Libro.FM is an audiobook platform that allows readers to support local bookstores with every purchase. But is the membership affordable for avid readers?

Libro.FM Cost: What You’re Paying For?

How Does Libro.fm Work?

Libro.fm is a profit-sharing audiobook platform that allows readers to purchase their favorite digital audiobooks to enjoy on any ios or android device or through the Libro.fm Audiobooks App while supporting their favorite local bookstore. 

They offer a free version and a paid subscription service. In the free version, readers can browse the audiobook catalog and make purchases à la carte at list price while supporting their local bookstores. Additionally, in the paid version, the audiobook service offers the libro.fm membership which is a subscription service similar to audible where users are given a “free” credit to use on any participating audiobook regardless of list price.

How Much Does Libro.fm Cost?

The cost of libro.fm depends on a few important factors, including your membership status.

As a free member, your account gives you access to 250,000 titles in the libro.fm catalog‒at list price. Browse Should your audiobook listening wish-list include more expensive books like The Miracle Power of Your Mind: The Joseph Murphy Treasury by Joseph Murphy, you may be paying upwards of $100 per month to listen to your favorite titles. 

As a paid member, your monthly fee of $14.99 USD plus tax enrolls you in their subscription service where you receive 1 free audiobook credit to use toward any participating title in the catalog. If you desire additional audiobook listening, paid members may take advantage of the membership perks by making à la carte purchases for 30% off the list price of any title. Or, you can purchase additional credits as gifts and apply them directly to your account to use toward any participating audiobook in the catalog. Unfortunately, for avid readers, an audiobook subscription that covers one book per month may not be enough. That means, cost starts at $14.99 per month and goes up depending on your listening appetite. 

However, there are options available to make libro.fm more affordable. For example, members can apply to become an affiliate and get paid for recruiting new members to the subscription service. As affiliates, they can share playlists, recruit their book club members, promote new releases, and tell their friends about their favorite audiobook through social media. Affiliates earn a percentage-based commission on each audiobook, gift membership and monthly membership sold by referral. 

You may not have to pay for the membership, but you have to purchase the books. (libro.fm for reference)

If you’re looking to save money on audiobooks, you might be tempted to skip the paid membership and opt in to the libro.fm free account. As a free account holder, you can still support your local bookstores and local economy; however, you have to purchase the books individually. To make the platform more user-friendly, libro.fm claims to have lowered the list price of audiobooks as much as licensing limitations allow. Unfortunately, the cost of individual audiobooks without the monthly subscription price still may not be feasible for all consumers.

On the other hand, listeners who enjoy re-listening to their favorite audiobook will be pleased to know that they can pause their membership at any time and retain the rights to any audiobooks they have purchased through their account as well as any credits they have acquired. This user-friendly option gives audiobook lovers the chance to acquire a tantalizing list of non-fiction and fiction which they can play and replay on the free libro.fm app. 

It may not be the best audiobook platform available to cost-conscious audio-book readers, but it has the added benefit of supporting local economy and creating jobs which makes it one intriguing alternative to other big-name platforms such as audible and scribd. 

How do you listen to audiobooks on Libro.fm?

Tech savvy audiobook listeners wondering, “What devices can I use with Libro.fm?” will be happy to know that audiobooks purchased through Libro.fm are available on both apple and android products such as Kindle. “Is Libro.com DRM-free? Yes, audiobooks purchased through libro.fm are DRM-free, so users can download and play them on various applications. However, users are encouraged to download the libro.fm app to listen and to take advantage of the perks. Some of the perks available in the app are the adjustable playback speed, sleep timer, bookmarks and automatic syncing so you never lose your place when switching between devices.

How Do You Cancel Libro.fm?

If you need to take a break from monthly membership fees or cancel your Libro.fm membership for any reason, it’s easy to do so at any time. Members who pause rather than cancel their memberships will be able to hang on to their credits and purchases, which are stored in the cloud for user convenience. 

This option does allow users an affordable option when they need to cut back on expenses without the drawbacks of losing previous purchases. The downside is that they lose membership perks such as downloading new books using their credits. They are free to re-enroll in the monthly membership to continue using their credits or to gift credits to friends and family. 

How Does Libro.fm’s Selection Compare to Audible or iTunes?

Avid readers looking for an affordable alternative to Audible or iTunes may be less than impressed by the selection of books available for download. Libro.fm boasts over 250,000 titles available including new releases and best sellers. In comparison, Audible’s partnership with Amazon gives them a competitive edge with more than 450,000 titles available for purchase including podcasts and New York Times best sellers as well as an impressive collection of over 11,000 audiobook titles reserved for Premium Plus members.

iTunes doesn’t disclose a specific number of audiobooks but has an impressive library of searchable, podcasts and more all available for purchase and download on Apple devices. 

Support your local bookstore with Libro.FM

One of the biggest advantages to downloading audiobooks through Libro.FM’s catalog of bestellers, new releases, classics, etc. is that users are able to select from local or indie bookstores in their area and automatically donate a portion of their purchase price to keep these small business booksellers afloat. 

Despite the obvious philanthropic benefit, frugal audiobook consumers may consider this a drawback to their membership. It begs the questions: How much does Libro.fm give to bookstores? How does Libro.fm make money? Are listeners paying more per book because of hidden mark-ups?

Alternative to Libro.FM: Speechify

Contrary to popular belief, audiobook platforms such as iTunes, Audible and Speechify are not the only options available to frugal audiobook consumers. 

One of the most exciting alternatives to Libro.FM is Speechify. Speechify is a text to speech reader, available on Android, iOS, and as a Chrome extension, that allows users to listen to any written text, including e-books, with 30+ natural, human-like voices.  

Through Speechify’s free version, users can access 10+ voices and listen at 1x speed. But for just under $12/month, audiobook lovers have access to all of Speechify’s premium features including even more high quality, natural reading voices, 20+ different languages, ability to listen at 5x faster speeds, skipping and importing options, as well as highlighting + note taking tools. 

Speechify will read any text

Audio-reading capabilities are unlimited as Speechify will allow you to use any device to read text, ebooks, webpages, PDF documents, online textbooks, emails, etc. If it’s in written form, Speechify’s user-friendly text-to-speech reader will read it aloud. With Speechify, you can turn ebooks into free audiobooks.

You can purchase books or get other digital reading material from anywhere (Local bookstores or not!)

Audiobook lovers don’t have to split the profits between their favorite local bookstore or independent bookstore and a third party. They can ensure 100% of the profits go to supporting the local economy by purchasing their digital reading materials directly from local sellers. And they won’t have to worry that they are paying more than they have to in order to support local business. 

Speechify is an all-in-one solution

In contrast to audiobook platforms that are limited in scope, Speechify is an all-in-one solution for audio-processors who prefer to consume content by ear. You can turn any ebook into an audiobook with this affordable text-to-speech reader. 

Try Speechify before Libro.FM

Speechify.com makes it easy for users to try the text-to-speech option before committing to costly audio-book platforms that may or may not have the selections they desire. Sign up for a free membership or upgrade to premium to listen to any text, anywhere, any time.  

PEOPLE ALSO ASK

Questions

• Is Libro.fm free?

Libro.fm has a free account option for users who want to browse the library and save purchases to the cloud. However, audiobooks are only available for purchase. Users must make a purchase to take advantage of Libro.fm’s audiobook options. 

• Do Libro.fm credits expire?

Libro.fm’s credits do not expire, but they can only be used to purchase audiobooks available in the Libro.fm platform and participating in this cost-saving option. 

• What languages does Libro.fm support?

Libro.fm does not address multiple languages in the help section. However, because audiobooks are read by humans, it is assumed that they are only available in the languages that have been recorded. 

• What is Libro.fm?

Libro.fm is an audiobook membership platform that shares a portion of its profits with local bookstores.