12 Best Audible Alternatives: Top Free or Cheap Audiobook Apps [2023]

Audible is a bibliophile’s paradise, but the price that comes with membership may be a little too high for some people. With over 2,00,000 audiobooks, Audible has the largest audiobook library of any other platform.

With the Audible Plus membership, which costs around $7.95 per month, you have access to the entire audiobook collection, but you can not keep the books. Audible Premium Plus membership, which costs $14.95 per month, includes all the benefits of Audible Plus and offers 1 credit per month to select and keep any audiobook from the library.

While this sounds like a good deal on its own, there are cheaper Audible alternatives that offer similar service options and better support.

Why Audible is so popular?

Audible is the most popular audiobook service, with over 200,000 titles on offer and two membership levels (Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus). With Audible, you can listen on your phone, tablet, computer, Alexa, Sonos, or Kindle. When you sign up for an audiobook service with Audible, you can typically download audiobooks to store on your other devices or save them to your account and access them through the service’s website or apps when you want to listen. As you listen, you can save your place so you can easily pick up where you left off later and take notes as you listen!

The biggest advantage of Audible is that there is a wide selection of titles available. Whether you are looking for a thriller or an old-fashioned romance novel, there’s sure to be something to suit your tastes.

Why do people look for Audible alternatives?

One downside to Audible is that audiobooks can sometimes be a bit dry and boring. Also, the website and apps are sometimes slow or difficult to use. Also, at $7.99 or $14.99, Audible isn’t one of the cheapest audiobook services. So the cost of the subscription is also another factor.

Top 12 Free or Cheap Audible Alternatives to Try

It’s hard to argue with the totality of Audible’s features and convenience. While Amazon’s Audible is the gold standard when it comes to audiobooks, it’s not the only option available. If you’re looking for a cheaper or even a free alternative to Audible, there are a few options available. Here are the 12 best Audible alternatives that we liked the most.

• Spotify
• Kobo Books
• Scribd
• Google Play Books
• Audiobooks.com
• Apple Books
• AudioBooksNow
• Librivox
• Downpour
• Libro.fm
• Telegram

Spotify

Yes, you read that correctly! The Spotify app on your smartphone can also be used to listen to audiobooks. Although Spotify is more known as the best music streaming app in the world, it also has many free audiobooks that you can listen to.

The best part about using Spotify for audiobooks is that the app is already installed on most phones. And if you have the app, you don’t have to sign up for anything else. Just open the app, search for audiobooks, and start listening.

I agree that Spotify can’t compete with Audible for audiobook selection. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t good audiobooks. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how many popular audiobooks are available for free on Spotify.

Plus, the app’s interface is very user-friendly, and you can create custom playlists for your audiobooks. You can also control the playback speed, jump to any part of the book, and do other things you normally do with audiobooks.

One downside of using Spotify for audiobooks is that there’s no dedicated section for audiobooks. So you’ll have to do a bit of searching to find audiobooks. But once you find a few good books, you can add them to your playlist and listen to them with ease.

In short, if you’re looking for a free alternative to Audible, Spotify is the best choice.

Kobo Books

The Kobo Books app is my second favorite and a top pick for the best Audible alternative. It’s a platform that specializes in audiobooks and eBooks. So you can be sure that you will find many good audiobooks.

The audiobook library is huge, and you will find almost all popular titles available on Audible. The app’s user interface is also very well-designed and makes for an excellent audiobook experience.

Kobo Books is much cheaper than Audible. The monthly subscription costs only $9.99 and gives you access to the entire audiobook library. You can also buy credits to get discounts when you buy audiobooks.

The great thing about Kobo Books is that it offers many features that allow you to customize your audiobook experience. For example, you can control the playback speed, choose between day and night modes, and do other things to make the experience more personal.

Scribd

I liked Scribd because you can download books and listen to them offline. That’s a great feature because you can keep listening to your book even when you’re not connected to the internet.

There are over a million titles available in the Scribd audiobook library. So you’re sure to find plenty of good books to listen to. The monthly subscription costs $11.99 (plus tax, if applicable) and gives you access to the entire audiobook collection.

There’s a top sellers section in the library where you can find all the popular audiobooks. This is a great way to discover new books. The app’s interface is also user-friendly and makes it easy to find and listen to your favorite books.

The interface is very clean and offers a lot of customization options. You can control the narration speed and set a sleep timer if you want the app to stop playing automatically after a certain duration.

Besides listening to books, you can also take notes and create annotations. You can even adjust the font size and choose a background color that suits your taste. This way, you can add some fun elements to the mix.

If you’re looking for a cheap Audible alternative without sacrificing quality or quantity, Scribd is a good choice.

Google Play Books

Google Play Books is another great platform for audiobooks. It’s part of the Google Play ecosystem, which also includes apps, games, movies, and TV shows. So if you already use Google Play for other things, you can try audiobooks as well.

The audiobook library is very impressive, and you’ll find all the popular titles available on Audible. The app interface is also very user-friendly and makes it easy to find and listen to your favorite books.

An excellent benefit of Google Play Books is that the app detects your interests and gives you book recommendations based on what you’re likely to like. Instead of aimlessly searching for something interesting to read or listen to, you can easily find the book you want.

Another advantage of Google Play Books is that it syncs with Google Drive. So if you want to collaborate with someone on an audiobook project, it’s easy to do so. Just like Audible, Google Play Books also offers audiobooks in multiple languages.

The downside is that there are no original titles like Audible Originals.

Unlike Audible, here, you pay for specific books instead of subscribing to a monthly service. Prices vary by book but are generally cheaper than Audible.

If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful alternative to Audible, be sure to check out Google Play Books.

Audiobooks.com

With over 150,000 titles in its library, Audiobooks is a big competitor to Audible. The books are easy to find as different genres sort them.

The monthly subscription costs $14.95 and provides access to more than 350,000 audiobooks as well as over 700,000 podcasts. The first month is free, so you can try out the service before committing.

Audiobooks offer a wide selection of books in a variety of genres. You can find all the popular titles available on Audible, as well as some unique ones you won’t find anywhere else.

Like Audible, Audiobooks also lets you download books for offline listening. This is ideal if you’re going on a long trip and want something to listen to.

The app’s interface is also very user-friendly. You can even create custom playlists so you can easily access your favorite books.

One downside to Audiobooks is that it’s just as expensive as Audible, but it’s worth it if you also check out the podcasts.

Apple Books

If you are already deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Books is for you if you need audiobooks. Audiobooks are available on all Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac.

Apple Books has a large audiobook library with all the popular titles that are also available on Audible. The interface is also very easy to use so that you can find and listen to your favorite books quickly and easily.

You can even sync your progress across all devices, so you can pick up where you left off. This is ideal if you want to listen to an audiobook on your way home and then continue listening on your iPhone.

The only downside to Apple Books is that it’s only available on Apple devices. So if you do not use Apple products, you will not be able to use this app.

As for the prices, you have to buy the books individually from Apple Books. And the prices are quite competitive compared to Audible.

AudiobooksNow

This is the cheapest Audible alternative I have ever come across. AudiobooksNow offers a flat monthly fee of $4.99 for the AudiobooksNow Club, for which you get 1 audiobook credit.

In addition, you can purchase 1 audiobook each month at a 50% discount. So if you are looking for a cheap and cheerful alternative to Audible, you should definitely check out this offer.

AudiobooksNow has a decent audiobook library with all the popular titles that are also available on Audible. Even the app’s interface is pretty decent, and it’s very easy to get around with.

It also suggests books based on your listening habits, so you can find new and interesting books to listen to.

The only downside to AudiobooksNow is that the pricing system is a bit confusing. But once you get the hang of it, it’s definitely worth trying out.

LibriVox

LibriVox may not be as popular as other Audible alternatives, but it’s a good option if you’re looking for audiobooks that are available for free.

LibriVox has a huge audiobook library with over 50,000 titles in 30+ languages. The genre selection is also very good, with books in fiction, non-fiction, history, biography, and more.

All of the books on LibriVox are available for free and can even be downloaded for offline listening. This is great if you want to save some money on audiobooks.

The interface is a bit clunky and not as user-friendly as other apps.

The quality of the audiobooks on LibriVox is mixed. But since they’re all available for free, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Downpour

If you are interested in the classics and want to listen to audiobooks that are cheap, Downpour is definitely worth checking out.

Downpour has over 80,000 audiobooks in its library, with titles from popular authors like Stephen King, James Patterson, and J.K. Rowling.

You can even find audiobooks by Pulitzer, Nobel, Man Booker, PEN /Faulkner, Hugo, and National Book Award winners. So if you are looking for a rich and diverse selection of audiobooks, this is the app for you.

The interface is designed to be user-friendly, so you can easily find and listen to your favorite books. You can even create your own playlists to access the books you like listening to the most quickly.

For $12.99 per month, you get 1 audiobook credit with this subscription. You can also buy books a la carte if you like, and some titles are cheaper here than on Audible.

Libro.fm

Libro.fm is an audiobook app that helps keep independent bookstores in business, and I love it! For just a few cents more than an Audible subscription, you get one book per month. Each credit also benefits an independent bookstore of your choice, so not only are you reading great books, but you’re also supporting small businesses. You can even give credits as gifts to others.

You can also get two books for the price of one with the code CHOOSEINDIE. So if you’re looking for a way to support independent bookstores and get great audiobooks at the same time, this is the app for you.

The selection of audiobooks is fantastic and includes almost every popular title available on Audible. From bestsellers to new releases, pretty much everything is included.

So if you’re looking for an audiobook app that supports independent bookstores, this is the app for you.

Torrent Audiobooks

First of all, this isn’t really a legal way to get audiobooks. But if you’re looking for a wide selection of free audiobooks, torrent sites are definitely worth a look.

There are a ton of audiobook torrents available on popular sites, such as AudioBook Bay, The Pirate Bay (proxy list), My Anonamouse, and Kickass Torrents. You can find pretty much any audiobook that you’re looking for on these sites.

However, there are some risks associated with downloading torrents. So, make sure you use a VPN and download at your own risk. We don’t recommend this option AT ALL.

Telegram

Another shady way to get free audiobooks is to join Telegram channels that distribute pirated content.

There are a lot of such channels, and you can find pretty much any audiobook you’re looking for. Whether it’s a bestseller or a new release, you’ll surely find it on one of these channels.

However, you won’t get the customization options and ease of use that you get with other apps. However, you can play these audio files with a dedicated music player such as VLC or Foobar2000 to have a better experience.

Besides, when you download files from these channels, you always run the risk of downloading malware. So, use them at your own risk. We don’t recommend this option AT ALL.

What’s Your Favorite Audible Alternative for Audiobooks?

That’s it from me. Those were some of the best alternatives to Audible that you can use to get your audiobook fix.

Do you know of any other great apps or websites that I missed? Let me know in the comments below. Do not forget to share this article with your friends and followers who are looking for a great Audible alternative.

And for my readers and me, please add your top title picks in the comments section below. Also, if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me in the comments. I am always happy to help.

Happy listening!

FAQs About Best Alternatives to Audible

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