FB2 vs LIT
A detailed comparison of FictionBook and Microsoft LIT — file size, quality, compatibility, and which format to choose for your workflow.
FictionBook
eBooksFictionBook (FB2) is an XML-based eBook format popular in Russia and Eastern Europe. It provides structured semantic markup for fiction and non-fiction books.
About FB2 filesMicrosoft LIT
eBooksLIT is a legacy Microsoft Reader eBook format, now obsolete.
About LIT filesStrengths Comparison
FB2 Strengths
- Pure XML — trivial to parse, search, and transform.
- Single-file ebooks with inline images.
- Excellent on low-powered e-readers.
- De-facto standard in Russian-language ebook ecosystem.
- Simple structure makes conversion to any other format straightforward.
LIT Strengths
- Good rendering quality via ClearType in its era.
- Efficient compression via LZX.
- Small file sizes for text-heavy books.
Limitations
FB2 Limitations
- No styling, no custom fonts, no fixed layouts.
- Minimal Western-language tooling.
- Kindle and Apple Books do not support FB2 natively.
- Non-fiction with complex typography (textbooks, cookbooks) is a poor fit.
LIT Limitations
- DRM activation servers are permanently offline — DRM-protected purchases are dead weight.
- Proprietary format with no vendor successor.
- Zero modern reader support (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
- Microsoft officially retired the product in 2012.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | FB2 | LIT |
|---|---|---|
| MIME type | application/x-fictionbook+xml | application/x-ms-reader |
| Extensions | .fb2, .fb2.zip | — |
| Container | Single XML file (optionally zipped) | CHM-like (LZX-compressed OEBPS) |
| Standard | FictionBook community spec (maintained on GitHub) | — |
| Encoding | UTF-8 (required) | — |
| Extension | — | .lit |
| DRM | — | Microsoft Reader activation (servers offline since 2012) |
| Status | — | Retired |
Typical File Sizes
FB2
- Novel (text only) 200-800 KB
- Novel with cover image 300 KB - 1.5 MB
- Illustrated children's book 5-30 MB
LIT
- Novel (text only) 200 KB - 1 MB
- Illustrated book 2-10 MB
Ready to convert?
Convert between FB2 and LIT online, free, and without installing anything. Encrypted upload, automatic deletion after 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
FB2 (FictionBook) is an ebook format designed for reading long-form text on dedicated e-readers, tablets, and ebook apps. It is part of the ebooks family and typically supports reflowable text, embedded images, chapter navigation, cover art, and metadata (title, author, ISBN) in a portable package.
LIT (Microsoft LIT) is an ebook format designed for reading long-form text on dedicated e-readers, tablets, and ebook apps. It is part of the ebooks family and typically supports reflowable text, embedded images, chapter navigation, cover art, and metadata (title, author, ISBN) in a portable package.
Dedicated e-readers — Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Pocketbook — support the most common ebook formats. On phones, Apple Books, Google Play Books, Moon+ Reader and KOReader all handle FB2. For desktop reading, Calibre is the universal ebook viewer and library manager. Convert to EPUB or PDF for maximum compatibility.
Dedicated e-readers — Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Pocketbook — support the most common ebook formats. On phones, Apple Books, Google Play Books, Moon+ Reader and KOReader all handle LIT. For desktop reading, Calibre is the universal ebook viewer and library manager. Convert to EPUB or PDF for maximum compatibility.
Upload your FB2 to KaijuConverter and pick EPUB, MOBI, PDF, AZW3, or similar targets. Our Calibre-powered pipeline preserves chapter structure, embedded images, cover art, and metadata. Conversion takes seconds for typical novels; long technical books with many images may take a little longer.
EPUB is the open ebook standard — it plays on every e-reader except older Kindles and in every major ebook app. PDF is better for fixed-layout content (textbooks, coffee-table books) and printing. Pick EPUB when the ebook is reflowable text, PDF when the layout matters more than the reading experience.