The best places to get free ebooks legally are Project Gutenberg and Standard Ebooks for classics, and your public library, which lends new releases through apps such as Libby. “Legally” means one thing here: the book is in the public domain, under a free licence, or lent to you by someone who holds the rights. Below are seven sources, with what you will find, which formats and on what terms. We checked everything on the official sites on 12 October 2026.
7 sources at a glance
| Source | What you will find | Formats | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Gutenberg | Classics, mostly in English | EPUB3, Kindle, plain text, HTML | Free; check copyright where you live |
| Standard Ebooks | Carefully produced English classics | EPUB, AZW3 (Kindle), KEPUB (Kobo) | Free; public domain in the US |
| Your library (Libby) | New releases and bestsellers | Read in the Libby app | Free with a library card |
| Wikisource | Source texts and translations | EPUB, MOBI, PDF for many texts | Freely licensed |
| Wolne Lektury | Polish classics, plus audiobooks | EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT, HTML, FB2 | Public domain and free licences |
| Polona | Poland’s National Library collections | Scans; many prints as PDF, EPUB or TXT | Download what the legal status allows |
| Store freebies | Single titles at $0 | Depends on the store | The store’s terms |
The sources one by one
1. Project Gutenberg
According to its about page, Project Gutenberg is an online library of more than 75,000 free ebooks, and all of them are free and always will be. Most are in English. On each book page you pick a format, as on Pride and Prejudice: EPUB3, a Kindle version, plain text or HTML. One caveat: the terms of use note that some content may be copyrighted in other countries, so outside the US check your local rules. Authors who died long ago are the safest bet.
2. Standard Ebooks
A volunteer project that takes texts from sources like Project Gutenberg, then formats, typesets and proofreads them. The result is a beautifully produced edition of a classic. Its about page says every ebook is free of cost and free of US copyright restrictions. Each book, like this one, comes in several versions, including EPUB, AZW3 for Kindle and KEPUB for Kobo. As with Gutenberg, outside the US check that the author is in the public domain where you live too.
3. Your library, through Libby
The way to read new releases for free. Libby is a library reading app: all you need is a library card, and you can borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines at no cost. It runs on iOS and Android, and in a browser at libbyapp.com. Your library decides which titles it offers, so availability and waiting lists vary. If your library is not on Libby, ask what it uses instead.
4. Wikisource
A Wikimedia project that collects free-content source texts and translations, describing itself as the free library that anyone can improve. On the day we checked, the English site listed more than 639,000 texts. Many can be downloaded as EPUB, MOBI or PDF. The range is wide, but texts are prepared less uniformly than at Standard Ebooks, so look an edition over before downloading.
5. Wolne Lektury (for Polish readers)
A free online library of ebooks and audiobooks run by the Wolne Lektury Foundation. Its project page (in Polish) says the collection is completely free and needs no registration. On the day we checked it held 7,332 works and more than a thousand audiobooks. Most are in the public domain, some newer texts under free licences. Every book comes as EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT, HTML or FB2. A good stop if you are learning Polish or want Polish classics.
6. Polona
The digital library of Poland’s National Library and partner institutions. According to the Polona FAQ (in Polish), it is free, browsing, searching and downloading need no account, and the interface can be switched to English. Beyond books there are magazines, manuscripts, maps and photographs. To be fair, it is mostly scans. Where a print has a recognised text layer, you can download it as a PDF or the text alone as EPUB or TXT. Only items whose legal status allows it can be downloaded.
7. Store freebies
Ebook stores now and then give away single titles for $0 or offer free samples. That is legal, but check two things first: what format you get and whether it is protected. Some free ebooks only open in that store’s app or carry protection that makes it hard to move the file to another device.
How to spot an illegal source
Legal sources have a few things in common: they say who runs them and explain why they are allowed to share the books. Be careful when:
- a month-old bestseller is “free to download” on a site that is not a store, library or publisher,
- there is no information on who runs the site and no terms,
- you must install software or enter card details before getting a “free” book,
- the file has an odd extension, such as .exe instead of .epub.
When in doubt, pick one of the seven sources above.
You downloaded a file. Now what?
Most often you will get an EPUB file. Open it in an ebook reading app on your phone, or on an e-reader if your model supports the format. That is why most sources offer several formats: if you have a Kindle, take the Kindle version at Project Gutenberg or the AZW3 file at Standard Ebooks.
Not sure which device is more comfortable? We compared them in e-reader vs phone.
Turn it into a list
Free classics can fill a downloads folder fast. Instead of grabbing everything at once, choose three books to read first and note the rest for later. How to keep a list like that without it taking over is in TBR list.
Once you start reading, log your progress in one place, wherever the book came from. How to choose an app for that is covered in our guide to the reading tracker app. See how Talemi works and join early access.
FAQ
Is Project Gutenberg legal? Yes. Its books are free, and its terms ask readers outside the US to check their local copyright law before downloading.
Can I borrow ebooks from the library for free? Yes, with a library card. Many libraries lend ebooks and audiobooks through Libby. Your library decides which titles are available.
What is the best free ebook site for classics? For well-edited classics, Standard Ebooks. For the widest choice, Project Gutenberg.
Sources
- Project Gutenberg. About and Terms of Use, checked 12 October 2026.
- Standard Ebooks. About, checked 12 October 2026.
- Libby Help. Meet Libby, checked 12 October 2026.
- Wikisource. Main Page, checked 12 October 2026.
- Wolne Lektury Foundation. O projekcie (in Polish), checked 12 October 2026.
- National Library of Poland. Polona: FAQ (in Polish), checked 12 October 2026.
