If reading is one of your hobbies, you are lucky you were born in this era. Technology has made it more accessible than ever. For example, some websites that let you read ebooks for free. The best thing about it is you can access them anytime, anywhere. Amazing, right? Here, we have listed your best options. Continue reading to discover the top 10 free online book websites.

In this article
  1. Top 10 Free Online Platforms to Read Books
  2. How to Read eBooks for Free
  3. Final Thoughts

That is not all. You will also learn how to read ebooks offline, so you do not have to worry about having an internet connection.

Top 10 Free Online Platforms to Read Books

Here are the 10 websites you need to check if you are looking for free ebooks you can read online.

1. Project Gutenberg

project gutenberg

Project Gutenberg was the first website to ever offer free online ebooks. Because it has been around for a long time, the website's collection of public domain books. The website lists the top 100 books, so you know which are the must-reads. Searching is also easy. You can put the title, author, or series name in the search bar, and the website will look for the book you want.

Pros
  • Project Gutenberg has a massive collection of public domain works.
  • Books are available in epub, PDF, and Kindle ebook formats.
  • Project Gutenberg has audiobooks.
  • Searching for a specific book is easy.
Cons
  • Project Gutenberg's age is showing in its out-of-date user interface.
  • You won't find new books on this website. All it offers are classics.

2. OpenLibrary

open library

Open Library is an initiative by the Internet Archive that aims to create a universal catalog of books, offering free access to millions of titles. It allows you to borrow digital copies of books for a limited time. With that, you don't need to purchase the book yourself.

OpenLibrary also lets you set yearly reading goals and track your progress. On top of that, it lets you track your favorite books, allowing you to know when they're available again.

Pros
  • OpenLibrary has a modern, intuitive interface.
  • This website has millions of free books.
  • You can search for books using titles, publishers, or authors. You can also enter text from the book and it will search for what book that text came from.
Cons
  • You can borrow books for a limited time only.
  • There are limited copies of each book. So, if what you want to read is not currently available, you will need to wait.
  • You need to register an account.

3. Internet Archive

internet archive

Internet Archive has a very large collection of books that include both fiction and non-fiction works. There are over 5 million books to read online for free in English! There are also thousands of books in other languages. Despite this large collection of books, searching for specific ones or ones that may interest you is still easy. That is thanks to the filters on the sidebar.

Pros
  • Millions of free books are available on this website.
  • You can find lots of books written in other languages.
  • The filters make searching for books easy.
Cons
  • The interface is outdated.
  • The quality of scanned pages may vary, with some texts being blurry or poorly formatted.

4. Wattpad

wattpad

Wattpad is one of the most popular websites and apps for aspiring writers. On this platform, established and new writers post their works. That said, you can find unique books to read online for free. Those books can't be found anywhere else. Also, you can connect with the authors and other readers by commenting on their books. So, it is also a good platform for connecting with like-minded individuals.

Pros
  • You can access books that can't be found on other platforms.
  • Wattpad helps you discover new authors to follow and support.
  • Wattpad's library expands every day.
Cons
  • Many books on Wattpad are still unfinished.
  • Many books are written by inexperienced authors or casual writers, so finding good quality books may not be easy.
  • It requires an account registration.

5. Google Books

free books for google books

Google Books is an online service from Google that allows you to search, preview, and read books digitally. It provides access to a vast library of books from publishers, authors, and library collections worldwide. However, please remember that not all books on this platform are free. Many offer limited previews only, and you need to purchase them to access the rest of their content.

Pros
  • Google Books is 100% a safe-to-use website.
  • You can find books from any genre.
  • You can find classics and new books on this platform.
Cons
  • Many books offer limited previews only, allowing you to read just a few parts.
  • The quality of the free books varies. Some are scanned and may have stains, scribbles, or page tears that make parts of pages unreadable.

6. BookBub

bookbub

BookBub is among the best sites to read books for free, especially if you want to discover new books from genres you are already interested in. After an account registration, it will ask you about your reading preferences. Then, it will base its recommendation on the data that you provided.

Pros
  • BookBub recommends books you might like based on your favorite genres.
  • You can edit your preferences anytime. Updating it will automatically change the website's recommendations.
Cons
  • This platform is not an ebook reader. It just finds books from other platforms, like Amazon Kindle or Google Books, that suit your recommendation.
  • You can't use this website without registering an account.

7. Manybooks

manybooks

Manybooks is similar to BookBub. It also points you toward free books to read online. But on top of giving you recommendations, it also serves as an actual free book-reading site. You can read the books online or download them for offline reading.

Pros
  • Manybooks helps you save money by showing books that are currently free.
  • You can filter the books by genre.
  • The modern user interface makes the website easy to navigate.
Cons
  • Manybooks' collection is not as big as the book collections of other websites.
  • The online reader is a little slow.

8. Smashwords

free books on smashwords

Smashwords is a platform where you can read books online for free and discover books for sale. What sets it apart is that indie authors often make their books available for free. It gives readers a chance to enjoy new titles before they gain widespread popularity—all at no cost.

With a diverse collection of genres, ranging from fiction and non-fiction to poetry and essays, Smashwords caters to all kinds of readers. The website also offers flexible formats compatible with e-readers, smartphones, and computers, making it easy to access books anywhere.

Pros
  • You can find new books from new authors on Smashwords.
  • Paid books can become free for a limited time, allowing you to read them at no cost.
  • It supports different ebook formats.
Cons
  • It requires an account registration.
  • Free books are mixed with paid books, making it a little bit more difficult to find them.

9. PDF Drive

pdf drive

PDF Drive is a website that lets you read entire books for free in PDF. Its collection consists mainly of non-fiction books. It is a good site to visit if you are looking for books that can give you motivation, parenting tips, and more. However, please note that PDF Drive does not let you read whole books online. You can only preview them. If you want to read the whole book, you need to download it as a PDF.

Pros
  • The books are organized into different categories, so searching for specific books is easy.
  • The interface is clear and free of distractions.
  • There are no download limits.
Cons
  • You can't read entire books online.
  • PDF Drive offers non-fiction books only.

10. Libby, by Overdrive

libby by overdrive

Libby, by OverDrive, is a user-friendly app that connects you to your local public library, allowing you to borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines for free. With just a library card, you can access a vast collection of titles directly from your library's digital catalog. Libby ensures a hassle-free borrowing experience, combining convenience with the joy of reading.

Pros
  • Libby connects you with your local libraries and makes the process of borrowing ebooks easy.
  • Libby gives you a reader that you can use to read your borrowed books.
Cons
  • You can't use the app if you don't have a library card.
  • Libby has little use to you if there are no public libraries near where you live.

How to Read eBooks for Free

You can read eBooks for free by using online reading websites or offline document readers. If you choose to read online, you can access the eBook anywhere you go and with any device. On the other hand, downloading the books for offline viewing allows you to access them even if you have no internet connection. Below, we will explore these methods more.

Online Reading

With online reading, you can access the books anytime, anywhere, and with any device. Some websites will also record your progress. Thus, when you open a book, even if you are using a new device, it will automatically go to the last page you read.

To read books online for free, visit one of the websites listed above. Find a book that interests you and read it. Most of these websites provide you with an online reader.

Offline Reading

The problem with offline reading is that you can't continue if you lose your internet connection. When you're out, you may need to connect to public wi-fi to open the websites. These networks are not very secure, so connecting to them for extended periods of time is risky.

That said, you may want to read the books offline instead. The websites above allow you to download the books in different formats. If you choose to do that, you need a good program to read the downloaded book. Wondershare PDFelement is a fantastic choice for that.

Wondershare PDFelement includes many features that can make your reading experience great. For example, it allows you to add notes and comments. You can use this feature when you need to jot down important information and set reminders for yourself.

Furthermore, Wondershare PDFelement offers different page views. It allows you to find a setting that's comfortable for your eyes. For example, it has an Eye Protection view, which is great for reading at night.

To read books offline for free using Wondershare PDFelement, follow these steps:

  1. Go to a website that lets you download books for free.
  2. Select the book that you want to read and download it as a PDF.
    downloading a book from a website
  3. Open Wondershare PDFelement and click Open PDF.
    opening the book with wondershare pdfelement
  4. Select the book you have downloaded.
  5. Start reading.
  6. Go to View if you want to change the page view.
    view tab in wondershare pdfelement
  7. Go to Comment if you want to add notes.
    comment tab in wondershare pdfelement

Final Thoughts

Whether you're using a computer, tablet, or phone, these platforms make finding free books to read easier than ever. They have huge collections and can even notify you about deals that let you get usually paid books for free. Indeed, they can help you expand your eBook library.

You can also download those books for free. We recommend doing that so you don't have to be connected to the internet to read the book. You can use Wondershare PDFelement to read the downloaded book. It offers several features that ensure you'll have a fantastic reading experience.

Audrey Goodwin
Audrey Goodwin Feb 21, 25
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12 years of talent acquired in the software industry working with large publishers. Public speaker and author of several eBooks on technical writing and editing.