+7 Websites To Get Free Textbooks Online (Cheap and Free Options)

College is very very… very… expensive. I feel like being a student means you’re always on a very strict budget. On top of accumulating thousands of dollars of student debt, we also have to worry about extremely high book prices for class. Which is where I come in ;). I have an incredible list full of places to find free textbooks online!!!

College textbooks are typically very expensive because the author releases new editions every year (or every other year). Alex Neal, CEO of Campusbooks.com says that book publishers don’t make much from used textbooks. So their business model is to make old textbooks obsolete (out of date or no longer applicable) to encourage students to buy more up to newer versions.

Now, I know you don’t want to spend a fortune on books you will likely only read once. Thankfully, there are ways to buy textbooks at a reduced price. There are also some resources for you to download books for free. These are all websites I have used before, use them at your discretion.

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Cheap and Free Textbooks Online:

Free Books

Z-Library

I no longer recommend Z-library because it has been taken down but when it was available, I was able to get more than 7 textbooks I need for college from this site. It was truly my little nook on the internet that helped me save hundreds of dollars as a broke college student. So RIP Z-Library.

Library Genesis

Click here to access Library Genesis.

This is probably more popular than Z Library (which has sadly been removed RIP to my #1 online book source) but I personally don’t use it as often. However, Library Genesis has a huge variety as well and you can also search by the ISBN number. This website is amazing because it is constantly updated. So browse their collection to see if they have the textbooks you need.

Textbook Nova

Click here to access Textbook Nova.

These next couple of recommendations are great but I personally do not use them. Mostly due to the first two options above having *almost* everything I need for my classes. But I want to give you more options that I have researched and confidently recommend.

Textbook Nova is a wonderful source. I checked to see if they had the books I needed for this past semester and they did! Check out Textbook Nova as well because their platform is user-friendly.

Project Gutenberg

Click here to access Project Gutenberg.

This is another website I did not use throughout college but I put it here just in case. One thing I like about this website is on their homepage they provide frequently asked questions with answers to help you navigate their website and get familiar with who they are. Completely free and it doesn’t hurt to try this website as well.

Openstax

Click here to access Openstax.

This website is different than the ones above because I view this one as supplemental to your curriculum. Openstax is through Rice University and they have created textbooks to help you navigate through your courses. So this means they will NOT have your assigned textbooks for your specific classes. They provide high-quality, peer-reviewed, openly licensed college textbooks that are absolutely free online and low-cost in print. So I recommend using this site as a supplement to your courses. Also, if you can’t find your textbook for free and cannot afford it, think about using Openstax to help guide you through the subject.

Cheap + Discounted Books

Chegg

Click here to access Chegg.

The absolute hub for cheaper priced books. This website is probably the most popular for discounted books and there are good reasons why. Simply type in any book you need for class and you will get a wide range of books with cheaper prices. You can typically rent or buy the book. I typically just rent because its cheaper and I really won’t need the book forever.

Amazon

Click here to access Amazon.

If Amazon didn’t already have a monopoly on basically every industry, they also have affordable textbooks as well. I enjoy using Amazon because they compare prices and give eBook options that you can buy or rent. If all fails, rent the book on Kindle via eBook. While I do prefer physical books, Kindle eBooks allow you to take the textbook everywhere, highlight, take notes, make flashcards and control F to find whatever topic you’re looking for.

Ask Friends, ask in FB Marketplace, or In GroupMe/group chats

Another smart way to find cheap textbooks is to ask around. I am in a GroupMe chat with over 400+ people around campus with the sole purpose of buying and selling textbooks. It is literally called “OU Buy & Sell”. It is so helpful because there are people in the chat from every major so there is a good chance I could find the book I am looking for. If you don’t have a GroupMe such as this one, check other group messages or even ask the professor if there are discounts or scholarships your major department gives for students for books specifically. It doesn’t hurt to ask!

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Leave a comment!

I hope this article was helpful! Let me know if there are any other websites and resources you use to get free textbooks!