If you’re an old school bookworm who has gone digital, it’s likely you enjoy the convenience of having your books with you wherever you go. Whether you’re reading on your mobile device or using an eBook reader, such as Amazon’s Kindle, buying the books you’re interested in reading has become simple.
However, wouldn’t it be nice if you could download the book for free and take it with you? Well, guess what? There are various legal free resources on the Internet where you can get books without spending a dime! Not only are these sites 100 percent free, but they also offer a great selection of books to choose from regardless of the genre you prefer.
So, are you looking for your next great read? Or do you already have a particular book or author in mind? Either way, buckle up; we’ve put together a list of the 25 best websites (in no particular order) where you can find and download a wealth of eBooks absolutely free.
1. Project Gutenberg
Most people already have heard about Project Gutenberg since it’s probably one of the oldest digital libraries available. Volunteers run the site, and it features more than 50,000 free eBooks for download. These are available in numerous formats, from epub to Kindle-friendly to plain-text. It also has a selection of audiobooks that cater to all kinds of readers, ranging from ones that volunteers read aloud to those a computer reads.
The site, however, can confuse a little because eBooks nest behind multiple layers of navigation. But even so, it’s perhaps still one of the most comprehensive free resources for eBooks online.
2. Open Library
Open Library has a huge selection of eBooks to choose from, with more than 3 million free eBooks available for download. You can create your own lists of eBooks, which other people can also view, and easily find eBooks on your subject of interest with its handy subject search tool. The site allows you to read eBooks online in your browser, or you can download them and read them on any device.
Since the digital library is an open online project, it allows users to contribute by adding eBooks. You can also search for eBooks by subject, title, and author in the search bar. However, the most interesting feature of this site is it helps you find the eBooks you want in a public library, so you can easily get a printed copy.
3. Baen Free Library
Baen Free Library is a site which primarily focuses on fantasy and science fiction writing. Its eBook store is known by many for its reasonable pricing and consumer-friendly features, for example, there’s no DRM. Users can copy eBooks onto other devices without any restrictions. The American publisher has a huge selection of renowned writers, including Michael A. Stackpole, Lois McMaster, and John Scalzi, among others. However, it’s the works of less famous writers you’ll mostly find available for download on this site’s free section.
One interesting thing about the site is everything in its catalog passes through professional editing before it becomes available on the site. So, whichever eBook you choose, rest assured the writing is of the highest possible quality. Moreover, if military science fiction is your genre, the Baen Free Library is a site you definitely shouldn’t miss!
4. Free eBooks
The aptly named Free eBooks is another great site where you can download eBooks for free. As a matter of fact, you can even sign up to get free eBooks for life! Whether you like drama, romance, fiction, sci-fi, or mystery, you’re sure to find something interesting here; the site’s library houses thousands of eBooks of various genres.
To make things easier for you, the website lists the top 10 eBooks in each category. Not only this, but you can also go through ratings and reviews for each eBook. All this will help you gain an attractive perspective of what other users are reading. Or you could just pick one up and see for yourself. A journey to the unknown is always exciting!
5. Google Books
Google Books is useful for skimming through digital magazines and books but did you know the service also allows you to download eBooks? While there are millions of titles available for purchase, you can also browse and download everything, from contemporary to classic eBooks, from the site’s free books section.
The preview feature of the site is particularly interesting because it gives you a sneak peek into the latest eBooks on the market. And this can prove useful in discovering your next great find from its stores. Whether you want eBooks to buy or to download for free, Google Books is a great place for all kinds of readers.
6. 2020ok
2020ok is a great site to find eBooks, but the website design is a huge downside. It’s cluttered, so it can sometimes take a lot of time to find the eBook you’re interested in reading. The site, though, has eBooks on a range of subjects, such as history, law, medicine, business, and investment, as well as arts and photography.
You can also find numerous computer and Internet eBooks. And if you thought that’s all, there are thousands of eBooks about religion and spirituality. So, are you looking for a particular eBook? Head over to this site; it covers almost every subject.
7. Feedbooks
Feedbooks is an attractive site that works just as well on mobile devices as the larger ones. This makes it easy to use if you’re reading on your tablet or smartphone and saves you the trouble of downloading eBooks on your PC. While the site has a range of eBooks available for sale, it also offers two free sections.
The public domain section has thousands of free eBooks for download. And in the original books section, you will find free eBooks that are largely self-published, allowing you to discover new authors and their masterpieces. The collection on this site is organized, which is a huge plus!
8. ManyBooks
ManyBooks is piggy-backed to Project Gutenberg and offers many of the same titles. The layout, though, is nicer, and the search function is comparatively easier to use. What’s more interesting is, unlike other free eBook sites, users can download eBooks in their desired format. These include options such as PDF, eReader, HTML, and more. The site is also active on Facebook, where it updates news about the latest eBooks regularly.
9. FreeBookSpot
Another free eBook site, FreeBookSpot, which spans across 90 categories, has thousands of eBooks for download. The site acts more like a database; it will link you to free eBooks offered on other sites. You can find eBooks related to programming, science, fiction, arts, chess, and biology, among various other topics. There are audiobooks if you prefer listening to reading. Finding a particular eBook is also easy, courtesy of the site’s advanced search feature.
10. GetFreeEbooks
GetFreeEbooks has more than 100 categories to choose from, ensuring there’s something for every reader. From classic literature to engineering to even books about extraterrestrials, the site has it all covered. Authors can also submit their own works on this site, and readers can download them for free. The site is well-designed, so it’s easy to use. Not to mention, with an active social media presence, you can follow them on their Facebook page to get the latest updates.
11. E-Books Directory
E-books Directory is a free eBook site that offers an ever-growing list of downloadable lecture notes, eBooks, and documents. Currently, the site has more than 9,400 eBooks to choose from, spanning 666 categories. The top 20 section lists the most popular (and viewed) eBooks among the vast community of readers, while in the new section, you’ll come across the latest additions to the directory. Authors can also submit and promote their own eBooks.
12. Hundred Zeros
If you’re a Kindle user, Hundred Zeros should appeal to you. The site features a collection of Kindle bestsellers, which are free to download. The free eBooks offered here cover a range of categories, from arts to fiction to psychology and many other topics. However, to download and read these eBooks on your tablet, smartphone, or computer, you have to use the Kindle reader app. Don’t worry, though, and the app is free.
13. FreeComputerBooks
As the name implies, FreeComputerBooks offers a huge collection of free eBooks related to computers. You can also find technical, mathematics, and engineering eBooks, as well as some handy tutorials and lecture notes. Although the site is basic regarding design, the topics are well-categorized, making it easier for users to find what they want. The site features 13 main categories and more than 200 sub-categories.
14. BookBoon
Are you looking for a particular business book or educational textbook? Then, look no further than BookBoon! The site has more than 1,000 free eBooks available for download, covering a range of topics. While the textbooks are free, there are premium plans to gain access to business-related eBooks. But you can get a 30-day free trial during which you can access most of them.
15. eBookLobby
eBookLobby has a great collection of free eBooks, ranging from education, business, computing, and art. While the collection isn’t as huge as you would expect, the site makes up the deficit by the quality of eBooks, which are available for download. You can find all the categories listed on the website, with the highest numbers scored by the computers and Internet category. The site also features a list of the top 10 most viewed eBooks, which gives you a better perspective of what other users are reading.
16. eBook3000
Well, that’s an interesting name, isn’t it? eBook3000 is yet another site that offers thousands of free eBooks for download. There are eBooks from a range of categories, which ensures there’s something for everyone. From architecture to sports to games, the site has it all. The search capabilities are commendable; they provide accurate results relevant to the keywords you enter. Also, to make things easier, the site prominently lists the most popular eBooks.
17. KnowFree
KnowFree is a Web portal that allows users to exchange videos, reports, magazines, white papers, and eBooks for self-practice and educational purposes. These materials are free to professionals who qualify. There are eBooks available for a range of categories, such as business, multimedia, engineering, education, technology, Web development, and more. The site updates daily with hundreds of free eBooks, so rest assured you can find what you’re looking for!
18. Scribd
The world’s largest digital library, Scribd allows readers to discover new eBooks, comics, audiobooks, and more. The site is home to more than 1 million eBooks! While you have to pay a subscription fee to gain access, you can use the 14-day free trial to your advantage.
19. Internet Archive
A non-profit library, Internet Archive is home to millions of free software, music, videos, and movies as well as eBooks. You can find eBooks in various formats and languages on this site. In fact, it’s one of the best sources out there for academic and historical eBooks. Other free eBook websites you should try!
20. Book-bot
Book-bot has more than 14,000 free eBooks. These include some of the more famous ones, as well as works by lesser-known writers.
21. eBook Junkie
eBook Junkie offers readers a number of free eBooks, which span a range of categories, for download.
22. Planet eBook
Home to eBooks related to classic literature, Planet eBook has more than 80 evergreen classics available for download.
23. Free Book Centre
Free Book Centre is a site that offers thousands of links for eBooks related to computers, including topics such as programming, networking, and more.
24. The eBook Directory
Are you looking for high quality eBooks? The eBook Directory is the place! Users can access thousands of eBooks by browsing various categories or using the search box.
And with that, folks, our list comes to an end. We hope this list has let you discover some great websites to download free eBooks. So, are there any other sites you use? Let us know in the comment box below!
Mark is a serial entrepreneur and editor of www.aawebmasters.com. He loves web design, online marketing, social media, and e-commerce. He enjoys working with a variety of web professionals on many projects.