Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
If you’re a bookworm, you’re likely aware that getting free books is a double-edged sword. Is sounds great in theory, right? But the problem is that the books you get for free sometimes aren’t the best, hence why they’re free. But getting good books — no, great books — for free is actually possible on a Kindle, and there are multiple ways to do it.
Also: The base model Kindle is my secret weapon against doomscrolling – and it’s on sale
How to get free books on Kindle
Other ways to get the most out of your Kindle:
- How to share or loan a Kindle book
- How to buy books on Kindle
There are several ways to find free books for your Kindle, but the best place to start is to look through the free e-books available on Amazon.
A simple search of “free books” on Amazon or the Kindle Store will result in all the available free books for your Kindle e-reader. Authors often run free book promotions as part of their marketing strategies, so the available free books change often.
It may take a bit of scrolling to find a title you’re interested in, but can be well worth it.
Also: My favorite iPad for reading is $100 off on Amazon
If you don’t already have a library card, I recommend you get one. Check with your local library about the requirements and what their virtual library offerings entail. A library card can give you access to potentially millions of e-books to download on your Kindle or another e-reader or tablet.
Once you have a library card, you can log in to your library’s website with your credentials, then browse the site to see which platform it uses for its virtual catalog. OverDrive is a platform used by many public libraries in the US that features millions of e-books and audiobooks and is available through participating library websites.
Also: 12 travel gadgets that can upgrade your spring break (and they’re on sale)
If your library uses OverDrive, then the app to download on your mobile device is Libby. With this service, you can browse the virtual library and borrow books for free.
Hoopla is another service affiliated with many local libraries across the US, but its content catalog features much more than e-books: you can find movies, TV shows, magazines, and music.
A Prime membership offers some pretty far-reaching perks, which not all subscribers take advantage of. Once you get Amazon Prime, which comes with a 30-day free trial, you’ll also have access to an unlimited catalog of e-books that is constantly rotating, known as Prime Reading.
Also: How to switch to a Prime Student membership ahead of Prime Day (and why you should)
The best part about using your Prime membership for the benefit of your Kindle is that you have your choice of one free pre-release ebook every month from editors’ picks. I’ve been known to eagerly wait two weeks for next month’s picks, so it’s a pretty attractive perk for me.
From Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there are thousands of free classic ebooks available for download.
- Project Gutenberg: Founded in 1971, Project Gutenberg is the oldest digital library and features classic books that are not protected by US intellectual property law. It was created as a volunteer effort to digitize cultural works and encourage the distribution of ebooks, and now holds over 60,000 public domain titles. ManyBooks is another similar site that offers public domain works.
- Internet Archive: This nonprofit library offers free books and goes as far as to provide free movies, software, music, and images. This library features collections that link to different websites offering this content, so it’s the perfect starting point for someone looking to browse free ebooks. All you have to do is create a free account, and you’ll be able to borrow up to ten books at once.
Not free, but close
- Kindle Unlimited: Amazon also offers a separate membership for avid readers at $11.99 per month. Kindle Unlimited gives members access to over 2 million titles and magazines. Unfortunately, not every book in Amazon’s catalog is available with the subscription. When you get Kindle Unlimited, you borrow the book you want to read and access it on your Kindle e-reader or the Kindle app. This subscription is pretty great for readers who like to read several books a month without worrying about spending too much.
- Audible: If you’re a fan of audiobooks, you can enjoy unlimited listening for $8.99 per month after a 30-day free trial.
- Priced low on Amazon: Many great classic books are included for free in your Prime membership as well. However, there’s a lot of classic literature available for mere pennies.
Where can I buy the cheapest Kindle books?
Aside from the options above to get free books or books for less, you can shop for the cheapest Kindle books on Amazon’s deals. You can sign up for a newsletter exclusive to Kindle Book Deals. You can also shop Kindle daily, monthly, and exclusive deals, and browse the best deals in different categories.
Can you read any book for free using Kindle Unlimited?
Unfortunately, not all books are included with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. KU members have access to a catalog of over 2 million titles and can borrow up to 10 at a time.
Featured
Editorial standards