The portability and ease of audiobooks let you indulge your reading habit wherever you are. But where can you locate affordable audiobooks? There are many audiobook platforms out there, which can feel a bit daunting. Picking the right service comes down to matching it with how you like to listen. Below is our guide to several top audiobook platforms where you can snag a title for your ears.
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1. Audible
Audible is one of the most recognizable names in audiobooks. Owned by Amazon, it’s widely promoted and easy to access, though it comes with both benefits and drawbacks. Audible offers one of the most expansive libraries, with over 760,000 titles. Chances are high that whatever you like to listen to will be there. Titles you redeem remain yours even if you cancel your plan. Audible provides two membership choices, with the lowest-priced plan at $7.95 per month. The Audible Plus tier, however, doesn’t grant monthly credits and excludes discounts on premium selections or access to certain sales. The Premium Plus plan costs $14.95 per month and includes the full Plus catalog plus one premium title each month (12 credits annually). Unused credits lapse after a year and are forfeited if you cancel your subscription. Amazon Prime members can try Audible free for 30 days.
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2. Audiobooks.com
Audiobooks.com operates on a subscription model similar to Audible. It offers a vast library with more than 450,000 titles plus over 10,000 free audiobooks and access to more than 100 million podcast episodes at no extra cost. The monthly subscription is $14.95 and includes one audiobook per month, with options to buy additional credits. Subscribers also receive extra VIP books monthly at no added price. VIP selections are typically older or less in-demand titles, though some are still quite worthwhile. New users can take advantage of a 30-day trial that includes one free book and two selections from the rotating VIP collection.
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3. Scribd
Scribd is a subscription service offering “unlimited” access to audiobooks, along with ebooks, podcasts and even sheet music. Priced at $11.99 per month, it’s cheaper than Audiobooks.com and allows you to listen to as many books as you want. The platform also includes extras like Kindle books, magazines and sheet music through partners. Its catalog includes more than 2 million ebooks, 300,000 audiobooks and a million magazine and news pieces. That said, “unlimited” can be misleading: users report that after streaming two or three popular titles, access to other current hits can be restricted for the remainder of the billing cycle. With Scribd you’re effectively renting rather than owning the titles, so you can’t keep them permanently.
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4. Downpour
Downpour offers a subscription at $12.99 per month that provides one credit (redeemable for any single title) monthly. You can use credits as they come or accumulate them. Alternatively, you can rent or buy audiobooks without subscribing, though per-title prices may be higher. One perk: when you buy through Downpour, you own the audiobook and retain it even if you stop your membership. The selection is more modest, with around 80,000 titles available.
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5. Chirp
Chirp is affiliated with Bookbub, the ebook deal site. After signing up, you’ll receive daily emails with discounted audiobook offers. Many deals price titles at $5 or less, and there’s no subscription required — you simply pay for the audiobooks you purchase.
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6. Apple Books
Apple Books is a storefront for Apple device users to buy audiobooks. It isn’t subscription-based; you pay per title. The selection includes new releases, popular picks and classics. Apple’s editors curate lists to help readers discover new content. Purchased audiobooks are stored on your iPhone or iPad for easy access.
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7. Google Play Books
Google Play Books functions similarly to Apple Books but serves Android and PC users and offers a few extra conveniences. You can listen to previews before buying. There are free titles as well, and the service works across Android, PC, iPhone and Mac platforms.
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8. Libro.fm
Libro.fm positions itself as the independent bookstore alternative to major audiobook platforms. No subscription is required, and a portion of each purchase supports a local bookstore you choose. You can opt into a $14.99 monthly membership that provides an initial credit and then one credit per month, plus 30% off individual purchases. The catalog exceeds 450,000 audiobooks, including almost all New York Times bestsellers. Purchased titles are yours to keep, even if you end your membership. Libro.fm also offers free listening apps for iOS and Android.
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9. Blinkist
Blinkist offers abridged summaries of popular nonfiction, geared toward listeners who don’t have time for full-length audiobooks. It’s relatively affordable: the yearly plan is $99.99 (about $8.34 per month when divided), while the monthly option costs $15.99. Membership grants access to more than 6,500 bestselling nonfiction titles across numerous categories. Most summaries can be consumed in roughly 30 minutes, and if a condensed version sparks interest, you can opt to upgrade to the full-length audiobook.
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10. LibriVox
LibriVox describes itself as dedicated to the “acoustical liberation of books in the public domain.” In practice, it’s a free collection of audiobooks whose copyrights have expired, read by volunteers. It’s entirely free and contains classics such as Moby Dick, Frankenstein and The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. The downside is a limited catalog with no recent releases.
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11. Your Public Library System
If you’re after free audiobooks, your local library remains a great resource. While you can still borrow audiobooks on CD, modern libraries typically connect to apps like OverDrive, Libby or Hoopla so you can borrow audiobooks digitally on your smartphone, tablet or e-reader. With a library card, these services cost nothing.
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For bargain audiobook hunting, also check out cheap audiobooks for additional deals and options that might suit your listening habits.
