If you want to find web novel sites to read free web novels and light novels, then you'll LOVE this (updated) list.
You can read fantasy, urban, sci-fi, cultivation, action, romance type of novels that make you addicted.
Where to Read Web Novels
Now, I will introduce you to some web novel websites. They are all the best places to read web novels and light novels online for free.
1. Wuxiaworld
When you first started reading web novels, you should all be at Wuxiaworld. I also like this novel website very much.
Wuxiaworld Review
Overall Rating: 4.9/5
Recommended Chinese Web Novels
Battle Through the Heavens
If you are just starting to read cultivation novels, then this is a web novel you should read.
I like the author of this book very much.
The characters in the novel (Coiling Dragon) are very touching.
2. Webnovel
For Webnovel, there is one most important problem: the previous novels are basically free, but Webnovel uses the "spirit stone" currency system to unlock some popular chapters.
As for my point: If you are a student or not rich, then you can choose other web novel sites to read stories that need sprit stone.
If you like the author's novels and have a certain ability to pay, you can support the author appropriately.
Webnovel Review
Many people will pay attention to the question of whether Webnovel is legal. The answer: while it has been criticized in some ways, it is legal. It is not a novel aggregator site.
In addition, for Webnovel authors, they can get paid by publishing their stories on Webnovel.
Overall Rating: 4.8/5
Recommended Web Novels and Manga
Tales of Demons and Gods Manga
This is a Chinese manga about rebirth.
It’s a great read, once you start you don’t want to stop.
3. Novel Updates
The website itself does not create novels, it only exists as a catalog of online novels.
You can discuss the latest novel chapters here and get the latest updates on your favorite Asian novels.
Specifically, the quality of the forum on this website is very high, and it is a relatively active community.
The Best Web Novels Recommended
The Sacred Ruins
Nice translations.
Good world building and character design.
Very interesting, funny and intriguing.
4. Royal Road
Royal Road is the best website by far for reading top web novels, most of the story are original and well written!
And it has an internal community for readers to discuss novel chapters, find fanfiction to read, and more.
But the only regret is that it does not have a novel app.
Best Web Novel to Read
My School Life Pretending To Be a Worthless Person web novel
This is a translated Korean free web novel in the genre of fantasy and horror. And there are many battle scenes.
5. Wattpad
Wattpad has many original short stories, as well as some translated web novels.
Its characteristic is that there are many romance novels, such as BL novels that many girls like.
Wattpad Review
Overall Rating: 4.8/5
6. Qi Dian
"QiDian" is one of the top Chinese web novel sites, and "QiDian English" refers to the aforementioned "Webnovel.com".
On this novel website, you can read many free Chinese raw novels. Such as fantasy(xuan huan), martial arts(wuxia), urban, history, military, games, competition, suspense, science fiction, etc.
Good Web Novels
Leveling with the Gods
"Leveling with the Gods" web novel is a Korean novel with a leveling system. It is similar to "Second Life Ranker".
7. Lnmtl
As the number of users who read web novels is increasing day by day, the number of novel translators is not enough.
At this time, some machine translated web novel sites appeared.
The advantage of reading on these novel sites is that you can read your favorite novels as quickly as possible. But some translation quality is not high enough.
Free Web Novels to Read Online
Forty Millenniums of Cultivation
This is a novel about cultivation, and it is also mixed with some sci-fi plots.
8. Volare Novels
This is one of the best free web novel sites where you can read translated Korean, Chinese and Japanese novels.
And these web novels are not like some bi weekly books, you don't have to wait a long time to read them.
Web Novels that Became Anime
Perfect World anime
This top-notch anime is based on the web novel of the same name. I really like the main character Shi Hao in it.
9. Tapread
A free online web novel platform for creators and fans to display their work. Ranges of genre include Action, Romance, Thriller, fan fiction, and more.
Best Novels to Read
- Worm (web serial)
- Mother of Learning (Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery)
10. Web Fiction Guide
Free online novels, story collections, reviews.
Specifically, the website mainly exists as an index of free online novels.
Web Novels with Strong Female Leads
- Becoming The Real Rich Daughter After Divorce (Romance)
- My Master Disconnected Yet Again (Josei, Martial Arts, Romance)
11. Muse's Success
Muse's Success is a directory of freely available web novels and web serials. As one of the more special web novel sites, you can also participate in writing the novel wiki inside.
Best Romance Web Novels to Read
National School Prince Is A Girl
It's a comedy, romance novel with school life.
12. 17K
17K is a Chinese web novel site founded in 2006. Combining creation and reading.
You can read free urban, xianxia, martial arts, romance novels and other online novels.
Best Romantic Chinese Web Novels
Bringing the Nation’s Husband Home
This is a romance novel filled with a lot of misunderstood plots.
13. Fiction Press
You can read not only English fiction, but also poetry. Additionally, the site has a forum for users to discuss and review books they read.
One Piece Web Novel (Fanfiction)
- Naruto: The Teacher System
- One Piece: Reborn as a Skypiean
14. Moon Quill
You can read and publish novels here. The translated novels are relatively few, mainly some original English novels.
Pokemon Web Novel (Fanfiction)
- Pokemon: Master of Tactics
- The Strongest Caretaker in Pokémon World
15. Tapas
There are many small stories to read here. There are various genres of novels such as: BL, Comedy, Action, Horror, Romance, etc. You can also publish your own novel.
Plus, there are some carefully selected comics.
Its reading app is also smooth to use and user-friendly.
16. Naver
"Naver web novel" is where you can read original Korean novels. There are many romance novels on this site.
The downside is that you need to know Korean to read them.
17. Inkitt
There are various types of fiction here, as well as some fanfiction, such as Harry Potter web novel.
If you want to publish novels, then this website is a good choice.
Original Novel Recommendation
- Cultivation Online (System, Romance)
- Supreme Magus (Reincarnation, Isekai)
What is a Web Novel?
Web novel is a type of web fiction. Its main feature is that it is published on the Internet, with a very large number of chapters, and there are no restrictions on novel subject matter.
And the distinction between web novels and e-books is getting blurry.
In addition to the common Japanese web novels, there are also Korean web novels and Chinese web novels.
In particular, Chinese online novels have risen rapidly in recent years. Because many Chinese novels have been adapted into manhua(Chinese manga) and donghua(Chinese anime).
The last point is about web novel translations. Different from light novel translations, because the number of words in web novels is very large, the speed of human translation is too slow.
Thus, mtl novel, that is, machine translated novels, appeared.
THANK YOU T^T
This is a really helpful list, so thanks for sharing! But I have to point out that BoxNovel and NovelFull are actually aggregator sites that copy and paste translations from other sites like WuxiaWorld and volare to post on their own sites. This is not only illegal at times (since they don’t own the rights to the original raws or translations), but also unfair as they steal ad revenue and views from the legitimate translators.
If you check either of those sites, you’ll 100% find works from other translation groups being hosted there without permission!
I don’t think those two deserve a spot on this list. Otherwise, nicely done!
Thank you very much for your sincere comments, I am glad this article is useful to you.
For the two websites you mentioned, after I did some research, they are indeed aggregator websites as you said. This is very unfair to the real translators and original authors. I will revise this post later.
You are welcome again.
Thank you.