Perlego Review

About Perlego

What is Perlego? In Latin, this company’s name means “I read” – fitting, since Perlego is an innovative online library built by students, for students. 

Perlego’s site provides a unique, welcome service: access to a digital library that includes over 900,000 academic textbooks, as well as other books and articles on a variety of subjects.

While writing this Perlego review I found that this subscription service is an affordable and convenient option for students looking to access all the books they need without paying the often exorbitant prices for physical hardcopies at bookstores.

This company’s brilliant idea has gotten a lot of buzz in the press, being featured by the BBC, Forbes, The Financial Times, The Guardian, and La Repubblica. Perhaps more significantly, it’s proving a real hit with learners – this relatively new service already has 20k followers on Facebook and 25k followers on Instagram.

If this approach to reading sounds like a sweet deal, keep reading this Perlego review as I explore how their subscription plans work, all the perks, and customer feedback from real users. 

First, let’s check out how this inventive reading service got their start. 

Overview of Perlego

Perlego was founded in 2016 by Belgian entrepreneurs Matthew Davis and Gauthier Van Malderen. These tech-savvy friends had just graduated university themselves and understood how the incredibly high cost of textbooks creates an unfortunate financial barrier for so many students trying to pursue post-secondary education.

Matthew and Gauthier remembered how frustrating it was to purchase textbooks that cost hundreds of dollars, only to use them for one assignment, or worse, for one small passage! 

With the rise of subscription models for entertainment and the expansion of more academic publishers into high-quality e-books, the business partners thought that offering subscriptions to an academic library could be the perfect solution.

On their official site, Perlego shares that their mission to “make education accessible to all” has motivated them to build “an online library with accessibility, affordability and sustainability at its core.” 

So, how do they do it?

This digital library has partnered with over 5,000 academic publishers to ensure that their content is fresh, relevant, and accessible. Their partners include major publishing giants like Cambridge University Press, Routledge, Stanford University Press, Harvard University Press, and Elsevier, so they can offer the most trusted and useful texts out there.

With two simple subscription options and unlimited access for all readers, Perlego’s popularity continues to grow among students, academics, professionals, and nonfiction readers. 

Before we dig into the details, let’s check out the main highlights of reading with Perlego!

Highlights

• Perlego is an online library with hundreds of thousands of textbooks, books, and articles for students and lifelong learners
• Two affordable plan options: Monthly or Yearly
• Cancel anytime with no fees or gimmicks
• Search books for certain passages or quotations
• One-click referencing makes academic papers way easier!
• Keep your own notes on certain pages
• Highlight information
• 14-day Free Trial for first-time customers

Perlego Subscription Review

Perlego offers two subscriptions, both of which guarantee you unlimited access to their entire library. And you definitely won’t run out of material: this digital library contains over 900,000 books from a variety of disciplines. 

Perlego’s available books cover nearly a thousand topics and sub-topics. The company lists 24 different major topics on their website, with tens of thousands of titles available in each category.  

A small sample of their available categories includes:

• Computer Science
• Architecture
• History
• Economics
• Biology
• Education

In addition to hard academics, Perlego even has texts about personal development, business management, theology, and the performing arts. There are even familiar fiction classics and recent classics from authors around the world. 

One of the great things about this service is its simplicity – you don’t have to spend time scratching your head about which subscription plan is right, or what you will or won’t be able to access on your plan. Perlego’s service and perks are the same for every subscriber! 

The only way these plans differ is how often you pay and the timing of your payments. If you opt for a Monthly Plan, you’ll pay $18 each month to continue accessing Perlego’s library. You can cancel at any time. 

If you opt for the Yearly Plan, you get a bit of a deal – your fee works out to only $12 per month, but you’ll be making a one-time payment to cover a whole year (a total of $144). 

You can still cancel anytime. Even if you cancel midway through your subscription, you’ll access the Perlego library until your paid year is up – but your membership can’t be refunded.

Here are the fast facts:

• Monthly Plan – $18 per month 
• Yearly Plan – $144 per year
• Both plans offer unlimited reading
• Perlego’s library has over 900,000 resources
• Both plans include access to all titles
• Read online, or download to read offline

While you’re reading, you may want to dig deeper into the literature by using some of Perlego’s special features. This service understands that readers are primarily students and academics, so they’ve made note-taking and referencing easy to include in your study sesh.

Here’s a list of what you can expect Perlego’s interface to help you with:

1. “One Click Referencing” – At the click of your mouse, Perlego will generate a reference for your paper
2. “Personalize Your eReader” – Adjust the lighting of your page and increase font size
3. “Highlight” – Use a colorful highlighter to make important sections stand out
4. “Save Notes” – Use the note-taking function to add your own comments on pages for future reference
5. “Search Within Books” – Use the keyword search function to find exact quotations or important terms

All Perlego subscriptions start as a 14-day trial period, wherein you can cancel at any time and the brand won’t charge your card. If you choose to continue your subscription will automatically renew for the next month if you’re on the Monthly plan, or for the rest of the year if you’re on the Yearly plan.

Sign up for your Perlego Monthly or Yearly subscription for $18/month or $144/year ($12/month).

How Does Perlego Work?

Perlego is an e-reading app, very similar to e-library apps like Libby in its function. You can open and read books, take notes, bookmark pages, zoom in and out, and even download your books for offline use.

Within the app, you’ll have access to all of Perlego’s research and note-taking features, will be able to download books for offline use, and will be able to search through the app’s catalog of texts. 

You can use the search bar to look for titles, ISBN numbers, or important terms. You can also browse by category. Perlego’s library is divided into discipline categories, but you can also search through sub-categories, genre tags, reading lists, author names, publication dates, and more. 

Some titles may not be available in all regions due to licensing issues. Otherwise, any text available in your region can be opened and used at any time. Both subscriptions give you access to the entirety of Perlego’s library with no restrictions or additional in-app payments. More reading does not equal more money – just more knowledge gained.

If you’re wondering, is Perlego a safe website for replacing traditional textbooks?, you can browse their selection even before starting a trial. Simply click into their Discover section and try searching your course book list. While you won’t be able to read the books, you’ll be able to see if they’re on the site and available in your region. 

Perlego’s business model will seem pretty familiar, too – it’s the same concept as your usual subscriptions like Netflix or Spotify. You can choose the subscription plan that works best for you, a Monthly Plan or Yearly Plan, and you’ll get access to a database of e-books available through their app or website.

Another perk of Perlego is that you can cancel your subscription at any time. There are no cancellation fees involved. 

Once you’ve canceled, you will be able to use Perlego for the rest of your paid period. For example, if you have already paid for the month of June and cancel halfway through the month, you can use Perlego up until the end of June.

Who Is Perlego For? 

Calling all students and profs! Whether you’re prepping for your first year at university or you’re gearing up for yet another year as an instructor, anyone working in academics would be well served by Perlego.

During this Perlego review I found that this site is an absolute hit with post-secondary students who love saving money and time by signing up for a subscription. This site’s wide selection means that whether you’re studying biology, math, or gender studies, you’ll have plenty of study materials available and can skip the line (and hefty bill) at your uni bookstore.

Perlego also caters to professionals who want to keep their knowledge current and need access to the academic journals and books that are informing their industry. Professionals from all walks of life will appreciate that they can find up-to-date career-related info in one convenient place, for a low monthly or yearly cost. 

This service will also be a hit with frequent readers who love nonfiction. In addition to academic journals and textbooks, Perlego has in-demand titles like The 100-Year Life, The Evolution of Everything, and 10% Human. These kinds of books are brilliant resources for the latest synthesized research in certain fields.

So, if you’re into informational reading and love the latest research put into layman’s terms, you might get a ton of use out of Perlego, too.

Perlego Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

At the time of this Perlego review I found that the brand shares customer testimonials on their official website, where subscribers can share their experiences of using the service. 

These reviews are generally enthusiastic and mostly touch on this brand’s accessibility and affordability.

One of their subscribers, a Finance professor, loved the convenience and accessible cost of their service for a student demographic. He writes in his Perlego review, “I think your product is amazing and you can change the world with your company! I am definitely recommending you to my students.”

Other buyers note that Perlego’s subscription model means they can pay a low monthly fee for unlimited access to all their necessary books and textbooks, rather than having to pay repeated costs for other online books through services like Amazon.

One customer shares in her Perlego review, “Perlego’s changed my reading behaviour – with Amazon I needed to make sure the book was worth the money but now I can read new topics without needing to think about the cost. I’ve already read 6 or so books through Perlego, which I would not have done on Amazon.” 

Perlego also has fantastic reviews on TrustPilot, with a 4.6/5 star rating based on over 1,300 reviews. Most of these posts mention the convenience of the service, as well as the amazing selection Perlego maintains for readers, spanning all different topics and areas of expertise.

One subscriber posts in their Perlego review, “Perlego allowed me access to several academic texts I could not conveniently read (or afford) in the normal way. Though I now no longer need their service, I would recommend them; I particularly appreciated the friendly and courteous way they handled my account.”

Another subscriber is thrilled with the number of books available, giving him fantastic value for money. He shares in his Perlego review, “This site/service is AMAZING. For such a small monthly fee I get access to books that would cost a fortune to buy.”

Our Perlego review also noticed a subscriber comment mentioning that the service is easy to use, and enriches his personal life as well as his studies. He shares in his Perlego review, “Great tool for both personal and academic purposes, wide variety of books and user friendly interface. Worth the price.”

This company also has some customer feedback on their Facebook page, where the brand has a 4.6/5 star rating out of 30 reviews.

These comments are equally positive, with many posters mentioning how this service helps them save money, and takes some of the stress out of their studies. 

One student subscriber shares in their Perlego review, “Great for students who can’t afford textbooks, easy to use!”

Another buyer comments, “I’ve been using Perlego for about a month now and I’m so glad I stumbled upon it. It’s very helpful and very useful.”

An additional green flag I found while doing my research for this Perlego review I found in the course of our sleuthing? The company is very responsive to their clients. 

Perlego customer service is exceptionally consistent about responding to reviews, comments, and questions on their social media and other review sites, either thanking posters for their comments, or following up on questions or issues.

This friendly attention suggests that Perlego really cares about customer feedback and is willing to go the extra mile to ensure subscribers are happy. 

Overall, customers feel that their monthly payment to Perlego was well worth it, as it saved them both the money and time you’d normally spend dealing with hard copies in libraries or bookstores.

It also enabled Perlego’s readers to read as much as they wanted or needed to without worrying about additional fees or buying separate books, making this subscription a lot easier on their wallets than other online options.

Is Perlego Worth It?

This service is modernizing access to academic literature and it couldn’t have happened soon enough. I found that, so far, this brand is succeeding in their mission of making educational resources much more accessible to students, teachers, and lifelong learners.

Perlego’s service model has been called the “Spotify of textbooks” since it allows you to pay a relatively low fee for unlimited access to books, journals, and articles. 

Paying for textbooks is often one of the most expensive aspects of post-secondary education. Perlego’s service cuts this expense dramatically, while giving you all the integrated tools you’d need to use e-texts exactly as you would hard copies.

Having a portable library can also facilitate better learning. With unlimited texts at your fingertips, it’s easier to take your research further, browse titles, and cross-reference information quickly. 

It’s also very handy that readers can store their books on one lightweight device rather than having to carry physical books around campus or on their commute. 

This makes the service particularly great for readers with disabilities or other mobility issues, as it reduces the need to travel to libraries or bookstores and reduces the sheer amount of stuff you have to lug around, too.

I love that Perlego offers the option of downloading your books and articles, making it easy to access them offline – this way you can keep studying while you’re commuting on the bus or trying to get some fresh air outside. It also makes it easier to navigate having limited internet access at home.

Though their academic texts and journals are in high demand, this library also carries notable nonfiction books written for layman audiences. While this service may be most necessary for students, it seems likely that the average nonfiction fan would find a ton of interesting content on this site that piques their curiosity and makes the fee well worth it.

Because it’s such a new site (and a new concept, too), many potential subscribers wonder “Is Perlego legit?” Not only is this business reputable, but it comes highly recommended by most subscribers.

The company’s service has been enthusiastically received by their readers, who love this online library’s instant useability and budget-friendly nature.

For all of these reasons mentioned in this Perlego review, I’m happy to recommend this brand for their convenience, accessibility, affordability, and reliable customer care! 

Perlego Promotions & Discounts 

If you are interested in Perlego but don’t want to make the commitment right off the bat, this service offers a free 14-day trial so you can see if a full subscription is worth pursuing. 

Once your trial is over, your subscription will begin automatically. If you don’t want to continue, make sure to cancel your trial within those first 14 days. 

For Perlego discount codes or deals, check the brand’s official website. 

Where to Buy Perlego

Sign up for Perlego on their official site.

FAQ

Who owns Perlego?

This company is owned by founders Gauthier Van Malderen and Matthew Davis.

Where is Perlego available?

If you have a phone or computer, you can access Perlego. You can browse books online through their site, or download them onto the Perlego app so you can access them offline.

Readers around the world can access Perlego since it is a worldwide service, but exact book selection may vary slightly from region to region.

Can I read on my tablet or smartphone?

Definitely – just download the Perlego app and you can access all the titles you want while you’re on the go. Perlego explains that their app will not work on Android 7 or older, or iOS13.

How to Contact Perlego

I hope you enjoyed this Perlego review! For any questions, reach out to the brand through the customer service email: [email protected].

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