How to Borrow eBooks & Audiobooks Free (Libby, hoopla, Kanopy)
With a free library card you can read and listen for free through apps like Libby, hoopla, and Kanopy. Here’s what each one offers and how to get started.
By the Public-Libraries.com Editorial Team · Updated August 7, 2026
Free digital borrowing, explained
With a free public library card, you can borrow and stream digital media at no cost through the apps your library subscribes to. eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, movies, TV, music and comics are available through services like Libby, hoopla and Kanopy — you just download the app and sign in with your library card. Which apps and titles are offered varies from library to library.
The main free library apps at a glance
| App |
You can borrow |
How it works |
Cost |
| Libby |
eBooks, audiobooks & magazines |
Free app made by OverDrive. |
Free with a library card |
| hoopla |
Movies, TV, music, eBooks, audiobooks & comics |
Free app (iOS, Android, supported TV devices) or hoopladigital.com. |
Free with a library card |
| Kanopy |
Movies, documentaries & kids' shows (video streaming) |
Free app (phones, tablets, web, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast) or kanopy.com. |
Free with a library card |
| The Palace Project (formerly SimplyE) |
eBooks & audiobooks |
Free app. |
Free with a library card |
You need one thing first: a library card
Every one of these apps is free, but they all sign you in with a public library card. If you don’t have one yet, it takes minutes — see our guide on how to get a library card in any state. Your same card also unlocks your state’s free online library of research databases.
Catalogs and monthly limits are set by each library, and not every library subscribes to every app — so what’s available in Libby, hoopla, or Kanopy varies from place to place. Check your own library’s digital collection to see what you can borrow.
Reading library eBooks on a Kindle
If you own a Kindle, you can read most borrowed library eBooks on it for free. In the Libby app you open a loan, choose “Read With… Kindle,” and Libby hands the book off to Amazon, where you tap Get Library Book to deliver it to your Kindle. According to OverDrive’s official Libby help, this “Read with Kindle” option is available in the United States only — if your library is outside the U.S., the setting doesn’t appear (OverDrive / Libby Help). The loan still returns itself automatically on its due date, so there’s nothing to pay and nothing to return by hand.
More questions about free library apps
Is it free to borrow library books on a Kindle?
Yes. If your library is in the United States, you can send most borrowed eBooks to a Kindle for free through Libby’s “Read with Kindle” option, which routes the loan through your Amazon account at no charge. The book returns automatically at the end of the loan — there are no fees and nothing to mail back. Per OverDrive’s Libby help, this Kindle option is available for U.S. libraries only.
How can I find free eBooks legally?
The simplest legal route is your public library: with a free card, apps like Libby, hoopla and Kanopy lend current eBooks, audiobooks and more at no cost. For out-of-copyright classics, free public-domain collections such as Project Gutenberg, the Internet Archive and the Library of Congress offer hundreds of thousands of titles you can download freely. Steer clear of sites that offer paywalled new releases for “free” — those are usually pirated.
How many books can I borrow at once?
It depends on the app and your library. In Libby, your library sets the number of loans and holds you can have at a time (often somewhere around 5–20 each). hoopla and Kanopy instead cap how much you can borrow per month — a set number of hoopla checkouts, or a number of Kanopy play credits — which resets at the start of each month. Your library decides the exact limits, so check your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Apps like Libby, hoopla and Kanopy are free to use with a library card from a participating library — there are no subscription fees and no late fees, because borrowed titles return automatically on their due date. Your library pays for the service on your behalf.
Do I need a library card?
Yes. You sign in to each app with a library card from a library that offers that service. If you don’t have one, most public libraries let you sign up for a card for free — sometimes online in a few minutes.
What if my library doesn't have the title I want?
Availability varies by library, since each library chooses which apps and titles to offer. In Libby, popular eBooks and audiobooks may have a waitlist, so you can place a hold and be notified when it’s your turn. hoopla and Kanopy have no waitlists, but your library sets a monthly borrowing limit (a set number of hoopla checkouts, or Kanopy play credits, each month).
Can I read or watch offline?
Often, yes. Libby and hoopla let you download eBooks, audiobooks and (in hoopla) videos to your device to enjoy offline, then they return automatically when the loan ends. Kanopy is primarily a streaming service, so it generally needs an internet connection.
Why are some libraries cutting back on hoopla?
hoopla uses a pay-per-use model — the library is billed each time you borrow a title — so some systems set a daily or monthly borrow limit, or have scaled hoopla back, to stay within budget. Libby/OverDrive works differently (the library licenses copies in advance), so limits there show up as holds rather than daily caps. What's offered and any limits vary by library, so check yours.
PL
Public-Libraries.com Editorial Team
Public-Libraries.com is an independent, reader-supported directory of every U.S. public library. Our editorial team compiles verified hours, services and resources from official sources — see how we verify our data.
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