What are free alternatives to Audible?

Finding a free Audible alternative is easier than you think. Here are some platforms and apps you can try the next time you’re searching for your favorite audiobooks and Kindle eBooks.

Anyone who has listened to an audiobook knows about Audible, even if they haven’t used the platform. It’s one of the most familiar audiobook apps on the market, with one of the largest audiobook collections, similar to Audiobooks.com, Downpour or Libro.fm.

But there’s one caveat. Audible doesn’t offer free books. Many users argue that the monthly subscription fee is pricey even though it provides access to popular audiobooks.

Fortunately, finding a free Audible alternative is easier than you think. Here are some platforms and apps you can try the next time you’re searching for your favorite audiobooks and Kindle eBooks.

The free Audible alternatives

Five Audible alternatives are game-changers for avid readers with little time on their hands.

Hoopla

Hoopla is a digital library that allows users with compatible library cards to borrow audiobooks, movies and other media for free. It has one of the largest collections of free public domain books and content from Ingram, Open Road Integrated Media and other publishers.

From a compatibility standpoint, Hoopla caters to a diverse audience. Its app works with Android, iOS, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Chromecast devices. As a bonus, you won’t find in-app purchases and ads that can ruin your experience.

Of course, there are some limitations.

Hoopla users can’t borrow more than 15 free audiobooks each month. The number could be lower, depending on your library membership.

Few people go through 15 books monthly. But since audiobooks enable easier multitasking and content consumption, users might find this limitation frustrating.

The good news is that the extensive collection and genre diversity can compensate for the limit on audiobook borrowing.

Libby

Libby is one of the best Audible alternatives. The audiobook service can connect local library cards to a digital library with eBooks and audiobooks.

It has a simple and intuitive interface and an audiobook player resembling Audible’s.

Audiobook listeners can adjust playback speed, skip sections a few seconds at a time, create bookmarks and set sleep timers. You can download audiobooks, meaning you don’t need an internet connection at all times.

But that doesn’t mean Libby is a perfect service. First, though Libby is free, not all libraries issue free cards. Second, users can only access audiobooks in their local library’s collection. Finally, every item in the collection gets the same limited-time treatment as physical library books. Users borrow and hold audiobooks. That means that if someone checks out a book with a single copy, other users must wait until it’s available to borrow.

Still, Libby is compatible with iOS and Android devices and can help anyone who already has a library card.

LibriVox

If you want free audiobooks, LibriVox is an excellent platform to use. It has a collection of at least 50,000 audiobooks, all public domain works. By focusing on public domain literature, every audiobook creator on LibriVox can share their work for free with tusers.

That’s what powers the LibriVox machine. It has a community of volunteers that read, record and edit audiobooks.

The digital library has an iOS and an Android app, making it an ideal choice for mobile device users. In addition, the app has a basic audiobook player that focuses on accessibility and functionality instead of fancy bells and whistles.

Users can expect new releases almost daily in the ever-expanding LibriVox library.

But the platform has a significant drawback: The very thing that enables it to be free is what limits the collection. Public domain audiobooks are usually classic literary works. Although they can provide countless hours of entertainment, the classics aren’t for every audience.

Users who want various eStories and new books might need an additional Audible alternative.

Overdrive

As you can tell, many Audible book alternative platforms involve some form of local public library partnership. The same goes for Overdrive. But what differentiates Overdrive is its extensive library network that covers more than 40 countries.

It’s easily one of the most generous digital collections of free audiobooks and bestsellers for people with local library memberships. And unlike similar services, Overdrive doesn’t restrict user access to local libraries. A card for any library in the Overdrive network grants unlimited access to the platform’s entire digital collection of popular titles.

Users can download the app on their iPhones or Android devices or use the browser version of the platform.

Likewise, you’ll find plenty of variety and free audiobooks from public domain literature and top global publishers.

Speechify

Speechify represents a different and compelling alternative to Audible, Spotify podcasts, Scribd, Chirp audiobooks, Kobo Books, Apple Books and Nook audiobooks. Although it offers some audiobooks, it’s not a free audiobook library. Instead, Speechify is a text to speech reader available through a subscription service. It uses speech synthesis and computer-generated voices to convert eBooks into audiobooks. That unlocks far more reading and listening opportunities for the user than a conventional audiobook program.

The player enables playback control. Users can pick their favorite high-quality voices and listen to their non-DRM eBooks and hard copy books in a well-designed player.

Moreover, Speechify doesn’t limit people to specific platforms or operating systems. It works on Android, iPhones, iPads, macOS and Windows desktop machines. Thanks to its customization options, subscribers can turn it into the best audiobook player.

Free audiobooks are harder to come by than eBooks. But the internet is saturated with free eBooks. Therefore, the only real barrier to accessing your favorite audio content is lacking a way to turn digital text into sound. Speechify empowers listeners to overcome that barrier and listen to as much audio as they like.

Try Speechify for free

Using Speechify can offer many advantages, whether you use the free version or become a premium member. You can scan hard copy books directly into the app and have it read the words aloud using OCR technology.

Naturally, you can upload more types of files and read short stories, web pages, PDFs, emails, entire Google Play books, etc. The text to speech reader does a great job of shortening your listening sessions by pushing the boundaries of the playback speed.

If you can handle it, the player goes up to nine times faster than the average reading speed.

Even better, it comes with a playlist feature, text highlighting and real-time narrations. This enables users with reading disabilities to improve their language comprehension and reading skills. When necessary, you can import Audible Originals audiobooks and use high-quality Speechify voices.

If you’re ready to turn any eBook into an audiobook and consume more content than ever, you can try Speechify for free.