The best free Audible alternatives are library apps like Libby and Hoopla, which let you borrow audiobooks with a library card. Paid options split into four models: DRM-free credit stores through Libro.fm, monthly listening hours included on Spotify, catalog borrowing through Kobo Plus, or pay-per-title deals on Chirp.
At ReadNext, when we match an audiobook to a listener, we look first at whether they want to keep the file, borrow it free, or listen to a lot each month, and each of those needs has a different best service.
The Best Audible Alternatives at a Glance
Pick by what you want from your listening routine. Free: Libby or Hoopla with a library card. Books you keep after cancelling: Libro.fm credits or Chirp deals. The most listening for one monthly fee: Kobo Plus Listen at $7.99. Already on Spotify Premium Individual: the 15 included hours a month. Ebooks and audiobooks in one plan: Everand.
Audible Standard costs $8.99 per month for one title from the collection, while Audible Premium costs $14.95 per month for one credit and catalog listening. By contrast, library apps cost nothing, and alternatives like Kobo Plus Listen or Chirp lower your monthly expense depending on how many titles you finish.
| Service | Price | Access Model | Keep After Cancelling? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | Free | Digital library loan (hold and wait when all copies are out) | No (library loan) | Borrowing audiobooks at zero cost |
| Hoopla | Free | Instant library borrows (monthly limit set by library) | No (library loan) | Immediate listening with no hold queues |
| Libro.fm | Varies by location (US price not confirmed) | 1 credit monthly for over 600,000 titles | Yes (DRM-free files and unused credits stay yours) | Supporting indie bookstores and owning files |
| Spotify Premium | Included with eligible Premium plans | 15 hours monthly from 700,000 titles | No (catalog streaming access) | Existing Spotify Premium Individual subscribers |
| Everand | $11.99 to $28.99/mo | 1 to 5 title unlocks per month from 1.5M+ titles | No (catalog access while subscribed) | Reading both ebooks and audiobooks |
| Kobo Plus Listen | $7.99/mo | Catalog access to over 150,000 audiobooks | No (catalog access while subscribed) | High-volume monthly listening on a budget |
| Chirp | Pay per title, no subscription (deals up to 95% off) | À la carte purchases, no recurring fees | Yes (purchased titles remain yours) | Casual listeners buying discounted titles |
Free Audiobooks From Library Apps
Library apps let you listen to digital audiobooks at zero cost using a library card. The Libby app connects to your local public library branch. It has no subscription costs, no in-app purchases, and no late fees. Libby lends digital copies that your library purchased directly.
When every digital copy of a popular title is checked out, you place a hold and wait for your turn (Libby hold guidelines). That system mirrors borrowing a physical book from a local branch. If you want a comparison of how digital lending systems work side by side, read our guide to Libby vs Hoopla.
Hoopla operates on an instant-borrow model funded by participating public libraries. Titles on Hoopla are always available without hold queues, provided you have monthly borrows remaining on your card.
Libro.fm for DRM-Free Audiobooks You Keep
Libro.fm matches Audible’s credit system while delivering DRM-free audio files that you keep permanently. Digital Rights Management (DRM) restricts playback to specific software. Because Libro.fm audiobooks lack DRM, you can listen on any computer, phone, or media player you prefer.
Monthly Libro.fm members get one audiobook credit per billing cycle, good on over 600,000 titles regardless of list price. Members also get 30% off extra à la carte purchases (Libro.fm membership terms). Annual plans provide 12 credits upfront. Check Libro.fm’s membership page for current monthly pricing in your location.
Credits on Libro.fm never expire, and you can use them on gifts. Members can pause or cancel at any time while retaining all purchased titles and unused credits. Membership also gives ongoing support to an independent bookshop you choose.
Spotify Audiobooks for Existing Subscribers
Spotify includes 15 hours of audiobook listening each month for eligible Premium subscribers. The listening time pulls from a catalog of over 700,000 audiobook titles (Spotify audiobook catalog). Premium Individual members receive access automatically, as do plan managers on Premium Family and Duo plans. Premium Student plans do not include monthly listening hours.
Unused hours expire when the month renews (Spotify plan details). You can buy top-ups in 10-hour increments, which remain valid for 12 months from purchase. Subscribers can also add the Audiobooks+ package for $11.99 a month to get 15 extra listening hours every month.
Flat-Rate Subscriptions and Pay-Per-Title Deals
Kobo Plus Listen costs $7.99 per month in the United States, and Kobo lists over 150,000 audiobooks. New subscribers get the first 14 days free. If you read both formats, Kobo offers the Read & Listen plan at $9.99 per month, which combines over 1.5 million ebooks with the audio collection.
Everand provides monthly title unlocks across a catalog of 1.5 million audiobooks and ebooks. The Standard plan costs $11.99 per month for 1 unlock. The Plus plan costs $16.99 monthly for 3 unlocks, while the Deluxe plan costs $28.99 for 5 unlocks. Unused unlocks roll over for up to six months. Everand Originals and podcasts need no unlock.
Chirp charges no recurring subscription fees and sells titles à la carte. Operated by the creators of BookBub, Chirp offers limited-time deals discounting titles by up to 95% (Chirp background). You keep purchased titles forever, and playback works on phones, computers, or Alexa devices. Google Play Books also sells audiobooks one title at a time, playing on computers, mobile phones, and Google Home or Assistant devices.
Kindle Unlimited Audiobooks and Narration
Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited audiobooks hub lists thousands of audiobooks at no extra cost: you download the title in the latest Kindle app and tap the headphones icon to listen. DealNews reports the US subscription costs $11.99 per month, though Amazon does not list a fixed monthly rate on its main signup page. Check the Kindle Unlimited signup page to verify your current rate and trial offer.
Members can borrow up to 20 titles at once across the catalog (Kindle Unlimited borrowing limits). Amazon’s hub describes Kindle Unlimited listening only in the Kindle app and does not say it works on Kindle e-readers, so check a title’s page before planning to listen on one.
Kindle Unlimited audiobooks are borrowed titles, meaning access ends if you cancel (Kindle Unlimited cancellation terms). If you want to compare Amazon’s reading subscription against its credit service, see our breakdown of Kindle Unlimited vs Audible. Prime members also receive access to Prime Reading, which includes a rotating selection of titles with narration.
When Audible Is the Better Fit
Audible fits better if you want a keep-forever credit and a listening catalog in one plan: Audible Premium gives 1 credit a month, and the title stays yours even if you cancel. The plan auto-renews at $14.95 per month after a 30-day free trial. Annual Audible Premium plans cost $149.50 for 12 credits upfront or $229.50 for 24 credits.
Audible Standard ($8.99 a month) lets you keep listening to your monthly selection only while you are a member. Premium’s Plus Catalog also goes when you cancel. Unused Premium credits expire after 12 months or upon cancellation.
Our recommendation would flip back to Audible if you usually listen to long audiobooks: one Premium credit buys a whole title, however long it runs, while Spotify Premium includes 15 hours a month. If you want to send a title to a friend instead of subscribing, check our guide on how to gift an audiobook. You can use our Reading Time Calculator to estimate how long a book takes you at your own pace, or find title recommendations with our What should I read quiz. Try downloading Libby today to test your local library catalog.