Top 14 Free and Cheaper Audible Alternative

Part 1. Audible Features Overview

Audible is an online store selling digital audio files, including books, magazines, podcasts and more. It boasts the largest audiobook library in the world, with over 520,000 titles across various genres.

Before diving into alternatives, let’s take a moment to understand what Audible offers:

✨ Extensive Library: Audible has one of the largest audiobook libraries, including bestsellers, exclusive Audible Originals, and podcasts.

✨ Subscription Model: Pay-Per-Book and unlimited access with 2 subscription plans: Audible Plus vs Premium Plus.

• Note: Audible Plus costs $7.95 monthly for unlimited Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks. Audible’s Premium Plus plan costs $14.95 per month, which gives you extra credit per month to purchase an audiobook or get unlimited listening on the Audible Plus catalog.

✨ Exclusive Content: Audible offers exclusive audiobooks, series, and podcasts that aren’t available anywhere else.

✨ Whispersync: This feature allows you to switch between reading an eBook and listening to the audiobook version seamlessly when playing Audible on Kindle.

✨ Play on Alexa: You can play Audible on Alexa-embedded devices like Amazon Echo via voice commands.

✨ Offline Listening: You can download Audible audiobooks and listen offline through the Audible app, only available on Audible-authorized devices.

Note: Audiobooks downloaded from Audible are encoded in AA or AAX format. It restricts Audible members to play audiobooks on authorized devices and players only. Unless you use AudFree Audible Converter to convert Audible AAX to MP3, you can't break the playback limitation.

However, the subscription cost, resources, and other features may be a limiting factor for many users, and the need for more variety or DRM-free options has led to a search for alternatives. Let’s explore them!

Part 2. Comparison of Audible and Top 14 Audible Alternatives

Can't decide which alternative to Audible books? To make your decision easier, we will show you a comparison of Audible and its alternatives from the aspect of the subscription model and audiobook format.

Free Audible Alternatives:

Cheaper Unlimited Listening Alternatives to Audible:

Cheaper Audible Alternative in Pay-per-book model:

Part 3. Top 5 Free Audible Alternatives

Are there apps like Audible but free? The answer is positive. Audible provides the option for free Audible books, but most are out-of-date. Therefore, here you can meet 5 Audible free alternatives.

#1 OverDrive/Libby

Founded in 1993, OverDrive, now also called Libby, specializes in providing a variety of digital content, including e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming video. You can access all the audiobooks available in your local public library through the Libby app or online website, with the help of the digital media lending system.

• Library Resources: It is supported by more than 45,000 libraries with 2+ billion books, enabling you to borrow resources from your local library.
• Additional Requirements: All you need is a student ID or library card.
• User Feedback: Users love the ability to borrow audiobooks for free, but the downside is that waitlists for popular titles can be long.

Summary: Libby can be ranked first among the best free apps similar to Audible due to its free access to local library audiobook resources.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

#2 Spotify

Known primarily for music and podcasts, Spotify has recently ventured into the audiobook space, offering audiobooks for individual purchase and a time-limited access plan alongside its existing media content.

• Library Resources: Spotify Library's books include biographies, children's storybooks, science fiction, and more, catering to all ages.
• Membership: Currently, in 2024, Spotify offers a 15-hour free listening time to its Premium individual members and Duo and Family plan managers only. Besides, Spotify free users in the US can cost $9.99/month for a 15-hour listening time and ad-supported access to music and podcasts.
• Formats: Spotify Audiobooks are DRM-protected and can only be played via the Spotify app.
• User Feedback: Spotify users love the platform’s extensive media library, but audiobook integration is still in its early stages, with room for improvement. Besides, audiobooks are rarely at deals on Spotify, which may be more expensive than other platforms.

Summary: If you're already a Spotify Premium user, adding audiobooks to your media mix might be convenient, though the audiobook offering is still growing.

Rating: ☆☆☆

Tip: By the way, you can use AudFree Spotify Audiobook Converter to convert Spotify audiobook to various formats without premium.

#3 LibriVox

LibriVox is one of the best free audiobook alternatives to Audible on the market. It is actually a non-commercial, non-profit, and ad-free project where volunteer voice actors from all over the world record classic books in the public domain for listeners on LibriVox.

• Library Resources: It has a completely free audiobook library for users with 15,000 audiobooks, including classics, biographies and memoirs, romance novels, poetry, and more.
• Formats: Public domain books can be downloaded freely and are no longer protected by copyright. So you can listen to free LibriVox audiobooks on your computer, Android, and iOS, or even burn them to CD.
• User Feedback: While LibriVox is great for accessing classic audiobooks for free, the quality of narration can vary since volunteers perform the readings.

Summary: If you're a fan of classic literature and don't mind occasional amateur narration, LibriVox is a fantastic way to access free audiobooks.

Rating: ☆☆☆

#4 Project Gutenberg

As a Wikipedia-style website, Gutenberg Project is the same as Librivox. But it can offer over 60,000 audiobooks from the public domain, allowing you to listen to audiobooks read by people or with a computer program. You can find some of the world's greatest literature here, with an emphasis on older works whose U.S. rights have expired.

• Library Resources: Gutenberg Project offers more than 60,000 free e-books for you to read, including classics, crime, geography, history, music, and more. It supports not only English, but also more international and regional languages, including French, Chinese, Swedish, and more. However, it's a pity that the latest audiobooks are missing from the Project Gutenberg library.
• Formats: The audiobooks on Project Gutenberg are DRM-free in MP3 and other formats. You can play them on any device.
• User Feedback: The platform is loved for its accessibility to classic books, though, like LibriVox, narration quality can vary.

Summary: Project Gutenberg is a treasure trove for classic literature fans looking for a free, no-strings-attached audiobook solution.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

#5 Hoopla

As a digital media service, Hoopla allows users to borrow audiobooks, e-books, music albums, comics, TV shows and movies. It can be connected to your local library account, allowing you to borrow 10 to 20 books per month immediately, depending on your library.

• Library Resources: It has a huge collection of over 500,000 titles to choose from, and titles are updated regularly.
• Formats: You can download Hoopla audiobooks on the mobile Hoola Digital app with DRM protection in the ODM format.
• User Feedback: It is a popular choice for those who love audiobooks and e-books, though, like OverDrive, it requires a library membership.

Summary: Hoopla is another solid free Audible alternative if you already have a library membership.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Part 4. Best Paid Audible Alternatives

Is there a cheaper alternative to Audible with fascinating features and performance? In fact, there are countless apps like Audible there, many of which offer cheaper audiobooks than Audible. Now, we'll present 9 cheaper Audible alternatives to save money. Both the Pay-per-book model and unlimited-access model are included.

#1 Audiobooks.com

Audiobooks.com is the first cloud-based audiobook service. It was launched by Simply Audiobooks and offers audiobooks for rent, download, and sale. As one of the sites similar to Audible, Audiblebooks.com also operates on a credit system but provides a large library with an additional perk: free VIP content.

• Library Resources: Audiobooks.com boasts a library of over 200,000 audiobooks, offering a wide variety of genres including bestsellers, new releases, and niche titles.
• Membership: For $14.95/month, you get 1 credit to redeem on any audiobook, plus 2 free premium books each month from their VIP selection. This additional content helps distinguish it from competitors.
• Supported Devices: You can use Audiobooks.com on iPhone, Android, and PC. Its mobile apps offer easy navigation and seamless listening on the go.
• Formats: All books are DRM-protected.
• User Feedback: While users love the variety and curation of titles, some have noted the lack of exclusive content and the lower audio quality compared to Audible. There's also no refund policy, which some users see as a downside.

Summary: Audiobooks.com is great for listeners who enjoy curated recommendations and want free monthly content in addition to their regular audiobook purchases.

Rating: ☆☆☆

#2 Scribd

Scribd, also called Everand now, isn't just an audiobook platform; it's a full-fledged digital media subscription service that offers audiobooks, eBooks, magazines, and even documents. But you can only play audiobooks on Scribd after subscription since it doesn't support buying audiobooks for its users.

• Library: Scribd's library covers a wide range of content, including audiobooks, eBooks, podcasts, and articles. While the exact number of audiobooks is not specified, users praise the service for its variety.
• Membership: For $11.99 per month, you get unlimited access to all content on the platform, making it one of the most cost-effective audiobook subscriptions. However, "unlimited" access may be throttled if you're a heavy user, which could limit how many audiobooks you can listen to in a month.
• Ownership: Scribd uses a rental model, so you don't own the audiobooks—once you cancel your subscription, you lose access to them.
• User Feedback: Users appreciate the affordable price and wide variety of content, but some find the throttling system frustrating, especially for voracious readers.

Summary: Scribd is perfect for multi-format readers who don’t mind a rental model and want access to an entire library of content for a lower monthly fee.

Recommendations: ☆☆☆

View also: Scribd vs Audible: Which Platform Is Best for You

#3 Libro.fm

Libro.fm, founded in 2014, offers a similar membership model to Audible. You can subscribe to Libro.fm for unlimited listening per month or purchase individual books. The biggest feature is that Libro will support independent bookstores at your local with every purchase.

• Library: Though its catalog is slightly smaller than Audible’s, Libro.fm still offers a robust collection of audiobooks across a variety of genres.
• Membership: For $14.99 per month, you get 1 credit, which can be redeemed for any audiobook in the catalog. You can also purchase additional audiobooks at a discount.
• Format: One of the major advantages of Libro.fm is its DRM-free format, which gives users full ownership of their audiobooks.
• User Feedback: Users love that their purchases support local bookstores and appreciate the DRM-free downloads, though the catalog size is smaller than some other platforms.

Summary: If you want to support independent bookstores and enjoy DRM-free ownership of your audiobooks, Libro.fm is a fantastic alternative to Audible.

Recommendation: ☆☆☆☆

View also: Libro FM vs Audible: Which Is Your Best Option

#4 Downpour

Downpour is a one-stop audiobook store that allows users to buy DRM-free audiobooks and rent audiobooks according to their preferences. Each audiobook has a different rental period, which may range from 30 to 60 days.

• Library: It has over 80,000 titles in its catalog, including contemporary fiction and non-fiction, classics, New York Times bestsellers, and more.
• Membership: For $12.99 per month, you receive 1 credit that can be used for any audiobook. Additionally, you can rent audiobooks from Downpour and save up to 70% on rent without membership.
• Formats: One of the standout features of Downpour is its support for multiple formats, including DRM-free digital downloads (MP3), MP3 CDs, and even physical paperbacks. Once you buy an audiobook, it’s yours to keep, and you can transfer it between devices without any restrictions.
• Supported Devices: The service is available on Android and iOS, making it easy to listen to audiobooks on mobile devices.
• User Feedback: Users appreciate the service’s affordability and DRM-free downloads, but some report issues with downloading audiobooks, which can be frustrating.

Summary: Downpour’s flexibility in formats and DRM-free ownership makes it a strong alternative for those who want to control how they use their purchased content.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

#5 Audiobooks Now

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative to Audible where you can own your audiobooks and enjoy regular discounts, Audiobooks Now is worth considering. It follows a hybrid membership model that lets you enjoy discounts on a wide selection of audiobooks.

• Library: Audiobooks Now offers over 160,000 titles, giving you access to an impressive selection of audiobooks across various genres.
• Membership: The membership costs $4.99 per month, and it offers discounts between 30-50% on every audiobook you purchase. The low membership fee makes this service very appealing to budget-conscious users.
• Format: Once you purchase an audiobook, you own it outright in MP3 format. Unlike many platforms, there are no DRM restrictions, meaning you have full control over your purchases.
• Supported Devices: Audiobooks Now is available on Android, iOS, and Kindle Fire devices, allowing for flexibility across multiple platforms.
• User Feedback: While many users appreciate the affordability and easy-to-use platform, some have reported minor glitches within the app.

Summary: With a low monthly fee and DRM-free downloads, Audiobooks Now is perfect for listeners who want to build their audiobook library without breaking the bank.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

#6 Chirp

For audiobook lovers who prefer a pay-as-you-go model rather than a subscription, Chirp is a great option. With frequent sales and no monthly fees, it’s one of the most budget-friendly platforms around.

• Membership: Chirp doesn't require a subscription. Instead, it operates on a pay-per-book model, allowing you to purchase audiobooks as needed.
• Format: Audiobooks purchased from Chirp are subject to digital rights management and can only be listened to in the Chirp app. You can only purchase books on the Chirp website, not the Chirp app.
• Supported Devices: Android/iOS app and website.
• User Feedback: Chirp users love the low pricing and daily deals. However, the audiobook selection isn’t as vast as some other platforms, and the absence of a subscription means you’ll need to hunt for deals.

Summary: Chirp is a fantastic choice for occasional listeners who prefer not to commit to a monthly fee but still want access to affordable audiobooks.

Recommendation: ☆☆☆

#7 Google Play Audiobooks

Google introduced audiobooks to the Google Play Store in 2018, launching in 45 countries in nine languages. It does not use any membership plans and you need to buy books at shelf price. Purchased audiobooks can be read on your phone and Google Home devices via Google Assistant, which is similar to Audible on Alexa.

• Membership: There's no subscription model, so you only pay for the audiobooks you purchase. This gives users full control over their spending.
• Pricing: Prices are often competitive, and Google frequently runs promotions, offering huge discounts on select titles.
• Formats: All audiobooks are DRM protected.
• Supported Devices: Available on Android, iOS, and web browsers, Google Play Audiobooks is deeply integrated with Google services, including Google Assistant and Google Home devices.
• User Feedback: Users appreciate the flexibility and frequent discounts, but many mention that the recommendation system isn’t as advanced as Audible's. Besides, Google will not provide refunds for most Google Play Audiobook purchases.

Summary: Google Play Audiobooks is a flexible option for users who want occasional discounts and integration with Google devices.

Rating: ☆☆☆

View also: Audible Audiobooks vs. Google Play Audiobooks

#8 Kobo Audiobooks

Kobo is a digital reading platform featuring eBooks, audiobooks, and podcasts, launched in 2017 by Canadian parent company Rakuten Kobo. It is a standout platform, especially for users who already own Kobo eReaders.

• Library: With over 500,000 titles, Kobo Audiobooks offers one of the largest collections available, covering a wide range of genres and languages.
• Membership: For $12.99/month, you get 1 credit to use on any audiobook, making it slightly cheaper than Audible’s regular membership.
• Formats: Kobo Audiobooks supports MP3/MP4 formats, which allows for easy listening across different devices. However, like Audible, the platform still uses DRM protection.
• Supported Devices: Available on Android, iOS, and Kobo eReaders, the app syncs seamlessly between devices, letting you pick up where you left off no matter which platform you're using.
• User Feedback: Kobo users love the cross-device syncing and affordable subscription price. However, the platform is noted for having fewer exclusives and original content than Audible.

Summary: If you're already invested in the Kobo ecosystem, Kobo Audiobooks is a natural fit, offering seamless integration and competitive pricing.

Rating: ☆☆☆

#9 Nook Audiobooks

As one of the strong competitors of Kindle, Barnes and Noble, the largest book retailer in the US, has released Nook Audiobooks to compete with Audible. However, the B&N finally ended support on the Nook Audiobook website and app, integrated with the new Barnes & Noble Nook App and website.

• Library: Nook Audiobooks provides access to 300,000 titles, making it one of the largest audiobook platforms available. It features a broad range of genres, including bestsellers and exclusives tied to the Barnes & Noble brand.
• Membership: For $14.99 per month, you receive 1 credit that can be used for any audiobook. Barnes & Noble Premium Members receive additional discounts, making the service even more affordable for frequent shoppers.
• Format: The platform, like Audible, uses DRM protection on its audiobook resources. This means you don't have full ownership of the content you purchase, and you can only access it through the official B&N app/webpage.
• Supported Devices: Nook Audiobooks can be accessed via iOS, Android, and Nook devices, as well as the Barnes & Noble website. This integration with Nook eReaders is a huge plus for users who already own Barnes & Noble devices.
• User Feedback: Users appreciate the seamless integration with Nook eReaders and the added discounts for B&N members, although some dislike the DRM limitations.

Summary: Nook Audiobooks is an excellent option for Barnes & Noble loyalists who want to take advantage of exclusive discounts and device integration.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Part 5. Conclusion

Now that you have learned about apps like Audible, whether it is a free alternative to Audible or a cheaper Audible alternative app, you can choose the best alternative to Audible for you based on your actual needs and their pros and cons.

Moreover, before switching to other Audible alternatives, don't forget to use the AudFree Audible Audiobook Converter to download and back up your Audible audiobook collection locally. In this way, you can enjoy your favorite Audible books offline anytime without losing each of them.

Also, do you have other apps like Audible to listen to audiobooks? If so, let's hear your voice in the comment below.