10 Best Websites To Download Free PDF Books [Full Guide]

Love to curl up with a good book, but eBooks seem a little pricey? Or you’re a student looking for affordable online books? The internet offers a wealth of eBooks to please your literary needs. You can grab them in formats like PDF and EPUB to read on any device.

Super convenient, right? Finding free eBooks online can feel overwhelming at first. Don’t worry, this article has got you covered. Here are the best websites to download free PDF books to help you find your next great read.

Part 1. Where To Download Free PDF Books Online – Top 10 Websites

So, you’ve got your e-reader or tablet ready, but where do you find the free books? Let’s dive into the top 10 websites to download free PDF books legally!

1. Smashwords: Best Free PDF eBook Website for Fiction and Non-fiction

Calling all fiction and non-fiction lovers! Smashwords is a must-visit if you’re looking for the best site to download independent authors’ PDF books. They offer various genres, from graphic novels and sports to study guides and entertainment.

Most importantly, the downloading process is easy – find the book you want and download it in your preferred format, PDF, EPUB, or MOBI for your e-reader. While some books are free, Smashwords allows authors to sell their works so that you might find a mix of both.

Key Features

• Categories include fiction, non-fiction, essays, plays, poetry, and screenplays.
• Books are DRM-free
• You get eBooks to your Smashwords Library, Dropbox, or email to an e-reader.

2. Project Gutenberg: Best Site To Download Old Kindle eBooks

Project Gutenberg, the pioneer of free electronic books online, boasts a massive collection (over 70,000 titles). This website focuses on older literature whose copyright has expired. Think Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and countless other literary giants – all available for free download in multiple formats, including EPUB. Since the collection concentrates on copyright-free materials, you can be sure you’re downloading legal content.

Key Features

• Includes several categories like Mythology, Scribner’s Magazine, and The Economist
• Can view eBooks on a web browser
• Free audiobooks are also available

3. FreeBookCentre.net: Best Website To Download Free Technical PDF Books

Freebookcentre.net is a website for those who need to study challenging subjects. They have a large library offering free technical online PDF books. This website provides a vast library of free, downloadable PDFs on topics like engineering, computer science, and even physics. Whether you’re a student looking for extra resources or a professional who wants to stay updated, it has something for you.

Key Features

• Latest copies without any ads
• Can view the PDF on a web browser or download it on a device
• Easy search options by category and keyword

4. HathiTrust: Best for Free Digitized Academic PDF Books

HathiTrust is a massive digital library with millions of books and academic resources. Access and download free PDFs of scholarly journals, statistics, and books. Search by subject, format, or language for in-depth knowledge. It’s perfect for students, researchers, and anyone who loves to learn.

Key Features

• A huge collection with 18+ million academic eBooks and publications
• Accessible text request service for blind users
• Advanced search options to find PDF books

5. PDFBooksWorld: Best for Classic Genre Free PDF Books Online

PDFBooksWorld is one of the best websites to download free PDF books, especially if you are a book lover who enjoys classic literature. Its selection also spans genres like novels, bedtime stories, and non-fiction. Explore timeless tales by Graf Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, and more. Revisit literary masterpieces or discover them for the first time with PDFBooksWorld.

Key Features

• Focus on eBooks across readers of various age
• PDF books have a public domain status
• Professional quality PDF editions with illustrations, internal reference links, and table of contents

6. InfoBooks: Best Website for Free Medical PDF Books Download

Calling all future doctors and medicine buffs! Maintaining your game is key in the medical world, and InfoBooks is here to help. Dive into their collection of over 100 free downloadable medical PDF books. There’s something for everyone, from cardiology to pediatrics, surgery, and beyond. Plus, they have resources for other subjects too.

Key Features

• Accessible content without account registration
• Creative Commons licensed resources
• Easy search options by topic or authors

7. Obooko: Best Free Online Personal Finance PDF Books Download Site

Obooko empowers you to take control of your finances by offering a rich collection of free personal finance books in PDF format. Whether you’re a budgeting beginner or an aspiring investor, Obooko has something for everyone. Its clear categorization and search options make finding ebooks tailored to your specific financial needs easy.

Key Features

• Search over 3000 free books online
• Good quality and legally licensed materials
• Can also download the file as an EPUB and a Kindle version

8. BooksFree: Best Site To Download Free PDF Books for Engineering

BooksFree is a goldmine for engineering students and professionals alike. You can download free PDF books online for engineering - environmental, civil, mechanical, and more. Civil engineering students can solidify their foundation with core textbooks. Seasoned professionals can expand their expertise in specialized areas like mechanical engineering. The user-friendly search options allow you to browse by category or keyword to find PDF books on specific engineering topics.

Key Features

• No download limit and doesn’t redirect
• Also has PDF books for other courses like Mathematics, Business, and Architecture
• User-friendly platform for easy navigation

9. FreeComputerBooks: Best Site To Download Web Programming PDF Books

Dreaming of building your website or considering a career change in tech? FreeComputerBooks offers plenty of free web programming PDF books you can download. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to hone your existing skills, this website has you covered.

Explore introductory guides to CSS, learn JavaScript-based UI libraries like React, or find resources on Python. Learn tutorials, in-depth guides, and project-based resources to build your web development skills and bring your coding dreams to life.

Key Features

• Focus on free and open-access technical books globally
• Provides links to other websites with free books
• Wide range of topics from beginner to advanced

10. Internet Archive: Best for Free Research and PDF Books Online

The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with millions of free and downloadable files, including PDF books by famous writers. However, this archive is not just for eBooks. It is also a great website where you can find free research papers. You can look for publications, reports, and journals on Internet Archive Scholar. Its easy-to-use search filters help you find what you need for your studies or fun.

Key Features

• Huge collection of digitized books and resources (including research PDFs)
• Free and legal downloads in PDF, text, EPUB, and other format
• Top collections also include audio books, Canadian libraries, etc.

Part 2. PDFelement: Best Free eBook and PDF Reader With AI Tools

While downloading free PDF books online is easy, reading them on your device can sometimes be a hassle. That’s why using an AI-powered PDF management tool like Wondershare PDFelement is helpful.

PDFelement is a comprehensive PDF editor and reader that goes beyond just opening PDF books. It offers features designed to make your eBook reading experience enjoyable and productive.

Seamless Reading on Any Device

PDFelement is a cross-platform tool, meaning you can access your eBooks on any device, be it your phone, tablet, or Windows/Mac computer. It ensures you can continue reading right where you left off, regardless of where you are. Just upload the PDF book to Wondershare Document Cloud for ease of access.

Liquid Mode for Android

For those who read PDF books on their phones, PDFelement for Android offers a fantastic feature called “Liquid Mode.” It automatically reflows the text and adjusts the layout of your eBook to fit your screen size. No more zooming in and out or struggling with tiny fonts. Liquid Mode provides a comfortable and uninterrupted reading experience.

Annotation Features for Active Learning

Enhancing your understanding of the material is easy with PDFelement’s annotation features. Highlight key passages and add notes and comments directly on the free PDF books. It not only personalizes your reading experience but also streamlines your learning process.

AI-Powered Features for the Modern Read

PDFelement takes things a step further with its innovative AI features. It is helpful if you encounter a passage in a foreign language or need a quick summary of a complex chapter. PDFelement AI tools can translate languages and even generate summaries of your eBooks, saving you time and effort. Its AI assistant can also answer your questions about the document and explain it well.

PDFelement is more than just a PDF reader; it’s an all-in-one eBook management and learning tool. So, the next time you download a free PDF book from one of the websites above, download and try PDFelement for a more comfortable and efficient reading.

Part 3. Free PDF Books: Download Tips and Warnings

Did you score some awesome free reads? Great! But we want to make sure you’re getting safe, legal PDFs. So, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Copyright matters! Not all books are free for grabs. Always see if a book is still under copyright (protected by law). Older books or those with Creative Commons licenses are usually okay to download.
• Creative Commons licenses can be tricky. Some allow you to download and share freely, while others might restrict it. Choose PDF books that are free to read, share, etc.
• Stick to reputable websites. There are plenty of great websites offering legal PDFs. Downloading from unknown websites can be risky. You might end up with malware or a corrupted file.
• New releases? Probably not free. Blockbuster novels just released won’t likely be free downloads. Most authors rely on sales for a living.
• Unfamiliar websites? Be cautious. If a website offering free PDF books online seems suspicious, it probably is. Trust your gut and stick to established websites you know and trust.

Conclusion

That’s all! Knowing the top websites with free PDF books you can download, can help you select the most suited for your needs. You can build a fantastic digital library with the right websites from the list above.

Free PDF books online open doors to a world of knowledge and entertainment, all at your fingertips. Now, to enhance your reading experience, consider PDFelement. It’s a free PDF reader and editor with built-in annotation tools, perfect for marking your studies or work documents. Plus, it lets you convert those PDFs into EPUB format, which is ideal for reading on your favorite e-reader. Enjoy exploring the world of digital books today.