Buying books can get expensive. That’s why we love finding places to snag free books. If you’re looking for free PDF books, we’ve got you covered. In this list, we’re sharing great places to download free PDF books online, as well as websites where you can download free books in other formats such as HTML, plain text, or Kindle download. This article tells you what download format each site offers and other features the site boasts, such as author tools and book recommendations (there’s more than free PDF books to discover here!). After digging into these incredible websites, we’re sharing how to transfer your PDF files to your ereader as well as tips and tricks to find even more books to read.
Why trust us? Well, here at BookBub we take our free books very seriously. With more than a decade in the book industry, we’ve helped millions of readers save money on books, so we know a good bargain when we see it. All of these websites where you can download free online books in PDF format — legally and easily — come vetted by our experts, so you can rest assured that when you download one of these books you’re helping support authors and literacy projects.
Tips for downloading free PDF books:
Before we dive in, here are some helpful tip to keep in mind while trying to find and read free PDF books.
- Check options at your local library. You can either do this by visiting your library or heading to their website. Many libraries offer a digital collection of free PDF books and ebooks.
- Google Search can be your friend — or your foe. If you want to find a certain title, try searching for it via Google. Make sure to do your due diligence as some sites can be offering pirated copies or infect your computer with malware.
- Check out public domain websites. All books on these sites are free and legal.
- Join social media groups, especially Facebook groups. There are lots of active groups sharing great free PDF books as well as resources to access more free books.
- Once you’ve found the book you want to read, transfer it to your ereader for even easier reading. Check out our article where we breakdown how to transfer your PDF files over to your ereader. It’s easier than you think!
7 Best Websites to Download Free PDF Books
1. BookBub
In addition to its catalog of discounted ebooks, BookBub offers readers an extensive collection of free books that can be downloaded straight to their ereader or device. Readers can find picks in all genres — including buzzy bestsellers! — and new free ebooks are added to the catalog daily. Once you download your book, it’s yours forever. A free service, BookBub also sends out editor-curated Daily Deal emails that always include free books amongst their deeply discounted titles. To get started, simply sign up using your email.
Download formats: Kindle & other ereaders
Other features: Offers curated blog content, pre-order alerts, and ability to track books read/books you want to read.
2. PDFBooksWorld
For those looking to download exclusively free PDF books, PDFBooksWorld is your place. The goal of PDFBooksWorld is to digitize the work of legendary authors — whose work now falls under the public domain — so that more people can access these essential titles. Their service is dedicated to providing readers with “professionally created PDF editions with features including legible font sizes, ToC, illustrations and internal reference links.” Many of their books are interactive, too; they include internal reference links that help readers learn more while enjoying the text.
Downloadable formats: PDF, Read online without downloading
3. Baen Books
Baen Books is a science fiction and fantasy publisher, specializing in ebook publishing. But their website also contains a large free library that lets users download free PDF books. The books are mostly science fiction and fantasy; however, there are other offers including nonfiction and short fiction. In addition to their free PDF book options, they boast a wealth of sci-fi and fantasy author resources. They host monthly contests where authors can submit their work to be featured on the site. Baen Books also has their own podcast where they discuss the latest in sci-fi and fantasy.
Download formats: Epub, Kindle & other ereaders, PDF, HTML, Read online without downloading, zip file, email attachment
Other features: Hosts events for the Sci-Fi/Fantasy community; offers purchasable book bundles; offers contests for writers; has it’s own podcast.
4. Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a must-visit for anyone looking to down free books. And anyone who loves the classics! Their catalog includes over 70,000 titles, focused on older books with expired US copyrights. Their books can be read online, on your ereader, or downloaded to your computer in plain text and HTML format. Users can then convert these to PDF files. You can find lots of titles everyone should read at least once in their life, including Frankenstein, Little Women, and The Great Gatsby. Authors can also submit their own work to Project Gutenburg in ePub or PDF format.
Genres: Epub, Kindle & other ereaders, PDF, HTML, Read online without downloading, plain text
Other features: Offers human-read audiobooks and computer-generated audiobooks; offers volunteer proofreading positions.
5. Many Books
Many Books’s catalog of free PDF books excedes 50,000 titles — in a range of different genres. All of their book listings are either public domain or have the author’s permission. In addition, you can purchase ebooks for a discounted rate. You can read their books on your mobile device, computer, or their ereading app. Authors can also directly publish their book to the Many Books website, promote their book on the site, and get a professional review published to their blog.
Download formats: Epub, PDF, Read online without downloading, Kindle & other ereaders
Other features: Books are offered in 40+ languages; author services and publishing
6. Smashwords
Smashwords is a great place to read free books online, but it’s also a great place to download free PDF books. There are 100,000 free ebooks on their site, and they are constantly updating their library. Smashwords’s mission is to help indie authors publish their books with ease and efficiency. They have a catalogue of thousands of ebooks for download in a range of genres. The website is easy to use and allows readers the ability to filter by genre, price, and word count. Once you find the book you want to read, you can download the file in ePub then easily convert it over to PDF on your computer.
Download formats: ePub, Mobi, Lrf, Pdb, read directly online
Other features: Authors can upload their ebook for sale to the website; author podcast; once you download the ebook, it is yours forever.
7. Google Scholar
If you’re interested in a free PDF book for the purpose of research and knowledge enrichment, then Google Scholar is the site for you. Google Scholar offers free papers, journals, and books on a variety of academic subjects. It’s a common resource for students — but recommend it for anyone who’s interested in learning something new. Google Scholar also offers the ability to skim through the PDF, so you don’t to read the entire document to get the information most relevant to you.
Download formats: PDF, ePub, read directly online
Other features: Ability to see how many times an article, journal, or book has been cited; easy to filter and get exactly what you’re looking for via Google’s advanced search functions