The nation's largest college textbook publisher, Pearson, offers online digital rentals for textbooks through their Pearson+ service, which also comes with other features.
$43.96
Cengage doesn't offer the option to purchase one textbook at a time, but you can gain access to their entire catalog for the semester for a flat fee. This works great if you have multiple classes using Cengage books, and it's still a good option if you only need one.
$79.99
Unlike the other two top publishers, MH does not offer a consistent pricing for online textbook rentals. Some eBooks are available for as low as a $59 rental, but prices vary and some are not available as eBooks at all. MH has room to improve here.
$59+
Wiley has a strong catalogue of online rentals available via their WileyPLUS service. A majority are $51 for the semester but several options below that in the $20-30 range, and a few above that mark.
$51-
Norton doesn't have a set pricing but their print textbooks are already cheap. As a worker-owned co-op, their profit incentives aren't as high and they tend to print cheaper and paperback options that come with permanent eBook access.
$39.95-
Most publishers have some kind of online rental option if you're willing to look for it. Do some digging if your publisher wasn't shown here, you might be surprised what you find!
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Why recommend digital rental programs? Isn't the bookstore a good option? Find out why digital rentals are the future.