Direct answer: Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks, Open Library, and your public library's Libby/hoopla apps are the core legal, free ebook sources — each covers a different niche, from public-domain classics to current bestsellers on loan.
Project Gutenberg
The longest-running free ebook archive, hosting over 70,000 public-domain titles in plain text and EPUB formats, with no account or sign-up required at all.
Standard Ebooks
Takes the same public-domain source material as Project Gutenberg and produces meticulously typeset, modern-formatted editions — a noticeably nicer reading experience on an e-reader for the same free public-domain content.
Open Library
A project of the Internet Archive offering one-borrower-at-a-time digital lending on many in-copyright titles alongside a large public-domain collection, though in-copyright availability has narrowed following recent publisher litigation.
Library apps for current releases
For recent bestsellers and current releases specifically, a public library card connected to Libby or hoopla remains the strongest completely free, completely legal option — see our full Libby guide for setup steps.
How to spot an illegitimate "free ebook" site
Warning signs include hosting recent bestsellers with no lending limits or waitlists, requiring account creation before showing any content, and aggressive pop-up advertising — legitimate free sources never need to hide how they're legally allowed to offer a book for free.
Are these sites really completely free, no hidden catch?
Yes — Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks, and public library apps have no cost, though Open Library occasionally shows waitlists for popular in-copyright titles.
Can I put these free ebooks on any e-reader?
Yes, EPUB and plain-text formats from Gutenberg and Standard Ebooks work on virtually all e-readers; library-loaned books use their own app-based readers.
Do any of these include recent releases?
Only library apps (Libby/hoopla) regularly include recent releases, subject to your library's licensed copies and any waitlist.