D&D Beyond will only let my players create basic characters with basic backgrounds because I don't have the ebooks. We all have the Players handbooks and DMgs etc in book form. Is there any way round this. For example the Warlock has 3 pacts in the PHB, but can only have the Fiend on D&D Beyond?

There is not a way to redeem the DDB digital sourcebook with a physical hardcover.

You could, however, create the homebrew equivalent of what you have in the hardcover and use it here privately.

Thanks for your response... unfortunately we all prefer a physical book to a virtual one... creating a homebrew equivalent for every choice is quite hardwork. I am surprised DDB doesn't have the basic choices from the PHB though.

DDB does have the PHB options, but, of course, they are not free. You could buy the character options (to use the character sheet/builder only) piecemeal, without buying the digital book.

If by the 'basic choices', you mean the basic (free) rules, those choices are all there.

If you mean all the choices from the Player's Handbook, well the book isn't free so the options aren't free. You have to pay for what you want to use.

Quote from Ktal >>

Thanks for your response... unfortunately we all prefer a physical book to a virtual one... creating a homebrew equivalent for every choice is quite hardwork. I am surprised DDB doesn't have the basic choices from the PHB though.

 Yes, it is a lot of work. So you can either choose to pay DDB, since they did the work for you, or you can pay with your time and code them yourself.

Keep in mind that you can buy just the bits you need for now, rather than the whole PHB. Any money spent will be deducted from the full price if you decide to get it later on.