6 Best Audiobook Subscription Platforms [My Recommendations]

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If you are new to audiobooks, one of the first questions you might have is: “What is the best audiobook subscription?”.

I have tried all major audiobook platforms over the years, this article covers the 6 best audiobook services that I confidently recommend to fellow audiobook lovers.

You can explore more of my recommendations (audiobook apps, devices, and gifting options) from the Resources section.

6 Best Audiobook Subscriptions

1. Audible – Best Overall Option

Audible is largest audiobook platforms with about 65% market share in the U.S., according to GoodEReader.

After years of using Audible and exploring all other major platforms, I can confidently say that Audible is the top audiobook subscription service overall.

Here are some of the membership benefits that make Audible the top audiobook platform.

• Extensive Audiobook Collection: With over 1 million titles, Audible offers the most comprehensive library, covering a wide range of genres and languages.
• The Plus Catalog: All Audible membership plans include unlimited access to the Plus Catalog, featuring over 70,000 titles from different categories.
• Sales and Deals: Audible offers some of the best sales and deals in the industry that allow you to grab your favorite title at discounted prices. Members get a 30% discount on all cash purchases.
• Credit System: Audible’s credit system makes it easy to obtain expensive titles at a lower cost. 2-for-1 credit deals allow you to get two titles using one credit.
• Return Policy: Audible has a generous return policy, allowing members to return any audiobook purchased with a credit within 365 days.

Audible also offers a 30-day free trial, giving you full access to all membership benefits. You can cancel anytime you want.

I would love to see Audible offer returns for cash purchases and support for downloading audiobooks in different formats to use with other apps and devices.

2. Libro.fm – Most Ethical Audiobook Platform

With over 500,000 audiobooks in catalog, Libro fm is one of the best audiobook platforms.

Libro fm is popular among audiobook lovers because of its ethical approaches, including:

•  Support for Local Bookstores: With every audiobook purchase, a portion (10% – 30%) goes to the local book store of your choice. A part of your membership fee also goes to these independent stores.
• Credits Never Expire: Your credits never expire, even if you cancel your membership. This means you can use them at your own pace.
• DRM – Free Audiobooks: Libro.fm is one of the few platforms offering DRM-Free audiobooks.

Libro.fm’s standard plan costs $14.99/ month and includes 1 credit to get any audiobook of your choice, 30% discount on all cash purchases, and access to the members exclusive sales and deals.

Note: You can sign up for Libro.fm membership using the promo code SWITCH and get 3 credits at sign up instead of 1.

You can download Libro fm audiobooks as MP3 files and listen on your favorite apps or MP3 players. Their recommendations are much better than Audible and other platforms

Libro.fm subscription falls short on the following points.

• They don’t offer free trial which is drawback for new users who want to try before they commit.
• Libro fm ditches customer reviews in favor of bookseller recommendations (which are pretty good).
• They don’t offer discounts on extra credit purchases like Audible.

Overall, its best Audible alternative and most ethical platform, especially if you are looking for audiobooks in MP3 format.

3. Chirp Audiobooks – Best Platform to Purchase Audiobooks without Subscription

If you want to buy audiobooks without a subscription, and save big while doing it, Chirp Audiobooks is my top recommendation. 

With Chirp, there is no monthly fee or commitment. Create a free account, select your favorite genres, and get personalized audiobook deals, often at up to 95% off the regular price.

Here are few things you need to know about how Chirp Audiobooks work.

• Most deals are under $5 with a general price range from $2.99 to $4.99
• Sales are for limited time so act fast to avail an offer. Deals show a countdown and last for a few days.
• You will get both popular titles and not so great audiobooks from your favorite categories. Select your favorite categories carefully during the sign-up process to receive good offers.
• You can view current sales, and browse less than $1, less than $3, and less than $7 deals on Chirp’s website.

There is no reason to not create an account on Chirp Audiobooks. You have nothing to lose and can score amazing deals and get audiobooks at huge discount.

Tip: Tap the heart icon on any book listing to add it to your Wish List. Chirp will notify you if that title goes on sale.

4. Kindle Unlimited – For Audiobooks & eBook Lovers

While Kindle Unlimited is primarily known as an eBook service, it also offers access to over 6,000 free audiobooks and the option to get tens of thousands of Audible titles at heavily discounted prices.

Join Kindle Unlimited 30-day free trial to get full access to the KU catalog for 1 month for free. 

Here is why I recommend Kindle Unlimited subscription to all book lovers.

• Members have unlimited access to over 4 million eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and comics
• You can borrow 20 books at a time. To borrow more, simply return a book from your library.
• You retain any audiobook purchased from Kindle Unlimited, even after canceling your membership.
• When you borrow eBook from KU, you get an offer to get the audio version (Audible book) at huge discount.

If you enjoy both audiobook and eBook formats, there is no better platform than Kindle Unlimited. Join the free trial to explore more.

More about Kindle Unlimited

• How to listen to audiobooks on Kindle Unlimited
• Audible vs Kindle Unlimited: What’s the Better Option?

5. Spotify – For Variety of Audio Content

Spotify has quickly become second-largest audiobook platform after Audible.

Spotify offers access to over 350,000 audiobooks, with 150,000+ available as part of Premium Subscription.

Spotify Premium members get 15 hours of free audiobook listening time every month from the Subscribers Catalog.

The following Premium plans come with 15 hours of audiobook time

• Premium Individual
• Premium Family [Plan Manager only]
• Premium Duo [Plan Manager only]

Note: The Premium Student plan is not eligible for free audiobook listening time.

Once you have used up your 15 hours, you can purchase extra audiobook listening time (10 hours for $12.99).

Spotify is the best audiobook subscription if you want to enjoy audiobooks , music and podcasts all in one place.

If you don’t want full premium membership benefits, you can join Audiobook Access Plan to get access to the audiobooks only.

Spotify is currently offering audiobooks in select countries.

6. Libby – To Borrow Audiobooks for Free from Local library

While Libby is not a subscription service like Audible, it’s one of the best ways to enjoy audiobooks for free.

Libby lets you borrow audiobooks, eBooks, magazines, and other digital content directly from your local library, all you need is a valid library card.

Over 90% public libraries in North America support Libby and it is available in over 78 countries in the world.

• Get started with Libby
• Libby app for iOS | Android

Other Audiobook Platforms You Should Consider

While the options above are my top picks, here are a few other audiobook platforms worth checking out.

• Everand: Everand was once my top-recommended audiobook subscription thanks to its unlimited access model for a flat monthly fee. However, after changing its subscription model, Everand has lost much of its original appeal and no longer stands out as a top value option.
• Audiobooks.com: With a catalog of over 500,000 titles, Audiobooks.com is a solid alternative for audiobook lovers. You can try it risk-free with a 30-day free trial and explore their offerings without commitment.
• Kobo Audiobooks: If you enjoy both audiobooks and eBooks, Kobo offers flexible membership plans that cater to both formats. Their free trial is a great opportunity to test the platform before subscribing.
• LibriVox: Love the classics? LibriVox is a volunteer-run platform that provides free public domain audiobooks.