Audiobooks not from Amazon

Amazon and Amazon’s Audible are among the most popular services for books and audiobooks. This is no surprise since they offer millions of titles and great features. Still, some readers may decide to explore other options for different reasons.

In this article, we’ll go over the best alternatives to Amazon’s audiobook services.

Alternative sources of audiobooks

Here’s a list of the best Audible alternatives. Some of these services offer free books, while others require a subscription. Many offer limited-time deals on the price of the subscription.

Libro.fm

If you don’t want to listen to Audible books, Libro.fm can be a great choice.

Libro.fm is an audiobook platform that lets you purchase DRM-free audiobooks from your local independent bookstore, thus supporting your community. When you sign up, you can choose a bookstore you’d like to help, and they’ll receive a portion of your every purchase.

This platform offers more than 300,000 audiobooks belonging to different genres. One of the best things about this app is its exceptional sound quality. Audiobook listeners can enjoy the high-resolution sound with no disruptions.

Libro.fm is a subscription-based service, and monthly membership costs $14.99 plus tax. The membership includes one free audiobook per month, audiobook credits, a 30% discount when purchasing audiobooks, and free and easy returns.

The platform also offers a la carte purchases for those who don’t listen to audiobooks often.

Libro.fm is available for Windows and Mac computers. You can also download the app to your iOS or Android device.

Scribd

Another exceptional platform for listening to audiobooks is Scribd. This e-book and audiobook subscription service lets users explore and enjoy millions of titles. Moreover, the platform offers access to more than 60 million documents.

While some titles and documents are free, you’ll need to purchase a subscription if you want unlimited access to the entire library. The monthly subscription fee is $11.99 plus tax.

Unlike Audible and Libro.fm, you don’t own any of the titles on Scribd. However, as long as you have a subscription, you can enjoy all titles this platform offers. Moreover, you’re not limited to a specific number of audiobooks you can listen to each month.

From popular titles, bestsellers, and new releases to less popular work and public domain titles, Scribd has something to offer everyone.

Libby

Libby is a unique app that lets you borrow free audiobooks, e-books, and magazines from your local library. All you need to borrow titles is a valid library card.

The Libby app is straightforward to use. Once you download it, search for your library, explore its collection, and choose the titles you want to listen to or read. You can place holds, review the list of the most popular titles, and borrow the desired titles.

All loans are available for download to your device for offline use by default. Plus, they’re returned automatically on their due date, so there’s no need to worry about late fees.

The app is available for Apple and Android devices.

Spotify

Spotify is a popular music and podcast streaming platform that offers incredible functionality for creating curated playlists, exploring new releases, and enjoying millions of songs. In September 2022, Spotify announced it was entering the audiobook market.

At the time of writing, Spotify offers more than 300,000 titles to its users. Purchasing audiobooks is currently only possible through the Spotify Web Player. Once you purchase them, you can listen to them on your mobile app.

As you may know, Spotify has a free and paid (premium) version. If you want to use all its features and stop seeing ads, you should consider investing in the premium subscription that costs $4.99 per month or more, depending on the selected plan.

Listen to more than audiobooks with Speechify

Audiobook sites and apps are excellent places for exploring thousands, if not millions, of titles. However, they aren’t the only way to listen to audiobooks. Platforms like Speechify let you listen to any text and enjoy exceptional functionality that can enhance user experience.

Speechify is a text to speech service that allows users to convert digital text to speech. The platform uses cutting-edge technology to convert text into natural-sounding language. With Speechify, any text can have an audio format in only a few clicks.

The service enables users to select their preferred language, accent, and voice. Users can choose from 20 languages and 30 male and female voices. Moreover, they can adjust the playback speed, use bookmarking and note-taking tools, and download files for offline use.

The platform also lets you scan an image of a text and transform it into speech. Thanks to this platform, you can turn web pages, documents, or books into audio without difficulty.

Speechify is available on Mac and Windows computers. iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android users will be happy to know they can download the Speechify app from the respective app stores.

Try Speechify for free and discover its features.

FAQ

Does Audible have a competitor?

Yes, Audible has numerous competitors, including Libby, Scribd, LibriVox, OverDrive, Hoopla, Spotify, Chirp, NOOK Audiobooks, Google Play Books, Kobo, Downpour, and audiobooks.com.

What is the best audiobook app?

It’s impossible to determine which audiobook app is the best because the answer depends on one’s personal preferences and budget.

What does Audible cost?

Audible offers two monthly subscription plans: Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus. The former costs $7.95 per month, while the latter costs $14.95 per month. If you’re unsure which plan suits you better, you can take advantage of the 30-day free trial.

How do I download audiobooks to my phone?

You can download audiobooks to your phone by visiting one of the online platforms, finding the desired title, and pressing “Download” or “Save.”

What are the benefits of audiobooks?

Audiobooks have numerous benefits. First, they allow us to expand our knowledge and enjoy new titles. Second, they enhance our language skills, improve reading, fluency, and pronunciation, and increase comprehension and focus. Finally, they are convenient, portable, and enable us to multitask while listening.