9 Best Tools to Effortlessly Create a Free eBook with AI

Crafting an eBook—especially when you want to create a free eBook with AI—can feel overwhelming, from struggling with blank pages to wrestling with layouts. You know the pain: spending hours drafting chapters only to wrestle with cover design and formatting at the last minute. It’s aggravating—time slipping by while your eBook remains unfinished. What if you could offload the heavy lifting to smart assistants that not only draft content but also handle design, formatting, and export—all at no cost?

With today’s arsenal of free AI tools, you can streamline every step of the eBook creation process, saving time and ensuring professional results. Read on to explore nine standout solutions that let you Create a Free eBook with AI, and discover a workflow that’s uniquely yours.

In this article, I’ll walk you through eight key areas where AI can help—research, image creation, watermark removal, presentations, video generation, writing assistance, design, and workflow “hacks.” For each category, I’ll compare a popular paid tool with a strong free alternative, share real-world pros and cons, and tell you which one I’d pick if I were you.

1. ChatGPT’s eBook Creator

Overview: A dedicated ChatGPT experience pre‑configured to guide you through eBook creation—cover to back matter—using AI‑powered drafting prompts.

• Key Features:
  • Step‑by‑step content structuring
  • Tone and style customization
  • Exportable Markdown or Word files
• Why It’s Unique: Instead of starting from a blank chat, the eBook Creator GPT provides clear prompts for each section—table of contents, chapters, intros, conclusions—so you stay focused on ideas rather than format.

2. Canva’s Free Online eBook Maker

Overview: Drag‑and‑drop design tool featuring hundreds of ready‑made eBook templates and cover layouts.

• Key Features:
  • AI‑powered Magic Write for content drafting
  • Magic Design to auto‑generate layouts from your text
  • Extensive library of fonts, images, and icons
• Why It’s Unique: Combines both the writing and design stages, so you can draft inside Canva and instantly see your copy laid out in a polished template.

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3. Book Creator (Free Starter Plan)

Overview: Originally built for educators, Book Creator offers a simple interface to assemble text, images, and audio into digital books.

• Key Features:
  • Easy page‑by‑page publishing
  • Embed multimedia (audio narration, video clips)
  • Real‑time collaboration
• Why It’s Unique: Seamless integration with Canva lets you import professional covers and internal graphics directly into your Book Creator project.

4. Google Docs & Gemini AI

Overview: Leverage Google’s Gemini AI (via Google Docs’ “Help Me Write”) to co‑author your eBook.

• Key Features:
  • Smart suggestions and expansion of bullet points
  • Rewrite for tone, clarity, or length
  • One‑click outline generation
• Why It’s Unique: Your manuscript lives in the familiar Google Docs environment—ideal for real‑time editing, comments, and export to EPUB or PDF.

5. Microsoft Designer for eBooks

Overview: AI‑driven design app by Microsoft that auto‑generates layouts, including multi‑page documents.

• Key Features:
  • Text‑to‑layout: paste your draft and get instant designs
  • Intelligent theme adaptation (fonts, colors, imagery)
  • High‑resolution PDF export
• Why It’s Unique: Incorporates the same generative AI behind Designer’s social‑media graphics to produce professional print‑ready spreads.

6. Simplified (Free Plan)

Overview: All‑in‑one AI content and design platform with no‑cost tier.

• Key Features:
  • AI Article Writer for chapter drafts
  • Template‑based eBook and lead magnet designs
  • Built‑in image and video generation
• Why It’s Unique: Enables end‑to‑end eBook workflows—draft, design, and promotional assets—all under one roof.

7. GitBook’s AI Assistant

Overview: Tailored for documentation, GitBook’s AI Assistant helps convert notes and outlines into cohesive book sections.

• Key Features:
  • Transform bullet outlines into full prose
  • Instant glossary and index generation
  • Publish to web or export to PDF/EPUB
• Why It’s Unique: Combines version control with generative AI, making it perfect for technical eBooks and manuals.

8. Calibre + ChatGPT Plugin

Overview: Calibre is a free, open‑source eBook library manager; paired with community‑built ChatGPT plugins, it can draft and format eBooks.

• Key Features:
  • Automated conversion between formats (MOBI, EPUB, AZW3)
  • Plugin‑driven content generation
  • Powerful metadata and cover management
• Why It’s Unique: Offers unparalleled control over final file formatting, ensuring your eBook meets every platform’s specs.

9. Draft2Digital’s AI-Powered Drafting (Beta)

Overview: While primarily a distribution service, Draft2Digital’s beta features include AI‑assisted drafting tools for chapters and blurbs.

• Key Features:
  • One‑click blurb and synopsis creator
  • Chapter‑by‑chapter outline suggestions
  • Direct publish to major retailers (Amazon, Kobo…)
• Why It’s Unique: If you aim to monetize your eBook, it integrates drafting assistance with seamless distribution—no extra steps required.

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Key Takeaways

• Holistic Workflows: Pair writing‑focused AI (e.g., ChatGPT) with design‑centric tools (e.g., Canva) for end‑to‑end eBook creation.
• No Cost, Big Value: All nine tools offer free tiers that cover essential drafting, design, and export capabilities.
• Platform Familiarity: Choose tools that fit your comfort zone—Google Docs for real‑time editing, Calibre for advanced formatting.
• Unique Integrations: Look for tools that interoperate (e.g., Canva ↔ Book Creator, ChatGPT plugins in Calibre) to minimize manual steps.
• Publish‑Ready Exports: Ensure your chosen tool can output EPUB or PDF with proper metadata and cover art, critical for retailer acceptance.

Gemini 2.0 is Google’s latest AI model. It’s smarter, faster, and cheaper than before. Think of it as your personal assistant, but on steroids. It can write, code, analyze data, and even explain complex ideas in simple terms.

FAQs

Q: Can I really publish an AI‑generated eBook without manual editing?
A: While AI tools accelerate drafting and design, a final human edit is crucial to ensure coherence, originality, and brand voice.

Q: Which format is best for distributing my AI‑created eBook?
A: EPUB is the universal eBook standard, but PDF works well for direct downloads. Use Calibre or Google Docs to export to both formats.

Q: Are there any copyright concerns with AI‑generated content?
A: Always review AI outputs and remove any inadvertently plagiarized or too‑closely‑paraphrased text. Add unique examples or case studies to ensure originality.

Q: How do I add images to my AI‑created eBook?
A: Design covers and internal graphics in Canva or Microsoft Designer, then import them into your drafting tool (Google Docs, Book Creator) before final export.

Conclusion

By leveraging the above free AI tools, anyone—from indie authors to small businesses—can Create a Free eBook with AI without sacrificing quality or spending a dime. Whether you need intelligent drafting, professional layouts, or seamless distribution, this toolkit covers every phase. Ready to bring your next digital book to life? Mix and match these solutions to craft a workflow that’s fast, flexible, and thoroughly modern.

Explore these tools today—start drafting in ChatGPT, design in Canva, and publish direct from Book Creator. Subscribe to SmashingApps.com for more tutorials and insider tips on AI‑powered content creation!