Can Buyers Read My Ebook Online Without Downloading the PDF?

Quick answer: Yes, on the Pro and Turbo plans. Open a Digital File product, go to the Delivery tab and set Delivery to Read online only. Buyers then read your PDF page by page in their browser, with no download or print button and with right-click and text selection turned off. It stops casual forwarding of your file, but it can't stop screenshots.

Key points

Three delivery options: Download only, Read online only, Download & read online.
It's a Pro/Turbo feature and works with PDF files.
It works in any phone or computer browser. No app needed.
It reduces sharing but doesn't make copying impossible.

Why would I want buyers to read online only?

Because a downloaded PDF can be forwarded to a hundred WhatsApp groups in a minute. When buyers can only read online:

There's no file to forward. They'd have to share their private access link or take screenshots page by page.
Casual sharing drops, which protects your sales.
Your ebook still feels premium: a clean reader with no clutter.

What are the three delivery options?

Option	Buyer can download?	Buyer can read online?	Best for
Download only (default)	✅	❌	Templates, spreadsheets, ZIPs, audio: files people need to use
Read online only	❌	✅	Ebooks and guides that are easy to share
Download & read online	✅	✅	Ebooks where convenience matters more than protection

How do I turn on read-online for my ebook?

Make sure you're on Pro or Turbo. See Free, Pro or Turbo: which plan should I choose?
Open your Digital File product and go to the Delivery tab.
Under Delivery, choose Read online only (or Download & read online).
Make sure your uploaded file is a PDF.
Tap Save.

On the Free plan you'll see "Read-online delivery is a Pro feature" with an option to upgrade.

What does the buyer see?

After paying, the buyer opens your ebook in Sellzw's online reader. Pages appear one after another, sized for their screen. There's:

no download button
no print button
no right-click menu
no text selection (so they can't copy and paste passages)

They can come back and read it any time, from their access link or from My Library, for as long as their purchase stands. If an order is refunded, reading access ends.

What read-online can't do (the honest part)

Read-online stops casual sharing, not every kind of copying. A determined person could still:

take screenshots of each page
photograph the screen with another phone
share their private access link with someone else

Ways to discourage copying further:

Brand every page. Add your name, store link and a line like "© 2026 Rudo's Kitchen. Licensed to the buyer only" in the footer of your PDF before uploading.
Fill in the Licence terms on the product, for example "Personal use only. Not for sharing or resale."
Keep adding value with updates, bonuses and a buyers-only group, so buying from you beats getting a copy from a friend.
Report copies. If someone resells your work, use Sellzw's copyright takedown process.

When should I not use read-online only?

Templates, spreadsheets and design files: buyers need to download and edit them.
Printable products such as planners, colouring pages and worksheets, which are meant to be printed.
Buyers with poor connectivity who want to read offline. Consider Download & read online for them.
Non-PDF files: the reader only displays PDFs.

What if my paid plan ends?

Your products keep their current setting, but the next time you save a read-online product, it switches back to Download only, because read-online is a paid feature. To avoid this, renew your plan before editing those products. See How do I pay for Pro or Turbo, and what happens when my plan expires?

Frequently asked questions

Is read-online available on the Free plan?

No. Choosing how a file is delivered (download, read online, or both) is a Pro and Turbo feature. On the Free plan, files are delivered as downloads.

Does read-online mode stop screenshots?

No. It removes the download and print buttons and turns off right-click and text selection, which stops casual sharing of the file. It can't stop screenshots or a determined person.

Can buyers read the ebook on their phone?

Yes. The reader works in the phone's web browser, so buyers don't need to install anything. They need an internet connection to read.

What file types work with read-online?

PDF. The online reader displays PDF files page by page, so export your ebook as a PDF before uploading.

What happens if my Pro plan ends?

Your ebooks keep their current delivery setting, but the next time you save one of those products, it switches back to download only. Renew before editing read-online products.

Protect your ebook and keep selling

If your ebook is the kind of thing that gets forwarded around, read-online is one of the simplest ways to protect your income.

See Pro and Turbo plans →