My Hot Take- the Ebook market has matured and is fast approaching over-saturation, and the proliferation Free Books (both legit and pirated) are escalating this outcome.

The Build Up

How did we get here?

There has long been a debate over authors offering free Ebooks. Those opposed to it (including myself, at one time) maintain:

• Free or low cost prices devalue the book
• It trains readers to expect free stuff
• It attracts freebie-seekers
• The book may sit on an e-reader TBR for a long time before being read, if ever

These are valid points. It took me a long time to wrap my head around offering free Ebooks, but I had been hearing that it worked well for other authors, because:

• Readers are more likely to give a new author a chance on a free or low-cost book
• Readers are more likely to give a series a chance is the first book is free
• Readers are more likely to purchase other books in the series after reading a free book
• Many group promos require a free book to participate

So, I tried it, but only after I had at least four books in my series published, so that I could get read-through on that series.

It worked! I did a 5 day free deal on Amazon, and my KU page reads increased during and after the promotion. I had more way downloads that I expected, and purchases of the other books in the series. I decided to use free Ebooks as a strategy, and for several years, it worked well.

But Now…

Now, in 2026, there are so many ways for readers to get free Ebooks, and I believe it is having an effect on overall sales and Kindle Unlimited page reads. Many authors have been complaining on social media about their sales and page reads being significantly down this year. I’ve experienced that, too, and have been trying to figure out why and what I can do about it. A post I saw mentioned that readers have so many free Ebooks, they can’t get to them all, so they were questioning whether or not free still works as a strategy.

Let Me Count the Ways…

Here’s a list of ways to get free Ebooks (not a complete list, by any means):

• Books set to free on platforms by the author
• Email signups (reader “magnets”)
• Free Ebook group promos
• ARC (Advance reader Copy) sign ups
• “Stuff Your Kindle Day” type events
• Giveaways by authors and PA’s
• Authors sending free books to Influencers for promotion
• Pirate sites (illegal and NOT RECOMMEDED)

Unfortunately, the last one, Pirate Sites, has grown tremendously in recent years. Posts in groups and on Tik Tok videos encourage other readers to use these sites, which is reprehensible. Even trusted Patrons or Street Team Members have been found to upload books to Pirate Sites, breaking the trust the author placed in them.

(There is a difference with choosing to give an Ebook away for free, and having someone take it for free without permission. It’s called “consent”).

I have always ignored the pirating of books, because I believed it was a segment of the market we would never have (they would not buy anyway). But as the pirate’s share of Ebook consumption keeps growing, it becomes harder to ignore.

The tsunami of AI Generated books that are flooding the market is also a huge factor. I have not researched whether they are being offered for free, but I imagine many are, and that adds to the pile of free books available.

(Note: I am against using Generative AI. If you’d like to read my post on why, click here).

I don’t know what percentage of all the books consumed/sold are free Ebooks, but given all the ways readers can access them, I imagine it’s a huge chunk. And many free books do sit on an e-readers for years, unread. I have a few myself, I am sorry to admit!

ARC Frenzy, Audio Explosion, and Pretty Bookshelves

And, if the majority of authors and publishers are offering ARCS for EVERY new release, that adds significantly to the growing mountain of freebies.

 In a slowing economy, many readers may choose to read free Ebooks instead of purchasing new ones. This may account for the lack of sales and page reads many authors have experienced recently.

Another factor that has affected sales of Ebooks is the rise in popularity of print books, mainly due to Tik Tok. Showing the actual book, or a pretty bookshelf full of them, looks better on video than an Ebook cover does. Special hardcover editions with sprayed edges, beautiful artwork, and embellished dust jackets are super popular right now. Distributors of Book Boxes even create special editions for their promotion only.

Audio books are another fast-growing segment. Many people enjoy listening while driving, cleaning the house, or doing other chores. With so many more options available now, Ebooks are only one segment of the market.

And if most of that segment chooses free books, the market for sales shrink even further.

Not Bad News

This is not meant to be a bad news post. The publishing industry is evolving, as it always has. When Ebooks first came on the market, they were hailed as the replacement for print books and hardcovers. But that hasn’t happened. Ebooks are just another way to consume stories.

It’s a good thing that authors have options to offer their readers, and it’s good for readers to have those options available.

Except for piracy! It is illegal and harms authors and publishers directly. Don’t do it.

I still think that offering free Ebooks can be a viable strategy for authors. I have become much more discerning as to where I utilize that strategy now, because throwing another freebie on the heap doesn’t work as well as it used to.

What do you think of the proliferation of free Ebooks, as a reader and/or author? Have you changed your strategy regarding free books?