Read web novels online free
LitFic is a home for serialised fiction: original web novels published chapter by chapter, free to read in your browser. No subscription, no energy bars, no app download required. Make a free account, build a library, and follow your favourite stories as new chapters drop.
What you can read right now
The catalogue spans 20 genres, from epic fantasy and slow-burn romance to LitRPG, cultivation, horror and cosy slice of life. Stories on LitFic come in two flavours. The Commons is open publishing: anyone can serialise a story there, which is where you find new voices first. LitFic Originals are stories we have read, accepted and curated, so they carry a badge and get featured placement. Both are free to start reading.
Head to browse to filter by genre, status and popularity, or jump straight to a genre page like fantasy or romance. If you know what you are after, the search page finds series by title.
Free means free (and how premium chapters work)
Most chapters on LitFic are free, and free chapters never go behind a paywall later. Authors can mark specific chapters as premium or early access, and those are unlocked with LitCoins, LitFic's reading currency. One LitCoin is worth a penny (0.01 GBP), so unlocking a typical premium chapter costs pennies, not pounds. You get 3 LitCoins as a welcome gift when you verify your email, and you can top up on the LitCoins page if a story hooks you.
There is a reason we do it this way instead of a subscription: when you unlock a chapter, the author keeps half of what you spend, paid out to them in real money. Reading free costs you nothing; spending a few pennies directly supports the person writing the story.
A reader built for binge-reading
The LitFic reader is made for long sessions: light, sepia and dark themes, adjustable font sizes and a serif reading font that stays easy on the eyes at 2am. Save any series to your library to get back to it in one tap, and your reading history remembers exactly which chapter you were on, and how far down the page you got. There is also an optional read-aloud mode that turns chapters into audio, with the first chapter of every series free to listen to.
Want updates outside the site? Every series has its own RSS feed at litfic.com/series/<series>/rss.xml, and the whole platform has one at litfic.com/rss.xml, so your feed reader can tell you the moment a new chapter lands.
Being read on LitFic right now
- The Other Daughter by papercrowns (Drama, Romance)
- The Widow Who Wasn't by afterthefuneral (Drama, Thriller)
- A Thousand Years and You by bloodvarnish (Romance, Fantasy)
- The Reaper's Ledger by thelongmidnight (Romance, Fantasy)
- After the Embassy by quietleaving (Drama, Romance)
- The Second Mrs. Hale by thesecondmrs (Thriller, Drama)
See everything on the browse page or explore by genre.
Part of something bigger
LitFic is part of the Ever After Group, which also runs Ever After Books, a real bricks-and-mortar genre bookshop in the UK. Your account and LitCoin balance are shared across the group, so the coins you earn and buy as a reader are part of one wallet rather than tokens trapped in a single app. If you ever want to write as well as read, the same account lets you start a series and earn from it.
Frequently asked questions
Is LitFic really free to read?
Yes. Creating an account is free and the catalogue is free to browse and read. Some authors mark individual chapters as premium or early access, and those cost LitCoins to unlock, but free chapters stay free and every series starts free to try.
What are LitCoins?
LitCoins are LitFic's reading currency. One LitCoin is worth 0.01 GBP (a penny), so a 20-coin chapter costs 20p. New accounts get a small welcome gift of coins after verifying their email, and the same balance works across the wider Ever After Group, including Ever After Books, a real bookshop in the UK.
What genres can I read on LitFic?
Twenty genres and counting: fantasy, romance, sci-fi, horror, thriller, mystery, LitRPG, cultivation, adventure, action, drama, slice of life, comedy, cosy fiction, dark fantasy, paranormal, historical, dystopian, young adult and contemporary.
Do I need to download an app to read?
No. LitFic works in any browser on phone, tablet or desktop. The reader has light, sepia and dark themes plus adjustable font sizes, and your library and reading history sync to your free account.
How is LitFic different from big webnovel apps?
There is no subscription and no energy or pass system. You read free chapters free, forever. If you choose to support an author by unlocking a premium chapter with LitCoins, the author keeps 50 percent of that price, paid to them in real money.
Can I listen to chapters instead of reading?
Yes, LitFic has an optional read-aloud feature that turns chapters into audio. The first chapter of every series is free to listen to as a taster.
Start reading in under a minute
No card details, no trial that turns into a bill. Browse the catalogue as a guest, or make a free account to save your library, track your history and collect your welcome LitCoins.