How to listen to audiobooks without Amazon

You’re a fan of audiobooks, but you may have issues with purchasing titles from Amazon. This online retailer has had its share of controversy, which is why you might want to find another way to enjoy your favorite titles.

Luckily, there are many ways to do so.

Why you’d want to avoid Amazon

Many people use Amazon Kindle to read digital content. However, the platform also has an audiobook service—Audible. Amazon’s Audible can be convenient, but you might want to consider avoiding the app for several reasons:

Company working conditions

Amazon is one of the most outspoken opponents of unionization and has been the subject of many labor law discussions in and out of the courtroom. Additionally, some workers have complained about poor conditions, which they claim have led to daily workplace accidents.

A challenger to independent bookstores and small businesses

Many journalists have reported that Amazon collects data from other bookshops to develop competing products. It’s been reported that after creating a knockoff product, they allegedly manipulate search results in their favor.

Tax issues

A few years ago, the public scrutinized Amazon when the company didn’t pay anything in federal income taxes despite profiting $11 billion and receiving $129 million in rebates.

Environmental concerns

According to reports, the retailer created nearly 600 million pounds of plastic waste in 2022. Almost 25 million pounds of that ended up in oceans, equal to dumping a van of plastic waste into the water every hour or so.

Where to get audiobooks outside Amazon

Here are a few ways to circumvent the Amazon audible app when listening to audiobooks by getting them from other providers:

Your public library

Getting a public library card is a great way to listen to audiobooks of any genre. Most providers in the US use Overdrive to offer their titles. The app replicates the standard library experience and works great in most cases.

Once you log in, you can check out curated collections and search for specific authors or titles. However, the library typically buys several licenses for each audiobook, meaning you might not be able to access them right away.

The good news is that the audiobook app alerts you when you can download the titles. It even estimates how long you’ll wait to eliminate some of the guesswork.

Overdrive has received many updates since its release and is now known as Libby. This app has a straightforward interface that’s fully compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Besides Overdrive, public libraries may also use Hoopla. It’s convenient, but it mostly features non-fiction and classics.

Libro.FM

Like the Audible subscription service, Libro.FM comes with a monthly subscription fee. This charge gives you access to in-app credits you can spend however you want. Each book costs one credit, which is basically the same as an Audible membership.

The monthly fee is worth it if you don’t plan on listening to multiple audiobooks per month. After using up your credits, you can buy books a la carte. These may come with significant discounts.

But unlike Audible Premium Plus and other offers from the Audible library, the sales from Libro.FM go to an indie bookstore of your choosing. You can select a retailer when signing up, and anything you spend on the platform is split between Libro.FM and the bookseller.

Audiobook listeners can change their preferred bookseller whenever necessary.

Spotify

Using Spotify might be the simplest way to avoid Audible originals and Audible Plus new releases. You need only create an account, which is usually free. The available audiobooks are mostly from the public domain, but Spotify has sponsored many classic titles, such as Passing, Great Expectations, and Persuasion.

This feature is great because it turns each chapter into a podcast episode.

Scribd

If you need to access audiobook bestsellers on your Apple iPhone without subscribing to Audible’s Whispersync, consider Scribd. It’s a relatively affordable platform with a flat-fee monthly model that unlocks unlimited titles. In addition, it lets you listen to your content for free for your first two months.

Unlike Libro.FM or Audible, Scribd doesn’t allow you to hold onto your titles forever after unlocking them for a month. In this respect, Scribd does the same as Netflix in the video content sphere.

Chirp

Chirp is an audiobook platform without hold lines or membership fees. Once you buy an audiobook, you become the owner.

Using Chirp is easy. You need only set up your account and tell the platform the kind of audiobooks you want. From there, Chirp sends regular emails when matching titles are on sale.

Audiobooks.com

Audiobooks.com can be a great solution for accessing many popular books. It comes with a monthly subscription that lets you share your library with your family. There are also 2-for-1 deals and free VIP downloads.

LibriVox

Another app you can check out is LibriVox. It provides free audiobooks in the public domain, and most of them are classics. This makes it an excellent choice if you want to revisit timeless titles or complete school assignments.

Speechify

Speechify is a top-rated audiobook service. There are numerous titles from your favorite authors, such as Stephen King, J.K. Rowling,  Tolkien, Paulo Coelho, Laura Dave, and Arthur Conan Doyle. You can buy your first audiobook for just $1 without purchasing a subscription.

Speechify also has a host of features to boost your listening experience. You can adjust the sleep timer to prevent missing key details and speed up the recording by as much as 4.5 times. All of which promise an unforgettable audiobook journey.

Get started with Speechify and enjoy thousands of audiobooks

You can’t go wrong with Speechify if you need high-quality audiobooks. Download the app today from Google Play or App Store and explore the vast library.

FAQ

Can you listen to Audible without an Amazon account?

You can only listen to Audible audiobooks by creating an Amazon account.

Can I listen to an audiobook without a subscription?

Some providers, such as Speechify, enable you to listen to audiobooks without a subscription.

What are the best ways to listen to audiobooks without Amazon?

There are many exceptional alternatives to Amazon Audible books, including Speechify and your local library.