15 Websites for Free College Textbooks PDF Download 2022 (2023)

Carrying bulky textbooks is really uncomfortable, get in here and see the free college textbooks pdf download. These websites allow you to download any college textbook without paying any charges.

College is exciting but not the stress that comes with it and there are so many things that can stress you just lying around unless your classes are held online. Going to and fro school and carrying textbooks around is just one of the many inconveniences that the traditional student goes through and trust me, you can’t avoid carrying textbooks as a college student.

Online students don’t have to go through this hassle as all their classes and learning is done virtually therefore won’t need to carry textbooks around, after all, there is even nowhere to take it to. So, instead of textbooks, distance, and online learning students makes use of PDF in place of college textbooks which they also pay to acquire.

What is a PDF?

Portable Document Format (PDF) is used to display documents in an electronic form independent of the software, hardware, or operating system they are viewed on. The format is also used to save files that cannot be modified allowing you to easily share or print them.

Pdfs are getting increasingly popular and gradually taking over traditional books, because why not? They aren’t heavy thus won’t cause you any form of stress unlike the traditional book and you can easily have access to them anywhere, anytime. You can save pdfs on all kinds of devices, your smartphone, kindle, laptop, tablets, etc., and save as much as you can on a single device.

The size of a pdf usually varies by content but they are often up to a few kilobytes (KB) to barely 100 megabytes (MB), but whatever the size may be, your device can contain as much as is required.

Can I Download College Textbooks for Free?

Now, while many college students pay for college textbooks pdf, they have no idea that a single search on the internet with the right keyword can show them how and where to download college pdf for free. Anyways, since you are already here you don’t need to look further anymore as I have compiled in this blog post the websites for free college textbooks pdf download.

Furthermore, these websites for free college textbooks pdf download not only allows you to save money but pdfs are also environmentally friendly. I have recommended 15 free college textbooks pdf download websites to get not just college textbooks but also your favorite books on a vast range of topics.

Free College Textbooks PDF Download

Listed and explained further below are 15 websites for the free college textbooks pdf download.

  • Library Genesis
  • OpenStax
  • Open Textbook Library
  • ScholarWorks
  • Bookboon
  • PDF Search Engine
  • FreeBookSpot
  • FreeTechBooks
  • Project Gutenberg
  • Textbook Revolution
  • Bookyards
  • eBookLobby
  • PDF Grab
  • Stuvera
  • Digital Book Index

1. Library Genesis

Library Genesis is an easy-to-use website for free college textbooks pdf download, it has a friendly user interface that makes downloading any pdf of your choice fast and easy. On entering the website, you will see a search bar where you can search for any textbook you want. You can search by title, author, publisher, ISBN, tags, year, extension, or series.

Asides from being a great site for downloading textbooks, it provides academic journal articles, books on general interest, images, comics, and magazines and it is updated daily with various books. Other features of Library Genesis include a full range of books, a simple interface, and it is perfect for reading on your iPad, Android, PC, and other e-reader devices.

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2. OpenStax

OpenStax has a full range of free college textbooks at your disposal, waiting, and ready to be downloaded. The platform is an establishment of Rice University designed to be a nonprofit educational initiative. Textbooks on math, biology, physics, humanities, social science, business, and more are available at OpenStax.

OpenStax textbooks all match the normal scope and sequence standards, allowing them to be simply integrated into current courses. In addition to college textbooks, there are a few high school textbooks available. However, the vast majority of them are based on college textbooks. It is a great website for free college textbooks pdf download and college students will find it really useful.

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3. Open Textbook Library

Open Textbook Library is a website for free college textbooks pdf download with a diverse range of topics. Many textbooks have been sponsored, published, and licensed to be freely used, changes, and distributed through the Open Textbook Library. These books are available for free download or low-cost printing.

The platform is an initiative of the Open Education Network to transform higher education and student learning. You can search for textbooks by subject in the Open Textbook Library, which contains textbooks on twelve different subjects, such as business, education, and engineering. The website’s textbooks are mostly directed at college students.

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4. ScholarWorks

ScholarWorks has a full range of college textbooks and different search methods for textbooks. You can search for any book across all repositories by author, title, citation information, keywords, etc., or you can browse through the Collections section and scroll through to look for the book of your choice. The website is an open-access repository managed by the GVSU (Grand Valley State University) Libraries that features and preserves the work of GVSU faculty.

ScholarWorks is your go-to place for free college textbooks pdf download giving you access to a wide range of topics spanning agriculture, creative writing, arts and sciences, mathematics, medicine, economics, engineering, and all kinds of research journals.

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5. Bookboon

Bookboon is a website with a simple, friendly user interface for free college textbooks pdf download focused on publishing student literature for engineering, IT, and business students. It is basically an online e-book library on soft skills and personal development to empower you to succeed academically and professionally.

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The website also features audiobooks that are developed by industry-leading experts. However, the website isn’t completely free like the others discussed so far. Bookboon is only free for the first 30 days after which you will have to pay $5.99 per month to keep using.

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6. PDF Search Engine

This website is designed like the Google search bar, in fact, it is integrated with Google custom search which allows you to search for any type of pdf title and gives you plenty of search results to select from. The search engine is simple and easy to use, it is just like using other search engines like Bing or Yahoo.

Simply type your search term into the text box and press enter or the search button. You will get a list of search results that are relevant to your query. This website is great for free college textbooks pdf download, it is really resourceful, and has textbooks for all ages. Here, you will locate the books you require.

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7. FreeBookSpot

FreeBookSpot is another website for free college textbook pdf download with a simple-to-use interface, no hassle here to get the textbook of your choice. You can search by title, author, ISBN, or language and if that seems stressful, go to the category option, there you will find different kinds of books on a wide spectrum of college courses.

There are textbooks on chemical engineering, computer science, astrology, game development, French, economics, drawing, education, English, electrical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, and more. And once you click on the category of your choice, you will be taken to a new page where you will find different textbooks, it is then left for you to scroll through and pick one of your choices.

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8. FreeTechBooks

FreeTechBooks is an amazing website for free college textbooks pdf download but it is specially designed for computer science students, so if you are into any kind of programming or general computer studies this is the place for you. You will find textbooks and lecture notes on computer science. If you are also new to the programming space, this website is also a great resource for you.

Because they are hosted by their lawful authors or publishers, all of the textbooks on this site are legal. Essentially, the website does not host the books; instead, it provides direct connections to the author’s website in HTML and PDF file format. In general, you are free to view, download, and print the books for your own personal use.

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9. Project Gutenberg

Hop in here my dear English literature lovers for here is a database of the world’s great literature textbooks which you can use in college. You can decide to read the literature book of your choice online or download them to your device, it is absolutely free.

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10. Textbook Revolution

One of the best places for free college textbooks pdf download is Textbook Revolution. It is designed to encourage professors and teachers to use free textbooks and downloadable materials. This website’s purpose is to get its materials into every school possible. You can select educational materials, websites, and textbook reviews.

Because they are organized by subject, license, course, level, and other factors, you may simply find your favorite topic. You can also contribute to the site by submitting a new course, book, or other items if you are currently a member. Textbooks are available for download in PDF format as well as online viewing as e-books.

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11. Bookyards

Bookyards is one of the best websites for free college textbooks pdf download if you enjoy reading and downloading books. It contains a variety of educational materials, documents, reference materials, and information. There is no charge for any of the content offered.

The site’s goal is to be the “World’s Library” by making free textbooks available to everyone, regardless of race, religion, or faith. It has a diverse selection of book categories, including art, audio, biography, computers, culture, language, law & legal, science, and many others. You can also use their search engine in your blog, website, reviews, and social media posts.

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12. eBookLobby

On our list of free college textbooks pdf download is the eBookLobby, which provides free e-books to download in a variety of genres. Business, education, art, and computers are among the categories available. There are some very useful textbooks that you can get for free here, especially if you are interested in computers; there are over 100 volumes to select from, all of which are ready to download to your computer.

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13. PDF Grab

You can use PDF Grab to look for free textbooks online by title or ISBN – which is the preferred way to search for books. If as a college student your lecturer does not supply the ISBN for the textbook, Google it, and the ISBN will appear on any site where the book is available for purchase, such as Amazon. When you search for your textbook, the results will reveal the book’s cover as well as a summary.

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PDF Grab is one of the websites for free college textbooks pdf download, the web results are straightforward, and PDF is available for download through a link. You will find courses on business, computers, engineering, humanities, health sciences, law, social science, and others.

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14. Stuvera

Through Stuvera, you may get free research papers, articles, and journals, such as research articles pdf. The website is resourceful if you are looking for core research papers, such as model research paper pdf, you can download them straight to your device at no cost. The research papers are up to date and designed for college students to use for their research and/or projects.

The research papers span across various disciplines such as business and social sciences, humanities and law, life sciences, and natural science and engineering.

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15. Digital Book Index

Digital Book Index is one of the websites for free college textbooks pdf download with access to an abundance of free texts. Their ability to find information on any topic is outstanding. There is a key under the author/title search that explains the best approach to search their site. For example, use the “begins with” function to find authors by their first names, or place titles in quotation marks (to search titles that contain specific keywords).

For historical texts, the Digital Book Index is a fantastic resource for humanities and history students, with a search section dedicated to great authors throughout history around the world.

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These are the 15 websites for free college textbooks pdf download, these platforms are easy to use and you can download the pdf into your device.

FAQs on Free College Textbooks PDF Download

How do I find the PDF version of a textbook?

Using the Google, Yahoo, or Bing search bar with the keyword above can easily help you find the PDF version of a textbook. In this blog post, we have listed and discussed all of the websites where you find the PDF version of any college textbook.

How can I download college textbooks online for free?

The websites for free college textbooks pdf download are provided in this article, click on the website of your choice, look for the textbook you want, and download them into your device.

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FAQs

How do I find PDF textbooks? ›

How to Find PDF Textbooks with 10 Ways
  1. Library Genesis. This website has millions of articles and PDF textbooks in its inventory where a user just has to type the name and it appears. ...
  2. Bookboon.com. ...
  3. Free computer books. ...
  4. ManyBooks. ...
  5. Free eBooks. ...
  6. Open Textbook Library. ...
  7. Google eBook store.

Where can I download free university textbooks? ›

Some Other Websites to Check
  • Library Genesis.
  • OpenStax.
  • Open Textbook Library.
  • ScholarWorks.
  • PDF Search Engine.
  • Textbooksfree.
  • LibreTexts.
  • Free-Ebooks.net.
18 Feb 2022

Where can I download free PDF college textbooks? ›

10 websites to download free PDF textbooks
  • Websites to download free PDF textbooks. 1, Open Textbook Library. Library Genesis.
  • ScholarWorks. PDF Search engine. Textbooksfree. Bookboon. Free kids books. OpenStax. FreeComputerBooks. Free-Ebooks.net. Conclusion.
18 Jun 2021

Where can I download PDF books for free? ›

5 Best Sites to Download Free PDF Books in 2022
  • Open Library.
  • Bookboon.
  • PDF Books World.
  • Project Gutenberg.
  • ManyBooks.
13 Jan 2022

How can I download PDF books for free? ›

List Of The Top Websites To Download Free PDF Textbooks
  1. Open Textbook Library.
  2. Libre Texts.
  3. OpenStax.org.
  4. Bookboon.com.
  5. Project Gutenberg.
  6. Free E-Books.net.
  7. Internet Archive Books.
  8. Manybook.net.
24 Sept 2022

Is Library Genesis legal? ›

Is Libgen Legal? No, Libgen is not legal, and using Libgen may open you up to legal ramifications. While the police aren't likely to show up at your door for pirating material, publishers, authors, schools, or workplaces may take their own actions against you if you're caught with pirated material.

Are free textbook sites legal? ›

The good news is that there are plenty of websites that offer free college textbooks that are 100% legitimate and safe. If you download copyrighted textbooks you are breaking the law, so we suggest avoiding it unless you're in a desperate situation. And even then, try to find a legitimate way to acquire the textbook.

Is it illegal to download textbooks for free? ›

“Understand that, first and foremost, it's unequivocally illegal to download a textbook from the internet,” Oppenheim said.

Where can I find college textbooks online? ›

The 11 Best Sites to Get College Textbooks Online
  1. Chegg. Chegg is an excellent resource for finding affordable college books online. ...
  2. Amazon. Amazon has long been considered one of the best sites to buy college textbooks. ...
  3. BookFinder. ...
  4. CampusBooks. ...
  5. SlugBooks. ...
  6. ValoreBooks. ...
  7. Alibris. ...
  8. Affordabook.
2 Dec 2021

Where can I find free books online? ›

The 21 Best Places to Find Free Books Online
  1. Project Gutenberg. ...
  2. The Online Books Page. ...
  3. Kindle Store. ...
  4. Smashwords. ...
  5. BookBub. ...
  6. Robin Reads. ...
  7. eReader News Today. ...
  8. FreeBooksy.
20 Apr 2020

Where can I get free textbook ebooks? ›

So let's get started.
  • Saylor Academy. Website: Saylor Academy. ...
  • Bookboon. Website: Bookboon. ...
  • OpenStax. Website: OpenStax. ...
  • Project Gutenberg. Website: Project Gutenberg. ...
  • Open Textbook Library. Website: Open Textbook Library. ...
  • Library Genesis. Website: Library Genesis. ...
  • FreeBookSpot. Website: FreeBookSpot. ...
  • IntechOpen. Website: IntechOpen.
2 Dec 2021

Where can I download new books for free? ›

Here's a list of 12 places where you can find a wealth of free e-books (yes, free e-books!).
  • Google eBookstore.
  • Project Gutenberg.
  • Open Library.
  • Internet Archive.
  • BookBoon.
  • ManyBooks.net.
  • Free eBooks.
  • LibriVox.
14 Jul 2021

Is there a free version of PDF? ›

Adobe's free PDF reader, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, connects to the Adobe Document cloud and other cloud storage systems like Box, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive, letting you open, view, share, and comment on PDFs from anywhere and on any device you want.

Is Pdfdrive com legit? ›

Is it safe to download e-books from PDF Drive? It's safe but please note that almost all of the books are copyrighted. It is better to buy those books you like to support the authors.

Is Z-Library legal? ›

The law of copyrights is inherently opposed to shadow libraries. As a result, Z-Library is an illegal website. Though their intentions are good, they make works available that are not legally authorized.

Is downloading a book PDF illegal? ›

It isn't legal to upload or download copyrighted material without permission, but that isn't stopping students from doing it.

Can I print an eBook legally? ›

If you are allowed to download the book, then you are also allowed to print it (as long as it is for personal use and you are not publishing it or anything). If you downloaded the ebook illegally, then printing it is just as illegal.

Which website is best for downloading book? ›

The Best Sites for Free eBook Downloads
  • Google Play (Books)
  • Project Gutenberg.
  • The Open Library.
  • Bookbub.
  • International Digital Children's Library.
  • Read Print.
  • The Literature Network.

Where can I illegally download books? ›

Book sharing platforms like 4shared.com may appear innocent at first glance, but this particular site is the most popular among consumers looking to illegally download e-books, with Uploaded.net and Bookos.org ranking second and third as the most used websites for this purpose.

How can I legally download a book? ›

The community tries to ensure that only legal links are posted, but there's no easy way to sort the books, so you might not always find what you want.
...
The 6 Best Places to Legally Download Ebooks for Free
  1. Baen Free Library. ...
  2. Feedbooks. ...
  3. Project Gutenberg. ...
  4. Bartleby. ...
  5. Open Library. ...
  6. Nook, Kindle, Kobo etc.
24 Feb 2015

Is Library Genesis legal? ›

Is Libgen Legal? No, Libgen is not legal, and using Libgen may open you up to legal ramifications. While the police aren't likely to show up at your door for pirating material, publishers, authors, schools, or workplaces may take their own actions against you if you're caught with pirated material.

How do I download PDF files? ›

1. Open a PDF file in your browser. 2.
...
Downloading PDF files
  1. Click on the PDF file link - your browser will automatically launch the Adobe Acrobat reader.
  2. Click the download icon - usually located in the top left or right corner of the screen dependent on which version you have installed.
15 Sept 2022

How do I download a textbook? ›

How to download books on an Android phone
  1. Make sure your Android phone or tablet is connected to Wi-Fi.
  2. Open the Google Play Books app .
  3. Go to your library.
  4. Tap the book you want to download. You can also tap More. Download to save the book for offline reading.

Is Z-Library legal? ›

The law of copyrights is inherently opposed to shadow libraries. As a result, Z-Library is an illegal website. Though their intentions are good, they make works available that are not legally authorized.

Is downloading a book PDF illegal? ›

It isn't legal to upload or download copyrighted material without permission, but that isn't stopping students from doing it.

How can I download free books? ›

Free downloadable Ebook Websites
  1. Free Ebooks.Net. This site has some free ebooks you can download or view on your computer. ...
  2. Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg provides access to over 30,000 free ebooks that you can either view on your computer or download to a device. ...
  3. Obooko. ...
  4. Manybooks.net. ...
  5. Scribd.
23 Jun 2022

How do I download a PDF from a website? ›

How To Save a Webpage as a PDF in Chrome
  1. Open the page you'd like to keep.
  2. On the top left-hand corner, click File > Print.
  3. Alternatively, press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac)
  4. Under the 'Destination' section, click Change... > Save as PDF.
  5. Click the 'Save' button, pick the name and location for your PDF.
15 Jul 2020

How can I download all PDF files from a website? ›

Download PDFs of All Submitted Forms
  1. Install Google Chrome. ...
  2. Once they're all installed, access Developer Tools in the Chrome menu.
  3. Select the Web Scraper tab.
  4. Under Create new sitemap select Import sitemap.
  5. Optionally Rename Sitemap export_pdf, and click Import Sitemap.
  6. In Chrome, log into the ProntoForms web portal.
1 Feb 2022

Where can I find PDF files? ›

Here are a few potential spots where you'll likely find your downloaded PDFs:
  1. My Files app (sometimes called File Manager)
  2. Google Drive or One Drive.
  3. Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app.
  4. Another mobile PDF reader app.

How do I find free books online? ›

Best Websites To Read FREE Books Online!
  1. Feedbooks.
  2. Project Gutenberg.
  3. Open Library.
  4. ManyBooks.
  5. Free-eBooks.
  6. Bookyards.
  7. Kobo.
  8. Bookboon.
22 Jul 2022

Where can we read books for free? ›

  • Juggernaut Books App.
  • Project Gutenberg.
  • Archive.org.
  • NetGalley.
  • LibriVox.
  • Kindle Reading App.
  • Wattpad.
  • AnyBooks App.
23 May 2020

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