What Are AudioBooks?
Audible is the gold standard in the seemingly crowded market as an audiobook app. With over 400,000 audio programs from well-known publishers, broadcasters, and entertainers, the world’s largest producer of the downloadable audiobook is a one-stop platform for bibliophiles. Reading can be an expensive hobby. Libraries do exist, although they appear to be underutilized. Instead, many people prefer to download ebooks to their Kindles and iPads or listen to an audiobook on Audible, which has been increasingly popular in recent years.
The problem is that Audible is not inexpensive. While $15 per month for an otherwise $20+ audiobook may sound like a bargain, many competing audiobook applications are free or significantly less expensive than Audible. There’s a reason why Amazon’s audiobook company is the market leader, but the following 10 Audible rivals are worth checking out and may even suit you better!
There are numerous audiobook services available. However, to be one of the top Audible alternatives, they must offer something unique that sets them apart and provides audiobook fans with something Audible cannot.
How do Audiobooks Work, and How do You get them?
Audiobooks function similarly to podcasts. You may either listen to them online or download them to listen to them offline. Most audiobook apps allow you to add your favorites to a wishlist and even build a comprehensive library of all the audiobooks that interest you.
How much does Audible cost?
Audible Plus is $7.95 a month, for which you get to listen to any book in the library (but you don’t get to keep them). Audible Premium Plus costs $14.95 a month and gives you everything Audible Plus does, plus one credit per month to select any audiobook in their library to keep.
Features of Audiobook:
Features of the Audiobook are given as follows:
- It should be stable.
- It should offer reading speed controls.
- It should seamlessly support CarPlay or Android Auto.
- It should offer a choice between offline playback and streaming.
- If should have a sleep timer.
- It should provide free audiobooks to test.
List of 14 Best Audible Alternatives:
So, in this article, we’ll take a brief look at Fourteen of these free to near-free audiobook apps.
1. Libby:
The first is Libby, which uses your library card to access your local library’s digital ebook and audiobook collection.
Libby has a user-friendly, intuitive layout and an audiobook player that looks similar to Audible’s. You can change the playback speed, set a sleep timer, skip a few seconds forward or backward, bookmark a section, and view chapters. You can download books for offline listening, just like Audible.
Libby comes with a handful of caveats. To begin, you can only listen to audiobooks from your local library. Second, Libby treats audiobooks like any other library item with borrows, holds, and renews. This implies that if there is only one “copy” of Where the Crawdads Sing, and it is currently on hold, you can put the book on hold, and Libby will let you know when it will be ready to borrow.
2. Google Play audiobooks:
Google Play, a competitor of Amazon, debuted an audiobook service at the beginning of 2018. The greatest difference between Google Play and Audible audiobooks is no subscription plan. You don’t have to pay for a monthly membership that hooks you with one audiobook, but you can use the Google special discount to buy Google Play audiobooks. Android, iOS, web, smart speakers, and Google Assistant-enabled devices are all supported for listening to Google Play audiobooks. We don’t have an official report from Google to reveal how many titles Google Audiobook has, but given that it’s still a newcomer in the audiobook sector, I’m guessing it’s fewer than Audible’s. Google Play audiobook is a fantastic option if you don’t plan on listening to one audiobook per month. Furthermore, any book you buy will be kept safe in your account for as long as possible.
3. Spotify:
Although Spotify is not primarily an audiobook distribution platform, it does provide a nice selection of audiobooks. Even one of the most popular audiobooks, Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, is available for free on Spotify, but it would cost $10-$25 on other platforms.
Spotify does not have an extensive audiobook library, and there is no information about how many audiobooks are available on the app. However, if you’re looking for an audiobook, you should always seek it on Spotify first.
When it comes to the user interface and availability, we’re all familiar with Spotify. It features one of the best user interfaces and allows you to customize it extensively. Furthermore, the app is compatible with all leading platforms.
4. Scribd:
“Scribd” has long been one of the top audiobook apps on the market, with an ever-growing collection (one million titles) of ebooks, audiobooks, periodicals, and more. So it’s no surprise that it’s included in this elite group. Whether you enjoy science fiction or prefer to travel, the app, like Audible, offers bestsellers and popular audiobooks in a wide range of genres.
Scribd also features a friendly user interface with many customization options. As a result, you can tailor this audiobook software to better suit your preferences. You can also change the narration speed according to your preferences. Also, if you listen to audiobooks at night, remember to set a sleep timer so that the app automatically stops playing audiobooks at the time you specify.
5. Hoopla:
Hoopla is based on the same principle as OverDrive. You’ll need to validate your account with a compatible library card before you can access the Hoopla content library’s huge selection.
Aside from audiobooks, Hoopla offers a seemingly endless selection of movies, music, comics, ebooks, and television series. The vast majority of audiobooks and other content on Hoopla can be viewed for free in its entirety.
Hoopla’s disadvantages are comparable to those of OverDrive. Popular audiobooks sometimes have high wait times, and Hoopla’s content catalog isn’t as comprehensive as the other options on this list. However, because the platform is free, there is no reason not to try this Audible alternative.
6. OverDrive:
If you’re unfamiliar with OverDrive, it’s a platform that allows you to borrow audiobooks from over 30,000 libraries for free or at a low cost. To use OverDrive, you must first establish a verified account with a school, institution, or partner library.
OverDrive is a free platform that is officially available in over 40 countries. You’ll need an approved OverDrive account to use the library, as I mentioned previously. OverDrive, on the other hand, is primarily an ebook-sharing network, not an audiobook platform.
As a result, the audiobook catalog isn’t as extensive as Audible’s or other similar services. Furthermore, because it is a library, there are only a few copies of each audiobook available, and you may have to wait a long time to acquire your copy.
7. Downpour:
The most significant aspect of Downpour is that audiobooks purchased from this website are DRM-free. Doupour believes that their listeners should be able to listen to their audiobooks whenever, wherever, and anytime they choose. There is no DRM protection so that you can listen to the audiobooks on any software or device. It costs $12.99 per month, less than Audible Premium Plus. You can rent or buy an audiobook on this website based on your specific needs. Downpour, an Audible competitor, has roughly 70,000 titles accessible for download. Although extra credits for exchanging audiobooks can be purchased, some audiobooks on this website may cost two credits, which is more than Audible.
8. Nook Audiobooks:
One of the premium Audible alternatives on our list is Nook Audiobooks. Nook Audiobooks operates on a pay-as-you-go premise rather than a monthly subscription, making it an excellent alternative for infrequent audiobook listeners.
It doesn’t have the same extensive collection as Audible, Scribd, or other audiobook retailers. Instead, it contains about 60,000 titles, which are bestsellers or in high demand. It’s what distinguishes Nook Audiobooks from Audible.
However, compared to competitors such as Audible, Scribd, and Google Play Books, audiobooks on Nook Audiobooks are slightly more expensive. But, once again, it’s all about the titles you’re interested in.
9. Apple Books:
Look no further than Apple Books if you’re a long-time Apple user seeking a decent audiobook program that can compete with Audible on most fronts. The app is not only feature-rich but also capable of handling audiobook listening and book reading.
It has you covered like Audible, whether it’s a wide variety of mysteries or an ever-growing catalog of thrillers. Not to mention, the app offers tailored collections based on your personal preferences.
10. eStories:
If you prefer listening to fiction stories, one of the most popular Audible alternatives is eStories. It has over 120,000 fiction and nonfiction audiobooks, including many notable titles such as John Grisham’s The Whistler, Chuck Wendig’s Star Wars, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones.
Most of the audiobooks on our site are DRM-free, meaning you can buy them once and then download and use them indefinitely. It also provides unlimited free audiobook cloud storage, allowing you to save all of your audiobooks safely.
Regarding pricing, audiobooks on eStories are slightly more expensive, especially when compared to competitors. However, it all comes down to the titles you want, and you should only use eStories for audiobooks that aren’t accessible anywhere else.
11. Chirp Audiobooks:
Chirp Audiobooks offers daily discounts on well-known audiobooks. These discounts aren’t just 5-10% off the original price but are frequently huge. On Chirp, it’s not uncommon to find bargains for audiobooks that would ordinarily cost $20 or more for $3-6. Furthermore, you can retain the audiobooks.
When you buy a book from Chirp’s website, it will be downloaded to Chirp’s audiobook player app, which includes all of the basic features, such as a playback speed slider, bookmarks, a sleep timer, offline listening, and more.
Despite his charm, Chirp shares Libby’s disadvantage. Because audiobook discounts change every day, you might not always be able to listen to what you want to listen to. Chirp will, however, propose books in your favorite categories, so if you enjoy finding new books at low costs, Chirp could be for you.
12. Storytel:
Storytel could be a tremendous Audible substitute for you if you’re from India. The explanation is simple: Storytel is a few audiobook and ebook distribution platforms that allows you to listen to audiobooks in your native language.
Storytel features an extensive audiobook library that includes several well-known international and Indian works such as Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grows Rich, Rabindra Nath Tagore’s Kabuliwala, and others. This platform includes books in various genres, including fiction, nonfiction, biographies, personal development, religion, thrillers, and more.
They also have an entire area dedicated to audiobooks for children. It gives you full access to its vast library for just INR 299! Nothing can compete with Storytel at this price. Although it is not the most acceptable Audible option available, it is worth a shot.
13. Kobo Books:
Kobo Books, a pioneer in ebooks, also has an extensive range of audiobooks. Kobo Books’ catalog comprises over 1.5 million titles from various categories, making it a viable Audible alternative for audio reading.
Not only that, but Kobo Books is far less expensive than Audible. Users can choose any audiobook title for free – regardless of the real audiobook pricing – for a monthly subscription charge of $9.99. You can also purchase credits to purchase additional books.
Another advantage of Kobo Books is that it is yours forever once you buy a book, even if you cancel your membership. The app is available for iOS and Android devices and seamlessly allows readers to listen to audiobooks.
14. YouTube:
YouTube is at the bottom of the list. Thousands of audiobooks have been posted as video files to YouTube, believe it or not. Using YouTube to listen to audiobooks is similar to using a dedicated audiobook software because you can control the playback speed.
Like many of the other applications on this list, YouTube focuses on public domain audiobooks. As a result, don’t expect to find many new audiobooks.
YouTube has another important disadvantage the limited selection of audiobooks. You can’t listen to audiobooks on the YouTube app while your phone is locked unless you pay for YouTube Premium.
Conclusion:
Audiobooks have entirely changed my life in dozens of ways. And one of my favorite ways to listen to them is Audible. It’s got the best selection, a solid app and other listening options, and many great options for purchasing a subscription. For just $7.99 or $15.99 a month, it’s a bargain when you consider everything you get out of it.
In the end, I believe that Audible is well worth the money. You’ll have unlimited access to a large variety of audiobooks, one audiobook to retain for life each month, and all the intangible benefits of reading more books, whether fiction or nonfiction.
