Last updated Apr 15, 2024 at 5am ET
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With textbook prices going up into the hundreds, it’s hard for many students to come across affordable learning materials for their courses. Unsurprisingly, the average learner has to resort to torrenting to get the much-needed books, a practice that isn’t exactly legal in most countries across the globe.
Even if you reside in a nation that allows P2P file-sharing or downloading copyrighted material for personal use, misunderstandings can still happen. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) sees everything you’re doing online, torrenting traffic included, and they don’t know your reasoning for doing it. Thus, it’s only a matter of time before you’re found out and potentially fined. That is, unless you’re utilizing appropriate tools to combat this.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt your Internet traffic with an unbreakable cipher, making you virtually invisible to all third parties. Then even the ISP can’t track your movements, letting you download a multitude of coursebooks in peace. And you will find most of the required learning material by exploring our carefully curated list of the 10 best sites for textbook torrenting.
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Top 10 sites for textbook torrents
Now, the problem with coursebook torrent websites is that searching for ones that work is a dangerous game. Many sites pose as serious places to get torrents, yet once you click on them – boom, your device just got infected with malware.
To avoid this outcome, it’s best to be careful about what you click on. Also take advantage of such tools as NordVPN’s Threat Protection. It checks links for malicious software before opening them, preventing you from entering shady websites.
Of course, we did our own research and came up with this handy torrent sites list. Across the suggestions below, we found the biggest selection of both newer and older textbooks. Each website is carefully analyzed, with pros and cons listed to help you find one that works for you.
1. Library Genesis
Library Genesis is perhaps the most well-known place to get learning material.
It’s managed by a group of volunteers and includes thousands of textbooks, research papers, academic and general-interest books, audiobooks, etc. Most of the files gathered here are study-related, but you can also find fiction, comics, and magazines.
The advanced search tool lets you sort queries by title, author, series, publisher, year, ISBN, and language. Library Genesis also has several file download options. The main method is direct downloads, but if those aren’t available, torrenting is among the alternatives.
You can find Library Genesis here: libgen.is
2. Textbook Nova
Textbook Nova is an online textbook search engine.
Here, you can find countless coursebooks for free, but the site also scans the web for highly discounted options as well. The learning material covers many fields, such as chemistry, law, music, web design, and more.
Entering the book’s title, author, or ISBN number should net you several available listings. Clicking on any one gives a more detailed description of the text and user reviews.
You can find Textbook Nova here: textbooknova.com
3. OLL
OLL, or the Online Library of Liberty, is a digital library housing thousands of scholarly works.
Users get access to a diverse range of books, from art, philosophy, and political theory, to religion, sociology, and economics. The website even has a Collections subsection which gathers learning material according to specific subjects.
While there are several download options, the books can also be read online, allowing users to scan the text before getting them. The Online Library of Liberty also contains many original works from history, useful if you need first-hand sources.
You can find The Online Library of Liberty here: oll.libertyfund.org
4. NIH
The National Library of Medicine offers a virtual library of its own.
The biggest caveat here is that most of the books focus on biosciences, so it’s the most useful for students in these fields. Still, there’s plenty of reports, research papers, and coursebooks to explore.
While the website looks a bit clunky, looking for what you need is pretty straightforward – just enter the book title into the search field. NIH also offers an Advanced search that lets you specify not only the author, but the editor, publication type, concept phrases, and other specific details.
You can find The National Library of Medicine here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/
5. Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a free public domain e-book site.
The site has an extensive library that comprises no less than 70,000 free e-books. The textbooks can be downloaded on your preferred devices from anywhere without paying a single cent.
The offered e-books do not require a unique app to read. This is a relief since most sites charge the readers fees for their custom apps. The recklessly done homepage is a bit unappealing, though, with only a small space dedicated to book advertisement.
You can find Project Gutenberg here: gutenberg.org
6. FreeBookSpot
FreeBookSpot is one of the most popular e-book torrent websites.
You can download free books, magazines, newsletters, and comics from this site. It also has a feature that allows you to share your e-book with others and wait for their feedback.
A significant pro is that registration is not compulsory, it’s just that you won’t be able to download files faster. Better speeds are guaranteed only for Premium users. However, when it comes to overall quality, FreeBookSpot offers a good seeder-to-leecher ratio and excellent functionality.
You can find FreeBookSpot here: freebookspot.club
7. FreeEbooks
Free-ebooks.net allows you to download and read your favorite books in PDF format. Other more convenient formats, like ePub, are also available.
The site covers a wide range of genres like fiction, technology, mystery, drama, and others. Its user interface is impressive, making the exploration process worth your while. Like some of the other textbook torrent websites, it allows access on all devices from anywhere.
However, you will need to register an account to start downloading your favorite e-books torrent files.
You can find FreeEbooks here: free-ebooks.net
8. Zooqle
Zooqle is a torrent file depository that includes all kinds of files, including textbooks.
The website includes over 4 million authentic torrents, with thousands of new ones being added each day. And searching for coursebooks is an easy process – simply type in the title or the author.
One notable (and unfortunate) thing about Zooqle is that the main website tends to be down, so you’ll have to use healthy proxies to access it. And if those don’t work, utilizing a VPN might be necessary.
You can find Zooqle here: zooqle.xyz
9. ISOHunt
ISOHunt is a P2P file-sharing website with a dedicated book and textbook section.
It hosts plenty of study material which you can search by typing in the author, title, or subject. There are several download links, and other users can comment if they still work or don’t.
ISOHunt differs from other sites of such nature by requiring you to use its own torrent client instead of the standard software like uTorrent. It’s not exactly beginner friendly, but still a viable option for those looking for coursebooks.
You can find ISOHunt here: isohunts.to/books_isohunt.html
10. The Pirate Bay
The Pirate Bay is a general torrent website that also houses a fair share of books, textbooks included.
All you need is to enter the title of the book or the author and the search will do the rest. Additionally, the site displays information on when the torrent was uploaded, its size, whether the uploader is trusted, and how many leechers & seeders there are.
Because TPB is notorious for hosting copyrighted content, the main website is usually down. Still, there are many proxy alternatives you can use to get the textbooks you need.
You can find The Pirate Bay here: thepiratebay.org/index.html
Best VPN services for textbook torrents in 2024
- The best VPN for textbook torrents9.6
- Affordable P2P VPN with no device limit9.3
- One of the cheapest option for downloading textbooks9.0
Safety while using torrents
Since torrenting is still illegal in lots of countries, there are certain dangers associated with it. Getting caught doing so might result in a fine, or even worse, jail time, depending on where you live. So, if you do decide to venture down this path, at least do it safely.
Another danger most people might not know is that your IP address is visible to anyone else getting the same torrent. And if a malicious actor is among them, they might trace your IP and online actions associated with it to target you. Some even go as far as to impersonate their victims and conduct illegal activities while cloaked in their IP addresses.
The best way to hide your torrenting activities from all third parties, ISP and cybercriminals included, is with a reputable P2P VPN. This technology encrypts all traffic, making it unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have the right keys. Thus, you’re safe to download all the textbooks you need without the fear of legal trouble.
You might also want to check out VPNs with potent ad-blocking capabilities. Many torrent websites manage to stay alive by hosting advertisements. The problem is that they are not only annoying, but may potentially be malicious as well. One misclick and your device could get infected with a virus.
Plus, such providers as NordVPN also prevent your devices from getting infected with malware. Torrents are notorious for containing all kinds of malicious software, from keyloggers to ransomware. But the right tool will stop you from downloading a file that could compromise your data and computer.
The key here is picking a VPN with robust leak protection measures, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, and a strict no-logs policy (even better if it’s verified). This way, if authorities try to find out the identity of the person torrenting while using a VPN, they’ll run into a roadblock.
So, which of the best textbook torrents listed here today are you using in 2024? Are there any major ones that we’ve missed?
Any ones that we’ve listed that are having problems? Let us know in the comments below!
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I’m usually iffy about the legality of torrenting. I try to pay for as much as possible and I don’t like having illegal files on my computer. But the textbook industry is CRIMINAL. The rates they charge for those books is nothing short of extortion, a gross display of classism, and if you are industrious enough to educate yourself and you can get out of paying those exorbitant, criminal pricing, then do it.
Project Gutenberg should be your first stop because they have a lot of private domain stuff that is very, very good. Don’t be fooled by the ugly, older looking site – this is a good option. EbookShare is another good option for text books.
Omg yeees, I just bought an e-reader from Amazon but their e-books are quite expensive! This is just what I needed, I’ll check all of these websites. Thank youuu
I am wired to read and read different articles and texts. It has really impacted in me as I am well grounded in vast knowledge. I will maximize the gains of these sites for textbook torrent this year
Do you know if any of these sites offer school textbooks? I’m trying to find a way to save some money with my college classes.