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17 Best 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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Free books on nearly any subject you can think of are all over the internet, ready to be downloaded, read, and shared. These are the best 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.

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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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Z-Library Project - Search & Download Free Books | ZLibrary

Z-library is a free online library containing over 100 million books. Anyone can download e-books from our website without registration and in many formats.

Latest Upload

Bear's Magic (Grey Lake Shifters Book 4)

Burn Baby Burnt: A Second Chance, Age-Gap, Billionaire Romance

Curveball: End Game Book 2

UNTIL JUDE (PULSETUNES ROCK GODS Book 1)

Our Shellfish Desires (Sucker For Love Mysteries)

Time Stamps

Strapped for Cash: A Dark Mafia Romance

Bad Magic: Fated Mates Book 4

The Fire Wolf Saga: Demon Rejected

The Monster Keeps Me Safe

The Easter Hunt

House of Bastiion (The Haidren Legacy, Book 1)

The Virgin and the Billionaires: The Complete Series

The Dark Arts

A Whisper in the Dark (Charlie Travesty Book 1)

The Proposal

From Then Until Forever: Falls Village Collection

Cruel Games: A Bully Romance: (Ridgeside High Book 3)

Dark 'N Stormy (Naughty Nights Presents)

A Promise Kept (Clear Creek Brides Book 2)

Blinded By The Sun: A Dark Mafia Romance

His Saving Grace (Clear Creek Brides Book 5)

Hale’s Pawn

Most Popular

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Editor's Picks

Self-improvement

Business & Career

Time Management

Health & Fitness

Painting & Drawing

Academic & Education

Spiritualty

Children & Youth

Engineering

Environment

Welcome to ZLibrary, a comprehensive digital library platform designed to provide free access to a vast collection of e-books and articles spanning various genres and topics. In this ultimate guide, we'll explore the benefits of using ZLibrary over traditional libraries and other online sources, helping you discover, download, and maximize your digital reading experience.

What is Z Library?

Z Library is a digital library that allows users to download books for free. The website has many books covering various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, and research papers. Users can search for books by author, title, or ISBN, and the website also provides recommendations based on the user's search history.

Exploring ZLibrary's Collection

Variety of content.

No registration or fees are required, and the books are available in ePub, Kindle, HTML, and plain text formats. Browse our 10 million+ titles or use a powerful search to find exactly what you're looking for.

User-friendly Search Options

Navigating ZLibrary's vast collection is a breeze, thanks to its user-friendly search options. You can conduct a simple keyword search or use advanced search filters to refine your query by language, publication year, or file format.

Content Sources

ZLibrary's impressive selection comes from collaborations with libraries and publishers, and user uploads, ensuring a continually growing and diverse collection of materials for you to explore.

Benefits of Using Z-Library

One of the significant advantages of using Z-Library is the cost-saving aspect. Books can be expensive, and even borrowing from the library can incur fees. With Z-Library, users can access a vast selection of books for free. The website also provides the convenience of accessing books online, making it easy to read on the go or from the comfort of your home.

In addition to cost-saving and convenience, Z-Library also provides a vast selection of books. With over 6 million books available, there is something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a classic novel, a textbook for school, or a research paper for work, Z-Library has you covered.

How to Use ZLibrary.to?

To use ZLibrary, users need to create an account. Creating an account is easy and free, allowing users to save their search history and bookmark books for future reference. Once users have created an account, they can search for books by author, title, or ISBN. The website will then provide a list of books that match the search criteria. Users can then download the book in the format of their choice, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.

ZLibrary also provides some helpful tools and features for users. For example, users can filter their search results by language, year of publication, and category. The website also has a rating system, allowing users to see the top-rated books in each category.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 . Is it legal to download books from Z Library?

ZLibrary operates under the concept of fair use, which allows users to access copyrighted material for educational purposes. However, we recommend checking your local laws before downloading any material.

2 . What formats are available for book downloads?

Z-Library offers books in various formats, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.

3 . Is it safe to download books from Z-Library?

ZLibrary takes user safety seriously and ensures that all books are virus-free.

4 . Can I upload content to ZLibrary?

Yes, users can contribute to ZLibrary's collection by uploading content. However, it's crucial to respect copyright and intellectual property rights.

5 . How can I support ZLibrary?

You can support ZLibrary through donations, sharing the platform with others, or providing feedback to help improve the user experience. You should place the backlink to our website when sharing the content from Zlibrary.to.

6 . What are the download limits, and can they be increased?

ZLibrary imposes download limits to maintain resources for all users. Creating an account and logging in can grant you access to

7 . How often is Z Library updated with new books?

Z-Library is updated regularly with new books. However, the frequency of updates may vary depending on various factors, such as the availability of new books and the website's policies.

8 . Can I access Z Library from my mobile device?

Yes, ZLib is mobile-friendly and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

9 . What if I can't find the book I'm looking for on ZLibrary?

If you can't find the book you're looking for on ZLibrary, you can request the book from ZLibrary:hope , and the contributors may add it to their collection if it's available.

Z Library is a fantastic resource for book lovers looking to expand their reading collection without breaking the bank. With a vast selection of books, cost-saving benefits, and convenient online access, it's no wonder why ZLibrary.to is so popular. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free account and start downloading books today!

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Welcome to Project Gutenberg

Project gutenberg is a library of over 70,000 free ebooks.

Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online. You will find the world’s great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired. Thousands of volunteers digitized and diligently proofread the eBooks, for you to enjoy.

Mysteries of the missing by Edward H. Smith

Fiddler's farewell by Leonora Speyer

Excitement for sale by Stephen Marlowe

The devil downstairs by P. F. Costello

The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 07 (of 10) by Boulenger, Bridge, and Herdman

Manual for submarine mining by U.S. War Department

Manuel de synonymie Latine by Ludwig von Döderlein

Our Hawaii by Charmian London

Väärä kuponki by graf Leo Tolstoy

Ketun seikkailusta harakan vankeuteen by Louis Pergaud

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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

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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 25 best places to find free ebooks in 2024.

In recent years, the ebook format has exploded in popularity. Today, it only takes a few clicks to find the ebook version of almost any title. And while you can always save money on discount ebooks, doesn’t the idea of free ebooks sound pretty sweet?

Luckily, there are tons of different ebook platforms that offer exactly that. Here you'll find 25 places to get free ebooks, from mainstream ebook retailers to digital libraries that fill in the gaps! We’ll start with the former, but if you can’t find that elusive ebook in these first few stores, fear not: you have plenty of other options.

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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1. Amazon Kindle Store

If you’re seeking free Kindle books , you’re in luck! The Amazon Kindle Store has two sections dedicated to just that: its Free Popular Classics page and its list of Top 100 Free Best Sellers . For those who enjoy indie books, Kindle Unlimited could also be a good investment — it’s $9.99/month, so not quite free, but you’ll gain access to over a million titles and there’s no cap on how many books you can read per month.

2. Apple Book Store

The Apple Books Store is another big-name ebook retailer with a nice selection of free titles. You’ll find them divided by category under the Free Books tab in the sidebar: Newly Added, First in a Series, Try Something New, and many more. Though its range isn’t as extensive as Amazon’s, the Apple Book Store is a solid choice if you’re looking for free fiction, especially if you like gripping suspense books and/or speculative fiction.

3. Google Play Bookstore

Google Play makes it easy to find free books on its digital store — unlike on other sites, you can simply enter “free ebooks” into the search bar (makes sense for a search engine, right?). You’ll be directed to this page of freebies, and can click “See more” to explore. There aren’t many big-name titles available for free on the Google Play Store, but if you’re interested in nonfiction (especially test prep and self-help books ), it’s definitely worth scoping out.

4. Barnes & Noble Online

Despite originating as a brick-and-mortar bookstore, the Barnes & Noble digital shop is stocked with plenty of free and discount books. It also retains a reassuring element of human curation, with “Staff Picks” at the top of B&N’s Free eBooks page , as well as an eye-catching section of free magazines below. Readers should note that some free titles can only be read on B&N’s NOOK Reading App; it’s free to download, but does add an extra step to the process.

5. Kobo Bookstore

Kobo is the last major player in the literary e-tailer game, with a huge digital store and its own brand of e-readers. To find Kobo’s free ebook section, hover over the “eBooks” tab at the top of the page and click Free eBooks on the right. Even seasoned readers will be impressed by the selection, as Kobo offers a number of free titles you won’t see anywhere else, particularly in the romance and thriller genres — and also features a list of #ownvoices authors for those craving more diverse reads.

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6. Free-Ebooks.net

Needless to say, if you’re looking for free ebooks, Free-Ebooks.net is a fine place to start. With thousands of ebooks available to download, you’ll never run out of reading material… however, you’ll be hard-pressed to find works by well-known authors. Forge ahead if you’re intrigued by a vast landscape of free indie ebooks — or check out Free-Ebooks’ extensive classics package for some more recognizable titles.

7. Project Gutenberg

If you’ve ever Googled any variation of “[iconic classic novel] read online”, you’re probably already familiar with Project Gutenberg . This tremendous digital archive was founded all the way back in 1971, and today hosts over 60,000 documents and books, all of which are free to access. For those in search of plain-text, easily searchable, copy-and-pastable versions of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens books , look no further: Project Gutenberg has you covered.

8. Open Culture

Open Culture is another great place to find classic novels by authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Virginia Woolf, and even the massive tomes of Proust and Tolstoy. Take note that Open Culture doesn’t host ebooks, instead serving as a hub for all manner of free online resources. However, you can find its impressive master list of 800 free books right here , with multiple links to download these texts or read them online, depending on which file format you prefer.

9. Freebooksy

Freebooksy, a popular book promotion site , is also a hub rather than a host site, linking out to free books on various retailers. What sets Freebooksy apart as a platform is that it only features ebooks that are free that day, so get ’em while they’re hot! You can browse each day’s selections right there on the homepage , or subscribe to the Freebooksy newsletter to receive them in your inbox.

10. BookBub

BookBub is another excellent promotional tool for authors and a quality source of free and discount books for readers. To access BookBub’s current freebies, just click Free Ebooks under the “Readers” tab at the bottom of the page. Here you’ll find abundant free titles with links to download them on Amazon and more. Also, if you’d like to see deals in a specific genre or for a certain retailer, you can select it on the left — though you’ll have to sort through these, as BookBub’s category pages mix both 100% free and discount promotions.

11. ManyBooks

The ManyBooks premise is simple: “Lots of ebooks. 100% free.” Select a genre, scroll through “Today’s Free Ebooks and Deals”, or check out the “Editor’s Choice” recs to see what’s worth your while. Indeed, ManyBooks offers a great deal in the way of quality control, from the ability to sort books by average rating to its own book review blog . If you’re looking for ebooks endorsed by real people, ManyBooks is the site for you.

12. OverDrive

Used by over 43,000 libraries and schools worldwide, OverDrive allows anyone with a library card to pull ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from its digital bookshelves. Though there can  be long waiting lists for popular books (just like a real library — quaint, no?), borrowing them on OverDrive is a much better alternative than scouring the Internet in vain. Browse its featured collections, or search by title or author to locate the book you have in mind. And if you’d rather read on your phone, be sure to download OverDrive’s mobile app, Libby .

13. Open Library

Coming in hot with another virtual library, we have Open Library , a division of the long-running Internet Archive. This site is convenient because you don’t have to deal with multiple libraries;  any ebook on Open Library can be borrowed with a single click. Keep in mind that the site has a narrower selection as a result, and most recent releases aren’t available. But if you’re content to read books that came out a few years ago, Open Library won’t let you down.

14. Get Free Ebooks

Pivoting back to non-library sites, you’ll find plenty of ebooks on none other than Get Free Ebooks — though again, this one isn’t an ebook hosting platform, but a site that links out to other sources. However, if you’re seeking helpful literary lists divided by genre and subject, this is the place to be. Check out their top compilations of ebooks for tons of interesting titles, or select a genre under the “Top Categories” list at the bottom of the page.

15. Ebooks.com

A reliable source for all things ebook-related, Ebooks.com offers up a fairly large collection of free books , with a focus on the classics. Its online e-reader runs pretty smoothly and is nice for readers who like to mark up their texts, with options to highlight passages and leave notes. However, those looking to download their ebooks should be aware that Ebooks.com requires you to install Adobe Digital Editions first (it’s a free program, but may still be a drawback for readers hoping to conserve storage space).

16. Reedsy Discovery

For those who like to properly digest their free ebooks and then share your thoughts with an audience, consider becoming a reviewer on Reedsy Discovery! You’ll receive a free ebook copy of every title you pick up for review, plus you’ll gain followers and can even get tipped for your work. If that’s not a great bargain, we don’t know what is.

17. Planet Ebook

If the refreshingly minimalist design of Planet Ebook doesn’t instantly convince you of its merits, its sizable catalogue of public domain books certainly will. And because it’s based in Australia, Planet Ebook pulls from a wider public domain than in the US, so you may be able to find titles on there that you couldn’t find elsewhere. To survey its full list of books, click here .

18. Standard Ebooks

Standard Ebooks is another site that’s easy on the eyes, mainly for the beautiful book covers that accompany each title in its library — perfectly in line with the project’s mission to provide free ebooks that “meet or exceed the quality of commercially produced ebooks.” Indeed, here are 500+ books that aren’t just “standard,” but exceptionally formatted. Readers in constant search of nice-looking classics, make sure to bookmark this site.

19. Feedbooks

On Feedbooks, a site that hosts vast quantities of ebooks to purchase, you can also find free public domain ebooks and free original books . The latter should appeal to readers who have gotten their fill of the public domain, especially as Feedbooks offers some books to download that mainstream retailers do not. However, be prepared to sift carefully through its offerings, as the free offerings can get mixed up with priced ebooks on its featured pages — you may have to search “free” in the upper righthand corner to get what you came for.

20. Book Cave

Book Cave has a pretty compelling headline: “Free ebooks you’ll actually want to read.” You’ll find the aforementioned ebooks right here , with sophisticated filters attached. Not only can you divide these books up by genre, but also by maturity level and even sensitive content, if you wish to exclude violence, profanity, etc. With nearly 2,000 free books available and all these ways to filter them, Book Cave really does help readers find precisely what they want.

21. Smashwords

Since so many authors use Smashwords as an aggregator to distribute their ebooks , the Smashwords store ends up hosting quite a few books itself — and according to its stat counter, a whopping 86,000+ of those books are available for free. You can browse through them all here , though you’ll probably want to select a category in the sidebar to narrow it down.

22. BookRix

Another popular self-publishing platform, BookRix hosts thousands of freebies in its online library , most of which are original stories from brand-new authors. Indeed, BookRix is more Wattpad than Amazon KDP , since ebooks can be of any length and fanfiction is allowed. For readers looking to expand their horizons or just have fun, BookRix is definitely worth a shot.

23. Baen Books

And for readers who adore science fiction and fantasy , Baen Books could be your new favorite corner of the Internet. This publisher, founded by celebrated SFF editor Jim Baen, has grown into a wonderful hub for SFF readers and writers alike — complete with plenty of Baen ebooks in its Free Library . Many are actually the first in a series, so if you’re looking for a new fantastical world in which to immerse yourself, Baen Books should be your first stop.

24. BookBoon

We also can’t leave out BookBoon , a site that provides free e-textbooks, making it an incredibly valuable resource for students and autodidacts alike. If you’re in school or know someone else who is, this site needs to be on your radar: under their free “Student” plan, BookBoon offers 1,000+ full-length textbooks, on subjects ranging from chemistry to communications. Go get your Good Will Hunting on!

25. The Online Books Page

Speaking of academic resources, the University of Pennsylvania’s Online Books Page is a clean, accessible hub for over three million ebooks and digitized papers — some originally published more than two centuries ago. For the historically inclined, this site (which also has a pretty good search engine) is a veritable fountain of knowledge.

Hungry for more? Check out this list of additional places to find free books online , or our post on where to find free audiobooks . Happy freebie’ing!

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The 10 Best Free Ebook Download Sites

Want to download more ebooks so that you never run out of reading material? Here are the best sites for downloading free ebooks.

Ebooks are a great way to keep a large library of books on your phone, tablet, or computer. If you love to read and can never have too many books, you probably would enjoy reading ebooks.

But free ebook downloads are hard to find unless you know the right websites to visit. As such, to help you out, this article lists some of the best sites that offer free ebooks for you to read. These free ebook download sites have something for everyone.

1. Project Gutenberg

One of the best free ebook download sites is Project Gutenberg. It's a charity endeavor, sustained through volunteers and fundraisers, that aims to collect and provide as many high-quality ebooks as possible. Most of its library consists of public domain titles, but it has other stuff, too, if you're willing to look around.

As of this writing, Gutenberg has more than 60,000 free ebooks on offer. They are available for download in EPUB and MOBI formats (some are only available in one of the two) and can be read online in HTML format.

You can browse the library by category (of which there are hundreds), by most popular (which means total download count), by latest (which means the date of upload), or by random (which is a great way to find new material to read).

2. Google Play

Many people might not realize this, but Google Play has tons of free ebooks available to download. To find free eBooks on Google Play, head to the charts and select Top Free.

You will be able to find thousands of free ebooks. The best part is you can check reviews and see if they're worth the read. The charts system also ranks the best free books, so you can spend your time reading something enjoyable.

While Google Play is native to Android devices, you can also install the app to read from your iPhone or iPad.

3. Open Library

Open Library is one of the best digital libraries where you can download ebooks for free —not just ones in the public domain but even recently released mainstream titles.

Open Library offers an easily searchable directory of all the free ebooks available on The Internet Archive. You might be surprised at the number of books available; at the time of writing, the total library is pushing toward 1.5 million items.

On the Open Library's homepage, you can readily find the books you might be interested in, thanks to the scrollable categories. Some of the most popular categories include Romance, Kids, and History. You can even find some textbooks lurking in the catalog.

The site is open source, and anyone can edit the information available for each book.

BookBub is a service dedicated to making it easy to discover new authors. Because of this, BookBub has a large library of independent authors, all offering free ebooks. With BookBub, you can read reviews, check out the synopsis, and see if this is a book you truly want to read.

BookBub is best for those who've read all the classics and want some new and exciting reads.

5. International Children's Digital Library

If your child is a bookworm, you could spend a lot of cash on new titles. Unless that is, you find a reliable source of free ebooks for kids. The International Children's Digital Library is a godsend for anyone with young readers in the house.

Books are available in a variety of lengths and reading difficulty levels. You can even search by criteria that might stimulate kids, such as the color of the cover. Each book is listed in a specific category for easy searching.

The International Children's Digital Library does appear small, but there are still great titles to be found. The ebooks here are also available in a variety of languages, with most of the titles in English.

6. Feedbooks

Feedbooks is a large collection of downloadable ebooks: fiction and non-fiction, public domain and copyrighted, free and paid. Many of the books on Feedbooks are paid, but there are still some great free ebooks, which you can find in the public domain category.

There are some free original books as well, which you can find in the different categories. However, you can't sort by price.

Most ebooks are available in EPUB, MOBI, and PDF formats. They even come with word counts and reading time estimates if you consider that when choosing what to read.

7. Centsless Books

Unlike the other sites on this list, Centsless Books is a curator-aggregator of free Kindle books available on Amazon. Its mission is to make it easy for you to stay on top of all the free ebooks available from the online retailer.

Note that some of the "free" ebooks listed on Centsless Books are only free if you're part of Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately, Kindle Unlimited might not be worth the money . However, if you have it, it could be a great addition.

Note: Since Centsless Books tracks free ebooks available on Amazon, there may be times when nothing is listed. If that happens, try again a few days later.

8. PDFBooksWorld

Between the three major ebook formats—EPUB, MOBI, and PDF—what if you prefer to read in the latter format? While EPUBs and MOBIs have basically taken over, reading PDF ebooks hasn't quite gone out of style yet. And for a good reason: PDFs offer universal support across platforms and devices.

If you want to stick to PDFs only, you'll want to check out PDFBooksWorld. While the collection is small, at only a few thousand titles, they're all free and guaranteed to be PDF-optimized. Most of them are literary classics, like The Great Gatsby, A Tale of Two Cities, Crime and Punishment, and so on.

You can also read these books online, making the platform great for citations or academic projects.

For other formatting issues, we've covered everything you need to convert ebooks for your Amazon Kindle.

9. ManyBooks

ManyBooks is a nifty little site that's been around for over a decade. Its purpose is to curate and provide a library of free and discounted fiction ebooks for people to download and enjoy.

Much of its collection was seeded by Project Gutenberg back in the mid-2000s. However, since then, it has taken on an identity of its own with the addition of thousands of self-published works made available at no charge.

Downloads are available in dozens of formats, including EPUB, MOBI, and PDF, and each story has a rating out of five stars, which is something Project Gutenberg doesn't have.

10. Free-Ebooks.net

As you can probably guess by its name, free-ebooks.net offers thousands of free ebooks. The content is broadly split into six categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Sci-Fi, Self Help, and Business.

To download free ebooks, you will need to sign up for an account, which is free to create. Once you have an account, you can download up to five free titles every month.

In addition to English, books are available in dozens of other languages.

15 Of The Best Places To Find Free Books Online

Nikki VanRy

Nikki VanRy is a proud resident of Arizona, where she gets to indulge her love of tacos, desert storms, and tank tops. She also writes for the Tucson Festival of Books, loves anything sci-fi/fantasy/historical, drinks too much chai, and will spend all day in bed reading thankyouverymuch. Follow her on Instagram @nikki.vanry .

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Want to get your eyes on MILLIONS of free books online?

If you’ve been following along, you already know that you can find free audiobooks online  (woop woop!). We talked about options like LibriVox and MindWebs that are offering readers free audio books and short stories.

Now, we’ve got 15 more sites where you can read free books online when earbuds aren’t an option. You’ll get beyond the classics (though those are cool too), with free YA books, graphic novels, fanfiction, children’s books, and more.

And all together these sites have a lot of great books. A lot. Like, in the millions. Seriously. Your TBR list may be crying, but at least your wallet is happy?

Where can I download free books Online?

We give more details about each one below, but the following sites all offer (or curate a collection with) free books online:

1. Goodreads’ Free Shelves

While many of the books on the following websites are classic books and out of copyright, you can find more contemporary online books for free at Goodreads’ free eBooks shelves (either full or excerpts) or with the “ free-online ” tag.

2. International Children’s Digital Library

If you’re looking for free children’s books online, the ICDL is a nonprofit organization with a mission to: “promote tolerance and a respect for diverse cultures by providing access to the best of children’s literature from around the world.”

You can read freely and anonymously on their site, or create an account to keep an ongoing bookshelf. And there are books from all over the world (you can even search by countries on the globe). Look for great free books online like:

Related: 25 Free Amazon Prime Audiobooks

3. Internet Sacred Text ARchive

Dedicated to religion, mythology, and folklore, the ISTA online collection provides access to hundreds of sacred texts online. It also promotes religious diversity, tolerance, and scholarship baked into its mission (which is pretty rad of course).

You’ll find versions of the  Bible,  as well as the  Talmud ,  Vedas,  and more.

4. ManyBooks

Just as the name implies, ManyBooks has loads and loads of online books for free. Over 30,000 in fact. The majority of their eBooks work for Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and other readers.

You’ll find thousands of books, both classic and contemporary here, such as:

5. Open Culture

Open Culture connected readers with a curated list of free audiobooks, and they’ve created something similar for free eBooks. You’ll find 800 free and downloadable eBooks through their site, ready to download for iPads, iPhones, Kindles, or to read in your browser directly.

Some knockouts include The Stranger  by Albert Camus and poems from Charles Bukowski.

6. Open Library

Open Library offers over 1.7 million free eBooks online to users. It’s part of the Internet Archive, which also allows users to contribute (and correct!) books. They both offer free versions of full books and links to access paid books elsewhere.

Books to read online include  Sherlock Holmes  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or  Matilda  by Roald Dahl.

7. Overdrive

The Libby App by OverDrive connects you with your local libraries to check out eBooks on your personal devices. You only need a library card and you’ll be able to check out classic and contemporary eBooks for free, anywhere and anytime. They host a catalog of over two million eBooks, as well as audiobooks. And, they’ve recently made it easier to transfer books onto your device.

Of course, since it’s connected to your library, you’ll also see free bestselling YA eBooks and other more recent bestsellers and other classics.

8. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg continues to be a fantastic resource for classic novels and obscure older texts alike that are already in the public domain. The organization is run entirely by volunteers who digitize and then also proofread works. In all, they’ve added over 50,000 free books online.

Whether you’re reading them online or downloading them to your device, you can dig into classic books like:

9. Read Print

Read Print is a user-friendly website that allows users to read classics online. It also has a fancy bookshelf widget where you can track books read and books (so many books) that you want to read.

You’ll find free classic books like:

10. Riveted

Riveted offers YA books for free online, either full books or excerpts on a time-limited basis.

By signing into the site from Simon & Schuster and becoming a member, you’ll be able to read some sweet free books, download them to any device, join in giveaways, and discuss your YA favorites.

If you love all things science fiction and fantasy, check out Tor’s eBook club and weekly newsletters .

The publisher releases weekly original short stories from some of the biggest sci-fi/fantasy authors. And, seriously, receiving a smashingly fantastic short story in my inbox every week has been such a joy and has helped me find great new authors.

They also release the eBook of the Month club where you can get free access to one pick each month.

12. WikiSource

Got a jonesing for some original source material? Even if you’re not in academia, Wikisource is the ultimate place to do a deep dive on a topic. The site hosts almost 400,000 texts in English, with user-generated submissions allowed.

You can find texts from 1846 to 1941, from authors like Rudyard Kipling and Marie de France, on werewolves specifically. Or, discover new worlds with texts from Jules Verne and Philip Dick.

13. World Public Library

The World Public Library’s online Millennium Collection isn’t free, but for less than $10 a year for *ahem* millions of free books in over 300 languages, it’s basically free. They also offer free memberships for physically disabled or special needs members. You’ll find eBooks from all over the world, including:

Some of their knock-outs include  1984  by George Orwell,  Siddhartha  by Hemann Hesse, and  The Mahabharata  translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.

Seriously, even more Free Books Online

These are mostly websites that share free books online that have at one time been traditionally published and disseminated. But, um, there’s the internet which means there’s more books available out there than you’ll ever have time to read.

Check out WattPad for stories by independent authors, historical fiction, fanfiction, and more. There’s also a huge active community over there to talk about books with. Here’s your beginner’s guide .

FanFiction.net is a hub for short story and novel length spin-offs of your favorite fictional worlds.

Phew, we’re not done yet.  BookRix is also a community of independent authors who publish free eBooks in any of your favorite genres. We’re talking fantasy, romance, sci-fi, children’s and more.

The Library of Congress also has a small collection of classic children’s books.

Finally, also make sure to follow your favorite authors on social media. They’ll often share links to eBook deals, excerpts to upcoming novels, giveaways, or free shorts set in the same universe.

Want To Find Cheap Books?

Other cheaper options ($10 a month or less) include Kindle Unlimited , some of the books on the Google Play store, Unlimited Library , and Scribd .

You can also follow along with Book Riot’s Deals of the Day “ Book Deals ” emails where you’ll get alerts about absurdly cheap eBooks and audiobooks.

Read Next: 50+ Ways to Get Free Books

It makes my heart swell a little bit that there are SO MANY places to find free books online. That’s a lot of literature, all with a simple internet connection.

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Free books in Google Books

Did you know that Google Books has more than 10 million free books available for users to read and download? And we're adding more all of the time!

Google's free books are made available to read through careful consideration of and respect for copyright law globally: they are public-domain works, made free on request of the copyright owner, or copyright-free, e.g. US government documents.

Search the full set of free books here:

• Alfred Lord Tennyson
• Beatrix Potter
• Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• Frederick Douglass
• Harriet Beecher Stowe
• Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
• Robert Louis Stevenson

More information on downloading PDFs and EPUBs for the free books you discover can be found in the Google Books Help Center .

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15 Places to Find and Download Free Ebooks (Legally)

Are you looking for places to download free ebooks? If so, then you’re in the right place! Books can be expensive (which is one of the biggest problems book lovers face ), so it is wonderful when you are able to find ebooks for free!

There are actually lots of places to get free ebooks legally, so today we’re going to talk all about the best places to find and download free ebooks. These 15 sites are some of my favorite places to find free ebooks to read, so check them out and find some great new reads today!

Want to learn even more ways to get books without spending so much money? Check out my FREE guide on how to get print books, ebooks, and audiobooks for less!

1. Project Gutenberg

One of the first places you’ll want to check for free ebooks is Project Gutenberg . This is one of the best free ebook sites for classic books, so when you’re looking for free ebooks to download this should definitely be on your list to check!

This site offers downloads of over 60,000 free books in the public domain. Everything on here is free and legal, and you’ll find tons of free classic ebooks including a lot of the world’s best literature. But, of course, there are plenty of other fun and less well-known books to read as well! So whether you’re looking for Pride & Prejudice or odd little Sci-Fi short stories , Project Gutenberg’s free ebooks are certainly a treasure trove!

To find the books you’re looking for, you can use a basic keyword or author search or you can use their more advanced search form when needed. You can also discover books by browsing through the whole catalog or by taking a look at the 100 most-downloaded books from yesterday, from the past week, or from the past month.

This versatility in how to find books is refreshing, and another thing I love about Project Gutenberg is that they offer multiple formats for reading. So you can read their books online, download free epub books, download free Kindle ebooks, and more! This means you can read from your web browser, from your smartphone, from your computer, your tablet, your Kindle, etc. You have a lot of flexibility and can really read from any device you own.

So all in all, if you’re wondering where to download free ebooks then Project Gutenberg is the perfect first stop as you search for books to read!

2. OverDrive or Libby

Another of my top places to search for free ebooks is the OverDrive / Libby apps. To use these apps, you will need to have a library card since they work by syncing your device to your local library’s online lending system. But when you’re looking for free online library ebooks, this is definitely the place to go!

In both OverDrive and Libby, you can access and download any of the ebooks and audiobooks in your library’s collection. (Pro tip: if you have library cards from multiple libraries, enter all your card numbers so you can access a wider range of library catalogs!) All you need to do to get started with these apps is enter your library card number, and then you can start typing in a book title or author to see if your library has the book available to download.

Unfortunately, because this is a library lending system there are only a certain number of electronic “copies” of each ebook that they can lend out at one time. This means that if you’re looking for a super popular book (like free Harry Potter books to read ) you may find that you have to place a hold and wait for someone else to return a copy before you can check it out. Your OverDrive/Libby account does allow you to place a lot of holds, though, so thinking ahead about what books you might want to read is a good idea. If you plan ahead, you will likely be able to have at least a few ebooks available whenever you want to read them!

But while you might have to wait anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks for the most popular books at your library, you will likely find that there are also plenty of fantastic books to explore that are immediately available for download. My OverDrive app is nearly always the first place I go when I’m looking for a free EPUB download of a book I want, so I highly recommend signing up and getting ebooks for free through your local library!

3. ManyBooks

ManyBooks calls itself your “Friendly Neighborhood Library,” and this is exactly what it is! When you’re searching for free ebook download sites, this is a great one to use if you want a clean and beautiful interface.

There are over 50,000 free ebooks in the ManyBooks library, and they span across a variety of genres. No matter what genre you’re interested in, you’ll definitely find some books in that category here! Their collection includes ebooks in the public domain as well as books from a variety of self-publishing authors, so there are some fun new works to discover as well as classics to read.

One of the things that sets ManyBooks apart and makes it one of the best free ebook download sites is its commitment to quality standards. Even the self-published books must meet these standards before they are uploaded to the site, which means there is less junk to sort through as you try to find a new book to read.

All the books on this site are free and most are available in a multitude of e-reader formats, so when you’re looking for a free ebook library you can’t go wrong with browsing the selection here. And who knows, you may even find a new favorite book or new favorite author!

4. Google Play Books

While not all of the titles on Google Play Books are free, there is quite a collection of free books that you can browse. You’ll find a large collection of classics from War and Peace to The Time Machine and beyond, as well as a rather large collection of who-knows-what from more modern books to other publications.

Unless I have a specific public domain book in mind to search for, I find that Google Play Books works best when not searching for specific ebooks for free online. Instead, it’s far better when you’re simply curious about what books might be out there and are open to anything you come across (fair warning: the books you find might be trash. Or they might be amazing! That’s just the risk you take 😉)

You can use the search bar to discover what is available, by searching the word “free” or searching more specific terms like “free classic ebooks,” “free fantasy ebooks,” or “free romance ebooks.” You can then scroll through whatever comes up and decide if there’s anything you think looks interesting.

You never know what you’ll find on here, but if you’re bored and just looking for some new possibilities to read then this is a fairly good place to get ebooks for free.

5. Kindle Unlimited Free Trial

If you haven’t used Kindle Unlimited before (or haven’t used it recently) then this is a great way to find even more ebooks to read for free. Kindle Unlimited is a cool subscription service by Amazon that allows you to read as many books as you want for free every month. You can learn all about this subscription service and how it works here.

But if you simply want to sign up and try it out yourself, you can sign up for a free 30 day trial to start reading unlimited books at no cost! Of course, it’s only free for 30 days (not forever), but that’s still a pretty good amount of time to be able to read as many books as you can fit into a month for free.

While this subscription service contains the Kindle name, you don’t actually need a Kindle device to use it. All you need is the free Amazon Kindle app installed on your smartphone, tablet, computer, etc. Once you have the app installed, you’re good to start your free trial and begin reading lots of books.

If you have 30 days where you’ll have a lot of free time to read, then that is an especially good time to use your Kindle Unlimited free trial . There are over one million titles available, so you’ll have lots of free ebooks to explore!

Already used your free trial? You can still get a great deal on Kindle Unlimited by getting a 1-month or 6-month Kindle Unlimited subscription !

6. Bookboon

While most of the sites on this list are for finding fiction books, novels, and the like, Bookboon is a little bit different. Rather than fiction books, they offer more educational and learning-focused books in the economics, engineering, business, and IT fields of study. If you’re looking to read entire books online free but want the books you read to help you learn a new skill, then Bookboon is the place to go!

This site is quite easy to use. All you have to do is create an account and you will immediately gain access to over 1,000 titles for students (or for those of us who are students at heart 🙂). From books on improving your English to books introducing you to the internet of things (IoT) , you’ll be able to learn all sorts of new things when you spend time exploring these free ebooks for online reading.

But if you find you’re interested in discovering more books around the subject of businesses and working, Bookboon also offers a Business Books subscription service. While this is normally a paid plan, you can get a 30-day free trial of their business books if you want to check it out.

So while there are no fiction books or stories on this site, Bookboon still earns its place on this list of the best free ebook websites since it allows people to read free ebooks and gain new knowledge from them…which is an excellent and amazing thing!

7. Smashwords

As far as free EPUB sites go, another one you might be interested in is Smashwords . This site is somewhat similar to ManyBooks in that it offers a variety of indie and self-published books for you to explore and download for free. However, unlike ManyBooks, Smashwords does also list some books that you must pay to download.

But with over 70,000 titles on Smashwords for free, all you have to do is start browsing or narrow your search down by clicking a specific genre. And if you wish to avoid their paid books and see only the free ones, then you can check out their free ebooks page or simply make sure the filter is set to free at the top of each search page.

It’s unlikely you’ll recognize many of the authors on here, but this site makes it easy to see blurbs from the books and easy to see the ratings that other readers have given each book. With this helpful information, it’s likely you’ll be able to find a fun new read even if you don’t recognize the author!

When you’re wondering where to get free ebooks, Kobo is another great place to go! This online bookstore does offer paid books, but they also have a lovely collection of free ebooks you can enjoy.

If you’re looking for their free ebooks, all you have to do is go to the Kobo free ebooks page and you can find books to download in a variety of genres. With both fiction and nonfiction titles, there will be something for everyone and you’ll likely find plenty to keep you entertained.

But also, if it’s your first time using Kobo, send me a quick note and I’ll send you a coupon code you can use to get $5 off your first book (on a purchase of $5.01 or more). This means you can get a book free or nearly for free, depending on the price of the book you are interested in. Since Kobo has tons of books from major publishers, you can easily get any modern book that you’ve been looking for!

So if you’re looking for free EPUB book downloads or want to get a specific book using the coupon code, Kobo is the perfect site to visit!

9. Feedbooks

Feedbooks is another example of EPUB download sites similar to Smashwords and ManyBooks. But unlike those two sites, the free ebooks available on Feedbooks are only free public domain titles and not original works.

While there are a lot of sites on this list that offer EPUB ebooks from the public domain, what makes Feedbooks still worth visiting is the high quality of the ebooks. The type and formatting is quite easy to read and the books are easy to download and start using, so if you are looking for a download of free ebooks in the public domain then this is definitely still a site you should check out!

10. Amazon Prime Reading

Did you know that if you have Amazon Prime you can read ebooks for free? This feature is called Amazon Prime Reading , and with it you have access to over 1,000 titles you can read for free !

You can learn more about how to use Prime Reading here , but essentially you can keep an eye out for titles that say they are eligible or you can click the box that reads “Prime Reading Eligible” in the left sidebar of search to filter results and find free ebooks.

If you are already paying for Prime, then using Amazon Prime free ebooks is a no-brainer way to get ebooks for free online reading. Unlike a Kindle Unlimited subscription , Prime Reading just comes automatically as one of your benefits when you subscribe to Prime. So if you have Prime, then go check it out now…or if you don’t, then start a free 30-day trial of Prime to get access to this cool and free library of Prime eligible books!

Looking for even more free ebooks for downloading? Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store offers a variety of free ebooks for Nook and other devices that you can enjoy.

Whether you’re looking for a book in a specific subject or want to explore a new series that you haven’t read before, Nook offers lots to choose from in an easily accessible EPUB format. So be sure to take your time on here and browse to see which ebooks you can find for free!

12. International Children’s Digital Library

Are you hoping to find free ebooks for kids? If so, then you should check out the International Children’s Digital Library . This library is an amazing free resource online with digitized children’s books from around the world.

The ebooks you’ll find on this site are written in 59+ different languages, so there is a lot to explore no matter what language you’re interested in. And you can find books in all lengths and reading levels here, so there is something for every age of kids and quite likely a lot that adults will enjoy as well.

The website’s design is a bit bright and much to look at, but the resources they provide make it worth using despite this. Plus, you can browse books through a variety of categories including by the age of your child, by book length, by cover color, or by thematic characteristics. It’s a fairly easy system to find good books to read!

The books on this site are great to read to children or fun for them to read on their own to keep them occupied, so be sure to start browsing to find children’s literature ebooks free for your child (or for yourself) to enjoy!

13. Open Library and Internet Archive

Open Library is a project of the Internet Archive and is one of the more popular free ebook download sites on the internet. Its goal is to create a web page for every book ever published, but it also offers scanned copies of over 1.7 million books that you can borrow for free.

While many of the books on here are public domain works, there are also lots of more modern books as well. These more modern books are offered through the Open Library’s “ Book Sponsorship ” program where patrons purchase a book to donate to be scanned and distributed for others to borrow. But like a normal local library, you will have to join a wait list if someone else has already checked out the book you want.

Over the last few years, however, Open Library’s methods for borrowing and book sponsorship have created quite a bit of controversy over possible copyright violations . While there doesn’t appear to be any law they are directly violating, they are definitely pushing the bounds of current copyright law. So before you decide to borrow any works still under copyright from the Open Library, you should consider for yourself whether doing so is in line with protecting and honoring the rights of authors and creators…or if you should instead stick to only downloading public domain books from here.

The books on this site are in scanned format to read online without downloading, or if you prefer you can install Adobe Digital Editions to download an encrypted EPUB or PDF file that will automatically disappear from your device after two weeks. (Note that the sync function on Adobe Digital Editions does not work well between devices, so you should download the book directly on the device you wish to read on).

While there is some controversy to consider when you download ebooks online from this site, the public domain ebooks here are certainly a good find and you’ll also discover that there is a read aloud feature with every book you download (which makes this an especially good site for the print disabled). So if you are looking for an out-of-print or rare book, or for something in the public domain, then this is one of the free ebook websites you should be sure to check out!

14. Amazon’s Always Free Kindle Books

Amazon gives one more option for ebook free downloads, and you can find it in their always-free ebook selection . This selection consists primarily of classic ebooks free to read, but if you dig around you might find some other cool offers for free or cheap. Amazon definitely is one of the best ebook download sites for quality and ease of reading, so it’s awesome when you can find something you like on here for free!

15. Free Book Promotion Sites

Last but not least, if you aren’t looking for anything in particular and would prefer someone else to do the work of finding good free ebook deals for you, then there are several sites that offer information on limited-time free and legal books for you to download.

If you want ongoing information on new free books then you can either bookmark these sites to visit regularly and see new deals…or you can sign up for email lists to get free book suggestions straight to your inbox. Whatever you decide to do, here are a few of the best sites to find awesome book offers put together by others:

• BookBub : Bookbub curates limited-time free books from across 20 genres (from both big publishers and excellent independent authors). Then they pass along this information to you with links to take you directly to the free books. It doesn’t get better than this!
• Freebooksy : If you want to get books for free, then Freebooksy is a good place to look. The books you’ll find here are usually free for only around 24-48 hours, so you really have to snatch them up quick when you see them.
• Reddit Free Ebooks : Reddit’s Free Ebooks subreddit is a place where people share about the free books they find across the internet. All links posted in this subreddit are supposed to take you to legally free books, so take a look and see what you find! It’s not very well organized for searching for a specific book, but who knows when you’ll find a gem as you browse?

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10 best apps and websites for downloading free books in 2024

Reading is a pastime that has only benefited from the expansion of smart devices like phones , tablets , and e-book readers . No longer chained to the confines of flimsy paperbacks and weighty hardcovers, you can carry your favorite reads on any number of your devices without worrying about weighing yourself down, damaging the fragile paper, or just losing them.

There’s also no shortage of e-books to read, with nearly every bestseller and classic now available in a digital format for your perusing pleasure. But free e-books ? That’s a different ballgame altogether. finding them can be on the tougher side. Thankfully, there are a number of apps and websites that either specialize in providing free e-books or have sections where you can find them.

While you’re unlikely to find the latest bestsellers for free, you are likely to find some public domain classics and some newer, but less well-known titles. Go find your next read with the help of one of these services.

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The king of the e-book reader is, unsurprisingly, one of the most solid ways to get a hold of free books. It’s also one of the best ways to get free e-books for a Kindle since they’ll be delivered straight to your device, unlike with a number of these other apps and websites.

Finding free books on Amazon isn’t the easiest process in the world, but it’s also far from the most difficult. If you’re using the website, then you can head to a category of books, then select Best sellers , then  Top 100 free to see a breakdown of the most popular titles in that particular category. You can also search for “free books” to find a list you can look through or narrow down to a certain category. It’s also possible to do this on the Amazon app, but keep in mind you can’t currently purchase e-books through the app due to disputes with Google and Apple.

It’s also worth mentioning there are Amazon services that furnish you with free books. Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service that gives you access to a vast range of e-books, as does Prime Reading as part of the Amazon Prime subscription. While neither is technically free, Prime Reading is a good bonus if you’re already subscribed to Amazon Prime, while Kindle Unlimited may be worth it for people who can read through multiple books a month or even a week.

Amazon is a solid way to get hold of free books, but it has some downsides. As you’d expect, it only really works for Kindle devices and the Kindle app, and you won’t be able to easily download these book files to send them to another device. It also requires an Amazon account and a checkout process of sorts, even if you’re not paying anything. Oddly, it’s also not particularly easy to find free books on the Kindle itself, as the storefront doesn’t really have the best browsing options.

Kindle Unlimited Prime Reading Free Books on Amazon

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is the place the go for free downloadable classics. The website, which stretches back to 1971, is the world’s oldest digital library and hosts over 70,000 titles. It’s the best place to look for titles in the public domain, and it’s here you’ll find a bunch of downloads for older classics, like Moby Dick , the collected works of Shakespeare, and even a lot of Agatha Christie’s books. The downloads are available in a number of formats, including simple EPUB files, as well as files tweaked to work on Amazon Kindles.

The sheer amount of file types on 0ffer can be a little confusing, though. Do you want the EPUB3, EPUB, or Kindle formats? Or is reading online better? And while you can find books in other languages here, most are in English. Some titles may also not be free to download outside of the U.S., so it’s sometimes not that straightforward. Finally, if you want an app, there’s no app here, as it only works as a website.

However, if you’re looking for an older classic, then this is where you should go first.

Google Play Books

Google Play Books is often seen as the poor cousin of Amazon’s Kindle service, but it’s nothing of the sort. If you’re looking to pivot away from Amazon’s seemingly all-encompassing monolith, then Google Play Books is a good alternative. It has a massive selection of e-books in general, but you can also find some great free options if you know where to look.

The first and principal place to find free books is the app’s home page. Scroll down to the eBook charts to can find a category marked  Free . Here, you’ll find the top 100 e-books that have been added to other people’s libraries, giving you a useful barometer of popularity. If none of these tickle your fancy, or if you’re looking for something in another genre, your options are unfortunately a little more limited. You can search for “free [genre]” to find books, or just search for your desired genre and then select Free  from the price filter. There’s no dedicated “free” section to browse, unfortunately.

However, there’s another big plus here, and it’s the selection of free audiobooks on offer. Yes, free audiobooks. They’re “auto-generated”, so not read by people, and are limited to just classics in the public domain. But that includes books you may have always wanted to read, like Dracula and  Frankenstein , or nonfiction like The Prince . Since they’re not read by a human, but a computer-generated voice, there’s a touch of uncanny valley about it, but if you can stomach that, this is a great option.

Downsides for Google Play Books include the aforementioned difficulty in finding free titles, but also keep in mind that it can be tough to get these titles onto e-book readers. Unless your e-book reader allows for third-party apps, you’re going to have to find a way to download the files and send them to your e-book reader of choice. Also, you’ll need a Google account to use and access the app.

Google Play Books website Google Play Books Android app Google Play Books iOS app Free audiobooks

The best way to get free books is from your local library — but it’s not like you can just walk in and take out a digital e-book. But what you  can do is use Libby to borrow e-books from your local library using your library card.

Libby is replacing the service previously known as OverDrive and functions much the same way. Get a library card from your local library and then sign up for Libby. Enter your library card details, and presto — it will let you know which books are available for loan. It’s simple and free, and if you’re in the U.S., it links up to Amazon Kindles, making it even easier to read them.

There are some problems with Libby, of course. If you’re not in the U.S. or don’t have a Kindle , then you’re restricted to reading your books using the Libby app, which may not be to your tastes or as easy as using an e-book reader. As it’s a library copy, there’s also a restricted number of licenses, meaning you may have to wait to get hold of a book, especially if it’s in demand.

Libby has some shortcomings that can make it a bit of a tougher sell, but if it’s free books you’re after, and you already have a compatible library card, then it costs you nothing to sign up and check out what you can get.

Libby website Libby Android app Libby iOS app

ManyBooks offers exactly what the name implies: It has many books, and they come from a wide variety of genres and times. ManyBooks offers over 50,000 titles on its website, and while there’s the usual selection of public domain classics to pick from, you’ll also find a whole heap of books from newer authors. You can download each book in multiple formats, so you can transfer them to your e-book reader, or you can read them using ManyBook’s online reader instead.

You’ll need a free account to download, or you’ll be sent over to Amazon instead, in which case you’ll need an Amazon account. Also, contrary to what the website states, not all of the books are available for free. However, those books are clearly marked and often available at a low price anyway, so it’s easy to forgive.

ManyBooks website ManyBooks Android app ManyBooks iOS app

Open Library

The Internet Archive holds a lot of great e-books, but it lacks an easy way of browsing those titles — and that’s why we have Open Library . Open Library pulls from the Internet Archive and presents it in a way that’s a lot more user-friendly and easy to browse. There are tons of titles here to pick from, including all the usual public domain classics, as well as some seriously famous books up for grabs — including A Game of Thrones  by George R. R. Martin and  Deep Six  by Clive Cussler. Granted, these more famous titles will only be available on a borrowing basis, but they are there and available if you want them.

Multiple download formats are available, and you can also search by language, which is a nice addition. However, it can be hard to find books available in your language, as sometimes a book will be listed as available, but only be borrowable in Spanish. This is fine if you speak Spanish, but not great if you don’t. Still, it’s definitely worth having on your radar. There are apps available for Android and iOS.

Open Library website Open Library Android app Open Library iOS app

Books aren’t the only way to read, and audiobooks are rapidly gaining interest for those who want a way to keep reading their favorite books while driving, walking, or doing chores. Getting free audiobooks can be a bit of a challenge, though, which is why it’s nice that LibriVox exists. LibriVox offers free audiobooks in a range of genres and languages. It’s especially good for children’s books, and while you’re again relying on public domain titles, it’s nice to have such a massive number of titles available for free.

It’s volunteer-run, which is why audiobooks can be offered for free. However, that’s a double-edged sword as quality can vary from book to book, with much depending on the individual skill of the volunteer who read that specific book. This can make it a bit of a tougher sell than you might originally think, but if you find the right audiobook, then all is forgiven. There’s a website and an app for Android and iOS.

Librivox website LibriVox Android app LibriVox iOS app

Free-ebooks.net

Another website that does exactly what it says on the tin, Free-ebooks.net offers, well, free e-books. There’s a massive selection to choose from here, with options ranging from classics to a whole bunch of newer titles you’ve probably never heard of. This wide variety also comes with some audiobooks as well, really boosting the options available to you.

The catch? You’ll need to register for free, and you can only download five books per month. That’ll be fine if you’re a slower reader, but if you devour books, then you’ll need to get more of your fix from elsewhere, too.

Free-ebooks.net website Free-ebooks.net Android app Free-ebooks.net iOS app

While eBooks.com is technically a marketplace, it doesn’t shy away from offering a bunch of books for free. Four hundred of them, to be exact, which is enough to keep even the most avid and active reader busy for a little while. They’re available to download or read online, though it’s worth keeping in mind that all of these free e-books come as an ACSM file, which means they’re locked down pretty tight with DRM and can only be read using Adobe’s software on a Mac or PC, or by using one of eBooks.com’s recommended reading apps on mobile. That’s a disappointment, but since you’re getting some solid free e-books, it’s hard to complain that they require a few small hoops to jump through.

eBooks.com website eBooks.com Android reader app eBooks.com iOS reader app

There’s something to be said for the benefits of quick and dirty, and Authorama is both of those. It’s stocked with pretty much just public domain books, but they’re well reproduced and high quality. The website itself is extremely simple and bare-bones to the extreme — it’s just a white space with an alphabetical list of titles. As a result, it’s very easy to use; just scroll down the list and find what you want.

The downsides? There aren’t very many options to pick from, and it lacks many books from languages other than English. It’s also not much to look at, and there are no advanced search features to be found here. It’s also largely restricted to just reading from the website, which can be a chore. But even with these downsides, it’s a good catalog of free books.

Authorama website

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Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient & Medieval History, which obviously makes him a shoo-in to write about technology for a living. He currently contributes to the Mobile section on Digital Trends, with a particular emphasis and expertise on exploring the weirder side of smartphones, from tiny rugged phones to massive gaming phones. You'll most often find him seeking out leaks and rumors on upcoming devices, and playing with a variety of new apps for both Android and iOS.

Kindle deals aren’t just restricted to discounts on the devices themselves but services relating to them too. Right now, you can sign up to three months of Kindle Unlimited for free so you don’t have to worry about the monthly fee of $12. That works out as a saving of $36 across the three months while also allowing you to check out a near-endless supply of books too. Whether you’ve just bought a Kindle or you’re settling down for better habits this year, this is a great deal for anyone who hasn’t already signed up for it in the past. Keen to learn more? Let’s take a look at what Kindle Unlimited has to offer.

Why you should sign up for Kindle Unlimited Kindle Unlimited is basically Amazon’s book-borrowing service. It works just like a virtual library allowing you to check out up to 10 items at once. Not just e-books are catered for here with audiobooks and comic books also available, along with many magazine subscriptions. It’s possible to borrow titles as often as you like with no due dates if you don’t return them by a set time.

Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and even Motorola have been coming out with fast new Android phones that match a number of lifestyles and design tastes. And that means you'll need apps that can take advantage of those larger screens and faster processors.  They're how we communicate with friends, watch movies, stay productive, and so much more. You can have the best Android phone on the market, but if you don't also pair it with the best Android apps, you're missing out.

There are millions of Android apps on the Play Store. Many of them are great, some are fine, and others are bogus. To help you sift through everything and focus on the apps you should actually care about, we've rounded up 50 of our favorite ones right here. If you're looking for games, check out our list of the best Android games. And if you are in the market for a new Android phone, make sure to check out our latest smartphone reviews.

The Apple iPhone keeps getting better each year with features and new hardware specs that companies can take advantage up, and we have the new Apple iPhone 15 just around the corner. Whether you just want to doomscroll all day, communicate with others, check the weather, or even find your next soulmate, there's going to be some kind of app to help you satisfy those digital cravings.

But the App Store is filled with thousands of apps — where do you even begin? Don't worry, we're here to help. We've gone through the many apps on Apple's digital storefront so you don't have to. Here are the best apps for your iPhone, whether it's an iPhone 11 or an iPhone 14 Pro.

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Project gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free ebooks.

Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online. You will find the world’s great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired. Thousands of volunteers digitized and diligently proofread the eBooks, for you to enjoy.

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Philosophical Transactions, Giving Some Account Of The Present Undertakings,

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Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series,

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The Old Miracle Plays of England

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

I f 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.

Read more: 12 Things You Should Stop Doing On Your Android Phone Immediately

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.

Read the original article on SlashGear .

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Waldo Frank (1889 - 1967)

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Woman in Sacred History

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Posted on February 1, 2024

February – the month of carnival, Mardi Gras, Shrovetide, Shrove Tuesday… Whatever it’s called where you are from, let’s have fun with 10 hilarious gems from our catalog. Humor is best delivered in short bursts. And it can’t get any pithier than Frontier Humor in Verse, Prose and Picture, little vignettes from 19th century Canada […]

Posted on January 1, 2024

Happy New Year! A new year brings fresh starts, a chance to try something again or to go for something entirely new. Get inspired with 10 gems from our catalog. Let’s start at the beginning – of humankind. C. H. Robinson follows the development of human society from the discovery of fire and working all […]

Merry Christmas Season!

Posted on December 1, 2023

So many celebrations this month! Whether you celebrate Christmas, the winter solstice or just the end of the year, get in the mood with 10 gems from our catalog. Every year, kids anxiously await Christmas. “How many days left” can be easily deduced from an Adventskalender counting down the days with little daily gifts. This […]

The World of Men

Posted on November 1, 2023

It’s International Men’s Day on November 19, a perfect time to celebrate all men: Fathers and sons, brothers and husbands, or simply loved ones outside of family ties. Here are 10 gems from our catalog to do just this. Whether son or daughter, the closest man in everybody’s life is their father. Mamie Dickens, oldest […]

Librivox Statistics

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Cheap Reads for Kindle: Free Books and Low Priced Reading Options

From free classics to great deals, there's a book for every budget on Kindle.

Kindle opens the door to hundreds of thousands of affordable books. Whether you're looking for a great romance, an epic tale of adventure, the latest financial advice or anything else, there are books for every reader and every budget. And with the free Kindle Reading app , you can enjoy all these affordable options even if you do not own a Kindle device.

To help you make the best use of your valuable reading time, below are top-rated free or cheap books in popular categories. Sometimes free books exhibit variable quality or do not support all the great Kindle reading features, so we recommend browsing the reviews and ratings from other readers. Or choose deals for limited-time savings on thoughtfully selected books. Happy reading (and happy saving).

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