately two weeks of battery life.
- Mira Pro Color Version Color ePaper monitor in the Mira series for extended screen productivity using E Ink display technology.
- Max Lumi 13.3-inch large-screen Android-based E Ink tablet, one of BOOX's flagship large-format devices.
- Note Air 10.3-inch Android-based E Ink tablet designed for note-taking and reading.
- Note3 Android-based E Ink tablet in the Note series for productivity tasks.
- Nova3 Color 7.8-inch color E Ink tablet featuring color display technology for enhanced visual content viewing.
- Poke3 Compact Android-based eReader in the Poke series.
- Magnetic Case for Go 10.3 Series Magnetic protective case accessory designed for the Go 10.3 series devices, sold alongside the main hardware lineup.
- Magnetic 2-in-1 Protective Case for Palma 2 Pro Magnetic 2-in-1 protective case accessory designed for the Palma 2 Pro e-reader, sold as an add-on product.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products sold to over 100 countries and regions globally
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ONYX BOOX
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ONYX BOOX technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature6 records
ONYX BOOX partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Google PlaycoreGoogle Play is built into all BOOX Android-based e-readers and e-paper tablets, enabling users to download and install third-party applications. This is positioned as a key differentiator against competitors like Amazon Kindle and Kobo that have closed ecosystems.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ONYX BOOX competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Amazon Kindle: Amazon's Kindle e-reader line is the dominant direct competitor to BOOX in E Ink reading devices. Both target the same mainstream consumer reading use case, though Kindle relies on a locked ecosystem while BOOX differentiates via Android openness and broader format support.
- reMarkable: reMarkable produces E Ink paper tablets focused on handwriting, note-taking, and document annotation, directly overlapping with BOOX's Note and Tab series. Both sell premium productivity-oriented E Ink devices through DTC channels and compete for the same professional/creative buyer.
- Kobo (Rakuten): Kobo is a leading e-reader brand owned by Rakuten, offering E Ink devices with its own bookstore ecosystem. Like Amazon Kindle, Kobo competes head-to-head with BOOX's Go and Palma series in the consumer e-reading category, though with a more closed ecosystem.
- Supernote: Supernote (by Ratta) makes E Ink note-taking tablets with stylus input, directly comparable to BOOX's Note series. Both target professionals and digital note-takers seeking distraction-free writing experiences and compete on hardware quality and software features.
- PocketBook: PocketBook is a European e-reader manufacturer offering E Ink devices with broad file format support and an open ecosystem similar to BOOX. Both target users seeking alternatives to Kindle/Kobo, with comparable price points and feature sets.
- Dasung: Dasung specializes in E Ink monitors and e-paper tablets for professional and developer use, directly comparable to BOOX's Mira monitor series. Both target productivity-focused users seeking eye-friendly secondary displays for extended screen time.
Emerging players
- Bigme: Bigme is a Chinese manufacturer producing Android-based E Ink tablets and e-readers, closely overlapping with BOOX's product portfolio. It represents an emerging player in the same category with comparable technology and price positioning, intensifying competition in China and global markets.
Broad incumbents
- Lenovo Smart Paper: Lenovo's Smart Paper is an E Ink note-taking tablet from a major PC OEM, comparable to BOOX's Note series. As Lenovo is also a strategic investor in BOOX, this creates both partnership potential and competitive overlap in the enterprise/prosumer E Ink tablet category.
- Huawei MatePad Paper: Huawei's MatePad Paper is an E Ink tablet from a major Chinese consumer electronics OEM, offering HarmonyOS-based reading and note-taking. It competes with BOOX's higher-end Note and Tab series while leveraging Huawei's broader brand and ecosystem.
Regional players
- iReader: iReader is a major Chinese e-reader brand owned by Zhangyue Technology, dominant in mainland China. While not directly competing in BOOX's international markets, it represents a key regional competitor with similar Android-based E Ink products targeting the same Chinese consumer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ONYX BOOX social profiles
Digital presenceONYX BOOX financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ONYX BOOX leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ONYX BOOX funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ONYX BOOX M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ONYX BOOX
What does ONYX BOOX do?
ONYX BOOX designs, manufactures, and sells E Ink (electronic paper) consumer devices, including portable e-readers, large-format ePaper tablets with stylus-based note-taking, and E Ink monitors. All devices run Android OS with Google Play built-in, supporting reading, handwritten notes, and productivity use cases. The company sells its own hardware under the BOOX brand directly to consumers worldwide.
Is ONYX BOOX a public or private company?
ONYX BOOX is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ONYX BOOX founded?
ONYX BOOX was founded in 2009. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is ONYX BOOX based?
ONYX BOOX is headquartered in Guangzhou, China, in the Asia region.
How does ONYX BOOX make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. E-Reader Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-Ink Tablet Hardware Sales, E-Ink Monitor Sales, accessories Sales and used Device Sales.
Who are ONYX BOOX's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Amazon Kindle, reMarkable, Kobo (Rakuten), Supernote, PocketBook and Dasung. Bigme is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Lenovo Smart Paper and Huawei MatePad Paper. iReader is listed as a regional player.
Does ONYX BOOX have an API?
No public API is recorded for ONYX BOOX.
What industry is ONYX BOOX in?
ONYX BOOX's product category is Consumer Electronics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAMAK, eReaders & ePaper Tablets, with a secondary code of CRACAMAF, E-Note Devices (E-Ink Writing Tablets). Its SIC code is 3651.