I love to read whenever I get the chance, but I don’t love the price tag that comes with it. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to get books or digital books for free!


The Library: The library is the first place I check if there’s a particular book I want to read. The only downside is that there’s usually a waiting list because the books I want to read are usually newer. There have been only a couple of occasions when I haven’t been able to find the book I want.

Swagbucks: While this isn’t an instant gratification method for getting free books because it takes time to earn Swag Bucks, it’s still worth mentioning! I like to collect Swag Bucks and then redeem them for Amazon gift cards and Starbucks cards. There are plenty of ways to earn Swag Bucks, such as searching the web, shopping online, daily polls, surveys, watching videos, and more!

Friends: Often, my friends already own books that I want to read, so I tend to ask around before buying. Of course, I return the favor if I own a book someone else wants to read.


Where to Find Free eBooks:

eBooks are books too! They are a great alternative to physical books. There are many ways to expand your library this way. Here’s how to get tons of free books:


eReaderGirl: Check daily for free eBooks, including PDFs, NOOK, and Kindle versions.

Book Bub: BookBub is fairly new to me. My mom sent me a link to check it out, and I signed up! BookBub alerts you to limited-time free and discounted eBooks matching your interests.

The Fussy Librarian: The Fussy Librarian offers two email newsletters catered to your interests: Bargain books or free eBooks! Pick one or both, delivered on the days you choose.

Amazon: Search for free eBooks by typing in “0.00” or “free Kindle eBooks”.

Book Runes: Find a great selection of free and bargain books on BookRunes. Search by genre too!

Story Cartel: This one is neat, and practically anyone can use Story Cartel! All books on Story Cartel are completely free, but in return, you support authors by leaving an honest review of the book you downloaded.

Blog Email Newsletters: Follow your favorite blogs and sign up for their email newsletters. Some offer free eBooks they’ve written! This is a great way to support those bloggers you love.

Openlibrary.org: Has over 1 million eBook titles available for you to read!

Project Gutenberg: Project Gutenberg offers over 45,000 free eBooks. Choose among free ePub books, free Kindle books, download them, or read them online.  

Kobo eBookstore: Visit the Kobo store for a list of free eBooks.


While I’m still a fan of paperback books, my love for eBooks has been growing. I purchased a Kindle e-reader a few years ago, and I’ve been loving it ever since. It’s not easy to carry around hundreds of books otherwise! Amazon also has a free app that allows you to read Kindle books on your computer, smartphone, or tablet.


I’d love to hear all your ideas on how you find free books and eBooks in the comments!