School’s almost back in session – and you know what that means.
It’s almost time to shell out a fortune on everything you need, from computers to those pricey college textbooks.
If reading that sentence filled you with dread, don’t panic quite yet. There are plenty of places to buy affordable college textbooks. It’s all about knowing exactly where to look to find the best deals.
Consider some of these best sites to buy college textbooks and you’ll be on your way to a boatload of savings.
Best Sites To Buy College Textbooks
1. Chegg
- Quality: 5/5
- Cost: 5/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 5/5
- Ease of Access: 5/5
You really can’t have a conversation about college, in any sense, without talking about Chegg. Chegg offers all kinds of affordable college books online along with a variety of tutoring and test prep services. Here, you can rent books and get free shipping if you decide to return them. If you decide to buy a book, you will get a refund guarantee, plus access to all kinds of coupons and free shipping offers.
Want to sell your books when the semester ends? No problem. With Chegg, you’ll get a quote to sell your books back and recoup some money. If Chegg happens to not be offering a buyback program for your particular title, you can always donate it through the site.
Save Up To 90% On Textbooks2. Textbooks.com
- Quality: 4/5
- Cost: 5/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 5/5
- Ease of Access: 5/5
Buying textbooks can be a serious hassle, but Textbooks.com makes it a bit easier. With a simple search function, you’ll be able to get your hands on just about anything. You can buy, sell, and rent your books on Textbooks.com, and if you spend more than $25 on your order, shipping is always free.
Textbooks.com is a great place to find good deals on college textbooks. All you need to do is enter the title, ISBN, and author for your book. You’ll be able to view results for both used and new books. One of the major benefits of using Textbooks.com to buy your college textbooks is that you’ll be able to view the condition and price of your book at the same time – that way, you’ll know exactly what kind of product you’re going to be receiving in the mail.
Click Here To Get Started3. Amazon
- Quality: 4/5
- Cost: 4/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 5/5
- Ease of Access: 5/5
Yes, the same place where you pick up a new pair of sneakers and a copy of your favorite movie is also where you can buy affordable college textbooks. One of the most trusted online merchants, Amazon is a clear winner when it comes to buying college textbooks online, too.
All you need to do is search for your book with the ISBN, author, and title. Look at the prices that Amazon offers you. Many titles are available via Audible or Kindle, while others are available in print form. As an Amazon Prime member, you can save on shipping and receive your books in just a few days. You can also sign up for Amazon Prime Student, which will get you special college deals and free shipping, too.
Click Here To Get Started4. Better World Books
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 4/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 4/5
- Ease of Access: 4/5
Better World Books is another unique website where you can buy affordable college textbooks. However, this website has one feature that helps it stand out among its competitors. This website takes in used books that would otherwise go into the country’s landfills. By shopping with this company, you can help cut down on the waste that we are producing.
Not only that, but when you shop with Better World Books, you’ll be contributing to a great cause. This company funds tons of literacy projects all over the country as well as in most parts of the world. When you purchase a book from Better World Books (of any genre, type, or price), the company will donate a book to someone in need.
You’re not going to pay an arm and a leg for that kind of experience, either. Better World Books, despite its charitable aim, still has some of the best book prices around.
Click Here To Get Started5. BookFinder
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 4/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 4/5
- Ease of Access: 4/5
BookFinder is another top contender when you’re considering the best sites to buy college textbooks. This website offers some of the best prices on used and new books. All you need to do is enter your title and author or ISBN. Click the title you want, and you’ll see prices from all kinds of other online bookstores, including many of the ones we’ve reviewed in this article (like Amazon and Chegg, for instance). It’s the perfect one-stop-shop.
Click Here To Get Started6. Valore Books
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 4/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 4/5
- Ease of Access: 3/5
ValoreBooks has some of the best prices when you’re shopping for college textbooks. You can sell your books here, too. All you need to do in order to do either is search by the title, author, and ISBN, and you’ll see s suggestions almost immediately. You can view prices for both used and new books and if you decide to buy, simply add it to your cart. Shipping isn’t free, but it’s usually pretty cheap.
Another benefit of using Valore Books is that this website will tell you whether you’re getting the cheapest price – you’ll be notified if there’s a used or new option that’s cheaper.
Click Here To Get Started7. CampusBooks
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 3/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 3/5
- Ease of Access: 3/5
CampusBooks is one of the oldest places for you to buy college textbooks online. Founded in the 1990s, this website is a perfect place for you to buy, sell, and rent your textbooks – all at affordable rates. You’ll be able to explore some serious discounts when you shop with CampusBooks. Not only that, but you’ll be able to see those discounts as you’re shopping instead of just when you’re adding products to your cart. That way, you won’t have to get all the way to the end of your shopping experience to see how much money you’ve saved.
Click Here To Get Started8. AllBookstores.com
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 3/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 3/5
- Ease of Access: 2/5
AllBookstores.com may have somewhat of a humdrum name, but this website is a great place to look when you’re trying to find affordable textbooks. Here, you’ll be able to search multiple providers, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The website has a simple layout that allows you to pull up your book’s ISBN and see all of the prices next to each other, all at once. Comparison shopping made easy!
Click Here To Get Started9. SlugBooks
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 4/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 2/5
- Ease of Access: 3/5
Although the name sounds a bit unappealing, SlugBooks is another great place to look when you’re trying to find inexpensive books for college. You’ll be able to search your book and then see prices from SlugBooks along with prices from bookstores like Chegg, Campus Book Rentals, and Amazon.
All you need to do is click the price you want, head to the shop, and buy the book. You can even sell your books back with SlugBooks.
Click Here To Get Started10. eCampus
- Quality: 3/5
- Cost: 3/5
- Comparison to Alternatives: 2/5
- Ease of Access: 3/5
eCampus has great deals on used and new books alike. You will have access to all kinds of free shipping offers and discount codes, particularly once you reach a certain order amount. Once you find the book, you can buy it new directly from eCampus or search for more prices from the Marketplace.
This is another one of the best sites to buy college textbooks if you want to buy, rent, and sell back your books. You can use PayPal as a payment option, making eCampus one of the few websites that’s compatible with this convenient payment type.
Click Here To Get StartedWhat To Consider When Buying College Textbooks Online
Not all textbook sales sites are the same. Make sure you do your research before you buy – reading this article is a great place to start, so kudos to you!
Look for a college textbook site that offers affordable shipping and reasonable return policies. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting burned if you accidentally ordered the wrong title. Many of the websites that we reviewed above also allow you to turn in your textbooks at the end of the year so you can get some cash back for your unwanted titles.
College textbooks can cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars each semester. For the average undergraduate student, that’s just not practical. Rather than spending a fortune, consider turning to one of the best sites to buy college textbooks. Not only will you enjoy fast shipping (sometimes, even free shipping!) but you’ll also be able to find just about any title you could possibly want.