Audiobooks have a very versatile use. From helping you finish a book you can’t get around reading on your own to being a great help for people with vision disabilities, it serves its purpose. Thankfully, you now have several options to select from, given its huge popularity. If you have been looking to start your journey with audio book apps, here are some of the best options available. Let’s get started.
Best Audio Book Apps in 2026
Now you can compare some of the top options and choose an audiobook that best suits your needs.
1. Scribd
Scribd feels a bit like a Netflix for reading, with one monthly fee giving you access to a huge catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and even sheet music. It covers everything from current bestsellers to more niche titles, so it is good both for casual reading and study. The interface makes browsing and discovering new material easy, which is why many people treat it as one of the best audio book apps.
2. eStories
eStories packs over 120,000 audiobooks covering fiction, non-fiction, mysteries, history, YA, bestsellers, and new releases. Personalized search helps you find your next listen, with streaming or offline downloads that sync across up to 10 devices. Unlimited cloud storage and a 30-day return policy make it low-risk, available for both Android and iPhone.
3. Google Play Books
Google Play Books works well if you want a simple, cross‑platform way to buy and listen to audiobooks without a subscription. You can preview audiobooks for free before you decide, then listen on phones, tablets, desktops, or e‑readers, with everything synced through your Google account so you can pick up right where you left off.
4. Libro.fm
Libro.fm lets you buy audiobooks while supporting a local bookstore you choose, so each purchase shares revenue between the seller and publisher. There is a monthly membership for extra savings, and the catalog includes bestsellers that are updated frequently from hundreds of partner shops. It is a good pick if you want a mainstream audiobook experience but prefer your money to stay in the indie book world.
5. Serial Box
Serial Box is free to download and browse, delivering bite-sized stories in sci-fi, fantasy, drama, comedy, fiction, and non-fiction with both audiobook and eBook for one price. Switch between reading and listening via the Flow Reader feature on phone, tablet, or laptop. Free previews let you sample almost everything before buying.
6. Loyal Books
Loyal Books offers over 7,000 free audiobooks and eBooks in genres across languages like English, Hindi, Tamil, French, and Urdu. Search by title, keyword, or author, then stream online or download for offline use. Works on both Android and iOS with previews available, and is making its way as one of the best audio book apps.
7. Smart Audiobook Player
Smart Audiobook Player is geared toward people who already own DRM‑free audio files and just want a flexible player. It supports variable speed, bookmarks, sleep timers, and home‑screen or notification controls to manage long books comfortably. Basic library tools help you keep big collections organized without locking you into a store.
8. Libby
Libby connects directly to your public library so you can borrow audiobooks for free with just a library card. The app is available in many countries and does not charge subscription fees or late fees, since loans simply expire when they are due. You place holds, borrow, and listen all in one app, making it an easy way as one of the best audio book apps.
9. Audiobooks
Audiobooks have plenty of amazing audiobooks available to listen to for free. You can enjoy a selection of podcasts that have been carefully chosen according to your audiobook history. Not only this, but Audiobooks can be an ideal choice to listen to if you’re going on a trip, as they can be downloaded offline. What’s more? AirPlay, background playback enabled, and sleep Timer with complete customization of your list!
10. Audible
Audible is one of the best audio book apps, well-known to almost everybody, and for good reason. You may listen to thousands of well-known audiobooks in your preferred genre, original audio content, podcasts, and others. It’s the world’s biggest and most sophisticated audiobook service with a vast library that includes bestsellers, classics, and exclusive titles and runs on Amazon.com.
11. Kobo
Kobo is the ideal choice for readers who value having a wide selection of novels and the flexibility to select from a variety of formats. With the Kobo Plus plan, you get access to one credit that may be used for any audiobook. Kobo Plus provides unlimited access to over 1.5 million eBooks and over 150,000 audiobooks, with subscriptions made especially for eBooks, audiobooks, or both.
12. Spotify
From self-care to novels posted by other users on their channel, Spotify offers users instant access to over hundreds of thousands of audiobooks. Remember, you either need the subscription or be the plan manager for Family or Duo accounts. Search for titles marked Included in Premium with Spotify’s catalog to find audiobook titles from major publishers and independent authors. With the free version, you will have to watch out for ads and can’t skip playlists. Premium members will receive fifteen hours of audiobooks each month.
13. Amazon Kindle
When it involves ebooks, the Amazon Kindle app is unmatched. But did you know that it also offers access to audiobooks? This implies that you can use Audible narration to follow along with your books as necessary. For a captivating experience, it’s quite simple to move between the two modes or use them both at once. You can sample any Kindle book for free. Additionally, for a single-time monthly fee, you can access a variety of free content if you purchase a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
14. Apple Books
Made for Apple users, the Apple Books app is where you can purchase or free download a vast selection of e-books and also listen to any audiobooks you love. In case you are skeptical about any title, it lets you sample the first few pages or preview an audiobook for free and then decide whether to go ahead with it or not.
15. Everand
Everand has access to millions of e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, and other resources. It is a great platform to have quick access to enough popular titles to last you the entire day. Moreover, this best audio book apps also offers a 30-day free trial.
16. hoopla
Another best audio book apps is hoopla. If your library is an affiliate member, you can access periodicals, e-books, and audiobooks. You can borrow and stream content instantly without waiting for holds or reservations. So, there are no waitlists for popular titles. It allows library patrons to access online content for free using their library card. It also offers access to comic books, movies, and TV shows in addition to books.
17. Chirp
BookBub’s audiobook platform Chirp offers limited-time deals on popular audiobooks, including New Your Times best sellers. The best part is that, doesn’t have waiting lists or a membership fee. Audiobooks are available for a monthly fee, making them perfect for infrequent audiobook listeners. If you’re not happy with any of Chirp’s audiobooks or their quality, you can look into their money-back guarantee.
18. LibriVox
LibriVox is a nonprofit website where thousands of public-domain audiobooks, covering genres such as classic literature, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and many more, are available for free. All you need is to browse through the catalog of audiobooks by genre, author, title, or narrator. When a book’s original copyright expires, and it enters the public domain, everyone can use it without restriction. In this way, many new books enter the public domain annually, and people find creative ways to use them.
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Now you will no longer have a difficult time figuring out the best audio book apps after following this guide. For more helpful tips and tricks, stay tuned, and feel free to share your suggestions in the comments below.
