I tried every place you can get DRM-free ebooks on the Internet

Product/Topic Reviewed

A set of tested websites and publishers for obtaining DRM-free ebooks (legally free libraries, DRM-free stores for buying, and publishers that sell DRM-free editions). The “product” is essentially the creator’s curated recommendations + testing process, focusing on readability across devices (via downloading, loading to an e-reader, and using Calibre where relevant).

Key Features (what’s being offered/checked)

• DRM-free downloads: books are usable on any device, can be backed up, converted, etc.
• Format handling & e-reader compatibility: downloading in formats like EPUB 3 and AZW3, then loading to an e-reader using tools like Calibre.
• Quality checks: cover inclusion, formatting/layout, metadata/detail, and whether opening skips content (e.g., starts at chapter one).
• Discovery/taxonomy: how easy it is to find DRM-free titles inside stores (filters, search strategies, or knowing specific publishers).

Exclusions / Scope Notes

• Not included if they used AI, especially if they reformatted books with AI-generated cover art (described as “a crime”).
• Not included if the site was unusable due to errors.
• Not included self-published-specialist sites (suggested these need their own separate video).

Tested DRM-free Repositories / Libraries (Free)

1. Project Gutenberg

• Old public domain library; lots of classics.
• Downloaded a book (“The Picture of Dorian Gray”) as EPUB 3.
• Ease of use: very easy downloads; “no errors” observed when loaded to Kindle.
• Formats available in multiple types.

2. Standard Ebooks

• Public domain texts but presented as new editions with volunteer improvements.
• Improvements cited: typography, typos, metadata, graphics.
• Side-by-side test: “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Chose AZW3 for Kindle.
• Slight quality edge vs Gutenberg: cover/note and formatting feel “a little more special,” but “not by much.”

Tested DRM-free Online Stores (Paid)

1. ebooks.com

• Positioned for newer releases (actual new titles, not just classics).
• Discovery made easy: top link + filter EPUB and avoid PDFs.
• Filter by genre.
• Tested: Green Hollow trilogy
• Main disappointment: cover didn’t come through; formatting could be better.
• The creator didn’t modify files in Calibre to keep the test consistent, but noted it might have been fixable.

2. Kobo store

• DRM-free availability exists, but hard to find.
• Suggested method: Google “DRM-free Kobo books” and follow the resulting page (for the UK).
• That page may not show all DRM-free books; best strategy is knowing which publishers to search for.
• Tested: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
• Pros: easy purchase/download; account stores books for redownload.
• Odd UX issue: opening the book skipped contents/forwards and jumped to first chapter (possible conversion issue).

3. bookshop.org

• Pros: supports local indie bookstores (portion of money goes to chosen indies).
• DRM-free option exists, but:
  • Very hard to find DRM-free items; recommended method:
    • Search by genre → click format → select DRM-free
• Cons: lots of AI covers encountered during filtering; creator opted not to buy because of that.

4. Google Play Books

• DRM-free books can be purchased, but discovery is not straightforward.
• No clear way found to search/filter for DRM-free globally.
• Suggested approach: know the specific book you want and check DRM status on the book page (also compared to Apple Books listings).
• Tested: Gideon the Ninth
• Pros: purchase/download easy; ebook “reads really well,” crisp artwork.

5. Honorable mention: Kickstarter

• Some authors provide DRM-free ebooks as part of rewards.
• Not deeply tested as a store, but noted as a useful additional path.

DRM-free Publishers (also mentioned as repeat sources)

These publishers either sell DRM-free directly or can be found via major ebook stores (with an on-page note like “DRM free at the request of the publisher”).

1. Tor

• DRM-free publisher since 2012
• Buy via ebooks.com or other stores by searching Tor titles / looking for the DRM-free label.
• Strong endorsement due to Gideon the Ninth being a Tor book.

2. Baen

• Sells DRM-free sci-fi/fantasy (space opera, hard SF, adventure fantasy).
• Tested via Baen’s free library (download “There Will Be Dragons”).
• Pros: easy download; impressively rich metadata/detail in Calibre.
• Looks good; praised above “standard ebooks.”

3. Angry Robot

• DRM-free books purchased directly from their site.
• Extra steps: required waiting for an email link to download; download wasn’t available the same way via user account.
• Tested: Evocation by S.T. Gibson
• UX issue similar to earlier: jumps straight to chapter one on first open (possible conversion issue).
• Ebook itself “looks good.”

4. Haymarket Books

• Radical independent non-profit publisher.
• Easy ebook discovery; cart updates available items by country restrictions.
• Tested: Mermaid Theory (poetry)
• Pros: easy purchase flow; DRM-free but includes a personal license with creator’s name/email embedded into the file.
• Creator notes this is unusual and could affect privacy/metadata visibility.
• Formatting described as “quite strange,” but assumed intentional poetic styling.

Comparisons Made

• Project Gutenberg vs Standard Ebooks: Standard Ebooks provides slightly better formatting/cover/note and “feels” more polished, though not dramatically different.
• Store discovery difficulty:
  • ebooks.com described as easy to find DRM-free titles (filters).
  • Kobo and Google Play described as harder to find DRM-free options without knowing publishers/titles.
• Conversion/opening behavior (possible):
  • Kobo, Angry Robot, and at least one tested title from stores jumped to chapter one—suggesting format conversion/structure issues may occur depending on how files are prepared.

Pros (overall positives mentioned)

• Freedom from DRM: cross-device use, backup, and format conversion.
• Legitimate legal acquisition of DRM-free ebooks.
• Quality improvements possible (especially Standard Ebooks; Baen noted for detailed metadata).
• Many sources are easy to download from and load cleanly (Project Gutenberg praised for no visible errors).

Cons (overall negatives mentioned)

• Discovery friction on some stores (Kobo, Google Play) and extra filtering needed on bookshop.org.
• Formatting issues / reading experience problems with some downloaded files:
  • missing cover (ebooks.com test)
  • skipping contents/forwards and jumping to chapter one (Kobo + Angry Robot)
  • “strange formatting” (Haymarket, though possibly stylistic)
• AI cover prevalence in some places (leads to exclusion or refusal to buy).
• Extra purchase/download steps for at least Angry Robot (email required).
• License embedding on Haymarket titles (name/email printed into the book file).

Quantitative Ratings / Scores

• No numerical ratings or scores were provided.

Unique Points Mentioned (complete list, condensed)

• Creator tested “every place” they could find for DRM-free ebooks; shared best options.
• Organized sources into: free libraries, paid DRM-free stores, publishers without DRM.
• Explained DRM vs DRM-free (including moving between devices).
• Excluded sources using AI reformatting and AI-generated cover art; excluded unusable/buggy sites; excluded self-published-specialist sites.
• Project Gutenberg: public domain classics; easy downloads; EPUB 3 tested; clean load on Kindle.
• Standard Ebooks: volunteer-edited public domain upgrades; improved typography/typos/metadata/graphics; slight improvement over Gutenberg in a side-by-side test.
• ebooks.com: easy DRM-free discovery via filters (EPUB + genres); newer releases; disappointment: missing cover and weaker formatting for Green Hollow trilogy.
• Kobo: DRM-free exists but hard to find; recommended Google method; account stores books for redownload; tested issue: skipped contents/forwards on open.
• bookshop.org: supports local indies; DRM-free available only when specifically purchased as DRM-free; hard to find due to filtering and many AI covers; creator declined buying.
• Google Play: DRM-free purchase possible but hard to discover globally; must know title and verify DRM on the book page; tested Gideon the Ninth: crisp, readable.
• Kickstarter: some authors offer DRM-free ebooks as rewards.
• Tor: DRM-free since 2012; commonly flagged DRM-free by stores; recommended.
• Baen: DRM-free; sci-fi/fantasy focus; best metadata richness in Calibre; ebook looks great.
• Angry Robot: DRM-free; direct purchase; download requires email; tested issue: jumps to chapter one; ebook looks good.
• Haymarket: easy discovery; cart updates by country restrictions; requires account (no guest checkout); DRM-free but includes personal license by embedding name/email in the file; unusual and surprising; formatting odd but possibly intentional for poetry.
• Non-English DRM-free resources exist but were untested and cautioned to verify.

Speakers / Contribution Differences

• Single primary speaker (the video creator) provides all observations and tests.
• No separate speaker viewpoints are indicated.

Overall Verdict / Recommendation

If you want DRM-free ebooks, the best starting points are:

• Project Gutenberg / Standard Ebooks for quality-free public domain reading
• Tor / Baen for DRM-free publisher reliability and generally strong ebook formatting/metadata

Be cautious with some store downloads where covers/formatting or book opening position may be inconsistent, and expect extra effort to find DRM-free items on Kobo / Google Play / bookshop.org.