Updated: January 3, 2020 Home » The Web » Download Free eBooks
How to create an eBook with free software in PDF and ePub format? Below is a list of 20 software to create and edit your eBook, iBooks Author is a free software for Mac OS and it publishes to Apple’s book stores for free. Some editors are free, but they will take a cut from the sales generated online.
Upload any web page, MS Word, Video, Podcast or YouTube and it will create a stunning ebook and convert it to pdf, epub, Kindle or Flipbook. Quick and Easy to use. Full Training, 24x7 Support and Facebook Group Included.
Alternative 2020 Article ➤ 60 Best Websites To Download Free ePub and PDF EBooks
eBook Publishing Software
If this is your first time writing an eBook, I highly recommend using the cheapest tool available – free. In all business, always use the minimal resources to gain experience. I highly recommend Pressbook and Sigil, both are equally good eBook editor and publisher.
Windows | Mac | Web | License |
---|---|---|---|
ABBYY FineReader | ✓ | Commercial | |
Adobe InDesign | ✓ | ✓ | Commercial |
Adobe RoboHelp | ✓ | Commercial | |
Aquafadas Digital Publishing System | ✓ | ✓ | Commercial |
Atlantis Word Processor | ✓ | Commercial | |
BlueGriffon EPUB Edition | ✓ | ✓ | Commercial |
Booktype | ✓ | Free | |
calibre | ✓ | ✓ | Free |
eLML | ✓ | ✓ | - |
iBooks Author | ✓ | Free | |
IGP:Digital Publisher | ✓ | Commercial | |
iStudio Publisher | ✓ | Commercial | |
Jutoh | ✓ | ✓ | Commercial |
Luciwik | ✓ | Free | |
Madcap Flare | ✓ | Commercial | |
Apple Pages | ✓ | - | |
PressBooks | ✓ | Free | |
QuarkXPress | ✓ | ✓ | Commercial |
Serif PagePlus X6 | ✓ | Commercial | |
Scrivener | ✓ | ✓ | Commercial |
Sigil | ✓ | ✓ | Free |
eBook Software Reading Systems
If you’re using a desktop powered by Windows OS, I highly recommend calibre. A free open source software that reads ePub format.
Windows | Mac | Android | iOS | Web | License |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adobe Digital Editions | ✓ | ✓ | License | ||
Aldiko [ Discontinued ] | ✓ | - | |||
Cool Reader | ✓ * | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Open Source |
Sumatra PDF | ✓ * | Open Source | |||
AZARDI | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Proprietary |
BookGlutton [ Discontinued ] | ✓ | Proprietary | |||
Booki.sh | ✓ | Proprietary | |||
Calibre | ✓ * | ✓ | Open Source | ||
Clearview Reader | ✓ | Proprietary | |||
FBReader | ✓ * | ✓ | ✓ | Open Source | |
Google Books | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Proprietary | |
iBooks | ✓ | Proprietary | |||
Kitabu | ✓ | - | |||
Lektz | ✓ | ✓ | Proprietary | ||
Lexcycle Stanza | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Proprietary | |
Lucifox | ✓ | ✓ | Open Source | ||
Mobipocket | ✓ * | Proprietary | |||
Moon+ Reader | ✓ | Proprietary | |||
Okular | ✓ | ✓ | Open Source | ||
English Books Reader | ✓ | - |
*ePub format readers and viewers for Windows
Comparison of e-book Formats
Which eBook format is the best? PDF is the most widely accepted format, it is readable on almost every eBook reader, eBook Apps, desktop, tablets, smartphones and more. ePub on the other hand is another widely accepted Open Standard free format. ePub can be read by almost every single device except for Amazon Kindle.
Since there is virtually not much difference between ePub and PDF, I highly recommend ePub because it is an open standard.
DRM | Image | Table | Sound | Video | Interactivity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kindle .azw | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Microsoft Reader .lit | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Mobipocket .prc .mobi | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
eReader .pdb | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Adobe .pdf | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
EPUB .epub | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
What Kind Of Book Makes The Best eBook?
- Text only, avoid images if possible because most eBook readers uses eInk, which has a black and white display.
- Adjustable font size, make sure the font size can be increase by the user for easy reading.
eBook Market, Who to Target?
Who are the big buyers of eBooks? Surprisingly Women are the biggest buyer of eBooks, which probably includes eMagazine and more. There is a saying, male tend to pay more for 1 item need, while female tend to pay less for many items they want. I guess eBooks are the logical choice.