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Best College Book Rental Sites 2020

Are you a student trying your best to juggle your limited budget? Or maybe you’re just tired of shelling out a small fortune for textbooks semester after semester? You are not alone. Countless students lament the fact that one of the most crucial — not to mention necessary  — tools for their education can, more often than not, burn a sizable hole in their pockets. So what’s a student with meager funds to do? For many, one of the best and most practical options out there is to rent textbooks instead of buying new ones at full price.

So if you are looking to rent your textbooks online, we have scoured the world wide web and reviewed some of the best college book rental sites out there so you won’t have to! The websites on our list provide you with services that boast of a wide variety of  book selections, great returns policies, pocket-friendly prices, user-friendly search options, and many more. Check out the best of the best in our top ten below.

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CompanyRankingRatingPriceDescription
eCampus1st9.8 out of 10Varies

eCampus Review

A highly recommended textbook rental service for students on a budget -- thanks to low-cost rentals, various rental and shipping options, and more.Full eCampus Review »

Textbooks.com

2nd9.6 out of 10Varies

Textbooks.com Review

A compelling textbook rental service that offer a great selection of textbooks, a stellar returns policy, and a fantastic low price guarantee.Full Textbooks.com Review »

BookRenter

3rd9.2 out of 10Varies

BookRenter Review

A fantastic textbook rental site where low prices, free shipping both ways, 21 day returns and a great overall service are all guaranteed.Full BookRenter Review »

Knetbooks

4th9.2 out of 10Varies

Knetbooks Review

An easy-to-use online textbook rental service where you can get low-cost textbooks across numerous academic categories -- plus, free shipping!Full Knetbooks Review »

Chegg

5th8.8 out of 10Varies

Chegg Review

A unique textbook rental site that goes beyond the norm, offering other services such as guided textbook solutions, online tutors, and more.Full Chegg Review »

BookByte

6th8.2 out of 10Varies

BookByte Review

A great textbook rental site that offers a fairly large and varied book selection, plus free shipping both ways. They also pay cash for your gadgets!Full BookByte Review »

Campus Book Rentals

7th9.8 out of 10Varies

Campus Book Rentals Review

A student-friendly textbook rental site that offers numerous pre-set rental period options, customizable return dates, textbook insurance, and more!Full Campus Book Rentals Review »

CengageBrain

8th7.4 out of 10Varies

CengageBrain Review

A decent online textbook rental service that provides impressive rental period options, plus a host of free companion resources.Full CengageBrain Review »

BiggerBooks

9th7.0 out of 10Varies

BiggerBooks Review

A low-cost book rental site that is perfect for students whose budgets are on a tight leash. Plus, you can also sell your textbooks for extra cash!Full BiggerBooks Review »
Also, here are some important things we looked at for our rankings.

Important Update: As of 2014, CourseSmart has been acquired by Vital Source.

The Comparakeet Ranking System Explained

Book Selections: What good would a college book rental site be if it didn't carry the textbook you are looking for? So with that in mind, we have ranked each site according to their offerings so you can easily see which ones are more likely to provide a diverse enough collection.

Rental Options: Most sites offer the following options: rent, buy, or sell. However, sites vary on terms and options for these three services. Some options include a pay-per-book option, monthly subscription fees, and even lengthy terms that are both flexible and affordable – depending on your needs and preferences. The more options a renter provides, the better for the consumer.

Ease of use: User friendly websites are at a premium when dealing with search-heavy products. Sites that are easy to navigate, with a search bar that have search options that can narrow down the perfect book, are definitely more student-friendly. Spending less time locating a much-needed book and more time studying is precious for time conscious students.

Shipping: A college book rental site is only as good as the efficiency with getting books to hands of the person who needs it. That’s why it’s important to note which sites offer the following options when it comes to shipping: overnight, express, free shipping, as well as order tracking, damage fees, and late fees. Choose the option that’s best for you based on your schedule and budget.

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