Freedom251 › Digital Textbook Platforms
Perlego
What Perlego is
Perlego is a subscription digital library for academic and professional books, available on the web, Android, and iOS. The maker describes more than 1 million books across over 1,000 topics. Reading tools include text-to-speech, highlights, notes, bookmarks, a notebook, citation generation, reader settings, and bookshelves. Essential lists 800,000+ titles with unlimited reading, Standard Read Aloud, and Smart Search. Complete lists 1.4 million+ books with Premium Read Aloud, Research Assistant, and Smart Search. Both plans allow up to two app devices and two web devices. Android and iOS apps support offline downloads, with downloaded content staying inside the app. Desktop reading takes place in a browser because there is no desktop application. Availability can vary with the subscription plan and publisher sales rights in a user's region. Organisations with 50 or more subscriptions may request integrations with authentication, library discovery, and learning-management systems. Institutional administrators can manage individual subscriptions through Subscription Manager. Perlego reports TLS in transit, AES 256-bit encryption for sensitive stored data, and GDPR work with Ametros Group. There is no free plan; listed subscription prices vary by region or require quotes.
Who it suits
Perlego suits students, researchers, professionals, and organisations needing subscription access to academic books and study annotations. Institutions can use administrative tools and request integrations at larger subscription volumes.
What it does well
- Catalogue spans over 1 million books
- Text-to-speech, notes, citations, and bookmarks
- Offline reading in Android and iOS apps
- Complete plan includes Research Assistant
- Institutional subscription management
What to know first
- No free plan
- No dedicated desktop application
- Copying is limited to 10% of a book
- Book access varies by region and plan
Limits
Essential and Complete each allow up to two app devices and two web devices. Users can copy up to 10% of a book, and the reader has no direct printing tool.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Monthly; also available semesterly and yearly. Current price varies by region and is not shown in the opened pricing page. · 800,000+ titles · unlimited reading · Standard Read Aloud · Smart Search · maximum 2 app and 2 web devices | On request |
| Complete | Monthly; also available semesterly and yearly. Current price varies by region and is not shown in the opened pricing page. · 1.4 million+ books · Premium Read Aloud · Research Assistant · Smart Search · maximum 2 app and 2 web devices | On request |
| Institutions & Organisations | Price per subscription; quote-based pricing and volume discounts are available. · Up to 100 subscriptions: instant quote · More than 100: personalised pricing · SSO, LMS, and library discovery integrations listed for larger plans | On request |
As perlego.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Perlego website
- Choose Essential, Complete or an institutional subscription
- Create or access your Perlego account
- Read in a web browser or install the Android or iOS app
- Download books in the mobile app for offline reading
Verdict
Perlego offers a broad academic reading catalogue with annotation, citation, read-aloud, and offline mobile tools. Readers should account for subscription-only access, browser-based desktop reading, regional availability, and copying limits.
Questions
Which platforms support Perlego?
Perlego supports web, Android and iOS. Desktop reading uses a web browser rather than a desktop app.
Is there a free plan?
Perlego is subscription-based and has no free plan.
What does Essential include?
Essential lists 800,000-plus titles, unlimited reading, Standard Read Aloud and Smart Search.
What does Complete add?
Complete lists 1.4 million-plus books, Premium Read Aloud, Research Assistant and Smart Search.
Can books be read offline?
Yes. Android and iOS apps support downloads for offline reading, with downloaded content kept inside the app.
Can organisations integrate Perlego?
For organisations with 50 or more subscriptions, Perlego says it can offer authentication, library-discovery and learning-management integrations.
Facts from Perlego's own pages
- Access rights
- Book availability can depend on a subscription plan and publisher sales rights in the user’s region. · perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- AI tools
- Perlego’s Complete plan includes Research Assistant, and both Essential and Complete list Smart Search. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Catalogue
- The maker describes a library of over 1 million books across 1,000+ topics. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Institutional administration
- Institutional administrators can use Subscription Manager to monitor and manage individual user subscriptions. · perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- For organisations with 50 or more subscriptions, Perlego says it can offer integrations with authentication systems, library discovery systems, and learning management systems. · perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Offline access
- Books can be downloaded for offline reading in the iOS and Android app, and downloaded content stays inside the app. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Platform limit
- Perlego says desktop reading is through a web browser and that it does not currently offer a desktop app. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Privacy compliance
- The 2025 security whitepaper says Perlego works with Ametros Group to ensure GDPR compliance. · publishers.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Product
- Perlego is a subscription-based digital academic library providing access to academic and professional books. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Reading limit
- The help centre says users can copy up to 10% of a book and that there is no in-platform tool to print directly from the reader. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- Perlego’s 2025 publisher security whitepaper says it uses TLS for data in transit and AES 256-bit encryption for sensitive data at rest. · publishers.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Study tools
- Reading tools include text-to-speech, highlights, notes, bookmarks, a notebook, citation generation, reader settings, and bookshelves. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The help centre says customers can contact support through live chat or email. · help.perlego.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Perlego stands on Freedom251
- Digital Textbook Platforms#26 of 28