Despite being one of the biggest retailers of audiobooks worldwide, Audible is slowly becoming a lesser choice for avid listeners around the globe.
Although it’s handy to have access to audio entertainment via podcasts and audiobooks with a monthly subscription, many times these aren’t made accessible for lending or sale to bookstores or libraries.
Moreover, its association with Amazon’s subscription model may not be fit for all.
Hence, this has led readers and listeners to search for the best ethical alternatives to Audible that are free or less expensive. Today, we bring to you just that, let’s jump right in.
Whether you wish to help small companies in their communities or to cut down on the expense of Audible membership, we’ve got some fantastic Audible alternatives right here:
Name | Features | Rating |
Chirp | No waiting list | 4.8 |
Libro.fm | Narrate personal audiobooks | 4.9 |
Everand | Offers sheet music selections from every genre | 5 |
Audiobooks.com | Select clubs and listen to unlimited audiobooks | 4.6 |
Libby | Offers multiple library cards | 4.8 |
1. Chirp
Chirp, an audiobook platform from BookBub, doesn’t have a membership fee or a waiting list. You can access the platform without requiring users to sign up for a membership.
Ideal for the seldom audiobook listeners, there is a monthly cost to access content on it and you can also avail one-time discounts of up to 95% on well-known titles. You can check into Chirp’s money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the quality of any of their audiobooks.
2. Libro.fm
Libro.fm is famously known to be the only distributor of audiobooks that actively helps out local independent booksellers. Like Audible, it requires a monthly subscription of $15.74. In addition to allowing you to own the audiobook, you can also help a local small bookstore of your choice with each book you download.
You can select the independent bookshop throughout the sign-up process that you would like to support with future purchases of books. As an ethical alternative to Audible, Libro.fm divides its future proceeds with this bookstore.
Also Read: 10 Best Free Audiobook Apps for iPhone and iPad
3. Everand
Everand (formerly Scribd), provides readers with millions of audiobooks, e-books, magazines, and much more. Even if its selection might not be too extensive, it’s still a terrific platform to have quick access to enough well-known audiobooks to keep you busy all day.
Currently, the monthly subscription charge is $11.99, and membership grants access to an infinite quantity of audiobooks and other materials. The best part? They also have a 30-day free trial to avail making it one of the best free alternatives to Audible!
4. Audiobook.com
Nothing compares to Audiobooks.com as one of the best Audible alternatives. This paid service offers over 350,000 books and novels. In addition to its large library, the platform’s user interface and accessibility are especially impressive.
You can download and listen to three audiobooks during Audible’s trial period if you’re hesitant to use it. Customers can select from eight clubs and receive unlimited listening for 30 days.
From the available titles, choose the three complimentary audiobooks from the Premium and VIP areas. You can subscribe to it at $14.95 per month after the free trial expires.
Also Read: How Do I Delete My Audiobooks Account
5. Libby
Libby is a fantastic choice if you’re on a tight budget and cannot afford to pay for audiobooks each month as it offers a multitude of free audiobooks, e-books, and periodicals from your nearby library through the app.
You may access even more books with Libby by adding several library cards to the app. Although you can only check out a certain number of audiobooks at a time, because you’re getting free access to them, it shouldn’t matter a lot.
6. Kobo
For people who appreciate having a large range of novels and the freedom to choose between formats, Kobo is the perfect option. It has two different audiobook subscription services: a standard one and Kobo Plus, which costs $9.99 a month and gives you one credit to use on any audiobook.
With subscriptions designed specifically for eBooks, audiobooks, or both, Kobo Plus offers unrestricted access to over 1.5 million eBooks in addition to more than 150,000 audiobooks.
7. hoopla
Similar to Libby, hoopla is also a free alternative to Audible which allows you to access magazines, e-books, and audiobooks so long as your library is an affiliate member. Additionally, the app provides access to comics, films, and TV series.
hoopla has all the standard features for audiobooks, including bookmarking, a sleep timer, and audio speed adjustment. Like any other ordinary library, you can only check out a certain volume at a time.
8. Spotify
Spotify, a relatively recent entry to the audiobook market, has made waves because its audiobook library fits the wide range of preferences of its global user base. Its genre selection includes mystery, romance, science fiction, non-fiction, and fiction. You can also listen to free audiobooks uploaded by users. Premium members will receive 15 hours of audiobooks each month.
Spotify’s library claims to have more than 150,000 well-known and undiscovered audiobook titles, making it a top choice for anyone looking for amazing literary content. While not all audiobooks are free, you can easily get renowned books that have large waitlists on Libby.
Also Read: Audible vs Spotify Audiobooks vs Kindle Unlimited
9. Speechify
Speechify could be useful if you’re inclined to audiobooks for reasons, such as blindness, ADHD, dyslexia, low vision, or any other reason. It is an accessibility tool that speaks any text aloud. With more than 250,000 five-star reviews, it is the highest-rated AI text-to-speech app in the market.
Additionally, the software may read aloud any open-source audiobook you purchase or have available in a PDF or digital format. Even the voice is your choice. You can retain more information since their reading voices are more natural and smoother than those of any other AI reader.
10. Physical CDs
Don’t undervalue the good old compact discs. With CDs, there’s no need to constantly adjust the shuffle feature or have ads running in between voiceovers. Hardcover audiobooks and a large selection of CDs are still available from many publishers. You simply have to find the right library, bookstore, or thrift store, and rest assured. Compared to Audible, they’re a pretty cheap alternative.
11. LibriVox
LibriVox is a nonprofit website that offers free audiobooks that are in the public domain. When a book’s original copyright ends and it becomes public domain, people can then access it freely. This way, a fresh set of books joins the public domain each year, and individuals come up with inventive ways to use them.
Volunteers are welcomed by LibriVox to read out their audiobooks that are in the public domain, upload them to the platform, and offer them for free to listeners. Even though the books’ quality varies, it’s still an amazing effort and a fantastic opportunity to read more classic literature.
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12. Google Play Books
You can explore Google Play to get eBooks and audiobooks on some of the greatest criminal thrillers, science fiction, and memoirs. It claims to have over five million volumes, making it the largest ebook collection in the world for users to choose from. It is accessible in 75 countries and allows users to submit up to 2,000 ebooks in PDF or EPUB file formats.
You can find it under the Google Play menu named Books. It supports the web version and the mobile app available for iOS and Android. Some eBooks also support Adobe Digital Editions or Google Home so you can easily listen to audiobooks on speaker and do multiple works at once.
13. Apple Books
Apple Books is another alternative to Audible to listen to all audiobooks you love. Just look through the book store in the app to choose the ideal book for you to read or listen to. Moreover, if you use iOS devices then you can keep track of what you’ve read, and what you would like to read and create your own reading goals across all devices.
Whether you’re hopping between books or engrossed in a single story, the Reading Now option makes it simple to quickly find the perfect page. Personalized recommendations based on the content you’ve been reading can also be found here.
14. Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble has access the more than 300,000 audiobooks, 4 million eBooks, comic books, manga, and magazines in their extensive online collection. To experience all of your favorite eBooks, you can also get the Barnes & Noble NOOK App for free on both Android and Apple devices.
It also offers suggestions that have been hand-picked for you by booksellers. Moreover, the Barnes & Noble NOOK App syncs with all of your devices, so you’ll never lose your saved reads. It has a 30-day free trial with a subscription fee of $14.99 per month.
Also Read: 5 Ways to Cast and Play Audible on Google Home and Alexa
15. OpenAudible
Bid farewell to the headache of juggling your audiobooks on different devices. You can now conveniently download, view, and manage all of your Audible books in one location with OpenAudible.
They also offer a super quick conversion to M4B and MP3 audio formats making it simple to read and listen to your preferred books on any device. Additionally, updating your collection after purchasing new books is simple thanks to the platform’s automated tools.
16. eStories
With fresh arrivals every week and top sellers in every category, eStories offers over 120,000 audiobooks to look from. It is simple to locate your next book with the use of personalized search and discovery tools.
You can download their free app and listen to audiobooks anywhere, even offline. Your books can sync on up to ten devices and even your Bluetooth-enabled automobile can play audiobooks.
Additionally, members have up to 30 days to return a book if they’re not completely satisfied and six months to redeem their credits.
17. Local Library
Don’t discount the possibility of peeking at your local library to get free audiobooks, books, and magazines. They offer a vast selection of audiobooks including academic, fiction, and non-fiction titles, on well-maintained shelves.
On top of that, they also frequently hold activities that promote a feeling of community and intellectual engagement, like reading clubs, author presentations, and instructional seminars. The best part is that you can contact your local library for assistance and ask for the latest editions of books. This way you get a chance to support dying bookstores and give back to local owners.
With so many free and paid alternatives to Audible, choosing a platform has never been easier! Now enjoy your novels and audiobooks without paying a hefty monthly subscription. Let us know which is your favorite platform in the comment section below!