<p>Why are all the Sparknotes books online for free, and is word for word? I've always wanted to know.</p>
<p>Maybe they make money from the advertising. Who knows.</p>
<p>And yeah, the online versions are exactly the same as the books.</p>
<p>Sparknotes actually began as a dating site that turned into an free academic resource in the late 90's. Their books didn't go on sale at B&N until 01 or 02, I think. They probably make enough money off of advertising on the website to cover costs and make a profit.</p>