Textbooks are not only good sources of information for scholars, but could also be useful to anyone seeking to learn something new. But sometimes, because of the years of research contributed to produce textbooks, they can cost a fortune.

The good news is that you don’t have to break the bank to acquire knowledge. Here, we'll look at five legitimate websites you can use to legally download free PDF textbooks.

1. OpenStax

Screenshot of openstax website download page

OpenStax is a non-profit educational initiative run by Rice University. This website offers high school and college-based material. You can find textbooks ranging from subjects like Mathematics to Humanities and many other subjects.

What makes OpenStax stand out is that it aims to improve access to quality education. This organization has saved college students millions of dollars through the use of funding to produce high-quality, peer-reviewed textbooks.

2. ScholarWorks

Scholarworks search page

ScholarWorks operates as a shared institutional archive managed by the Grand Valley State University Library. If you're a college student looking for free textbooks, ScholarWorks is the right place.

The website offers content that covers many topics. You can find published textbooks, dissertations, master theses, projects, and articles.

You can search for material by typing a specific topic in the search box and a wide range of results will appear. The material available on this website is accessible to anyone, and you don't need a student ID to download books from the website.

3. Bookboon

Download options on the Bookboon website

Living up to its name, Bookboon provides free textbooks written by professors from top universities and industry-leading authors. The platform aims to make it easy for you to develop yourself through high-quality content.

Bookboon offers a free student plan where you can access a variety of academic material, to access this plan, you are required to sign up for a free subscription.

Related: The 8 Best Open Access Journal Sites For Students

You can also opt for an advanced professional plan where you can sign up for a 30-day trial to access material on the website, thereafter, you will be charged $5.99 a month.

4. Open Textbook Library

Open Textbook Library website page

Open Textbook Library offers a variety of textbooks that are licensed by authors and publishers to be used freely.

You can browse through the various subject categories on the website. These categories offer a broad range of subjects from Mathematics to Business and many others.

5. Free Kids Textbooks

Textbook options on the Free Kids Books website

If you're a parent, Free Kids Textbooks is the perfect website to provide beginner-level education for your young one.

Books on the website are separated into categories for toddlers, children, and young adults, allowing you to easily find what you are looking for. This website also offers books in other languages such as French, German, Hindi, Spanish, and Farsi.

Related: How to Make Online Learning Fun for Young Children

You will also find an entire section dedicated to free K-12 PDF textbooks. This section is aimed at providing students, parents, and teachers with as many open education resources as possible.

You Can Also Use Other Online Platforms for Textbooks

All five websites are undoubtedly useful in helping you find free textbooks online. There are additional tools to help you find information online for free. There are a host of credible scholars who regularly publish free articles online.

Almost any topic you can think of has gone through a process of thorough research by multiple teams of experts. You might not know which direction to take in finding all this research. Tools like Google Scholar helps you find free articles online.