The only thing more satisfying than finding your new favorite book is reading it for free. There are plenty of sites that let you read classic books, modern bestsellers, and everything in between, at no cost.
Whether you want to read more on your iPhone, tablet, or laptop, you can sift through a wealth of eBooks, audiobooks, and, in some cases, even comic books on these websites.
Forget the price tags, grab a hot drink, and settle down to find the best places to read free books online.
project gutenberg
If you want to read books online for free, Project Gutenberg is the place to be.
American writer Michael S. Hart founded Project Gutenberg in 1971, making it one of the oldest eBook websites out there. Hart named his creation after the inventor Johannes Gutenberg, who developed printing technology that led to the mass availability of books and other texts.
Project Gutenberg digitizes and archives cultural works in the public domain, which it’s entitled to do under U.S. copyright law. It also distributes a few copyrighted texts with permission from the copyright holders.
As of February 2024, Project Gutenberg reached 70,000 eBooks. Many of the works are released in plain text, but plenty of other formats are available, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI. Popular books include Jane Eyre, Don Quixote, Treasure Island, War and Peace, The Complete Works of Shakespeare, and Anna Karenina.
Recently, Project Gutenberg hit the headlines for partnering with Microsoft and MIT to publish 5,000 AI-produced audiobooks.
Pros:
- A wide selection of texts
- Classic novels
- Range of formats
- Redistribute eBooks as you see fit
- Simple, mobile-friendly interface
Cons:
- Some say that the AI-generated audiobooks are flat and emotionless, taking dramatic flair away from the texts
- Few customization options on your account
- Mainly pre-20th century books
libby
As long as you have access to a library card and Libby, you can read free books online for the next thousand years. Overdrive designed Libby to make finding, borrowing, and enjoying free digital titles easier than ever before.
Libby was created by OverDrive, an app that allows users to borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and videos from the library. In 2023, OverDrive was replaced by the Libby app.
Essentially, Libby is a digital pathway to your library; you can instantly borrow anything your local library has, with the added benefit of it all being stored online. You can get access to modern bestsellers including Atomic Habits, It Ends With Us, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. As soon as your librarian gets their hands on it, you can too!
And the best thing is that it’s completely free, with no subscription costs, in-app purchases, or late fees.
Pros:
- Audiobooks, eBooks, and magazines
- Digital titles are automatically returned on their due dates, so there’s no such thing as late fees
- Download eBooks to read on a train, plane, or anywhere else you might be stuck without Wi-Fi
- Link multiple library cards to create your own comprehensive library
- User interface is super simple
Cons:
- Can’t send audiobooks to Audible
- If your library doesn’t have access to a book, neither will you
- Some say that audiobooks have poor sound quality
If you don’t have time for full novels, you might like to read about the best Substack newsletters for every type of reader.
hoopla
It’s worth mentioning Hoopla right after Libby because it has a similar setup. This library-based platform lets you borrow any eBook your library has, and it even supports CDs, graphic novels, and movies.
Hoopla is structured a lot like Netflix; the super simple user interface allows you to quickly browse through eBooks, jump between genres, and start reading/watching/listening to your chosen media instantly. Your library will give you a set number of instant borrows per month – use them wisely.
However, some titles aren’t available for immediate use. In this case, you have to use a ‘Flex’, which lets you reserve the title when it’s available. Everyone can hold up to five Flex reserves at any one time. This feature feels a little clunky, especially since you can only ‘Flex’ specific books.
Still, Hoopa is a great place to go if you want to read books online for free, not forgetting graphic novels, which are rarely included in eBook platforms.
Pros:
- Borrow audiobooks, CDs, eBooks, graphic novels, and movies
- Full-page and automatic panel-by-panel viewing options for graphic novels
- Instant access to your favorite content
- Use the Kid’s Mode on the app to set limits on searchable content
Cons:
- Only one library card per account
- Only select content is available for Flex borrowing
- Your library sets how many instant borrows you get
bookbub
BookBub was founded in 2012 and now has over 20 million users. It’s unlike the other platforms we’ve mentioned so far because it’s focused more on exploration. Readers can discover new books through recommendations, deals, and even updates from the authors themselves.
BookBub functions as both a reading platform and a place where authors can promote their books. This leads to one of the biggest benefits of BookBub: it gives you access to instant updates and new books from your favorite authors.
You can expect occasional free books, as well as consistent steep discounts across all genres. It’s free to create an account, so you could always do that and occasionally browse through to find the freebies.
Pros:
- Add books to your wishlist to be alerted when/if they become free
- Enjoy daily discounts across all genres
- Get updates from your favorite authors
Cons:
- BookBub doesn’t support audiobooks, but its partner website Chirp does
- Only a few selected eBooks are free
manybooks
Manybooks is more than just a place to read free books online, it’s also a place to support burgeoning writers.
Established in 2004, Manybooks started building its library with many of them coming from the Gutenberg Project’s archives. Now, ManyBooks features modern bestsellers and self-published authors.
One of the best things about Manybooks is its daily newsletter, which compiles all the latest free and discounted eBooks.
Pros:
- Includes lots of genres
- Newsletter keeps you informed about the latest free eBooks
- Plenty of free classics
Cons:
- No audiobooks
open library
Open Library is an online project that has the ambitious goal of creating “one web page for every book ever published.” This nonprofit organization is an offshoot of Internet Archive, the company behind the beloved Wayback Machine.
Open Library lets you borrow, read, and discover more than three million eBooks, journals, and other content in the public domain. You can search any book by subject, author, and text.
The great thing about Open Library is that it isn’t just a place to read books online for free. It also has tools to organize your virtual library, set yearly reading goals, and adjust the visuals to suit your preferences.
I also love the viewing options that let readers switch between one-page and two-page views, zoom in and out, and more.
Pros:
- Audiobooks are also available
- Customize your reading experience
- One of the largest selections of books
Cons:
- Some books are copyright-restricted
read central
It’s easy to see why Read Central is so popular. You don’t have to log in, subscribe, or download to start reading free books online.
There’s even a section for authors, quotes, and tests. You can take a reading speed test or a reading personality test when you’ve finished your most recent book.
There are over 5,000 books to choose from, which is a slim collection compared to the other free reading platforms on our list. Regardless, it’s a great option for people who want to streamline their reading experience. Just go to the website, browse through what the website calls “a veritable goldmine of free online books”, and start reading.
Pros:
- The reading-centric games are a fun addition
- There are no barriers – you can start reading straight away!
Cons:
- Read Central doesn’t support audiobooks
- The design is a bit cluttered, which can feel overwhelming
bookcase: a better way to read on your phone
Between neck strain and hand cramps, reading on your phone can be uncomfortable. Bookcase transforms any smartphone into an ergonomic e-reader by extending the area around the screen.
The edges of the case provide grips on both sides of your phone so you can hold it more comfortably and enjoy a clear view of your screen while reading.
Plus, Bookcase carries an embedded NFC tag for creating user shortcuts. With the companion app, you can tell Bookcase which of your favorite reading apps to open and which phone settings to toggle (Do Not Disturb, Reading Mode, etc.) when your phone is connected. The next time you place your phone into Bookcase, your settings will trigger automatically.
Bookcase helps you avoid doomscrolling and encourages you to build a more productive reading habit without buying an expensive e-reader or carrying around an extra paperback.
