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The prices for study materials continue to rise every year. According to recent surveys, a college student spends about $174 on new textbooks annually.
Although it might not sound too bad, the costs add up, especially at higher educational levels. For instance, for postsecondary studies, this category of expenses goes up to $1,212 a year.
About a quarter of students said that they had to work extra hours to afford all the necessary learning materials. At the same time, about 65% of the respondents said they didn’t buy new textbooks because they could not afford them.
A lot of students have financial struggles. The high cost of textbooks becomes particularly noticeable when it comes to those materials that you’ll only need for one semester. Indeed, selling your copy after the course is done is an option. But it doesn’t always work that way.
So what is the solution? For many young adults, textbook rental sites are the cheapest and the most convenient alternatives to buying books. They allow you to be ready for college and get all the necessary study materials without spending too much money. Yet, it might take some time to find the right platform and the best offer. In situations like these, some students even consider other cost-saving options, like deciding to order essay materials instead. Hopefully, this guide will direct you to the most suitable and affordable website.
Reasons to Rent Textbooks
Websites for renting textbooks are among the most budget-friendly options when it comes to getting learning materials. However, it is not the only possible solution. Usually, you can choose from:
- Buying new textbooks for their full price with the intention to sell them later;
- Look online and offline for the best deals;
- Choose e-books as they tend to be about 60% cheaper;
- Use textbook rental websites.
All of these options have their pros and cons. The first one gives you a new book but doesn’t guarantee you will be able to resell it. Plus, finding who to resell it to also takes time and hustle. This method implies a considerable investment without a guarantee of return. Besides, you might want to keep the book because of your notes in it or its value for your student library.
Looking for deals and discounts is a valid option, yet it does not reduce overall spending too much. You can probably save 5-10% on the purchase, but that’s it.
Electronic materials are much more affordable. They are also convenient because they can always be with you when you need them; you can easily access them and take them with you anywhere. However, studying only through electronic materials might not be for everyone. People have different learning styles, and some find it hard to concentrate without a printed copy. Besides, not every book is available in an electronic format.
All of these aspects make rental books the most beneficial choice. They allow you to enjoy all the pros of having a printed copy without spending much money or worrying about reselling it. Of course, one needs to find a well-established platform with reasonable prices and offers.
According to our research, the most convenient college textbook rental sites are:
- CampusBooks
- Chegg
- eCampus
- Knetbooks
- Valore Books
Before covering every one of them in detail, let’s discuss the basics of using such platforms.
Websites for Renting Textbooks 101: What to Consider
The first part of the process is to understand all the nuances of renting learning materials. Several factors must be evaluated before sealing the deal.
Your Preferences and Interests
As mentioned above, everyone has a unique learning style. For some, an audiobook is the way to go. For others, reading a printed text and highlighting the crucial details is essential. If you travel a lot, you might prefer to have e-books instead of physical copies to be able to pack light. So, determine your goals and priorities.
Think of how you learn and whether you are going to need this book after the course or semester is over. Some of the websites allow you to buy it out after the semester if you change your mind. If it is a possibility, choose the ones that do so (Chegg, for instance).
Also, pay attention to terms and conditions when it comes to using the books you rent. Some services do not mind highlighting but are against writing in books. Make sure you know the rules so that you do not have to pay any fines upon returning your copies.
Course Requirements
Not all courses are the same in terms of their importance for your future profession. Some might be just for a semester, and you’ll never go back to them. However, some are at the core of your major, and you might need textbooks later in college.
In some cases, students can use the same books for several semesters. For example, you may need to return to the same information a year later. If you want to know whether this is the case for you or not, just ask your professor. If so, it may be valid to invest in your own textbook instead of renting it.
Financial Considerations
As the cost is the main consideration for the majority of students, it is crucial to be precise with your budget. When evaluating the offers of college textbook rental sites, you need to look into the following factors to know if a deal is good:
- Shipping costs;
- Comparison of offers on a couple of similar websites;
- Late return fee (if applicable);
- Damage and loss fees (you never know).
Add those up and compare the offers with the cost of a new textbook. These price considerations will also help you see the bigger picture and decide which platform to use. For example, a certain website might propose cheap renting costs, but it may end up being more expensive than other offers because of shipping costs and taxes.
Additional Services of the College Textbook Rental Sites
All textbook rental sites have the same premise and primary services. The difference is in the additional perks each of them delivers. Some offer the best prices, others have a huge collection of prints or even give free digital copies along with your order.
To get the best deal, look into what a platform delivers and what your priority is. If you want to minimize costs, choose a site that offers free shipping, for instance. This article will go into all the unique advantages and drawbacks of the leading platforms so you can compare them and make an educated decision going further.
Now that all the crucial information is out of the way, here is a detailed overview of the five most popular websites for renting books for college students.
CampusBooks
It is one of the oldest textbook rental sites. CampusBooks is a well-established platform with a vast selection of different books. That’s what makes it so popular among students of different majors in the US
The site has live support, which is a huge benefit. If you are not sure whether you are looking at the right book, you can always ask about it and get more information. Naturally, you can also learn more about the website’s policies, returns, or potential fines. Overall, it is a usable and intuitive platform that helps students to find the right materials.
Moreover, it is among the best when it comes to prices.
The pros of this site are:
- Low prices for rentals, among the best in the field (from $20 and up);
- Free shipping in both directions, which makes the prices even more affordable;
- Massive choice of textbooks for almost any subject or course;
- The platform allows highlighting and writing in books;
- Rental periods from 55 to 130 days;
- 21-day money-back policy;
- Option to buy the book you rented;
- The site has digital materials, too;
- An option to sell your own old textbooks.
One of the major benefits is that you can type in the title you need and see all the offers. It allows you to compare them in terms of prices, state, and shipping terms and find the best deal. Some of the books are used, while others are new.
The cons of CampusBooks are:
- There is no phone customer support;
- No mobile app;
- The choice might be overwhelming with popular titles.
Chegg
The next one in the college textbook rental sites list is Chegg. It is a well-known and loved platform with affordable prices. One of the main benefits here is the discount policy. In some cases, you’ll be able to save up to 90% on a textbook, which is a fantastic deal.
Another strong point is that while you are waiting for the book to arrive, you get access to a digital version for free. This trial lasts for seven days. It is usually enough to cover the shipping time so that you won’t get behind on your studies.
Although the rental periods are limited and less flexible, you can buy out the rental after the period is over. It is convenient if you decide you need it later.
The pros of this site are:
- Low prices;
- Wide selection of different titles;
- Free shipping for returns;
- 21-day refund policy;
- Free extensions;
- Highlighting is allowed, but writing is forbidden;
- The site offers study content from various books to help students master courses (4 weeks of free trial);
- Option to sell your books;
- Digital copies are available.
The cons are:
- You cannot write in textbooks;
- The shipping to you is not free;
- No international shipping;
- Late return fee (25% of the price).
Overall, it is a decent platform with reasonable offers. However, small orders never get free shipping; the promos are available only for larger orders. Also, some reviewers claim that they were charged twice even though they returned the book on time.
eCampus
It is an easy-to-use and convenient platform. It offers free shipping for orders above $35, which is a pretty good deal. Another great feature of this site is that it has a loyalty program. This can be of huge help for students who plan to rent all of their textbooks throughout college.
The rental periods are quite flexible – a semester, a quarter, or a shorter term. Students can pay even with PayPal credit. And you can filter the offers by the state of a book – from the best to the worst.
The pros include:
- International shipping;
- Affordable prices;
- Decent selection of materials and options;
- Free shipping for orders from $35;
- Free return shipping for all orders;
- Loyalty program with reward system;
- Opportunity to sell your own books as well;
- The access to digital copies is instant;
- You can extend the rental period from 15 to 130 days;
- 25-day refund policy (depending on the price of the order);
- Customer support is available via chat and email.
However, there are some cons as well, namely:
- Orders cheaper than $35 do not get free shipping to you;
- No highlighting or writing in the textbooks;
- Shipping can take some time (especially for international orders).
Knetbooks
Unlike some of the textbook rental sites on the list, Knetbooks ensures free shipping for all orders and for both ways. It also allows the opportunity to save up to 85% on the cost of study materials. However, the prices here are somewhat higher than those of the competitors mentioned above. So, it is important to keep this in mind when deciding where to rent.
Although the site’s interface could use some upgrading, the offers are pretty good. There are also promo codes and coupons available, which is nice. You can also buy out the copy you’ve rented after the period is over. The shipping is on point, according to reviews.
The main pros of this site are:
- Free shipping for all orders, both ways;
- Availability of coupons and promo codes;
- Nice selection of titles;
- Free returns for 25 days for a semester or quarter rental period; for shorter ones, it is 15 days;
- Students can easily extend the rental for 15-130 days;
- Good discounts.
At the same time, there are some cons as with any other provider, such as:
- The standard (free) shipping takes about 6-10 days, so be aware of that;
- Overall, the rental prices are a bit higher than on other sites on this list;
- The late return fine is quite pricey, so it is better to be on time;
- No international shipping;
- The customer service exists only in the email form.
It is a decent competitor, but please note that it doesn’t cover digital learning materials. If you need those, consider the services that we’ve discussed above.
Valore Books
This site concludes our rankings. Valore Books functions as a marketplace for learners. So, you can rent or sell your materials here. It is a decent service when it comes to low prices and affordable shipping—it costs $3.95 per item, and returns are free. One of the best features here is that you can compare offers of different providers (those are usually students selling their old books or other learning materials).
The money-back guarantee covers 30 days, which is quite graceful. However, the selection of titles here is somewhat limited compared to the other four platforms on the list. You can easily find plenty of older books. However, when it comes to the newest titles, there are significantly fewer offers.
The pros of Valore Books are:
- Low prices for textbooks;
- Free return shipping for all orders;
- The comparison feature to find the best deal;
- If you find lower prices on Chegg or eCampus, the site will lower the price;
- 30-day money return policy;
- Great choice of older titles.
At the same time, there are some drawbacks, such as:
- There is no free shipping to you; it costs $3.95 per item;
- The user experience is not great; there is no customer support;
- The choice of newer titles is quite limited;
- Supplementary materials (like CDs) sometimes do not come with textbooks.
It is a decent platform that can be a good deal for some courses. However, consider its limitations when making a purchase.
Conclusion
Textbook rental sites are a valid option to save a lot of money on college materials. These five platforms are the best so far in terms of the benefits they provide. Yet, each has its ups and downs, so consider the features that matter to you most when making a purchase, whether it’s free shipping, availability of digital materials, an option to write or highlight text in a rented book, and so on.
Some of these sites are perfect in terms of their flexibility; others are more focused on variety and discounts. Pay attention to pricing, shipping, terms of use, and potential fines. Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions before making your final decision. And consider selling your own old textbooks on such platforms if you do not need them anymore. It will be a wonderful chance to make money to buy or rent new textbooks.
