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17 Great Sites to Download Free Books in 2024

Love to read? Open Library, ManyBooks, and Librivox are just a few of the many places to find free books online

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• Payment Services

Free books on nearly any subject you can think of are all over the internet, ready to be downloaded, read, and shared. These are our favorite sites with free books covering a wide variety of subjects.

A huge quantity of books previously unavailable to the public was released starting in 2019 thanks to the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998. Because of an amendment to that act, works published between 1923 and 1977 can enter the public domain 95 years after their creation. Many of the sites listed below give access to the tens of thousands of books (plus movies, songs, and cartoons) available under this act. Downloads should be free and without retribution under U.S. copyright law.

Project Gutenberg

Over 70,000 titles.

Wide variety of formats.

Top 100 list aids discoverability.

Majority of books are in English only.

Books may not be free outside the U.S.

Project Gutenberg   is one of the largest and oldest sources for free books on the web, with over 70,000 downloadable titles available in a wide variety of formats. The vast majority are released in English, but there are other languages available.

If you already know what you're looking for, search the database by author name, title, language, or subject. You can also check out the top 100 list to see what other people are downloading .

Selection includes more than just classics and Creative Commons books.

Great categorization makes finding what you love easier.

Variety of download formats.

A few areas of the site hardly ever receive updates.

Some books do cost money.

ManyBooks is one of the best resources on the web for free books in a variety of download formats. There are hundreds of titles here in all sorts of interesting genres, and they're completely free. Not all the books are classics, so if you're into other genres, this site is a good alternative to others in this list.

Unlike some sites, this one lets you browse free books by language. You can also search by author and genre. The ManyBooks Articles page is another handy way to browse their collection, with articles such as "Books Like A Match Made in Venice" and reviews.

Downloading books requires a free user account unless there's a link to Amazon, in which case you can grab it with your Amazon account. There are often several download options, like EPUB, PDF, AZW3, and FB2. They're also readable online through the site's built-in book reader.

Open Library

Good alternative if Internet Archive is too confusing.

Multiple formats available.

Just pulls results from Internet Archive.

Some books can only be borrowed.

Open Library is a search tool that pulls data from Internet Archive. You might use it if that site (listed above) isn't helping you find the right book. You can search hundreds of thousands of books here, and most are in multiple formats such as PDF, ePub, and Daisy.

I particularly like the Library Explorer section because it feels like I'm looking through real bookshelves!

You can search for ebooks specifically by checking the Ebooks option after running a search.

Free audiobooks.

Audiobooks are available in multiple languages.

Large collection of children's audiobooks.

Books are read by volunteers, which means performances can be hit or miss.

Many listed authors have zero books available.

If you've been looking for a great place to find free audiobooks , visiting Librivox is a good start. The site has many volunteers who work to release quality recordings of classic books. All the titles here are free, which is good news for those of us who've had to pony up ridiculously high fees for substandard audiobooks.

I like to use the New Releases RSS feed with a feed reader service to stay on top of new additions.

Google Play Books

Saves books in your online account.

Read from the website or the mobile app.

Requires a Google account.

If you like to read ebooks through Google Books, you'll be pleased to know that there's a full page of just free titles.

Google lists the top several dozen free books available on Google Play through the link below. There are history and religious books as well as titles in categories like Fantasy and Health, mind & body .

Books you "download" through this site appear in your Google Play Books account , where they're readable online, through the mobile app, and offline if you decide to export the book to a file.

Internet Archive

Books across a wide variety of interests.

You can sort by view count or popularity.

Several downloading options.

It can be difficult finding exactly what you want from numerous search results.

Site can be slow to respond.

Internet Archive has a digital library full of fiction, popular books, children's books, historical texts, and academic books. The free books on this site span every possible interest.

You can sort these books by view count to see the most popular ones and sort by title or date published. Another way I like to scour the millions of books on this site is through collections such as California Digital Library , Getty Research Institute , and Boston Public Library .

There are usually several download options if you don't want to read the book online, such as PDF, EPUB, and Kindle.

Easily readable format.

You can read right in the browser.

No account necessary.

Bare bones website.

Lacks books in foreign languages (except some German).

Lacks advanced search features.

Authorama offers a good selection of current and classic books from a variety of authors. They're organized alphabetically by the author’s last name and are written in HTML and XHTML, which means they're in an easily readable format. Most books here are featured in English, but there are quite a few German language texts as well.

This site offers a good selection of high-quality, free books you can read in your browser. These are in the public domain, which means they're freely accessible and allowed to be distributed. In other words, you don't need to worry if you're looking at something illegal.

The website is really simple to use, maybe too simple. The search box is basic and the only other way to find books is by scrolling through the author list. But, you don't need a user account to read these titles online, and they're all formatted nicely.

Hundreds of thousands of pieces of content available to read.

Audio available for certain texts.

User-submitted content could vary in quality.

Technically, there are no books on this site.

Wikisource is an online library of user-submitted and maintained content. While you won't technically find books on this site, there are still hundreds of thousands of pieces of content available to read, and some are in ebook form.

Wikisource:Index is a good place to start.

Wikijunior offers books for children 12 and under.

Offers community features like a forum.

Mostly just textbooks.

Small collection.

Not all of the books are completed.

​Wikibooks   is an open collection of mostly textbooks. Subjects range from computer and engineering to science, humanities, languages, and more. Every book has a list of contents and other information to give you a solid idea of what it's about.

The Featured Books and Stacks/Departments pages are good places to start if you're not sure what to browse for.

Free-eBooks.net

Diverse selection.

Also offers audiobooks.

Large number of categories.

You can only download five free books a month.

Free-eBooks.net offers a wonderfully diverse variety of free books, ranging from fiction and non-fiction to textbooks, academic text, classics, and more. Some of the subcategories include advertising, parenting, humor, science, engineering, self-teaching, sci-fi classics, and poems.

You have to register for a free user account to use this site, but only five books are free, so choose wisely.

The Online Books Page

Boasts over three million books.

Dozens of different formats.

Offers partial searches.

Updates often.

Extremely basic site.

Links to downloads on other websites.

The Online Books Page, maintained by the University of Pennsylvania, lists over three million free books available for download in dozens of different formats. The site itself is pretty boring, but the long list of titles might make you a repeat visitor.

You can browse these free book downloads by new listings, author, title, subject, or serial. There's also a search tool where you can find books by running a partial author or title search.

Hundreds of free books.

Download or view online in your browser.

Must go through a "checkout" process even though they're free.

Some books need special software for offline reading.

eBooks.com has a couple of ways to find free books. Use the link below to access a list of a few hundred completely free eBooks that you can read online or download as an ACSM file —those are DRM-protected files that work with Adobe Digital Editions (directions are available on the download page).

The other way is to browse their DRM-free eBooks . Some of these aren't free to download, but the ones that are can be saved and opened like any EPUB file.

You can filter these books by subject, like computers or religion, or by a number of fiction and non-fiction subcategories. There's also a format (PDF or EPUB), release date, and language filter.

International Children's Digital Library

Large collection of international children's books.

Interesting ways to browse the titles.

The books are actually just images of scanned pages.

Some pages are too large to read comfortably.

Browse over 4,000 high-quality free books for children at International Children's Digital Library (ICDL). These are scans of physical books, so each page is a separate image you can scroll through and read.

On the home page are helpful links so you can browse the library by language, character, shape, format, genre, and more.

Offers a wide range of reading materials, including sheet music and magazines.

One of the internet's largest sources of published content.

Mobile app available.

Free only for 30 days.

Costs $11.99/month.

Everand (previously Scribd) offers a fascinating collection of all kinds of reading materials: books, audiobooks, documents, sheet music, magazines, and more. This is one of the web’s largest sources of published content, with literally millions of documents published every month and organized by category.

However, the site is only free for 30 days. Unlike other sites on this list, you have to pay every month after the trial to continue using it. The membership grants you access to the site's entire database.

Free Computer Books

Extensive collection of computer books.

Includes lecture notes.

Dated site design.

Everything on the site is just hyperlinks to other sites.

Lacks file format variety.

Every computer subject and programming language you can think of is represented at Free Computer Books. There are free textbooks, extensive lecture notes, and more.

Some of the genres include computer and programming languages, computer science, data science, computer engineering, Java, and networking and communications. There are also many subgenres, giving you an easy way to find the book you're after.

Sacred Texts

Large collection of free religious texts.

Text is quite small.

Most pages don't have a download button; you have to save them manually.

Sacred Texts   contains the web’s largest collection of free books about religion, mythology, folklore, and the esoteric in general.

You can view a list of all the books by title or author. You can also browse by category or search for a book title, author, or subject.

Every book is available online from their website. You can save each page if you want an offline version, but it won't be in a pretty format.

Good for presentations, infographics, and documents.

Lots of non-free content.

Limited download options.

Registration required.

SlideShare is another site with both free and paid books. It's an online forum where anyone can upload a digital presentation on any subject. Millions of people utilize SlideShare for research, sharing ideas, and learning about new technologies.

The site supports documents and PDF files, all available as free downloads. You have to log in to download these books, but registration is free.

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8 Of The Best Websites To Find And Download eBooks For Free

If you're an avid reader or audiobook listener, you've probably explored Amazon and similar sites for your next great read. However, did you know there's a treasure trove of free books available at your fingertips? 

While there are dedicated e-readers, the associated costs of purchasing books through their platforms can get pricey. The good news is that the following websites are great places where bookworms can find and download ebooks — and even audiobooks — for absolutely free. If you're missing the library vibe, several of these sites allow users to borrow digital titles, just like you would at your local public library.

Of course, clicking on a link that promises free products online can sometimes feel risky. However, rest assured that every site mentioned in this list has been verified to genuinely provide free ebooks or audiobooks in various file formats. Additionally, these sites are user-friendly and completely legal for downloading content — after all, nothing is worse than clicking on a free link only to receive a free virus or a DMCA violation.

Modern technology has made it easier than ever to read a wide range of books and grow your digital library without breaking the bank. Here are eight of the best websites to find and download ebooks for free.

For free physical books, you turn to your local library. For free ebooks, the solution is OverDrive , a digital library platform offering patrons access to a vast collection at no cost.

Overdrive is a system used by public libraries around the world. It makes it easy for you to find the books you're looking for and download them directly to your Kindle or device, completely free of charge. The system works just like a library. To sign up, simply input your local library account information and then select which books you want to check out. The books are then downloaded directly to your device for a set duration, usually about two weeks. When it's time to return the book, the lending license expires and is automatically made unavailable so that the next person can download it.

While OverDrive provides a convenient and legal avenue to access fresh ebooks outside the public domain, there is a limitation to note. Due to copyright restrictions, each ebook has a set number of licenses available for lending. This means that, at times, you might encounter a waitlist for popular titles. The system ensures copyright compliance, preventing unlimited duplications of a single ebook. So, while OverDrive offers an exceptional free and legal resource for the latest reads, you just may have to wait in line for really popular titles.

Internet Archive: Open Library

Have you ever considered the monumental task of archiving the entire internet? While it may seem impossible, that's exactly what the Internet Archive is attempting. Founded in 1996 during the rise of public internet access, the Internet Archive: Open Library is an online library and repository whose mission is to archive as much of the digital world as possible, including websites, music, and ebooks.

The Internet Archive is the largest repository of historic website data with snapshots dating back to 1996 that capture the evolution of websites over time. You could spend hours reliving the '90s internet in the Wayback Machine . The site's digital library has an impressive collection of both public domain titles and copyrighted works shared with appropriate permissions. All content on their platform is accessible to the public at no cost.

The site hosts millions of books and different texts that are freely available for download, making it one of the easiest places to find free ebooks online.

Google Play Books

Google Play Books is another easy way to fill your digital shelves with paid and free ebooks. The app is incredibly intuitive, making it easy to store and organize your digital library by genre, series, or any other criteria. If you do end up purchasing a book, it stays with your account forever, granting access to it on any of your devices. The app also has a massive library of free ebooks that anyone can access with their Google account.

It may take a bit of looking and adjusting filters in their store, but Google Play Books has over 10 million free ebooks available for download. There's no cost or subscription fee. Users can simply browse through the listings and choose the ones they want to appear in their Google Library.

Many of the titles for free are public domain works that are free from copyright laws. This category includes timeless classics and favorites such as the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, the free offerings don't stop at the classics. Google Play Books also showcases an extensive list of contemporary works that have been submitted by authors or requested to be made publicly available.

From acclaimed New York Times best-selling authors to budding literary talents, Google Play Books has something for everyone. You can also take advantage of their occasional promotions, where you can snag modern titles at a steal or even for free.

BookBub isn't a library or an ebook repository, but signing up for an account will definitely help you find ebooks for cheap — and occasionally even for free. When major platforms like Google Play host flash sales or offer ebooks at reduced prices, BookBub monitors the retailers and sends out alerts to subscribers.

Upon registering with BookBub, users can specify their literary preferences by genre or book type. That way, whenever a deal aligns with your reading tastes, BookBub promptly notifies you about the discounted price and the corresponding retailer. This makes BookBub an easy way to fill up your hard drive with free and legally downloaded ebooks.

Beyond mere alerts, BookBub fosters a vibrant community of avid readers. The platform encourages user-generated content, including book recommendations tailored to your favorites. For instance, if you're a fan of "The Lord of the Rings," fellow users might suggest diving into "The Wheel of Time" series. It's a friendly community of book lovers, and most are more than happy to chat about their favorites.

Drawing from its Latin roots, Libri (books) and Vox (voice), LibriVox is a vast repository that offers a plethora of free audiobooks to the public.

Largely, the collection at LibriVox contains public domain works, making it less likely to offer contemporary titles. The platform's main mission is to ensure audiobooks are available to anyone with an internet connection. This is a daunting task since audiobooks typically require extensive production and drastically increase the price of a book. However, LibriVox manages to offer them at no cost, thanks to the dedication of volunteers who record the books. These volunteers range from ardent fans of the literature to professionals, ensuring a rich and immersive listening experience.

For those who prefer a synchronized reading experience, LibriVox often provides links to the exact text referenced during the audio recording, consolidating the search for both ebooks and audiobooks . The platform's admirable mission has significantly expanded public access to literary works. For those inspired by the cause, LibriVox welcomes new voices, offering an opportunity to volunteer and contribute to their ever-growing collection.

Initially established in France, Feedbooks has grown into a globally-recognized digital library and publisher. It works similarly to Google Play Books in that it offers a wide range of ebooks, both paid and free.

On Feedbooks, users can easily access thousands of free ebooks, either through their user-friendly app or their online platform. Once a book is downloaded, it remains in the user's account, available for direct reading via the app. Additionally, like other online book retailers, Feedbooks periodically offers special deals and flash sales, giving opportunities to get books at substantial discounts or entirely for free.

What sets Feedbooks apart is that they don't specifically cater to English text. While many platforms provide ebooks in various languages, Feedbooks prioritizes offering a wide linguistic range. This includes, but isn't limited to, French, Ukrainian, and Spanish. Furthermore, to cater to diverse reading preferences, their ebooks are available in formats compatible with Android, Kindle , and Apple devices.

Manybooks began as a platform to help fledgling authors publish their works and gain a following. It has since evolved into a comprehensive repository for ebooks. All of the books on the site are completely free and legal to download.

While Manybooks collection includes a wide range of public domain works, the best part is how the site helps to promote new authors. It is used as a starting point for authors to publicize their books, get feedback from readers, and start to build an audience. Many authors will post the first book in a series for free as a strategy to engage readers and solicit feedback. This approach paves the way for readers to discover lesser-known yet talented writers.

Using Manybooks is very easy, thanks to its intuitive interface. Users can easily filter their searches by genre or explore unique combinations. It's a great way to explore works that you may not otherwise find. Beyond its free library, Manybooks also curates newsletters and author spotlights to aid subscribers in finding interesting reads.

Project Gutenberg

Established in 1971, Project Gutenberg has been a pioneering force in the free distribution of ebooks to the public. Its enduring mission is "To encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks."

Named after the Gutenberg press, its founder, Michael Hart, envisioned the computer's important role in storing and spreading information, particularly books and literature. He recognized that once digitized, information could be endlessly replicated and shared, enriching society through free access.

Today, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of public domain works and legally submitted content for download within the United States. For those outside the US, it's crucial to check your nation's copyright laws before downloading.

Beyond ebooks in various formats, Project Gutenberg also provides a diverse range of audiobooks. This collection includes both human-narrated audiobooks by volunteers and voice actors, as well as AI-generated readings, offering users a broad spectrum of listening experiences that might otherwise not be available.

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Top 15 Free Textbook Resources According to Reddit

Textbook prices can be extremely high and make access difficult for some people. This article lists the top free textbook resources according to Reddit.

Jun 23, 2021

1.  Library Genesis  

Library Genesis, also known as LibGen and Genesis Library, is the classic Reddit recommendation to find textbooks, articles, journals, books, images, magazines, comics, general-interest books, you name it, online. It’s one of the larger online library websites and usually will have what you’re looking for. It has easy download options and tends to be a top choice for most people seeking online books from Reddit.

2.  Z-Library

Z-Library, or zlib, is a great source for books and scholarly articles. This site was originally created on the basis of being a shadow library for peer-reviewed journals, but it’s content eventually expanded to several other areas. Now, a lot of newer, popular reads are usually on this site. 

3.  Project Gutenberg

This site is a really well known source for books that have been released under United States copyright law and fallen under public domain. Everything on this site is distributed with permission. Not every book is on this site, but it’s a great resource for older texts and easy download. Lots of professors and librarians tend to recommend Project Gutenberg since it is the oldest digital library.

4.  Sci-Hub

Moving towards more precise content, Sci-Hub is a great resource for science focused articles, peer reviewed journals, and anything science related you may be searching for. This is a more specific resource but really has a lot of content that may not be found elsewhere. It includes mostly books and research papers.

5.  The Wayback Machine

The Wayback Machine, also known as internet archive, is a service that preserves archived content from the internet, including pdfs, ebooks, and sites that are no longer live. Internet Archive has millions of ebooks that are used from public libraries digital inventories. It has books, movies, software, music,  websites, and pretty much any media that could be uploaded on the internet. 

6.  The Assayer

The Assayer is a large database of content that authors have released for free use. The library likely doesn’t have the most current materials, but is great for content that doesn’t change year to year. Users can also leave reviews and engage in book discussions with other people on the platform.

7.   PDF Drive

PDF drive is a great resource for popular reading choices. They have most of the newer books and even recommend different titles each week. Sometimes there may be a wait to download certain titles based on how requested they are. There is a premium option available to avoid this issue, but most users do not. 

8.  Open Library

This site operates most like an actual library and is connected to The Wayback Machine/Internet Archive. You are able to borrow a book and then give back access. It has a large art section and has almost all of the classic books. The site is translatable to several languages.

9.  PDF Magazine

This site is catered towards magazines and has over 565,000 available for PDF download. Every kind of print magazine is in digital format on this platform. You can also browse by language and they currently offer issues in 40 different languages.

10.  Every Poet

Similar to PDF Magazine and Sci-Hub, Every Poet focuses specifically on poetry. This site would be very helpful for anyone taking an English class. Beyond classics like Robert Frost and Sylvia Platt, you can also submit your own poetry and read submissions from other users. 

11.  Ocean of PDF

This site has a very extensive category list so you should be able to find what you’re looking for in specific subjects. The site also has the option to request they add a book if it is not already available, which could be helpful for tricky titles. 

12.  bioRxiv

This site is another source focused on science. It offers a great breakdown of different subjects like epidemiology, ecology, cancer research, etc. You can also subscribe to the site using RSS feed so you have a constant refresh of new articles and information. They also tweet when papers in certain subjects are published to the site.

13.  Cite Seer X

This site works well for content published before 2000 and created by Penn State University. You can search by author and title, but you should know what you’re looking for since there isn’t a browsing tab. They also have premade citations for the content you use.

14.  Mobilism

Mobilism offers apps, games, and reviews on top of books. This site acts as a community of resources with lots of guidance and different areas. Individual users upload content to this site so there’s more variance. 

15.  Bookshare

This site has a lot of lesser-known titles and different genres to choose from including topics like cooking, graphic novels, and literary criticism. The site also has SAT, LSAT, MCAT, and GRE prep books that tend to be updated with recent versions.

Other Ways to Find Cheap Textbooks

• Sometimes professors have textbooks donated by previous students, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask.
• Renting is a great way to save some money, especially if you don’t intend to continue studying a subject after a class. Amazon and student stores usually have this option for most textbooks.
• Buy used! Used textbooks are another fantastic option because they have the same content you need but can sometimes be hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Finding ways to save money in college is necessary for a lot of people. Saving on textbooks is a great way to start but not a foolproof solution. Financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans are a nice start to cover all of your expenses in college.

Many people have to take out student loans to pay for school. If a private student loan is your best option, Juno can help guarantee you the best rates by including you in a large group of students and negotiating on your behalf with lenders. 

Juno can help you to find a student loan or refinance a loan at the most competitive possible rate. We get groups of buyers together and negotiate on their behalf with lenders to save them money on private student loans and private student loan refinance loans. 

Join Juno today to find out more about your options for affordable private student loans to help fund your degree.

Juno came into existence to help students save money on student loans and other financial products through group buying power by negotiating with lenders. The Juno Team has worked with 90,000+ students and families to help them save money.

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Ebook Friendly

12 sites where you can read full books online.

To enjoy reading books, you don’t need a tablet or e-reader. You can read entire books online, completely legally, in an internet browser on your computer. The most popular sites are listed below.

The internet is the ultimate tool for finding answers and items we need. With a vast majority of products available from online stores, you don’t have to leave home to get anything that’s on your wishlist, including books, movies, games or audiobooks.

The best thing is that you don’t have to wait for delivery. Most books are digitized and it means you can start enjoying them in a matter of seconds. It’s just a matter of finding the most convenient – and fully legal – online source of books to read.

World’s most beloved classics are available online for free. They are the so-called public domain books . They are free because their intellectual property rights have expired, and everyone is entitled not only to download and read them but also remix and reshare.

Institutions like Project Gutenberg or Internet Archive digitize public domain books and make them available for free through their online catalogs.

Unless you are determined to create a stunningly large personal collection of ebooks, you don’t have to deal with copying and converting files. You can read books the moment you find them in one of the sites listed below.

But what “read books online” means exactly? It means you won’t need any of these:

• A dedicated device, such as a Kindle e-reader
• A tablet with a book reading app installed
• An ebook reader application on your computer
• An extension for your internet browser

All you need is a computer connected to the internet and the internet browser of your choice, such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

When it comes to paid books (and it doesn’t matter whether you want to buy a print or ebook version), free book previews are a standard feature offered by many online bookstores, including Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

The free previews account for approximately 15% of the paid book. It’s long enough to make a decision whether to order a book or not.

The sites listed below are the ones where you can read books online from the first to the last page. In the detailed descriptions, we have included a choice of titles and tips how to improve the reading experience.

One big disadvantage of reading books in the web browser is that you have to be connected to the web. What if you’d like to read books offline? One way is to download web pages to your computer and open them from a downloaded file directly in a browser.

A much better way is to download an ebook file and use an e-reader, such as a Kindle , or one of many book-reading apps available for iPad , iPhone, Android tablets and smartphones, and almost any other mobile devices.

Most of the sites listed below offer an option to download files in several formats. All you have to remember is the correct format. Make sure to download:

• mobi file – if you own a Kindle or Amazon Fire tablet.
• epub file – if you own iPad, iPhone, Kobo, Nook, or Android device.

Would you like to add any site to the list? Let’s contact on social media. We are waiting for you on Twitter and Facebook . Thank you for dropping by. You’re awesome as always!

Read full books online – here are 12 best sites

1. project gutenberg.

Project Gutenberg is a mother of all ebook sites. It started in 1971, when the world’s first ebook was created by Michael S. Hart. It was “Declaration of Independence of the United States of America,” and you can read it right away in a next tab of your internet browser.

Many sites that offer free ebooks from the public domain use the titles created and uploaded to Project Gutenberg.

Currently, there are over 60,000 public domain books in the catalog. If you’re looking for great classic books, Project Gutenberg is the best destination to explore.

To read the book in your browser, simply click “Read this book online: HTML” option on the list of available formats.

The option to read the book online displays all elements of a book. You will be able to see the original cover of the book, as well as illustrations inside. You can also navigate the book easily using the table of content or click on hyperlinks inside the file.

There is one more benefit of a html file opened in a browser. This file is searchable. You can use your browser’s find tool to search for words inside the book.

You can start exploring Project Gutenberg from the list of the most popular ebook downloads . The world’s most loved and adored books are here: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Bram Stoker’s Dracula , Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, works by Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain’s A Tale of Two Cities , Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, or Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre . And it’s just the beginning!

2. Internet Archive

Internet Archive, founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization offering free access to digital or digitized content: books, images, videos, or audio files.

The catalog includes over 25,000,000 fully accessible books and other text files. From here, you can also start browsing a collection of 1.3 million contemporary ebooks that you will be able to borrow for free once you register an account. The ebook section can be reached at:  archive.org/details/texts .

Use the search box in the top right corner to find the book. By default, the list of results shows collection from popular libraries. You can sort the results by relevance, views, title, and the date of adding the item to the catalog.

You can use the tools on the left side to narrow down the list of results by collection, media type, availability (free or to borrow), language, or creator.

To start reading, just click on the arrows in the bottom bar of the image of the opened book. You can enter full screen by clicking on the full-screen toggle in the bottom right.

The online viewer presents the scanned pages of the book, what brings an extra flavor to reading. There are many ways to go through the content of the book, including one-page view, and zooming.

One thing to keep in mind is that the content of the book is fully searchable, let not the scan mislead you. Use the search bar in the top right corner to find a word. All found instances will be marked in the progress bar at the bottom.

One of the most amazing things on Internet Archive is the text-to-speech function. You can turn it on by clicking on the speaker icon in the bottom right corner of the book viewer.

What’s worth highlighting is that the Internet Archive hosts a vast number of foreign-language books. There are over 20 languages with the number of published text works exceeding 1,000 each.

3. Open Library

Open Library is Internet Archive’s separate project, focused on collecting library records. Its goal is to create one web page for every book ever published. On a page of a single book, you’ll find all its documented editions.

Compared to the Internet Archive, with its vast catalog and advanced search features, the Open Library website is simpler and more user-friendly, and you can find the books you need much quicker.

When you go to  Classic Books  section, you will find over 3 million books that are “accessible,” which means they are free to read online or download.

Once you find the book, you will immediately know whether you can read it online or not. Just look for the big blue “Read” button. When you hover open the headphones icon, you will be able to listen to the audio version.

Click on the Read icon and you will be redirected to a full-screen online reader on the Internet Archive website.

In the top right corner of the viewer, you will see an option to download the book, usually in either epub or pdf format.

Open Library is more than just a catalog of free classic books. It also shows contemporary books that are free to read if you decide to borrow them. To do that, you may need to register at Open Library or find the book in your local library using WorldCat or Library Link. Each library book is marked with a “Borrow” button instead of “Read.”

4. Google Books

A huge collection of books that Google has scanned and turned into viewable files is available on Google Books.

The homepage of Google Books at books.google.com is actually nothing more than a search box. To start exploring this vast library of digitized books, you have to type in something, for instance a name of your favorite classic author or a title of a book.

Not all books can be fully previewed online, but you can narrow search results to those that are.

To do that, in the upper bar click on “Any view.” From a drop-down list select “Free Google eBooks” to see only the books that can be read online from the very beginning to the very end.

Google Books gives also a chance to preview free samples of books that are not available in the public domain. To see a list of these books, select “Preview available” option from the “Any books” drop-down menu.

The free preview of a copyrighted title included in Google Books doesn’t have to be a first part of the book.

Let’s say a publisher sets a free preview to be 20% of a book. You can select a chapter in the middle and read 20% from now on. Or jump from page to page, if you want.

You’ll be able to preview the book until you reach the limit of free pages set by a publisher.

5. Smashwords

Smashwords is a leading online platform with ebooks from independent authors and publishers. There are currently over 500,000 from over 100,000 self-published authors.

Thousands of books are available for free download and online view. The total number is changing, but usually around 100,000 titles are available for free viewing.

Smashwords authors have an option to set up the length of a free preview. Many writers decide to let readers preview the entire book online.

To see which books are free to read in your internet browser, go to Smashwords’ catalog of free ebooks . Then, change the way entries are being displayed – from stacks to list. Do it by clicking the bullet list icon in the top right.

In the list view, look for “Online Reader” button displayed at the bottom of an entry, next to blue buttons with ebook formats.

There are several customization options to choose from. You can select a size (4 levels to choose from), and font face (Arial, Courier, Times, Verdana, Georgia). You can also personalize colors by setting up your own font and background.

Quite frankly, reading interface offered by Smashwords is not the strongest part of this great site. There is no full-screen view, for example. It would help a lot, as the book content window is very narrow.

6. ManyBooks

ManyBooks offers free books in a clean and friendly interface. The site is ad supported but these ads are displayed usually at the bottom of the browser window and are not too disturbing.

Most books are sourced from Project Gutenberg and sites that offer books with a Creative Commons license.

In total, over 50 thousand books are available, all with nicely designed covers. Plus, each book is available in several file formats, a lot more than what you can find elsewhere.

Most importantly, each title from the ManyBooks catalog can be read in your internet browser.

After you find the book you want to read, go to this book’s details page and click on a large “Read Online” button.

The reading interface is very clean and nicely designed, although it takes some time to load it, especially when it comes with a book cover.

You can change the font size (4 levels), plus the site works well on mobile devices, so you can read books also in a browser on your tablet.

BookRix is a platform that offers books from self-published authors combined with free books from the public domain.

A catalog of free ebooks is an essential part of the website. On the top of a list, you will find the most popular categories, including literary fiction, fantasy, romance, thrillers, and young adult fiction.

When you enter any category, you will see books sorted by the popularity. On the top, you will see free books offered by contemporary authors.

Many classic titles from the public domain are also included in the BookRix directory of free ebooks. You will find them in the Fiction category.

When you find the book you want to read, click on its cover or title to enter the book details page. To open an online viewer, look for the “Read Book” button located next to the cover.

8. Authorama

If you are looking for a site that loads quickly even when you have a slow connection speed, you should visit Authorama.

Created and maintained by Philipp Lenssen, this dead-simple website includes several dozen popular books from Project Gutenberg. You can find here books by Mary Shelley, Francis Bacon, Charles Dickens, Jerome K. Jerome (yes, Three Men in a Boat !), or Robert Louis Stevenson.

The front page is at the same time a simple table of content, sorted by the name of an author.

Clicking on a book title link will open a simple html viewer. The content of each book is divided into several parts to let data load as quickly as possible.

This site can be viewed also in a browser on a mobile phone.

9. Bookboon

Bookboon is an online platform focused on providing free and paid textbooks for students and businesses.

The site offers textbooks written by professors from the world’s top universities. There are over 1,000 books that are free to download, but to do that, you have to sign up. When you visor the site for the first time, choose “Sign up for free eBooks.” You can use your Google, Facebook, Linkedin credentials to quickly access the catalog of books.

You can find on Bookboon several interesting books from the following categories: engineering, IT & programming, economics & finance, career & study advice, marketing, strategy & management, or languages.

Each book can be downloaded in pdf format, but you can also open an online reading interface by clicking “Start Reading” button.

If you are a free member, you will see ads in the content of the books you read. The company claims ads take no more than 15% of the content.

It’s worth highlighting that Bookboon has the nicest online reading interface. It’s clean, very well designed, and uses 100% of the web browser window without switching to full-screen mode.

10. Wattpad

Wattpad is one of the most popular e-reading websites in the world. It connects over 80 million readers-writers who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories published directly on the platform.

The site offers and promotes paid stories, but a vast majority of content is free to enjoy – but only for registered users, so you have to sign up to get access.

Use the “Browse” tab next to the logo on the left to find favorite genres. You can choose from adventure, fan fiction, LGBT+, new adult, romance, short stories, urban, or werewolf.

After you select the book from a list of results and click on its cover, a pop-up window will appear. Click on an orange button saying “Read” to start enjoying the story.

Please note that the site is ad supported and the reading interface also displays ads.

11. Library of Congress

Did you know you can read the world’s beloved children’s classics on the Library of Congress website?

The digital collection Classic Books includes “only” about 60 titles, but they are the ones you can’t find anywhere else.

This catalog looks like a great idea to spend some time with your kids reading together the books in their original look and feel. The books are scanned and digitized beautifully and the interface looks gorgeous!

To start reading, simply click on a link “Read This Book Now” that’s located next to the book’s cover.

What would you like to start with? How about Humpty Dumpty , with extraordinary illustrations by W. W. Denslow? Or the original edition of The Jungle Book ? You can read Peter Rabbit , The Rocket Book by Peter Newell, or one of the best stories from Hans Christian Andersen – The Snow Queen . Enjoy!

12. HathiTrust Library

HathiTrust Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from academic and research libraries, aggregating millions of books and texts from Google Books, Internet Archive or Library of Congress.

HathiTrust is like Google Books but much more user friendly. The front page includes a search box with advanced options. Make sure to check “Full-text” and “Full view only” options to see only the books that are ready to be opened in an online reading interface.

A surprisingly enjoyable way of exploring available books is to use Collections (you can choose this option in the top navigation bar).

When you find the book you want to read, simply click on the “Full View” link and the viewer will open immediately. You can dismiss the left sidebar to enter the full-screen mode. If you don’t see the “Full View” link, it means the book is not available for online reading.

Keep exploring. Here are other popular lists for book lovers:

• Free ebooks for Christmas 2023: here are the top 20 downloads Just like a year ago, we are presenting the list of ebooks that were most downloaded from Project Gutenberg in […]
• 12 best personalized gifts for librarians and library supporters These library-themed gifts are extremely easy to personalize. All you have to do is add your own text!
• Here are the 12 best iPhone case covers for book lovers In this updated overview, you’ll see gorgeous iPhone covers that will remind you of the joy of reading books anywhere, […]
• 12 best metal accessories and home decor for book lovers Explore some of the best home decor items for book lovers that are handmade from metal: steel, brass, copper, bolts, […]

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4 responses to “12 sites where you can read full books online”

[…] have a detailed list of sites where you can read ebooks online – why not exploring it right […]

[…] Before ordering a hard copy, first, try to find an online textbook. You can use various websites or just conduct your research using Google (remember to type a format, like epub, pdf, txt, mobi). You can also find and read the books online. […]

Please check out Century Past Free Online Library. An easy way to find exactly what you want from the free 3.6 million book online library at Internet Archive. Plus we have 500 free magazines.

centurypast.org

[…] Whenever you need to buy a textbook, try to find it online first. You can use various websites or just conduct your research using Google (remember to type a format, like epub, pdf, txt, mobi). You can also use .html or .htm to find and read books online. […]

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32 Websites To Get The Best College Books For Free

By: Author Nicole Booz

Posted on Last updated: May 27, 2024

Categories College

Are you a college student looking for ways to save money on textbooks? Here are 32 places and 10 tips to get college books for free!

Are you a college student looking for ways to save money on textbooks? If so, this post is for you!

I used to spend a few hundred dollars per semester on textbooks before I realized that there were a ton of ways to get the material for a reduced price or even free.

As college students , we know how exorbitant the pricing of textbooks can be. The high cost of textbooks is unfair truly unfair and a huge financial burden on college students. Higher education is not cheap, that’s for sure.

No matter what subject areas you’re looking for for your college courses , we’re covering the best websites to find college books for free.

In this post, we’ll discuss the various options available for getting free or discounted college textbooks.

We’ll look at websites that offer ebook editions of textbooks, sites that specialize in renting and selling used books, as well as other online resources that can help you save money on college textbooks.

Additionally, we’ll review some tips for tracking down the best deals and discounts available.

We’ll also cover how to use library resources to get free access to certain books . By the end of this post, you’ll be armed with the knowledge necessary to find affordable textbooks for your courses. So let’s get started!

Websites To Get College Books For Free

Finding free college textbooks can be a challenge, but there are several online resources where you can access or download them for free.

Here are some places to look for free college textbooks:

1. OpenStax ( https://openstax.org/ ):

OpenStax by Rice University is a nonprofit organization that provides free, peer-reviewed digital textbooks for a variety of college subjects. They offer downloadable PDF versions as well as online interactive versions of their textbooks.

2. Project Gutenberg ( https://www.gutenberg.org/ ):

Project Gutenberg offers over 60,000 free eBooks, including many classic literature and academic texts that are available in the public domain. While it may not have textbooks for every subject, it’s worth checking to see if they have any relevant materials.

This is especially a good place to look if you do not need the latest edition of a book.

3. Open Textbook Library ( https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/ ):

The Open Textbook Library provides a collection of free, peer-reviewed textbooks from various disciplines. You can browse their catalog and download the textbooks in PDF or read them online.

4. LibGen ( http://libgen.is/ ):

Library Genesis, often referred to as LibGen, is a popular online platform for accessing free scientific articles, textbooks, and research papers. It provides a vast collection of materials, including textbooks, though availability may vary.

5. Bookboon ( https://bookboon.com/ ):

Bookboon offers a selection of free textbooks and educational materials primarily focused on business, engineering, IT, and finance . They provide downloadable PDF versions.

6. Open Culture ( https://www.openculture.com/free_textbooks ):

Open Culture provides a list of websites where you can find free textbooks and educational resources. They have links to various platforms and repositories that offer free textbooks in different subjects.

7. Internet Archive ( https://archive.org/ ):

The Internet Archive is a digital library that offers access to a wide range of materials, including books, articles, and textbooks. You can search their collection and see if they have the textbooks you need available for free.

The wayback machine let’s you access anything that ever existed on the internet, for te most part.

8. Project MUSE ( https://muse.jhu.edu/ ):

Project MUSE is a digital collection of scholarly books and journals. While not all content is free, some publishers make their textbooks available for free on this platform. Utilize the search bar to find what you’re looking for in a digital format.

9. BCCampus OpenEd ( https://open.bccampus.ca/ )

BCCampus OpenEd provides an extensive collection of open textbooks for various fields. The textbooks are available in PDF and EPUB format and can be downloaded for free.

10. Bookshare ( https://www.bookshare.org/cms/get-started/textbooksonline )

Bookshare is an online library that provides access to free digital texts for individuals with print disabilities. They have a variety of college textbooks available in accessible formats, such as audio and braille.

11. bioRxiv ( https://www.biorxiv.org/ )

bioRxiv is a preprint server for the life sciences. It provides access to free research papers, articles, and textbooks from various scientific fields.

12. Cite Seer X (https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/index)

Cite Seer X is a scientific literature search engine that provides access to over 8 million research papers, books, and articles. While not all of the content is free, they have a significant amount of open-access material available.

13. Every Poet (http://www.everypoet.com/)

Every Poet is a platform for free digital poetry books. They have an extensive collection of poems from various authors, along with some prose texts. While not all of the content is strictly academic in nature, it might be helpful if you’re looking for additional reading material related to your courses.

14. Google Books ( https://books.google.com/ ):

Google Books offers a vast collection of books, including many college textbooks. While not all books are available for free, you can often find preview pages or sections of textbooks that can be useful for studying .

15. HathiTrust Digital Library ( https://www.hathitrust.org/ ):

HathiTrust is a partnership of academic and research institutions that provides access to a vast digital library. They offer millions of books, including textbooks, that you can access for free if you are affiliated with a participating institution.

16. BookFinder ( https://www.bookfinder.com/ ):

BookFinder is a search engine for books that allows you to compare textbook prices and find the best deals on new, used, and rare books. While not all books are free, you can often find significantly discounted prices or used copies at low cost.

17. InTechOpen ( https://www.intechopen.com/ ):

InTechOpen provides open-access textbooks in various scientific disciplines. They offer PDF versions of their books that can be downloaded for free.

18. OER Commons ( https://www.oercommons.org/ )

OER Commons is an online library and a valuable resource sharing platform, where you can find open educational resources from around the world. They have a variety of free textbooks available in different subjects.

19. Libre Texts ( https://libretexts.org/ ):

Libre Texts is an open educational resource platform that provides unlimited access free textbooks in various subjects. They offer interactive versions of their textbooks as well as PDF and EPUB formats that can be downloaded for free.

20. WorldCat ( https://www.worldcat.org/ ):

WorldCat is a catalog of books, articles, and other materials from libraries around the world. While not all of the content is free, you might be able to find some relevant textbooks that are available to borrow from a library near you.

21. Lyryx ( https://lyryx.com/ ):

Lyryx is a platform for accessing free open-access textbooks. They have a wide range of titles, including many related to mathematics and science (STEM fields). The books are available in both PDF and HTML formats.

22. Online Mathematics Textbooks ( https://cain.math.gatech.edu/textbooks/onlinebooks.html ):

Online Mathematics Textbooks is a repository of free mathematics textbooks from various universities. You can browse through their catalog and download the books in PDF format.

23. Textbook Revolution (http://textbookrevolution.org/):

Textbook Revolution is an online platform that provides access to free educational materials, including textbooks and lecture notes. They have a variety of textbooks available in different subjects, and all of them can be downloaded for free.

24. Ocean of PDF ( https://oceanofpdf.com/ ):

Ocean of PDF is an online library that offers a selection of free e-books in various genres. While not all books are educational in nature, you might be able to find some relevant textbooks and other materials.

25. Ebook Lobby ( https://ebooklobby.com/ ):

Ebook Lobby is an online platform for accessing free e-books. They have a variety of books available in different genres, including textbooks and lecture notes that can be downloaded for free.

26. Project Gutenburg (https://www.gutenberg.org/):

Project Gutenburg is a library of free digital books. They have an extensive collection of texts, including many older textbooks and classic literature that are available in PDF format.

Other Places To Find College Books For Free:

In addition to the previously mentioned resources, here are some other places where you can find free college textbooks:

College or university libraries:

Your college or university library may have copies of textbooks that you can borrow. Check with the library staff to see if they have any textbook lending programs or electronic resources available.

Online forums and communities:

There are online forums and communities where students share resources, including textbooks. Websites like Reddit (r/FreeTextBooks, r/TextbookRelease) or specialized student forums may have posts or threads where users share free textbook resources.

OpenCourseWare (OCW) platforms:

Many universities and educational institutions provide free access to their course materials, including textbooks, through OpenCourseWare platforms. Examples include MIT OpenCourseWare ( https://ocw.mit.edu/ ) and OpenLearn ( https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ ), among others.

Public libraries:

Local public libraries often have textbooks available for borrowing. While the selection may not be as extensive as a college library, it’s worth checking if they have any textbooks relevant to your studies.

BookMooch (https://www.bookmooch.com/)

BookMooch is a website for swapping books. Members can exchange their old textbooks with other users, so it’s worth checking if they have any relevant titles available.

You may find someone willing to give away or trade the textbooks you need.

PaperBackSwap ( https://www.paperbackswap.com/ )

write about paper backswap

PaperBackSwap is another website where you can swap books with other users. They have a wide selection of textbooks and other books, so it’s worth checking if they have any materials that you need. Additionally, the site also offers discounts on certain titles.

By using these resources and being mindful of your budget, you should be able to get the textbooks

Hot Tips To Find College Books For Free

Even when searching these sites, there are some extra tips that can help you find books for free or even a lower cost.

1. Ask your professor if they have any free textbooks available:

Professors often have access to various resources and may be able to help you find free textbooks or other course materials.

2. Compare prices online before buying a textbook:

Take the time to compare prices for the textbooks you need on various sites, so you can get the best deal.

3. Look for digital versions of textbooks:

Some publishers offer digital versions of textbooks that are cheaper or even free. Be sure to check if there’s a digital version before buying the physical copy.

4. Consider renting textbooks instead of buying them:

Renting textbooks can be cheaper than buying them, and some platforms offer discounts for students. The good thing is that some college campuses actually offer this service.

5. Take advantage of online forums and student communities:

Look for posts or threads on online forums such as Reddit, specialized student forums, and other platforms where students share resources. You may be able to find free textbooks or discounted books from your peers.

6. Take advantage of public libraries:

Your local public library may have copies of textbooks available for borrowing. This is a great place to look for free textbooks – the library is usually a great resource for everyone.

7. Check out OpenCourseWare platforms:

Many universities and educational institutions provide free access to course materials, including textbooks, through OpenCourseWare platforms.

8. Take advantage of book swap websites:

Websites like BookMooch and PaperBackSwap allow users to exchange their old textbooks with other members, so it’s worth checking if they have any materials that could be useful for you.

9. Make use of online libraries and repositories:

There are many online libraries, archives, and repositories where you can find free textbooks in various subjects. Do a quick search to see if the textbooks you need are available.

10. Consider buying used textbooks:

Used textbooks are often cheaper than new ones, and you can find them online or through bookstores. Just make sure to check the condition of the book before buying it.

Follow these tips, and you should be able to save a lot on your college textbooks! With some research and creativity , you can get free books that will help you succeed in your academics. Best of luck!

How can you college books for free through the library?

Many libraries offer free access to college textbooks through their online databases. You can search for the books you need online, and then access a digital version of the book that you can read on your computer or other device.

Additionally, some libraries may have physical copies of textbooks available in their collections that you can check out. Be sure to ask library staff if they have any textbooks available for your specific course.

You can also look into interlibrary loan programs, which are collaborations between libraries that let you borrow materials from other participating libraries. This is especially helpful if your college library doesn’t have the textbook you need.

Another option is to use free ebook downloads offered by many libraries. Some may offer access to certain collections of ebooks and other digital materials, such as textbooks. Check with your local library to see what they offer.

Finally, you can look into book exchange programs offered by some colleges and universities. These are websites where students can offer their used textbooks for sale or trade to fellow students. The books may be available at a discounted price or even for free in some cases.

Alternatives To Getting College Books For Free

If you’re not able to find some of the books you need for school for free, there are still ways you can get them at a reduced price.

Here are some alternatives to getting free books:

1. Rent textbooks:

Renting textbooks can be a good way to save money on your college expenses. Many online stores offer textbook rentals at discounted prices, making them a great option for students on a budget.

2. Buy used textbooks:

Check second hand through online retailers like Amazon, Thriftbooks, and eBay. You can also likely find books in different languages this way, if you need them.

3. Buy digital versions:

Many publishers offer digital versions of textbooks that are cheaper or even free. Be sure to check if there’s a digital version before buying the physical copy.

4. Look for discounts and coupons:

Online stores and bookstores often have discounts and coupons available. Make sure to check if there are any applicable for the textbooks you need.

5. Borrow from friends or family:

Friends or family members may be willing to lend you their old textbooks, so don’t be afraid to ask around! It never hurts to try.

You could post what you’re looking for on social media as well as share what you have for sale or trade.

6. Look for scholarships:

Some universities and organizations offer scholarships or financial aid specifically for textbooks, so it’s worth checking if there are any available.

Personally I would avoid using student loans for college textbooks. It’s just not worth it when you can find most textbooks in a more inexpensive way.

7. Organize a book swap in your dorm or on your campus:

Organizing a book swap is a great way to get the textbooks you need and also help your fellow students out.

All you have to do is put up some posters announcing the event, and people will likely be more than willing to take part in it. Group by major, like the social sciences, physical sciences, etc to get the most out of the swap.

By taking advantage of these alternatives, you should be able to find the textbooks you need without breaking the bank. Good luck!

Final Thoughts on Finding College Books For Free

Finding college textbooks for free or at a reduced price can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. With some research and creativity, you can get free books that will help you succeed in your academics.

When you consider the price of textbooks, you’ll realize it’s worth it to spend the time to find alternatives.

Look into the various options available on websites such as BookMooch and PaperBackSwap, take advantage of online forums and student communities, and check public libraries for textbooks. You can also look into OpenCourseWare platforms, take advantage of book swap websites, or make use of online libraries and repositories.

Additionally, consider renting textbooks or buying used ones to save some money . Finally, don’t forget to look for discounts from online stores, borrow from friends or family, or organize a book swap in your community.

Remember that the availability of specific textbooks for free may vary, and it’s recommended to explore multiple sources and platforms to increase your chances of finding the books you need.

Follow these tips, and you should be able to save a lot on your college textbooks! Best of luck!

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About the Author

Nicole Booz is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of GenTwenty, GenThirty, and The Capsule Collab. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of The Kidult Handbook (Simon & Schuster May 2018). She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably hiking, eating brunch, or planning her next great adventure.

Website: genthirty.com

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33 websites to get free college textbooks.

As a college student who wants to make the best grades, you need textbooks to aid your studies, understand your lectures, and in the end, pass your exams without fuss. However, buying these textbooks can be a hassle due to their high prices, low availability, and minimal usage. Also, there are some textbooks that you won’t utilize fully as you only need a few chapters’ worths of information but no one is going to sell part of a textbook to you. Luckily, there are 33 websites where you can get college textbooks for free ! Let’s have a look, shall we?

1. Archive.Org (The Wayback Machine)

Kicking off our list is Archive.org , a site that does more than you think. It offers an extensive catalog of media such as online books, PDFs, documents, and even old YouTube tutorials. 

What’s more, you can download these books in different formats based on your preferences. With archive.org, you can back up your digital books and documents. As a website, it’s a testament to its name and you have access to media you can’t find anywhere else.

2. Bookboon

With Bookboon , you’re not only getting access to textbooks for free but also textbooks that were written and published by the top lecturers of the best universities. Whether the course you’re studying is in the Business department, Economics, Literature, Science and Technology, you have a catalog of top-end books to pick from.

Also, the site offers you a skill learning program for personal development.

3. BCcampus OpenEd

The aim of any free college textbooks website is to make higher learning tools more accessible to the masses. That’s exactly what OpenEd promotes through its catalog of materials centered on the most popular courses in British Columbia.

The books offered are well versed in areas of Accounting, Sociology, Media, Arts, Biology, Business, Skill Learning, Trading, and Technology. The site is easily accessible through keywords and specific fields.

If you’re on the lookout for a free college books website that offers textbooks specifically for science, then look no further. bioRxiv is a science-dedicated website that offers a catalog of books for topics like Dermatology, Ecology, Pharmacology, and so on.

It’s also a site that keeps its consumers informed as you get notifications about newly published articles and papers. They also have a Twitter page that you can follow for updates.

5. Bookshare

It can be hard to find a free college books website that offers the less popular textbooks in the less known fields of study. Luckily, Bookshare is your go-to source for all things non-mainstream. From cooking to literature to graphic arts, there’s a book for each of your needs.

Also, if you require college books for free to prep for an SAT or MCAT, LSAT, or GRE exam, look no further than Bookshare.

6. Cite Seer X

When it comes to getting free college textbooks from before the 21st century, Cite Seer X is the website for you. With a wide array of books written before 2000 and created by Penn University, Cite Seer X offers a portal to the past and ensures you have a blast looking for the books you need. Cite Seer X also offers citations for the content you use; a handy tool.

7. Digital Book Index

As the name suggests, Digital Book Index offers links to hundreds of thousands of digital books for all subject areas. These subject areas range from Math to Sciences to Medicine to Religion to Law to Philosophy and History. At Digital Book Index, you are granted access to thousands of PDF books from authors, publishers, universities, and private websites, all for free.

8. Every Poet

Every Poet is your online buddy for all things poetry. You get access to outstanding classical poetic publications from renowned poets like Sylvia Platt and Robert Frost. What’s more, you can submit your publications for assays and even read other publications from other Every Poet users. A hub for poets looking for free college books, Every Poet is a website dedicated to making your studies of English and literature courses easier.

9. Free-E-Books.net

Free E-Books.net is a website that also offers free college textbooks for students to aid their studies. It offers a catalog of books in all areas of study, with a huge focus on Literature. When you access the website, you get a drop-down menu that organizes all textbooks based on their area of study. Another cool feature is the access to online videos and blogs from skilled experts in various fields of study.

10. Free Book Spot

Free Book Spot is another treasure chest for students looking for free college textbooks to download in PDF format. Here, you can search for digital books on topics such as Agriculture, Economy, Astronomy, Sciences, Math, Archaeology, and much more.

The Free Book Spot website allows you to search for digital books using keywords, authors, ISBN, and languages. You also have access to literature novels.

11. Freeditorial

What happens when you mix the features of an open digital library and an online publishing house to form one website? The result is an open-for-all hub of writers and publishers known as Freeditorial . You see, at Freeditorial, you get access to download free college textbooks from all spheres of education. Also, these books are available in English and Spanish in an easy-to-access catalog. Writers can also publish their works for the masses to see.

12. IntechOpen

IntechOpen has been a household name for all things digital textbooks since 2004. It boasts over 2,000 published textbooks in the fields of computer science books , robotics, and many STEM courses you’re interested in. To further prove its credibility and popularity, IntechOpen has amassed over 60 million downloads on its websites. The website also offers journals that have been reviewed by your peers in your field of study for your reading consumption.

13. Library Genesis

Popularly known as LibGen, Library Genesis is a website that offers college textbooks for free for any kind of student. That’s right, every free college textbook you need is available to download in PDF on the website. You can easily search through the LibGen Library using keywords, ISBN, year of publication, authors, extensions, and so on. The textbooks are available to download in various languages making them a popular choice around the globe.

14. Libre Texts

When it comes to the user-friendly interface and a large digital library, Libre Texts packs a punch in the hub of the digital book. With 398 textbooks on offer, the website is host to over 220 million students looking for free college textbooks. Also, it’s the kind of website you go to when searching for PDFs that have already been tested and reviewed by your fellow college students.

Lyryx is a website that offers free college textbooks but it doesn’t end there. With Lyryx, your learning process is taken a step further with the implementation of online assignments tailor-made to help keep your senses sharp and develop your skills. Lyryx as a website offers free college textbooks to all college students with subjects like Mathematics  Statistics, Economics, and Business as their main focus.

16. Manybooks.net

From the name of the website, it’s pretty obvious how abundant the catalog of this website is. With over 29,000 digital books available to college students, Manybooks.net boasts an extensive catalog and houses an attractive interface that makes searching for books to download worthwhile. But it’s not just their books that are many, the website offers free college textbooks in 46 languages making it a global go-to place.

17. Mobilism

Originally created as a forum for users to share their media with others, Mobilism has established itself as an extensive eBook library for the masses. With an extensive catalog and an easy-to-search feature, you’ll face zero difficulties finding the academic books you need. Another great feature of Mobilism is the regular updates, especially to the download links. So, if you encounter a broken link, the authors can be notified and changes will be made.

18. Online Mathematics Textbooks 

Online Mathematics Textbooks  website provides students with a list of 77 titles that can be safely attributed to the category of ‘must-have’ mathematics textbooks. Such a book collection is a real find for aspiring math students and people with a keen interest in math. The book list is thoroughly elaborated by George Cain from Georgia Tech, being at the same time one of the authors of various textbooks, and includes valuable materials created by other professors. All books are 100% free and available for downloading.

19. Openstax.org

Openstax is a website created by Rice University, a nonprofit organization. It’s a website that provides free college textbooks in PDFs with the sole aim of improving students’ access to learning tools. The website offers its services in both English and Spanish languages. As for the textbooks offered, they range in subjects from Math to Sciences to Economics to Business and so on.

20. Open Textbook Library

Open Textbook Library is a free online source for college textbooks that was created by the Open Educational Network. It was set up to help improve the quality of higher education as well as increase access to learning tools such as free textbooks. They offer PDFs for subjects such as Arts, Mathematics, Social Sciences, History, Media arts, Journalism, and many more. These textbooks have been licensed by the authors and made available for your use.

21. OER Commons

A subsidiary of the Open Educational Resources, OER Commons is a digital platform for you to explore thousands of useful digital books. With a variety of subjects available for you, the platform offers you access to educators and their works, all to help improve your educational prowess. The advanced search feature of the website makes it easy to search for the free college textbooks you need quickly and accurately.

22. Ocean of PDF

The name of the website says it all. Just like the ocean is a massive body of water, Ocean of PDF is a massive digital library of free college textbooks for you to pick from. With its extensive library and easy interface, searching for the textbooks you need is a piece of cake. Dive into the Ocean of PDF , and if you don’t find what you need, you can request for it to be added.

23. Open Culture

Founded in 2006, Open Culture is a website that offers an immense amount of resources with textbooks offering every form of knowledge available. The site is most popular for its provision of materials centered on cultural and educational media content. The site is home to thousands of free college textbooks and you can bump up your learning with audiobooks if you wish. The website is easily accessible and the contents are of top quality and free too.

24. Project Gutenberg

A dream come true for students of the Humanities department. Project Gutenberg is a project that offers an increase in the distribution of useful resources, especially free college textbooks. Humanities students will love this site because of its extensive library of large fictional and cultural resources. The textbooks are easy to search for and downloading them is no fuss at all.

25. PDFBooksWorld

Sometimes your search for a free college textbook requires a trip to the past and that’s what PDFBooksWorld offers its users. The website’s library is filled with textbooks written by renowned authors from the pre-digitization age. One feature that makes this site worthwhile is the availability of different digital textbooks, each suited to the different screen sizes available. This makes reading a lot easier.

26. PDF Grab

PDF Grab is another website that grants you access to free college textbooks in the form of e-books or PDFs, depending on your visual preference. The search feature of the website allows you to search using either the title of the book or ISBN. With PDF Grab, you get access to digital books of different categories including Business, Law, Medicine, and so on.

27. PDF Drive

There are classical books that help your research, and then there are the new, modern textbooks that offer a different perspective to your learning scheme. PDF Drive is just the website you need to discover these textbooks and download them for free. Browse through their catalog and discover the most sought-after textbooks.

28. PDF Magazine

Just like the name suggests, PDF Magazine is host to thousands of magazines that can be viewed and downloaded in PDF format. The large library of this website contains half a million resources and is a good place to source the free college textbooks you need. A great feature of this website is the availability of textbooks in 40 different languages, making it easy to access globally.

29. ScholarWorks

A few of the free textbook websites on this list have their roots in universities, and this is no different. Created and maintained by Grand Valley State University, ScholarWorks offers a wide range of free college textbooks for students and aims to improve learning at a higher level. This is achieved through the easily accessible digital books written and published by scholars. 

30. Saylor Academy

Saylor Academy is a digital free college textbooks library that offers you textbooks in PDF, Microsoft Word, and Epub formats. Added to that, you’re allowed to review each textbook through a survey so you can let the publishers know what you think of their books and papers. Saylor Academy offers diverse digital books across many fields of study including online marketing and public speaking.

31. Sci-Hub

Sci-Hub is for students in the science field looking for free college textbooks specific to their area of study. Regardless of its specificity, the website has a lot of great content and features digital books, journals, and research papers. The site also houses files that are hard to find and makes it easier to access a lot of science-related textbooks.

32. The Assayer

If you’re on the lookout for a large digital library that houses all the free college textbooks that remain constant from year to year, then The Assayer is a great pick. The contents of the digital library are textbooks that have been released by publishers and made available for public use. This site makes it easier to download textbooks from previous years rather than spend money on new ones.

33. Wikibooks

Picture a website that has an immense wealth of knowledge in all fields across the globe. This is exactly what Wikibooks offers. It’s a site dedicated to helping you start up and build your knowledge in all fields including STEM courses, Social Sciences, and language learning. Browse the various e-books available to get started.

Olivia Smith

Olivia Smith is a seasoned content writer and BookScouter website advocate. She believes that high quality well-researched content is the key to success for any business. Having been involved in content marketing for 6+ years, she's proud to help BookScouter users to complement their education and pursue personal development delivering great stories and pieces of advice.

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20 of the best places to get free kindle books.

We’re all about directing you to your next glorious read at Reedsy Discovery. Looking for the next audiobooks that will turn your road trip into an epic adventure? We’ve got you covered. Want a book that will tide you over between Stranger Things seasons? Check these out. Creating a list of books you absolutely need to read in your lifetime? This list will come in handy!  

Our newest list is perhaps one of the most useful ones we’ve featured yet! Because it will open not one, but twenty potential doors to free reading for you. Without further ado, here are our top picks of places to find free Kindle books.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great books out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized book recommendation  😉

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Where to find free ebooks for Kindle

When it comes to scoring free Kindle books, there are two main groups of readers: those with Amazon Prime, and those without. If you have a Prime account, Amazon offers a number of ways to bury your nose in an ebook at no cost — well, other than the cost of your Prime account, of course, which you might already have for the handy one/two-day shipping perk. 

But for Prime-less readers who typically wait 10-12 business days for Amazon packages to arrive, there are still a number of ways to find free Kindle books. Let’s start with those.

1. Amazon Best Sellers - Top 100 Free Ebooks 

Sometimes it just makes sense to go straight to the source. If you’re a fan of genre fiction, the list of 100 best selling free Kindle books on Amazon will be for you. There are romance, crime thrillers, and urban fantasy abound, and downloading your free copy is never more than two clicks away as you browse your way through.

Check it out if: nothing quite conjures up the same level excitement for you as the words “free,” “genre,” and “fiction.”

2. Free Popular Classics

This section of Amazon’s Kindle bookstore includes both free and low-priced classics — currently Les Misérables and A Tale of Two Cities tops the list — as well as a number of translated classics, particularly Arabic and Russian editions. Been a while since you read Ivanhoe ? This list has got you covered. Lost your old copy of David Copperfield ? Download the ebook free here.

Check it out if: there’s something poetic to you about consuming literature that was written centuries ago on a piece of technology only a little over a decade old.

3. Overdrive 

Popular children’s TV show Arthur told us: “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.” We’d like to add an addendum to that pearl of wisdom that reads: “Reading free Kindle books isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card at a library that works with Overdrive .” 

Overdrive allows book-lovers to access free ebooks and audiobooks — including new releases or current best sellers — through their local libraries. At the moment, Overdrive is partnered with more than 30,000 libraries in 40 countries. See if that includes one near you with their library locator tool ! 

Check it out if: obtaining your driver’s license was far less exciting than pocketing your first library card.

4. Project Gutenberg 

This is another good pick for lovers of classic literature. It boasts over 60,000 ebooks, most of which are older titles with expired US copyright. The best part: Project Gutenberg is powered by thousands of volunteers who digitize the books so the rest of us can enjoy them for free.

Check it out if: you enjoy both gratis reads and gothic banners.

5. Weber Books Kindle Buffet

Every day, the kind folks at Weber Books post several top picks for free or discounted Kindle books, including a blurb for each book and the download link. You can also subscribe to their list and have their recommendations delivered directly to your inbox each morning. 

Check it out if: you prefer to be directed towards books, instead of perusing them on your own.

6. The eReader Cafe

Like the other aggregators on this list, The eReader Cafe posts new listings every day for free Kindle — and also free Nook — books. The handy rating shown at the top of each listing will help you find your next read if you’re a four-star only kind of bibliophile.

Check it out if: you think nothing quite goes with free novels like a cup of joe.

7. Free Kindle Books & Tips

New free and discounted ebooks is the name of the game with this site ! An added bonus, though, is their search feature, which lets you search for gratis reads based on whatever keyword you want.

Check it out if: you want to subscribe to a newsletter about free ebooks.

8. Many Books 

While many of the other sites in this post have a fairly basic-looking interface, Many Books has a definite leg up in the aesthetics department — making it not only a useful site for finding no-charge novels, but also one you’ll enjoy using. 

Check it out if: you want the option to search for no-charge reads by genre.

9. DigiLibraries

As their site professes, “ DigiLibraries.com offers a digital source of free eBooks for any taste, a vast range of titles in digital format and our free eBooks collection is growing all the time.” As with Many Books, one of the handy functions of this site is to search by genre and category.

Check it out if: you want to be able to download titles in either EPUB, PDF, or MOBI formats.

10. Centsless Books 

What sets Centsless Books apart from the rest of the gang is their newsletter, delivered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, promising freebies, gift cards, and giveaways. Seriously, who doesn’t want to wake up three times a week to the prospect of book-ish goodies?

Check it out if: you sometimes go to Costco just for the samples — this site has your love of “free” covered.

11. BookBub

BookBub is something of a household name in the world of ebooks. As their site boasts: 

BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover books they'll love while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Upon joining, members receive unbeatable deals selected by our expert editorial team, handpicked recommendations from people they trust, and real-time updates from their favorite authors.”

Check it out if: you don’t want to be limited in terms of genres — BookBub has a wide variety of categories.

12. Freebooksy

Free Kindle and Nooks books are advertised on Freebooksy , as well as no-charge reads from Kobo, Google, and Apple. It’s a free book-lovers paradise! Make sure to check-in often as new titles are posted every day — and sometimes several of them go up at once.

Check it out if: you have an insatiable hunger for complimentary ebooks on a daily basis.

13. One Hundred Free Books

One Hundred Free Books alerts you to the latest limited-time free books in the Kindle store. Quick false advertising disclaimer, though: One Hundred Free Books is actually home to a number closer to 7,000 books. 

Check it out if: you’re all about getting in on limited-time offers.

14. Free Books Hub

Variety is the spice of life, and Free Books Hub knows it. That’s why they offer a number of different lists: dollar books, featured free Kindle books, free Prime books, and free Smashwords books. 

Check it out if: you’re an Amazon Prime member who wants an aggregator all for themselves.

15. Ebook Daily 

Three new free Kindle books are added to a range of different genres every day on the Ebook Daily site. The best part? You can sign up for a free account and set your preferences for personalized reading recommendations on the regular.

Check it out if: you enjoy the personal touch.

16. PixelScroll

Perhaps you’re not completely committed to free books exclusively. Perhaps you’re also interested in no-charge audiobooks, or are willing to spend a few dollars on a heavily discounted — and typically pricey — piece of literature. Pixel Scroll to the rescue! Their pick of the days, featured deals, and bargain features will give you all of the above.

Check it out if: your purse strings aren’t irrevocably locked, and are willing to budge just a little.

If you have Amazon Prime

Signing up for AmazonPrime ($99/year) to read for free is a bit of an oxymoron. Prime itself isn’t free, so technically the reading you do through the program isn’t free either. But if you work your way through enough of the titles that are available at no extra-charge to Prime customers — then the membership really does end up paying for itself! So if you’re someone who’s looking to consume more mainstream content in the cheapest way possible, you and Amazon Prime will likely get along nicely.

17. Prime Reading 

We get it –– you love your Kindle but you don’t want to be tied down to just one ereader. Prime Reading not only offers thousands of free books, magazines, comics, and more, it also allows you to read this content on any device. Our favorite part: Prime Reading includes books with Audible narration, meaning you can switch back and forth between reading and listening to your chosen titles . 

18. Kindle Singles

Kindle Singles offers a vast variety of reporting, essays, memoirs, narratives, and short stories that serve to entertain and educate. We believe that short fiction and non-fiction is an ever-increasingly popular form of literature, and Kindle Singles is a great place to start! And, of course, it’s free from Prime members.

19. First Reads

Love to be the first in the know? You’ll like First Reads . It gives Amazon Prime members two free pre-release (and typically highly anticipated) books every month. There’s a number of different genres you can choose from, including thriller, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, psychological thriller, true crime, suspense, fantasy, and children’s.

20. Kindle Unlimited

This is another “not technically free” option, but again, if you do enough reading, it ends up being worth the cost. Kindle Unlimited is widely known as “the Netflix for books,” as it allows people to read as much as they’d like in exchange for the cost of a monthly subscription  — $9.99/month. 

Kindle Unlimited is separate from Amazon Prime — the latter is Amazon’s premium subscription service for all products, while the former deals exclusively with books. 

While Kindle Unlimited is currently home to about 1.5 million books, many of the titles are from self-published authors, so it’s important to weigh your reading expectations against what the program offers before signing up. Check out our Kindle Unlimited 101 post for a full rundown of the service! 

Have an ePub file you want to convert to MOBI to read on your Kindle ereader? Try out our totally free ePub to MOBI converter!

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The 6 best places to find free books online:

Project gutenberg, open library, digital public library, the 6 best places to find free books online in 2021.

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

• It's great to support authors by directly buying books, but cost shouldn't be a barrier to reading.
• You can read thousands of free books online using everything from Libby to Project Gutenberg .
• You can read more about Insider's Education and Personal Development section here .

It's great to support authors by directly buying their books. But if buying every exciting bestseller isn't realistic for you, many authors are the first to say that cost should never be the reason you miss out on great books.

—Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) June 15, 2021

Public libraries have existed to increase accessibility to knowledge and benefit the public since the 18th century (though this last year forced closures across the nation ). Luckily, you can find the same books for free online (and even browse your local library's shelves via apps) if you know where to look.  

Below, you'll find six places where you can read free books online, from Project Gutenberg and thousands of books in the public domain (which tend to be classics) to digitized open libraries where you can borrow and download books for free. 

And if a book sparks a new interest, you can also find free online courses from some of the best universities in the world, too. 

Read for free on Libby

Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and more from your local public library for free. You can download them for offline reading via the app . 

All you need is a library card, which you can potentially sign up for in the app itself , depending on the library. 

What to read:

Note: select your local library to see custom search results

• " Where the Crawdads Sing " by Delia Owens
• " Becoming " by Michelle Obama
• " Educated " by Tara Westover
• " Little Fires Everywhere " by Celeste Ng

Read for free on Project Gutenberg

Choose from reportedly more than 60,000 free ebooks , especially older classics for which US copyright has expired. 

There's no fee or registration required, so you don't need an ID or library card to access these.

• " Pride and Prejudice " by Jane Austen
• " Frankenstein " by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
• " Alice's Adventures in Wonderland " by Lewis Carroll
• " Moby Dick " by Herman Melville

Read for free on Overdrive

Overdrive hosts millions of books and audiobooks online for free (and owns apps Libby and Sora ). You can find everything from "The New York Times" bestsellers to children's books . 

As with Libby and other library apps, you'll need a library card to access the books.

• " The Four Winds " by Kristin Hannah
• " The Rose Code " by Kate Quinn
• " The Sanatorium " by Sarah Pearse
• " Klara and the Sun " by Kazuo Ishiguro
• " A Court of Silver Flames " by Sarah J. Maas

Read for free on Open Library

Open Library's eBook lending library gives you access to millions of books through the Internet Archive , an American digital library and preservation project that has been the subject of some controversy . 

Unlike other sites, you'll be flipping through images of a book that's been digitized rather than downloading a PDF. 

You can register with an email address, and you won't need an ID or library card to use it. 

• " The Four Agreements " by Don Miguel Ruiz
• " Snow Falling on Cedars " by David Guterson
• " The Lord of the Rings " by J.R.R. Tolkien
• " Pale Blue Dot " by Carl Sagan

Listen for free on LibriVox

Listen to free public domain audiobooks read by volunteers from around the world. Audiobooks range from historical fiction to children's action and adventure .

LibriVox's collection is also included in the Internet Archive . 

What to listen to:

• " Anna Karenina " by Leo Tolstoy 
• " Wuthering Heights " by Emily Brontë 
• " Adventures of Huckleberry Finn " by Mark Twain
• ​​" The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes " by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Read for free through the Digital Public Library

Download free ebooks within the public domain without creating an account.

You can search the Digital Public Library site by title, or scroll through collections that range from textbooks , children's books , young adult titles, language-specific books , works most recently added to the public domain, and editor picks .

• " Monah Loves the Market " by Nathalie Aigil
• " Japanese Fairy Tales " by Yei Theodora Ozaki
• " Romeo and Juliet " by William Shakespeare
• " Meditations " by Marcus Aurelius
• " Introductory Statistics " by Senior Contributing Authors

While you'll find the best combination of title choices and helpful or unique features above, you can also find free books through Wikisource (a now inactive catalog of texts ranging from " The Art of War " to " Sherlock Holmes "), and some on Amazon through Kindle's free popular classics.

• Main content

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Best place to find college textbooks! Share yours and request from others. Ideally they should be free or cheap! (Not full price etc). See 1st post for all amazing links to download PDF and ePub ebooks/etextbooks. /r/TextBook is now Online. Hope it helps you save money for other things to use at college :)

UPDATED SITES AND SOURCES FOR FREE BOOKS

This used to be in textbooks*, but that sub (along with textbookrequest, which shadowbans/censors free links etc, has been taken over by a greedy bookseller who has removed this message, and only wants to make money. While there is no harm in buying cheap textbooks, all options should be given, esp free ones.*

Add all the list of places where you can get cheap/free text books!

Goal is to be able to get textbooks to students for free/super cheap (hopefully free)

The first if obviously LIBGEN , the best place for ebooks!

Any ebook shared with us, we upload on libgen - Msg me and I'll try and get you what you want , though I've graduated now and don't have as much time, I still try and keep uploading new textbooks to Lib gen/zLib. If you end up buying one from someone here on reddit, do please share with me and I'll upload it :) There are people here who sell textbooks but their prices are slightly higher. Make sure they are legit from buying from them.

Custom search engine script that searches through many free sites: https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=b1e7d762449d340d5

More resources:

( They are not in any order. Also be careful, some of these sites try to make you download viruses so be careful. Tell us which sites are clean and which are not so clean and which should NOT be here! We try and remove all the malicious ones - ALWAYS USE AN ADBLOCKER )

Do please tell us if you know of any more.. If any of the above site doesn't work, please tell us that too. Also add comments etc below or message me and we'll try to add them here for guidance.

Before buying from anyone here, make sure their ID is old, have some comments and successful orders. Too many scammers nowadays :( Also if you end up buying ANY textbook, pls also send a link to me ( u/blainemeans2 ) so I can upload it to Libgen OR you can upload it there directly so everyone benefits! That would be huge!!

IF you can't find it anywhere, but its available on VitalSource, you can order it from ToF Books Custom (Domain updated from dot com to dot org) (they charge $23). - Make sure its available on Vitalsource.com first (basically they can rip mostly any ebook from vitalsource).

BEWARE OF SCAMMERS MESSAGING YOU ABOUT BOOKS. THEY USUALLY WON'T MESSAGE IN THE SUB FIRST

Known scammers: https://www.reddit.com/r/textbook/comments/10gsnyz/increasing_scammers_please_do_your_due_dilegence/ (Mods will try and keep this updated but please do your due diligence)

Updated post & links on 30th June 2023 - Publishers have been very active and taken down MANY MANY sites!! Some changed domains, some are gone forever.. - PM me for any updates and good sites

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The best free ebook download sites: from new bestsellers to classic Shakespeare

Fill your Kindle or Kobo (or Nook or Onyx Boox) for free

If you’ve taken up digital reading recently, having picked up one of the best ereaders there are on the market, you’ll find that there are ways to fill up the device without having to spend a penny.

There are thousands of ebooks available to download legally – either because their copyright has expired, or because their authors have chosen to release them without charge. And sometimes, publishing companies make them available to a limited number of readers before a public release to get feedback.

The difficulty, however, is tracking down exactly what you want in the correct format, and avoiding anything poorly written or formatted. We’ve searched through the masses of sites to bring you the very best places to download free, high-quality ebooks with minimum hassle and no legal strings attached.

It’s worth remembering that the absence of a price tag doesn’t necessarily mean that the book is in the public domain. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the author will retain rights over it, including the exclusive right to distribute it. Similarly, even if copyright has expired on an original text, certain editions may still be in copyright due to editing, translation, or extra material such as annotations.

While EPUBs are the most common type of ebook file format most ereaders can display, you’ll find digital editions in other formats as well. So if you find an ebook in a format you need, you can convert it with free software like Calibre . Please note that ebooks that are DRM protected cannot be converted.

• Thinking of buying a Kindle? Our guide to the best Kindles

So, without much ado, here are the best free ebook download sites to help you get lost in a good story.

1. Amazon First Reads

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

A hidden treasure trove of new titles for your Kindle

It used to be called Kindle First Reads, but its rebranding has not changed what it truly is – a reading platform that gets you early access to newly released titles published by Amazon Publishing. Each month 10 new books are made available on First Reads – which you can get access to by signing up for the First Reads newsletter – and one of these is totally free for Amazon Prime subscribers . The rest of the new releases are available for a hugely discounted price. First Reads selections are announced on the first of each month, and you get the whole month to decide which title you want to read, after which the cycle begins anew.

As you’d expect, free ebooks from Amazon are only available in Kindle format – users of other ebook readers will need to convert the files – and you must be logged into an Amazon account to download them.

If you’re already invested in Amazon’s ecosystem, its assortment of freebies are extremely convenient. As soon as you click the 'Buy' button, the ebook will be sent to any Kindle ebook readers you own, or devices with the Kindle app installed. However, converting Kindle ebooks to other formats can be a hassle, even if they’re not protected by DRM, so users of other readers are better off looking elsewhere.

Amazon First Reads for US customers Amazon First Reads for UK customers Amazon First Reads for Australian customers

2. Kobo eBook Store

Over a million free ebooks for your Kobo

Kobo might make some of our favorite ereaders, but the company also has a vast store of ebooks and, the company claims, over a million of them are free. There’s a dedicated section for all the Kobo freebies on the website, with several of them being newly released titles.

You can even find the free ebooks on the Kobo Store by searching for author names, a book title or genre, then selecting 'only free items' under the price filter in the left sidebar of the search results.

Kobo’s freebies are usually for a very limited time and can change each day, so you’ll likely never run out of good reads for free. That said, the books you get from the Kobo Store, even the free ones, are DRM-protected and will be available to read only on your Kobo ereader or the Kobo ereader app for smartphones and tablets.

3. Google Books

A vast catalogue of fiction and nonfiction EPUBs

Google Books can be a rabbit hole of self-published fiction and non-fiction titles, with several really great finds in there as well. However, the vast majority of the ebooks on Google Books are in the EPUB or PDF file format. So while that’s perfectly fine for Kobo users, Kindles don’t support EPUB and the file will need to be converted to MOBI before you start reading.

Being a Google undertaking, the store is easily accessible on a web browser or Android device, but you will need a Google account to register a card before you can access the freebies. Your card won’t be charged for the free ebooks and audiobooks, but it could put some potential users off.

Moreover, the Google Books interface wasn’t designed for free stuff. To locate them, you need to search for 'free books', which then gives you a vast catalogue of free reads. If you’re after a particular genre, you can search for that, plus the word 'free' (free fantasy or free history, for example). Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy enough to discover a veritable treasure trove of free books.

4. Project Gutenberg

An immersive archive of world literature

Project Gutenberg (named after the printing press that democratized knowledge) is a huge archive of over 60,000 books in EPUB, Kindle, plain text, and HTML. You can download them directly, or have them sent to your preferred cloud storage service (Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive). 

You can search for a specific title or browse by genre (books in the same genre are gathered together in bookshelves). It’s a shame that fiction and non-fiction aren’t separated, and you have to open a bookshelf before you can sort books by country, but those are fairly minor quibbles.

The site itself is available in English, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese, and the catalog includes books in all languages. There’s a heavy bias towards English-language works and translations, but the same is true of all the ebook download sites we’ve looked at here.

Project Gutenberg is a wonderful source of free ebooks – particularly for academic work. However, it uses US copyright law, which isn’t universal; some books listed as public domain might still be in copyright in other countries. RightsDirect explains the situation in more detail .

5. Free-Ebooks.net

A self-publishing platform that’s great for authors and readers alike

Free-Ebooks.net is a platform for independent authors who want to avoid the traditional publishing route. You won’t find Dickens and Wilde in its archives; instead, there’s a huge array of new fiction, non-fiction, and even audiobooks at your fingertips, in every genre you could wish for. There are many similar sites around, but Free-Ebooks.net is our favorite, with new books added every day.

Because this site is dedicated to free books, there’s none of the hassle you get with filtering out paid-for content on the Kobo Store or Google Books. We also love the fact that all the site’s genres are presented on the homepage, so you don’t have to waste time trawling through menus. Unlike the bigger stores, Free-Ebooks.net also lets you sort results by publication date, popularity, or rating, helping you avoid the weaker titles that will inevitably find their way onto open publishing platforms (though a book has to be really quite poor to receive less than four stars).

Digital books are available as PDF, EPUB, Kindle and plain text files, though not all titles are available in all formats.

6. ManyBooks

A curated collection of free and discounted fiction and nonfiction books

At the time of writing, ManyBooks has over 50,000 titles in its library of both fiction and nonfiction. And a large part of that is available to download for free – from modern novels to classic literature. You’ll be able to find Grimms’ Fairy Tales alongside books from Agatha Christie and newer fantasy fiction. 

That’s because the vast majority of the books on the platform are seeded from Project Gutenberg, but a whole load of self-published titles have been added since the mid-2000s. They’re all available to browse in genres, all of which are listed on the homepage itself, making navigation easy.

One of the main reasons we like ManyBooks is because of the several ebook file formats available on the site. Most of the titles are available in the most common formats, including EPUB, MOBI and AZW, so you’ll be able to read on any ereader you might prefer. ManyBooks also lets you read online, if you prefer that route.

It’s also one of the few sites we know of that lets you filter books by language. You can also search by book title and author, but there’s also a curated 'editor’s choice' section if you’re looking for more choices. Downloading books, however, requires an account which can be created for free.

7. Feedbooks

Plenty of originals available to download for free

Feedbooks came into being in 2007 as a digital library for public domain books as well as a cloud publishing service. So not only does this platform give you plenty of free classics to read – from Shakespeare to Homer to James Joyce – there are plenty of original books to choose from as well.

While it’s easy enough to access the free public domain ebooks on the site, finding the original content is harder. There’s an easy link to this category on the homepage under 'browse' but it doesn’t work. So you’ll need to trawl through a vast catalogue of digital books to find those marked down to cost nothing. It’s not the best user experience, but that extra bit of work might well be worth it if you find a story you can truly get lost in.

There are several genres as well, including short stories, so there’s likely going to be something here for everyone. And if you do choose to buy an ebook, Feedbooks displays the price in your local currency by picking up your IP address.

8. Smashwords

A self-publishing platform with several free reads

It’s one of the most well-organized free ebook sites you can find and, considering it’s essentially a self-publishing platform, there’s a lot you can read for free. Authors publishing via Smashwords use it to distribute their books and, at the time of writing, there are over 85,000 titles available. To narrow down your search, there’s a handy genre list on the side, and an equally handy filter bar on the top of the page to find 'highly rated' books or the bestsellers.

You will need to set up an account with Smashwords to download books – this is completely free and gives you full access to the platform. So if you’ve got some good words to share, you can get published… for free. Creating an account also allows you to leave reviews of the books you read, which can be really helpful to the authors.

Join the club and get a free ebook each month

Tor is a publishing company known for putting out science-fiction and fantasy fiction bestsellers like Robert Jordan’s Conan and Wheel of Time series, Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti books and Brandon Sanderson’s ongoing Stormlight Archive series. So it’s not really the obvious place to look for free ebooks, but you can get one new read each month for free.

All you have to do is join Tor’s book club. 

The Tor.com eBook Club sends out regular newsletters – that you can sign up for by filling out a form for free – with a link to download a particular book, whether a standalone or part of a series. However, the duration for which the book is available for free is very limited, typically just three days, so you will need to keep an eye on your inbox for the next newsletter.

The ebooks are available in EPUB and MOBI formats, so you should be able to read on any device, whether ereader or reading app on your phone or tablet.

It’s perhaps the best source of free reads that are not self-published, particularly if you’re a sci-fi or fantasy fiction fan.

10. Your local library

Use OverDrive to borrow ebooks for free

The great thing about using Kindle and Kobo ereaders is that you get access to ebook catalogues of your local library too. The Kindle library borrowing feature, however, is limited only to the US, while Kobo’s baked-in OverDrive support will set you up in several other markets.

Almost 45,000 libraries worldwide have OverDrive support, which allows you to borrow ebooks and audiobooks, as long as you have a library card. Depending on the rules of your library, you get to 'borrow' an ebook or digital magazine for a specific period of time, after which you lose access, or you can 'renew', just like you would a physical book in a bricks-and-mortar library.

Don’t use either a Kindle or a Kobo device? Libby is the mobile version of OverDrive, so installing it on your phone or tablet will give you the ability to borrow ebooks from a supported local library you’re a member of.

• Looking for a new way to enjoy your ebooks? Take a look at our guide to the best free ebook readers

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While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, Sharmishta's main priority is being TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, looking after the day-to-day functioning of the Australian, New Zealand and Singapore editions of the site, steering everything from news and reviews to ecommerce content like deals and coupon codes. While she loves reviewing cameras and lenses when she can, she's also an avid reader and has become quite the expert on ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about these underrated devices. Other than her duties at TechRadar, she's also the Managing Editor of the Australian edition of Digital Camera World, and writes for Tom's Guide and T3.

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The Best Places to Find Book Recommendations on Reddit

Boost your TBR by checking out the best places to find Reddit book recommendations. The internet is a treasure trove of amazing reads.

Erin Mayer is a writer and editor specializing in personal essays and musings about face creams that probably won't cure her anxiety (but hey, it's worth a shot). Her work has appeared on Bustle, Literary Hub, Man Repeller, Business Insider, and more. She spends her free time drafting tweets she never finishes and reading in front of the television. Find her at erinmayer.com .

View All posts by Erin Mayer

Reddit can be a bit of a black hole productivity-wise, but it’s a great place to find your next read. There are dozens of bookish subreddits out there, all of which have slightly different themes. From general book discussions to genre-specific ones, you can find a community of readers that suit your needs. Many book-related subreddits host their own book clubs or author AMAs that can give you ideas and help you branch out of your reading comfort zone. Keep scrolling for the best places to find Reddit book recommendations.

The main books subreddit is a logical place to start. More niche topic discussions tend to get a little bit lost in the shuffle, but there is a weekly recommendations thread where users can make specific requests and browse the suggestions that others have made. I also love checking out the postings about what people have started and finished reading that week. Often, these comments are accompanied by mini reviews that can help you flesh out (or trim down) your TBR.

This is a smaller subreddit targeted toward people who are participating in the annual 52 Book Challenge. Users update with the progress they make each month on their yearly reading goal (it’s open to readers whose goals are smaller or larger than 52 books in a year, as well). While less discussion-heavy than r/books, lesser-known titles appear fairly often.

On the flip side, r/TrueLit is a discussion-based subreddit with a focus on classics and literary fiction. Like r/Books, there’s also a weekly recommendations thread that allows users to make requests. If you’re feeling burnt out on fantasy and YA, or simply want to branch out of your comfort zone, this could be a great subreddit to check out.

r/SuggestMeABook

r/suggestmeabook is the  subreddit to hit up for strictly recommendations and zero fluff. It’s a pretty active subreddit, so lively conversations abound. Some recent popular posts include one on quarantine reading lists , recommendations based on quotes , and books that shouldn’t be made into movies .  Suggest Me a Book is one of my personal favorite places to check out on Reddit.

r/BookSuggestions

This is another subreddit entirely devoted to book recommendations. Users make individual posts requesting highly specific suggestions. You’ll find people asking for recs based on other books they loved or general interests. It’s not quite as lively as r/suggestmeabook, but might be a good option if you’re not finding what you’re looking for there.

While not recommendations in the strictest sense, this Reddit-based book club might encourage you to try something different. If you’re following along with the group’s current read, you can participate in real time discussions. Or just back-read the threads to catch up later. There’s always a helpful schedule provided to breakdown that month’s book into manageable chunks, too.

r/Audiobooks

Join this subreddit for all things audio. You’ll find discussions of the best audiobook narrators, as well as people weighing in on recent audio reads and new releases.

A subreddit geared toward young adult readers, but welcoming to all age groups. There’s plenty of chatter about popular authors like Cassandra Clare, Tahereh Mafi, and Neal Shusterman, as well as under-rated titles.

Genre-Specific Subreddits

Don’t want to mess around with recommendations outside of your chosen genre? Dipping into romance or fantasy for the first time? There’s an individual subreddit for just about every genre. Some of the most popular ones are r/Fantasy , r/ComicBooks  , and r/RomanceBooks . r/Literature doesn’t have a specific genre attached, but tends to feature more classics and general “literary fiction” recommendations, as well as poetry, short stories, and more.

Spending hours on Reddit is one way to get book ideas. Another option? Sign up for Book Riot’s TBR subscription service for a new personalized recommendation from a real-life book expert (or bibliologist ) each month.

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