Where to download free or cheap ebooks

Ebooks are typically cheaper than paper books, but if you get through a lot of them on your Kindle or other device, you'll still want to save even more money by getting the cheapest price and by downloading free ebooks.

There are many online stores to choose from for buying and downloading your favourite reads. We've rounded up five of the most popular stores so you can see which may suit your reading needs the best.

Many of these stores also have a range of free-to-download ebooks and content, so we'll show you how you can browse tons of titles without spending a penny.

Ready to read on the go? Our expert tests reveal the best ebook readers for all budgets

Choosing an ebook reader

Your choice of ebook store will depend on how you read your books. If you're only starting to think of branching out from paper to digital books, it's worth bearing this in mind when choosing the device you want to read on. 

How to buy books on a Kindle

If you buy a Kindle, you'll be limited to downloading ebooks from the Amazon Kindle store. 

As of 2022, Kindle devices also support epub (electronic publication) files, but only through conversion. So you will need to use Send-to-Kindle - a free service that allows you to send documents to your Kindle library on your Kindle devices. 

You can also download PDFs, but this won't typically provide a great experience. 

See our Amazon Kindle reviews for more information.

Kobo ebook readers

Kobo is the Kindle's main rival. If you have a Kobo, you have a few more options than Kindle owners. This is because you can import licensed ebooks from third-party retailers, as well as buying ebooks directly from Kobo and borrowing ebooks from your local library. 

See our Kobo reviews.

Pocketbook ebook readers

You can buy ebooks from the Pocketbook Shop, which is the pre-defined shop for Pocketbook devices.

Pocketbook also supports a variety of ebook formats and, like Kobo, provides the ability to borrow ebooks from your local library via the Libby system. 

See our Pocketbook reviews.

Downloading ebooks for your phone, tablet or computer

Your options for reading on your phone, tablet or computer are fairly wide and there are multiple ebook stores you can use.

However, these devices aren't optimised for reading in the same way ebook readers are. In our lab tests, for example, we check which ebook readers let you comfortably read in bright light and also in near darkness. This means our Best Buy ebook readers are comfortable to read and can keep you immersed in your book, whether you're on the beach or tucked up in bed.

Head straight to our ebook reader reviews to find out which models are worth your money.

Which stores sell ebooks?

There are five main places to buy ebooks in the UK, but how you can read their content varies significantly. We've summarised this below and you can use the links to visit the stores.

• Amazon Kindle: Read books on Kindle ebook readers, Amazon Fire devices, Android and Apple phones and tablets, as well as on the internet on your computer at read.amazon.com.
• Kobo: Read books on Kobo ebook readers, Android and Apple smartphones and tablets, and on your computer using the Windows 10 and macOS app.
• Google Play Books: Read on Android phones and tablets, and on your computer via play.google.com.
• Apple Books: Read on Apple iPhones, iPads and on Mac computers.
• Hive.co.uk: Read on Kobo, iOS and Android phones and tablets, and Windows and Mac computers using Adobe Digital Editions.

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How to get free ebooks

If you're a prolific reader who wants to save money, there are a number of ways to get hold of free ebooks, particularly if you love the classics.  

Free Kindle books 

The Kindle Store has a selection of classic published books available for free, including A Tale of Two Cities, The Great Gatsby, David Copperfield and Treasure Island. Beyond that, you may also find some self-published works available on the Kindle Store for free, although the quality of these will vary.

Free out-of-copyright books 

You can find a repository of 60,000 copyright-expired works from before 1924 at Project Gutenberg, so if you’re after a classic book you may well find it there. They’re available in formats that work on both Kindle and Kobo.

Local libraries

In the UK, your local library may use a digital book borrowing service through companies such as BorrowBox or Libby (previously called OverDrive). 

• Libby is built directly into Kobo devices and there are apps available for iPhones, iPads and Android devices, as well as Amazon Fire tablets. Previously called OverDrive, users were encouraged to make the switch to the Libby library reading app, made by the same company.
• BorrowBox isn’t built into any ebook reader, but you can download BorrowBox app for a variety of devices, including Android and iOS phones and tablets.

Whether you can access BorrowBox or Libby depends on what system your local library uses. You will need a valid library card to access the digital book loans on either system, so you’ll likely need to provide proof of address when you register with it. Check your local library branch to find out what’s available.

Transfer files to your Kindle or Kobo 

You can also transfer books to your Kindle in Word, PDF and Mobi formats, so if you have a friend who’s writing a first novel or you've been given a freebie at an event, you can probably load the content onto your Kindle. Information on how to do this can be found at Amazon’s help pages.

 All the above formats as well as the open standard ePub format also work on Kobo ebook readers.

Kindle Unlimited 

This option isn’t strictly free, but does allow you to access more than one million ebooks, thousands of audiobooks and selected magazines for a flat monthly fee of £7.99 (as of Sept 2023). Click to go to Kindle Unlimited.

Which ebook store is cheapest?

We cross-checked the most popular titles from The Bookseller's Official UK Top 50 books (2022/2023) and found little-to-no price difference on various ebook stores – £1 or so at most. These include authors such as Nathan Anthony, Kay & Kate Allinson, Colleen Hoover, Holly Black, Dr Clare Bailey & Kathryn Bruton, among many others.

So wherever you buy from, you're likely to be getting a good price.

Many stores, including Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, Kobo and Apple Books, allow you to filter for free downloadable ebooks. If you search around your chosen site, you're likely to find deals and special offers to give you a good read for less. 

For example, at the time we checked: 

• Hive.co.uk had a range of thrillers for 99p, fiction and comics for under £5, offers 10% off to students, apprentices and those aged 16-25, and 10% off to those aged 55 or over. Go to the Hive website for more information.
• Amazon reduces several titles down to less than £1 every day in its Kindle Daily Deal. You can also search for Kindle Book Deals for discounts on well-known titles that have been out for a while. Go to Amazon.co.uk for more.

Looking for more cheap tech? See our guide to the best cheap laptops

Cheap and free ebooks for kids

Whether you're taking the family on holiday or need to keep the kids entertained during wet weather at home, downloading some kid-friendly ebooks will keep them happy.

It's easy enough to find a range of cheap children's stories by simply searching any of the ebook stores we mentioned above in which ebook store is cheapest and downloading some of their favourite titles.

For more educational reading for kids, we found Oxford Owl ebooks to be a great, free resource. Oxford Owl ebooks are best accessed online to be viewed on a laptop, computer or tablet.

After a quick sign-up, you'll have access to hundreds of primary school books suitable for children aged 3-11. The ebooks available are largely suited to developing reading skills and understanding phonics.

Looking for a device that lets you read books from a number of ebook stores and free sites, and browse the internet, play games and check emails too? Take a look at our pick of the Best tablets and iPads