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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.

One good turn by Bertrand W. Sinclair

Splashes of red by J. Frank Davis

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 11 (of 32) by John Wesley

Something about sugar by George Morrison Rolph

Comparative geography by Carl Ritter

A book of the west. Volume II—Cornwall by S. Baring-Gould

How much bolshevism is there in America? by Arno Dosch-Fleurot

The murderer by Murray Leinster

The life-masters by Edmond Hamilton

Sketches of social life in India by C. T. Buckland

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No fee or registration! Everything from Project Gutenberg is gratis, libre, and completely without cost to readers. If you find Project Gutenberg useful, please consider a small donation to help Project Gutenberg digitize more books, maintain its online presence, and improve Project Gutenberg programs and offerings. Other ways to help include digitizing, proofreading and formatting, or reporting errors.

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No special apps needed! Project Gutenberg eBooks require no special apps to read, just the regular Web browsers or eBook readers that are included with computers and mobile devices. There have been reports of sites that charge fees for custom apps, or for the same eBooks that are freely available from Project Gutenberg. Some of the apps might have worthwhile features, but none are required to enjoy Project Gutenberg eBooks.

50 years of eBooks 1971-2021. In 2021, Project Gutenberg celebrated the first eBook for reading enjoyment and unlimited free redistribution. This eBook was created on July 4, 1971 by Project Gutenberg’s founder, Michael S. Hart. Read more about this lasting innovation . Project Gutenberg is grateful to all volunteers who helped to reach this milestone anniversary. Project Gutenberg offers a vibrant and growing collection of the world’s great literature. Read, enjoy, and share!

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• Visit self.gutenberg.org for free eBooks by contemporary authors.

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Audio books are a great way to enjoy and share literature. Project Gutenberg no longer adds new audio books to the collection, and suggests these audio book resources. These audio books are all freely available and in the public domain in the US. They may be easily played back on computers, tablets, mobile phones, and other devices. They may be shared non-commercially, without limitation except in countries where the printed source is still copyrighted. All of the sources listed below are digitizations of texts from Project Gutenberg.

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• Project Gutenberg’s computer-generated audio books . 386 titles from 2003, using text-to-speech automation. These are listenable but relatively low quality compared to today’s technology.
• Human-read audio books from LibriVox . LibriVox is a volunteer community that produces high-quality performances that are done by many different volunteers. Follow the link to find audio books, and also to help create new audio books.
• The Project Gutenberg Open Audiobook Collection . Almost 5,000 titles from 2023, via a Project Gutenberg collaboration with Microsoft and MIT. These use neural text-to-speech technology for more natural-sounding computer-generated audio books. These audio books are also available on major music/podcast platforms as well as The Internet Archive . Project Gutenberg and partners were recognized by TIME for this work in their Best Inventions of 2023 .
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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 .

View All posts by Nikki VanRy

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.

You Might Also Like

Welcome to Project Gutenberg

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.

Hollyhock House

The Story of the Sun. New York, 1833 1918

Philosophical Transactions, Giving Some Account Of The Present Undertakings,

Job and Solomon: Or, The Wisdom of the Old Testament

The Art of Music, Volume Two (of 14)

Kardinaalin laulu

On the Border with Crook

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

The Mischievous Typesetter

The Old Miracle Plays of England

Some of our latest eBooks Click Here for more latest books!

50 years of eBooks 1971-2021. The first eBook for reading enjoyment and unlimited free redistribution was created on July 4, 1971 by founder Michael S. Hart. Read more about this lasting innovation . Project Gutenberg is grateful to all volunteers who helped to reach this milestone anniversary. Project Gutenberg offers a vibrant and growing collection of the world’s great literature. Read, enjoy, and share!

No fee or registration! Everything from Project Gutenberg is gratis, libre, and completely without cost to readers. If you find Project Gutenberg useful, please consider a small donation to help Project Gutenberg digitize more books, maintain its online presence, and improve Project Gutenberg programs and offerings. Other ways to help include digitizing, proofreading and formatting, or reporting errors.

No special apps needed! Project Gutenberg eBooks require no special apps to read, just the regular Web browsers or eBook readers that are included with computers and mobile devices. There have been reports of sites that charge fees for custom apps, or for the same eBooks that are freely available from Project Gutenberg. Some of the apps might have worthwhile features, but none are required to enjoy Project Gutenberg eBooks.

Find Free eBooks

• Search and browse . By author, title, subject, language, type, popularity, and more.
• Bookshelves of related eBooks.
• Frequently downloaded : Top 100, or ranked by popularity .
• Offline catalogs : handy eBook listings and metadata to consult offline.
• Recently added . The latest new and updated eBooks.
• Visit self.gutenberg.org for free eBooks by contemporary authors.
• Frequently Asked Questions about Project Gutenberg.
• Help, How-To and FAQs : In depth information about many topics.
• Tablets, phones and eReaders How-To : Using tablets, Kindle, Nook, cell phone, and other mobile devices and readers.

How to Help

• Distributed Proofreaders welcomes new volunteers. This is the main source of new Project Gutenberg eBooks. Getting started is easy, and just a page a day will help!
• Fix and improve Project Gutenberg by reporting errors, bugs, typos, and suggesting changes.
• Record audiobooks with our friends at LibriVox .

Special Areas

• About Project Gutenberg .
• Donating to Project Gutenberg .
• Feeds of new eBooks.
• Linking to Project Gutenberg and roboting or crawling the site.
• Partners and affiliates .
• Permissions, copyright, licensing, and trademark information .
• What does free eBook (No Cost or Freedom?) mean?
• Terms of Use

Project Gutenberg eBooks may be freely used in the United States because most are not protected by U.S. copyright law. They may not be free of copyright in other countries. Readers outside of the United States must check the copyright terms of their countries before accessing, downloading or redistributing eBooks. We also have a number of copyrighted titles, for which the copyright holder has given permission for unlimited non-commercial worldwide use.

The Project Gutenberg website is for human users only. Use of automated tools to access the website may trigger a block of your access. This site utilizes cookies, captchas and related technologies to help assure the site is maximally available for human users. See full terms of use here .

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The 6 best places to find free books online:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read for free on Libby

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

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

What to read:

Note: select your local library to see custom search results

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

Read for free on Project Gutenberg

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

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

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

Read for free on Overdrive

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

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

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

Read for free on Open Library

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

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

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

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

Listen for free on LibriVox

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

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

What to listen to:

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

Read for free through the Digital Public Library

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

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

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

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

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Read with Libby

Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from your local library for free! Libby is the newer library reading app by OverDrive, loved by millions of readers worldwide!

Download Libby today!

or read & listen online at Libbyapp.com

All over the world, millions of people read their library books with Libby.

Your guide to reading happiness..

Brought to you by your local library, and built with 💕 by OverDrive.

Warm, personal, and easy to use, Libby is great for users of all ages.

Read across devices

All your loans, notes, bookmarks, and reading progress sync across your devices.

Offline access

Download ebooks and audiobooks for offline reading, or stream them to save space.

Listen in your car

Enjoy audiobooks in your car through Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or a Bluetooth connection.

Send to Kindle

If you prefer reading on your Kindle, Libby can send your library books to it. (U.S. libraries only)

Browse, search, and discover.

There are thousands of ebooks and audiobooks, hand-selected by your library, available for reading. Explore the collection through catalog guides, subjects, featured titles, and curated lists. It's a delight to discover new books through Libby.

"Libby has raised the bar for library apps."

A state-of-the-art reading experience.

Libby’s ebook reader makes it easy to customize how you read. You can adjust an ebook's font size, book layout, and lighting. As you read, you can also add bookmarks, create notes and highlights, and define words.

"Libby is one of the best resources out there in the e-reader world."

An intuitive and beautiful audiobook player.

Libby makes it simple to listen when, where, and how you want. Swipe on the book cover to skip backward or forward. Increase playback speed up to 3x. Set a sleep timer until the end of the chapter or for 5, 10, 30 minutes, or more.

"I’m a big Libby fan because my drive to work is a heckin’ pain and I like to listen to books while I’m behind the wheel."

How does Libby work?

Apple iphones & ipads.

Phones & Tablets with Google Play

Amazon Fire Tablets

Laptops & Desktop Computers

Download and open Libby on your device.

Find your library and sign in with your library card.

Browse or search to discover your next favorite book or audiobook.

Start reading & listening!

Visit Libby Help to watch a getting started video and get step by step instructions.

What people are saying.

We think Libby is the simplest way to start reading ebooks and audiobooks from your library. Don't just take our word for it though, see what everyone else is saying!

I LOVE reading and anywhere!

“I love being able to read or listen to books from my local library but it also allows for books too expensive through Amazon, that I can read through this ereader. Well done. I LOVE reading and anywhere I can read as freely as I enjoy it; whether that’s 5 books a day or 150 a month… An e-reader be it Libby or my Kindle or both… they allow me to read my fill regardless of my inability to always get to the library or to search stacks at bookstores. I can be comfortable in my own place.”

- Margaret M., Google Play ™  Store review

Re-connecting back to the Library

"I feel like I just re-found my love for the library again. This app helps re-connect with these amazing and free resources back inot reading books but also magazines. I know the library is free but I didn't know what an array they have for electronic resources. It is great and helpful."

- J-Phx, Apple App Store review

Free Audiobooks Rock!

"I am dyslexic and old enough that is was never diagnosed in school. This is such a simple way for me to enjoy books I would never be able to read.I have been listening to the CDs for a long time. But having it on my phone allows me to listen whenever and wherever. Also this is one of the more efficient apps I have come across. Thank you Libby."

- Brezzy307, Apple App Store review

OverDrive has hit it out the park

"This app is intuitive, helpful, and like having a librarian in my pocket. While I will take any opportunity to visit a brick and mortar library, it isn't always possible. This app gives me all the bok love I need when I am away from a real library. Keep up the great work."

- Shira M, Google Play ™  Store review

PC Magazine's The Best Free Software of 2019

The library is often-overlooked public resource (and some are modernizing quickly), but OverDrive brings it back into the fold with the newly redesgined, Libby.

The 20 Best Apps of the 2010s

Listen up, the library is cool and we all secretly know it. But what's even cooler is that the OverDrive-created and owned Libby app lets you borrow e-books, audiobooks, music, and more for free.

Time Magazine's Best iPhone and Android Apps of 2018

Put your local library in your pocket with Libby, an ebook- and audiobook-borrowing app with a wealth of literary offerings available on demand.

Winners announced for the

Libby book awards ceremony, join the conversation.

Our community is at the heart of what we do. Follow us for book news and announcements, and to share your love of reading.

Join the new community that shares your love of books and reading!

Have more questions?

Is libby free.

Yes, Libby is completely free. It’s free to install, and there are no subscription costs, no in-app purchases, and no late fees. All you need is a valid library card from your library.

How do I get a library card?

Does libby work with my library, what books can i find in libby.

From the classics to The New York Times bestsellers, your library chooses which ebooks and audiobooks they’d like to provide in Libby. They select titles based on your community’s interests. Libby is only for digital content. It doesn’t include any physical materials from your library.

How do I switch from the OverDrive app to Libby?

If you previously used the OverDrive app, it's time to switch to Libby! To get started, simply download the Libby app, find your library, and sign in. Your loans, holds and wish list items will be waiting for you when you get there. Access a how-to video, FAQs and more at overdrive.com/switchtolibby .

What devices does Libby work on?

Enjoy Libby on almost any device! Download the Libby app on a phone or tablet, access in a web browser (libbyapp.com), listen with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, transfer to an ereader, and more. Learn how to get started.

How can I get help with the Libby app?

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Blog – Posted on Thursday, Apr 01

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.

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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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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.

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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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12 sites where you can read full books online.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read full books online – here are 12 best sites

1. project gutenberg.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Internet Archive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Open Library

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Google Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Smashwords

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. ManyBooks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Authorama

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

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

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

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

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

9. Bookboon

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. Wattpad

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

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

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

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

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

11. Library of Congress

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

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

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

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

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

12. HathiTrust Library

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

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

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

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

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

• Free ebooks for Christmas 2023: here are the top 20 downloads Just like a year ago, we are presenting the list of ebooks that were most downloaded from Project Gutenberg in […]
• 12 best personalized gifts for librarians and library supporters These library-themed gifts are extremely easy to personalize. All you have to do is add your own text!
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4 responses to “12 sites where you can read full books online”

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

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

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

centurypast.org

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

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Start Reading

Big magic: creative living beyond fear.

by ELIZABETH GILBERT

Once upon a time, there was a man named Jack Gilbert, who was not related to me – unfortunately for me. 

Jack Gilbert was a great poet, but if you’ve never heard of him, don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault. He never much cared about being known. But I knew about him, and I loved him dearly from a respectful distance, so let me tell you about him.

Jack Gilbert was born in Pittsburgh in 1925 and grew up in the midst of that city’s smoke, noise, and industry. He worked in factories and steel mills as a young man, but was called from an early age to write poetry. He answered the call without hesitation. He became a poet the way other men become monks: as a devotional practice, as an act of love, and as a lifelong commitment to the search for grace and transcendence. I think this is probably a very good way to become a poet. Or to become anything, really, that calls to your heart and brings you to life.

176 words read ...

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Revolution Begins Book Lover Funny T-Shirt – Time to start a revolution, comrades! Wait, I need to finish the book, first – and a bookmark comes as a handy excuse. This vintage artwork says: “The revolution begins as soon as I remember where I left my bookmark”.

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free public domain audiobooks

Free public domain audiobooks.

Read by volunteers from around the world.

LibriVox audiobooks are read by volunteers from all over the world. Perhaps you would like to join us?

LibriVox audiobooks are free for anyone to listen to, on their computers, iPods or other mobile device, or to burn onto a CD.

Browse the catalog

Latest audiobook releases.

Scientists Do Science in Space (Ed Reads Short Sci-fi, vol. VII)

Complete | Solo | English

Sea Margins

Walter Richard Cassels (1826 - 1907)

Complete | Poetry_fortnightly | English

Self-Development and the Way to Power

L. W. Rogers (1859 - 1953)

Yanks - A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Forces) Verse from WWI

Fearful Rock

Manly Wade Wellman (1903 - 1986)

Cyrano de Bergerac (Hooker translation)

Edmond Rostand (1868 - 1918)

Complete | Dramatic | English

John Smith's Funny Adventures on a Crutch! or The Remarkable Peregrinations of a One- Legged Soldier after the War

A. F. Hill (1842 - 1876)

Complete | Collaborative | English

Ivan Brodsky, The Surgeon of Souls

Victor Rousseau (1879 - 1960)

Zum wilden Mann

Wilhelm Raabe (1830 - 1910)

Complete | Solo | German

Poems (Version 2)

Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918)

Latest News

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 […]

Animals are People, too!

Posted on October 1, 2023

World Animal Day on October 4 seeks to protect animals and their habitats. Learn about all sorts of beings that live among us with 10 gems from our catalog. Before there were humans, strange animals roamed the planet. George Langford weaves palaeontological research about prehistoric elephants, squirrels or horses into his Stories of the First […]

Librivox Statistics

• Cataloged works: 19,342
• Works cataloged last month: 90
• Non-English works: 2,390
• Number of languages: 47
• Number of readers: 13,799

A Trip to the Tap

Illustrated by Phumle April, Written by Sindeka Mandoyi

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , BookDash , Conservation , Creative Commons , Culture , Editable Files , Grade K and Pre K , Toddlers

Oluhle is excited to go to the tap and fetch water, she will see her friends there, but what happens when she can’t find her bucket? Illustrated by Phumle April Written by Sindeka Mandoyi Designed by Nadene Kriel Sample Page from A Trip to the Tap   Download the full book by selecting one of …

Punctuation Guide for Kids

Categories: Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Children , English Language , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Non-Fiction

A short guide to all the common punctuation marks – period, exclamation mark, question mark, comma, semi-colon, ellipsis, quotation marks, apostrophe, colon. This book was brought to you by Vappingo online proofreaders. Sample Page from Punction Guide by Vappingo  

The Conical Hat

Author: Ram Babu Subedi Illustrator: Promina Shreshtha

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Beginner English , Creative Commons , Culture , Grade K and Pre K , Read along video , Room to Read , Toddlers

A short story about conical hats and all their important uses. Great for young children, learning to read, and ESL. Sample page from The Conical Hat Author: Ram Babu Subedi Illustrator: Promina Shreshtha Brought to us by Room to Read. Read along with Kiwi Opa:  

Let’s Count Legs

Author: All Children Reading Cambodia Illustrator: Measa Sovonnarea

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Counting , Grade K and Pre K , Insects , Read along video , Storyweaver-Pratham , Toddlers

A fun counting book featuring the numbers 2,4,6, and 8. Brought to us by The Asia Foundation and Storyweaver. Author: All Children Reading Cambodia Illustrator: Measa Sovonnarea Sample Page from Let’s Count Legs Read along with Kiwi Opa in the video of Let’s Count Legs:    

The Pottering Pig

Author: Rohit Kulkarni Illustrator: Priya Kuriyan

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Creative Commons , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Grade K and Pre K , Humour , Read along video , Storyweaver-Pratham , Toddlers

The pottering pig causes all sorts of chaos, but did she break the potter’s pots? A cute whodunnit, when the Pottering Pig is accused of a crime she may or may not have committed. Author: Rohit Kulkarni Illustrator: Priya Kuriyan Sample Page from The Pottering Pig: Brought to us by Pratham Books. Read along with …

Three Billy Goats Gruff – CKF

Core Knowledge Foundation

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Children , Core Knowledge Foundation , Creative Commons , Editable Files , Fable , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Grade K and Pre K , moral , Toddlers

This classic tale is told with some beautiful imagery combined with some comprehension questions. Creator: Core Knowledge Foundation See more from CKF on FKB here: https://freekidsbooks.org/publisher/core-knowledge-foundation/ This book is also available in an editable version (created using Open Office): https://freekidsbooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Three_Billy_Goats_Gruff-Landscape-Book-CKF-FKB.odt Sample Page from Three Billy Goats Gruff:    

Snowy Owl – Haiku for older children

Gabriel Rosenstock

Categories: Age 10-13 years , Age years 13+ , All FKB Books , Gabriel Rosenstock , Grade 4 to Grade 6 , Grade 7+ , Intermediate English , Older Children , poetry , Young Adult

Gabriel Rosenstock is back with a great collection of inspiring bilingual Haiku set to thought provoking artwork and photographs, including some issues on child labour in the US. Sample Page from Snowy Owl Gabriel Rosenstock See more from Gabriel Rosenstock on FKB For more about Haiku, see here: https://vcbf.ca/event/about-haiku/. It is noted that while Japanese …

Monster’s Day Out

Danielle Bruckert

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Beginner English , Children , Creative Commons , Danielle Bruckert , Free Kids Books , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Grade K and Pre K , Monsters , Toddlers

A sequel to the popular There’s a Monster this book explores, in rhyme, a day at the playground with Monster. Sample Page from Monster’s Day Out See also: There’s a Monster eBook More by the Author – Danielle Bruckert And, more books about Monster’s on FKB  

Happy Train

Author: Humayan Rashid Illustrator: Mehedi Haque

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Creative Commons , Grade K and Pre K , Intermediate English , Room to Read , Toddlers , Trains , Transport

A train travels through the country side, first she is very happy, but then getting farther and farther from home and seeing strange people and animals she becomes worried and scared. Fortunately someone comes to help. A great story about exploring emotions. Author: Humayan Rashid Illustrator: Mehedi Haque Sample Page from The Happy Train: Another …

Croak – the tale of a frog

Author: Kavitha Punniyamurthi, Illustrator: Ekta Bharti

Categories: Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Animals , Children , Creative Commons , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Humour , Intermediate English , Storyweaver-Pratham

There’s a frog in the classroom, but can Masterji see it? Or does he think the children are pulling a prank on him? Find out in this beautifully illustrated story ideal for early grades. Author: Kavitha Punniyamurthi, Illustrator: Ekta Bharti Originally published by Pratham Books on their Storyweaver Platform. Sample Page from Croak  

A Day at the Carnival

Author: Syamphay Fengsavanh, Illustrator: Nivong Sengsakoun

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Family , Grade K and Pre K , mouse , Room to Read , Toddlers

Three brothers, Little Mouse, Littler Mouse, and Tiny Mouse go out for a day to the carnival, they have a really great time, but safety must come first, and it’s important to look out for each other. Luckily they are keeping track! Author: Syamphay Fengsavanh, Illustrator: Nivong Sengsakoun, Translator: Alisha Berger Originally published by Room …

Supercow IV – In a Minute…

Kiwi Opa and Danielle Bruckert

Categories: Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Animals , Behaviour , Children , Creative Commons , Danielle Bruckert , FKB Make a Difference , Free Kids Books , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Intermediate English , Kiwi Opa , Read along video

A little girl and her mother walk through the park, but her mother is very distracted. Can Supercow help? Another book in the popular Supercow series. By Kiwi Opa and Danielle Bruckert Sample Page from Supercow IV – In a Minute… Other books in the Series: The Adventures of Super Cow Supercow Volume II: The …

Books for Benjamin

Author R.G. de Rouen, Illustrator Uliana Barabash

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Children , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Insects , Intermediate English , Toddlers

A worm yearns for reading, will he find the answer to his passion? Sample Page from Books for Benjamin         This book is also available in hard cover, paperback, and kindle edition on Amazon Author R.G. de Rouen Illustrator Uliana Barabash See more from the author at R.G. de Rouen’s Website. Books …

Rat Cat – Early Reader

Author: Dropti Sharma Illustrator: Rajeev Verma 'Banjara'

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Cats , Early Reader , Grade K and Pre K , mouse , Toddlers

Rat Cat is a very short book with cute illustrations featuring Cat and Rat. Perfect for building confidence in early readers! Sample Page Author: Dropti Sharma Illustrator: Rajeev Verma ‘Banjara’ See more Eary Readers on FKB in our Early Readers Section    

Hippo Naughty Hippo

Adaption Danielle Bruckert, Illustrations Megan Andrews

Categories: 5 minutes or less bedtime stories , Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Creative Commons , Danielle Bruckert , Free Kids Books , Grade K and Pre K , Toddlers

What is Hippo doing? And is she really naughty? Find out in this cute, beautifully illustrated text for young children. Repetition and simple language can also be useful for learn to read age. See also Elephant, Naughty Elephant in this series. Sample Text from Hippo, Naughty Hippo What is Hippo doing, can you guess? Hippo, …

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Reader's Digest

19 Places Where You Can Read Books Online for Free

Posted: November 16, 2023 | Last updated: November 16, 2023

The best places for free books online

It feels like a dream sometimes when I remember that my family used to travel four to five hours by train in Eastern Europe to a different country so that we could access a library with books in our primary language. We could check them out for three months at a time before making the journey again. What a difference it would have made if we had known where to read books online for free.

Although I used to read voraciously growing up, being forced to read so much during college and grad school burned me out. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized how little I read anymore, and I decided to change that by making one single, significant New Year's resolution: I committed to reading a book a week for the entire year. That's right—I set out to read 52 books in one year, and I actually exceeded my goal with 62 completed books. Although I had collected a lot of books I'd never gotten around to reading (a habit called tsundoku in Japanese), I wanted to read some of the best books out there, and I needed more than the ones I'd picked up and put on my TBR pile .

If you're an avid reader, you probably know that buying books can quickly get expensive—even buying second-hand. Fortunately for all of us, we now live in a world where affordable books are a reality. And I'm not just talking about Kindle Unlimited books , which are free with a subscription. You can actually find completely free books online.

Too busy with life to sit down and read? I could only have gotten through my Year of Books by listening to some of them. You better believe I took advantage of free audiobooks! I also had some friends who helped me figure out where to read books online for free so I'd stop emptying all the Little Free Libraries in my community. Read on for the top picks!

Join the free Reader's Digest Book Club for great reads, monthly discussions, author Q&As and a community of book lovers.

Overdrive/Libby

Good for: Reading a wide selection of books

Overdrive may have started back in the '80s, but it kept up with the times and now provides an app that lets you borrow books from your local library and then listen to or read them online, on your phone or an e-reader or tablet via the Libby app. I learned about Libby from a former colleague at Reading Is Fundamental who, besides being a rock-star full-time employee, was also a wife and hands-on mom of three without much extra time. She would listen to free audiobooks on her commute each day and gave me a personal tour of her app. I downloaded it that very day and have never stopped using it.

• Web reader, plus easy-to-use app that works on any device and has amazing filters for browsing
• Ability to make a TBR pile, find practically all book genres you want, get on wait lists for high-demand books and keep a record of books you have read
• Selection of audiobook speeds, plus a sleep timer that lets you listen as you fall asleep (without missing the rest of the book)
• Must have a library card to use the app (and don't lose it; sometimes you need to re-input your library card ID)
• Available collection of books is limited to your library district's digital catalog
• A VPN is necessary for reading internationally

Looking for your next great book? Read four of today’s bestselling novels in the time it takes to read one with  Fiction Favorites !

Project Gutenberg

Good for: Pre-20th-century books

Explicitly intended to encourage the creation and distribution of e-books, Project Gutenberg added its first online book back in the '70s, before reading free books online became a thing. For more than 50 years, the site has helped high school and college students alike (including me and my sister!), and it's been an invaluable resource to countless others who need (or simply enjoy) access to no-cost reading. The website is a wonderland of the world's great, open-domain classic books .

• No app or account necessary to read
• Options to read the books by text or listen to audio
• Easy to filter the categories
• Over 70,000 books available
• Because Project Gutenberg focuses on literature with an expired U.S. copyright, it does not have much in the way of modern reads
• Readers outside the United States need to double-check the copyright terms of any books in their own countries

Good for: Contemporary books

BookBub is a must-visit hub for contemporary reads at steep discounts or completely free. You'll need to create an account (also free) before you can take advantage of perks like limited-time offers on books from well-known publishers and critically acclaimed independent authors in more than 20 genres. Because BookBub asks for your reading preferences, those daily deals are curated to your taste. Like your fiction books a little bit bloody? Add horror or mysteries to your genre preferences and get ready for thrills. You can also visit the website to pick from a robust selection of totally free books. To read, click the link for your preferred retailer to order it for free, then use an app like Apple Books or Kindle to read on your computer, tablet, e-reader or phone.

• Features more modern picks than other free book sites
• Offers books in a wide range of genres, so you'll find everything from fiction to memoirs, self-help and cookbooks
• Tell BookBub about your favorite authors and get the scoop on discounts, new releases and preorders from them
• Not all the books suggested are free; some are only available at a discount
• Books may be free for a limited time only, after which they revert to the usual price

Good for: Audiobooks

If your quest to learn where to read books online for free hasn't taken you down the audiobook route, you'll want to rectify that, stat. It opens a world of possibilities when it comes to accessing free books online. When an audiobook I want to read has a yearlong waitlist on Libby, I head over to Chirp to see if I can find the free audiobook there instead. This fantastic website is run by the same people who run BookBub, which means you can count on it for loads of contemporary reads, along with the classics. When you're ready to listen, stream straight from the site or listen on your go-to device via the Chirp app (you can even listen on an Alexa-enabled device!).

The site also features books that are available for a discount (as opposed to free), and if you find yourself lured by one of those titles, you can use the code DIGEST30 to get your first non-free audiobook for 30% off.

• Great site design makes it easy to sort through the options for books
• No monthly subscription or package—enjoy what you want, when you want it
• Features both new releases and classic books
• Only available in Canada and the United States, unless you are using a VPN

Good for: Young adult fiction

I may not be a teenager anymore, but I still love reading young adult fiction. And of all the places to read books online for free, Simon Teen is a personal favorite for great novels for teens . Run by publishing house Simon & Schuster, this website offers new and hot YA fiction both for sale and for free for limited periods. Fans of Simon Teen authors will want to check here for extended excerpts and bonus short stories.

• The hottest new YA books in many different genres, plus excerpts and extras
• Lots of very diverse reads available
• Limited selection
• Books are free for a limited time only

With the somewhat whimsical-sounding goal of "acoustical liberation of books in the public domain," LibriVox is an online curation of free audiobooks—many of which are read and recorded by the site's volunteers. The platform operates as a nonprofit and sees itself as a library of audiobooks, all of which are in the public domain. It's easy to browse books based on title, author, language or one of dozens of genres and subgenres, from fiction and nonfiction books for adults and children to poetry and plays.

• Wide range of older books that you might not have otherwise read
• Full-length, quality book recordings by passionate readers
• Some of the books are read by only one person, some are collaborative and some are dramatic group readings
• In addition to listening online, you can download the audiobook to your computer
• Mostly classics, due to public domain limitations

Open Culture

Good for: Audiobooks, e-books and textbooks

Boasting a list of more than 1,000 free audiobooks, 800 free e-books and 200 free textbooks in addition to other free resources, Open Culture considers itself the purveyor of "the best free cultural and educational media on the web." Books are available in multiple genres and include classics and modern books alike, so you have a chance of finding something from your favorite author here. Plus, the site maintains a strict copyright policy, so you know you're not reading stolen material. Once you find a book, reading is easy: Open Culture doesn't host the books, so you'll just click a link to read, listen to or download them for reading on your e-reader, tablet or phone.

• Features some high-profile and well-known authors and audiobook narrators
• Open Culture has a lot more than just books to offer, if you want to pick up a short course to take alongside your latest read
• Complicated browsing: Book lists aren't easy to sort or filter
• Links and listings are not always functional

The Online Books Page

Good for: Nonfiction and classic books

The Online Books Page is a simple website hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Libraries and run by a digital library planner and researcher at the college. It aims to help bookworms access any legally available free books online. Don't be put off by the stark site—it will connect you to more than 3 million free books. Over 80,000 of those have been curated by the organizers, while the bulk of the titles have been imported from elsewhere. (The site doesn't host the books, however; it's a central location for finding links to free books.) Though you can access some fiction through this site, the bread and butter of the Online Books Page is nonfiction books on a range of topics.

• Connects users with more than 3 million free books
• Most of the books in the curated collection come from reader suggestions and are available in a variety of languages
• Includes lots of highly informative nonfiction books, like The Flora of Makatea from 1934, which can be helpful for research papers or research in general
• Most of the books are older and from the public domain
• The website is a little intimidating until you dig into it

Good for: Romance novels

In-the-know romance readers have the inside scoop on where to read books online for free: Harlequin, the most recognizable name in romance. The publisher offers free, serialized stories by its authors, with new chapters posted every week. Aside from books in progress, the site boasts an extensive backlist of steamy stories you can read for free. Almost as exciting as a good romance? An easy-to-use website, and Harlequin's delivers. Not only can you sort options by how much time you're willing to set aside for reading, but you can also filter by your mood: Do you feel like being seduced? Walking on the dark side? Sitting on the edge of your seat? Make your choice, then read a book that fits the vibe. Because honestly, who doesn't love a good ride-into-the-sunset story or enemies-to-lovers tale?

• Easy to pick a book that perfectly fits your mood and free time
• Will appeal to rom-com movie fans who are out of "I discovered the handsome chef at my failing small-town restaurant is a prince in disguise" films
• Weekly schedule means each new chapter is a treat for the week
• Must create a (free) account to read the free books online

Ereader News Today

The self-proclaimed longest-running e-book newsletter, Ereader News Today delivers free and deeply discounted e-book deals—and has been doing so since 2010. The site features a large variety of books from both small publishing houses and major publishers in 20 different genres. Like BookBub, the service curates the selection and delivers it to your inbox; just click the link for your preferred retailer, where you'll access the freebie. All the books are available on Kindle , and you can either read them online via the Kindle Cloud Reader or on your e-reader, tablet or mobile device. Some books are even available on Nook, Google Play and Kobo.

• Some of the promoted e-books are from bestselling authors
• Highly curated book recommendations
• Only eight to 12 free books posted each day (not always in every genre)
• Features more independently published books than well-known titles, especially compared with competitors like BookBub

Free Booksy

Looking for even more ways to read books online, free of charge? Subscribe to the Free Booksy newsletter and take advantage of the no-cost titles that land in your inbox. The free, curated email includes a personalized list of e-books that will land in your inbox daily. You'll also find the latest freebies on the site, browsing by series, genre or best-of lists, like the best fantasy books . Like other sites on this list, Free Booksy doesn't host the books itself. Instead, you'll click over to your preferred retailer to claim the book before reading.

• Select books available on Nook, Kobo, Apple Books and Google Play, and an Amazon account isn't necessary
• Quickly searchable site with lots of categories and curated collections
• Not all books stay free; they are tied to pre-existing book promotions

Good for: The classics, along with some contemporary books

With a library of more than 50,000 e-books, Manybooks is a great resource for anyone wondering where to read books online for free. While you're more likely to find older, classic titles than contemporary ones, the platform still has a great selection (and you can access plenty of other e-books for a discounted price). Depending on the book, you can either read right in your web browser, download in a variety of formats or access via an e-book retailer. You can also see reader reviews for the book, which helps narrow down the selection.

• New books uploaded daily
• Large variety of genres with both classic and contemporary reads
• Easy to filter by things like star rating, genre and language
• Lots of pop-up ads

Reedsy Discover

Good for: A sneak peek of pre-release books

If you have a #bookstagram account like me, you dream of being the next big BookTok influencer or you just love being ahead of the curve when it comes to book, consider signing up for Reedsy Discover. Those who do gain access to new books before the rest of the world—and while the price is technically free, you do have to review what you read.

• Reading books before they are publicly available takes it to a whole new level of book brag
• You get to help authors and books get discovered
• Depending on how appreciated your review is, you may even receive a few dollars tip for it, which can feed your bookish addiction
• You have to apply and be accepted as a reviewer
• Once you get a book to read, you have a specific window of time to finish and review it

Good for: Children's audiobooks

Storynory is a podcast that produces audio stories. Most of the reads are aimed at an age group of around 7 to 11 years, but there is a small range beyond that. Content available on Storynory includes both original works and classic literature for children—think Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , The Wizard of Oz and the like. You can read and listen right on the website or use the Storynory app.

• Original and classic content available
• Free audiobooks for kids in a range of genres, including myths, fairy tales and educational stories
• Searching for titles on the website is difficult
• Some stories are split into multiple parts online

Robin Reads

Robin Reads is a book-promotion service that works with authors to get books into the hands of readers. And it does that by offering major discounts on contemporary titles, with lots of new releases included. Luckily for you, many of those are available for free. You have to act fast, though—once the daily deals are emailed to subscribers, they're good for only 24 hours. To access your book, j ust click the link and use your Amazon account to either read in the Kindle Cloud Reader or download onto your e-reader or Kindle app.

• Does the work of finding free books on Amazon, so you don't need to
• New hand-selected deals available daily
• Many different genres are available, including romance, thriller, sci-fi and mystery books
• Users must have an Amazon account (though it doesn't have to be Prime)
• The authors and Amazon have the right to change the price at any time or end their free promotion, so books may stop being free at any time

Good for: A wide variety of genres

If you want free books to read online that aren't just fiction, this is the website for you. Smashwords is an easy-to-use e-book site offering titles in various genres—you'll find everything from Christian fiction to LGBTQ+ books , including poetry, classics, romance and biographies. It started as a publishing platform, although it now focuses on distributing books for independent authors and publishers. Just be sure to click the "free" tab when you search, because not all books on the website are free.

• An almost infinite number of genres to sort through
• Promotes lots of independent authors
• Some books allow you to choose your price, so you can opt to pay nothing or support the author
• Not all 500,000-plus books are free
• The website is not optimized for mobile use

Library of Congress

Good for: Classics

If you're looking for timeless books, the Library of Congress has you covered. With more than 60 classic books available on an easy-to-use interface, this is the perfect website if you have a specific title in mind. This archive includes some of the best children's books ever written, such as Anne of Green Gables or Peter Rabbit .

• Well-organized and a decent collection of digital books
• Books are digitized, so you get to see the actual book and cover, along with any markings on the pages from before they were scanned
• Digitized book format isn't as user-friendly as a text scroll or tap-to-turn feature

Good for: New writers

Wattpad is an e-reading website that connects a community of 80 million readers and writers. Original books are uploaded directly to the platform for users to read. You have to create an account to read the books, but once you find a free book you want to read, click on the cover, then click the "Read" button to get started.

• Readers get to vote on stories and see how many others have read them
• Stories on Wattpad may later get publishing or filming deals—and if you read them on Wattpad, then you "discovered" them first
• Great source if you love fantasy romance books , including books about werewolves or vampires
• Some books are not available for free but require payment
• Not all books will be complete at the time you start them

International Children's Digital Library

Good for: Children's books

The International Children's Digital Library hopes to "support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community—who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures , languages and ideas." The team does this by working to make the best in children's literature available online for free. With a variety of books in languages other than English, the site is a global resource.

• Whether you like to read aloud to children or give them reading to do for themselves, this is a great resource
• There are children's books available in more than 70 different languages
• The website is not very user-friendly
• Searching for a specific book is difficult

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