10 Best Free & Paid Audiobook Apps - Tested in 2026
By 2026, there are already plenty of popular audiobook apps that offer something for every type of listener. From there, it’s pretty easy to enjoy a great selection of audiobooks. But what's the best audiobook app for you? In this test of 2026, we broke down the 10 best audiobook apps — including free and paid ones, as well as the best Libby converter to keep your audiobooks forever.
Part 1: Quick Overview: 10 Best Free & Paid Audiobook Apps in 2026
Before getting into the detailed reviews, here’s a quick glance at the basic info and standout features of these 10 audiobook apps.
| App | Price | Compatibility | Main Content | Library Size | Download Offline | No Ads | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | Free | iOS, Android, Web | Audiobooks, ebooks, magazines | Large | √ | √ | ☆ 4.8 |
| LibriVox | Free | iOS, Android, Web | Public domain classics | Medium | √ | × | ☆ 4.6 |
| Chirp Audiobooks | Per-book payment | iOS, Android, Web | Popular audiobooks | Medium | √ | √ | ☆ 4.6 |
| Audiobooks HQ | Free + IAP | iOS | Mixed audiobooks | Medium | √ (limited) | × | ☆ 4.6 |
| hoopla | Free | iOS, Android, Web | Audiobooks, movies | Medium | √ | √ | ☆ 4.6 |
| Audiobooks.com | ~$14.95/month | iOS, Android, Web | Premium audiobooks | Large | √ (credit required) | √ | ☆ 4.5 |
| Audible | ~$8.99–$14.95/month | iOS, Android, Web | Audiobook, exclusive books | Very large (500k+) | √ | √ | ☆ 4.6 |
| Everand | ~$11.99/month | iOS, Android, Web | Audiobooks, ebooks | Large | √ | √ | ☆ 3.6 |
| Pocket FM | Freemium | iOS, Android | Serialized stories, audiobooks | Small | √ (limited) | × | ☆ 4.5 |
| Spotify | Free / Premium | iOS, Android, Desktop, Web | Audiobooks, music, podcasts | Large | √ (Premium) | √ (Premium) | ☆ 4.3 |
#1. Libby - Best Free Audiobook App
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Free
🌟Rating: 4.8/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Loan multiple audiobooks from your local library at no cost.
Libby, unsurprisingly goes to the top pick if you're on the hunt for a cost-free audiobook app . By using an eligible library card, you're allowed to borrow audiobooks, ebooks, and magazines from the library collection for free. Since the load period is typically about 21 days, some readers may return it and get it re-borrowed to extend the usage. What's more, it's also feasible to get Libby books on some e-readers, such as Kindle or Kobo.
✅ Pros
- Ad-free and easy to use.
- Free access to audiobooks & ebooks via a library card.
- Massive collection of books.
- Support free download & offline listening.
- Listen from the website online or the app.
❌ Cons
- A library card is a must.
- Have borrow period limits (not over one month).
- Not all titles have audiobooks.
Want to download Libby audiobooks for offline listening with no limits? Try this AnyLibro Converter. (More details in Part 2)
#2. Librivox - Free Platform of Public Audiobooks
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Free
🌟Rating: 4.6/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Listening to public-domain classic literature – totally free of charge.
LibriVox houses a huge catalogue of public domain audiobooks that are narrated by volunteers. It is free and open-source, so you can directly stream or download these audiobook recordings without a subscription or registration. No complex workflow is needed – just type the title, author or reader in its advanced search bar, and you will find and listen to the books.
✅ Pros
- 100% free audiobooks.
- User-friendly UI that's simple to use.
- Available in many languages.
- Download audiobooks as many as you want.
- No licensing, allows for sharing.
❌ Cons
- Fewer genres, limited to classic books.
- Can’t sort options by popularity.
- Mixed audio quality.
#3. Chirp Audiobooks
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Pay for $1–$10 per book
🌟Rating: 4.6/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Budget listeners who just want to purchase the book they want.
Chirp Audiobooks is not subscription-based but mainly runs on pay-per-book . Users simply buy the desired titles, and they keep them in the Chirp library for unlimited listening. The platform is accessible via both the web page and the mobile app. Apart from daily deals and discounted audiobooks, it also offers a one-page list of free titles, some of which allow free downloads.
✅ Pros
- No membership fee, no ads.
- Allow keeping purchased books permanently.
- Embed a full description and reviews for each.
- Lots of discounts and deals.
❌ Cons
- Need to buy each audiobook.
- Limited collection.
- Open to United States and Canada only.
#4. Audiobooks HQ - Best Free Audiobook App for iPhone
📲 Availabilty: iOS
💰 Cost: Free version (ads included); each premium title costs $1.99.
🌟Rating: 4.6/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: iOS users who prefer going through classic audiobooks without subscription.
Audiobooks HQ is another app that provides free public audiobooks and optional paid titles . Surprisingly enough, this app includes LibriVox's recordings, inside which you can explore its full catalog and download to listen offline. Since the library is focused on classics and public-domain content, it is less ideal if you want the contemporary bestsellers. Plus, it runs on iOS only and does not offer an Android version.
✅ Pros
- A bundle of free audiobooks available (over 100,000).
- Include offline downloads.
- Large library of classics.
- Adjustable playback speed and sleep timer.
❌ Cons
- Ad-sponsored free version.
- Not compatible with Android.
- Narration quality varies.
#5. hoopla - Best Free Library App
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Free version (ads included); each premium title costs $1.99.
🌟Rating: 4.6/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Listening to audiobooks without paying a penny.
Similar to Lbby, Hoopla enables listeners to take in audiobooks by using a library card. It is straightfoward to use-just browse, search, borrow, and listen your favorate titles with no waiting lists. It is worth noting that Hoopla is more versatile, compared to Libby. Not just for e-books and audiobooks, the app lets users borrow all sorts of digital contents, such as movies, TV shows, tracks, and the like.
✅ Pros
- Totally free to use.
- Instant book borrows, with no hold lists.
- Rich resource: audiobooks, ebooks, movies, comics, TV shows, etc.
- Support to download audiobooks for offline use.
❌ Cons
- Have a borrow limits each month.
- Less latest blockbuster releases.
#6. Audiobooks.com - Best Audible Alternative
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: $14.95/month
🌟Rating: 4.5/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: People seeking the best Audible’s alternative to get audiobooks through credits.
Audiobooks.com makes it convenient to stream, download, and play 500,000+ audiobooks on your computer and mobile phone. The catalog includes audiobooks across many genres and ages, with featured collections like new releases, bestsellers, discounts, and curated booklists. Much like Audible, you can make full use of monthly credits for premium titles . Besides, according to our test, the app's user interface is clean and simple, so the whole operation is super easy for even new users.
✅ Pros
- Intuitive UI that's simple to navigate.
- Wide range of genres.
- Download audiobooks for listening without internet.
- Bookmarks, a sleep timer, and notes are included.
❌ Cons
- Smaller exclusive content.
- Come with credit limit per month.
#7. Audible - Best Paid Audiobook App
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Standard plan for $8.99/month, Premium Plus for $14.95/month
🌟Rating: 4.6/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Frequent listeners who fancy the largest audiobooks and the highest-quality narration.
Speaking of audiobook apps, you may be well familiar with Audible. The service is owned by Amazon and gains much popularity from its enormous library. It is effortless to find and pick bestsellers, originals, and high-quality productions with professional narrators. Since the app adopts the subscription-based model, users can upgrade to the paid plan to unlock the Plus library content. Plus, any audiobook can be redeemed with monthly credits if you're on the Premium Plus plan.
✅ Pros
- Massive library of audiobooks to choose from.
- Very smooth reading experience.
- Offer exclusive narrations that cannot be found elsewhere.
- Wide compatibility and sync across devices.
- Can keep audiobooks bought with credits (even if the subscription ends).
❌ Cons
- Limited credits per month.
- Too many costs if you listen a lot.
#8. Everand - Best Book Reading App
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Start at $11.99/month
🌟Rating: 3.6/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Readers who like exploring different genres of audiobooks and ebooks.
A reading subscription app that puts tons of audiobooks, ebooks, podcasts, and originals at its subscribers' fingertips. Subscribing to different paid plans will get different unlocks, which are used for getting premium audiobooks or ebooks. But you'd better use it before it expires, as unused unlocks do not roll over to the next month. Apart from online streaming, it embeds various features like offline downloads, speed control, sleep timer, bookmarks, highlighting, and so on.
✅ Pros
- Broad collection of audiobooks and ebooks.
- Offer plenty of useful reading/listening tools.
- Multi-device support.
❌ Cons
- Limited access to popular titles.
- The user reviews are not very high.
- The unlocks cannot be stacked in the next month.
#9. Pocket FM - Best Audio-series Storytelling App
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: Start at $11.99/month
🌟Rating: 4.5/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Readers who like exploring different genres of audiobooks and ebooks.
Are you inclined to episodic fiction like TV shows in audio form? Pocket FM is a wonderful shot. Instead of traditional audiobooks, this storytelling app aims to deliver serialized stories in a drama-style format. There is a wide range of content pieces across genres, ranging from romance, horror, and thriller to fantasy, etc—all performed by voice actors. The fans can jump directly into individual episodes rather than full books.
✅ Pros
- Offer free episodes daily.
- Wide selection of genres.
- Allows downloading episodes for offline listening
❌ Cons
- Limited selection of traditional or classic audiobooks
- Not budget-friendly, each episode costs coins.
- Some episodes are too short (around 5–10 minutes).
#10. Spotify - Best All-in-one App for Audiobooks & Music
📲 Availabilty: Web | Android | iOS
💰 Cost: $9.99/month for Audiobooks Access Plan; $11.99/month for Spotify Premium
🌟Rating: 4.3/5 [from Google]
🎯Best for: Music enthusiasts who want to combine trending music and audiobooks into one place.
Spotify is not only a leading music streaming platform, but it also acts as an audiobook app that banks on over 500,000 audiobook titles. Unlike common subscription-based audiobook platforms, Spotify usually counts listening hours, with up to 15 hours monthly. If you're a previous Spotify Premium users, you don't need to pay for an extra plan.
✅ Pros
- One-stop app for music, audiobooks, and podcasts.
- Included with Spotify Premium.
- Large and growing catalog.
- Easy for browsing and sampling.
❌ Cons
- Additional listening time requires purchases, not good for long books.
- The student plan isn’t eligible for audiobook listening time.
- Not able to keep books.
Bonus Tricks: Download and Keep Libby Audiobooks Forever with AnyLibro
If you're already using Libby to borrow audiobooks from your public library, you'll find the books will expire after 21 days. Looking to download and back up your desired Libby audiobooks for offline listening anywhere ? AnyLibro Converter is the perfect solution.
AnyLibro Converter batch converts Libby audiobooks, e-books, and magazines to MP3, M4A, M4B, or EPUB formats at a rapid speed. It is useful to back up your top Libby titles to the local computer while preserving cover art and all metadata. Once converted, you can keep these Libby book playback forever, and even transfer them to any device for enjoyment without the Libby app.
AnyLibro Converter
How to Download Audiobooks from Libby for Offline Listening
Step 1. Log in to Your Library Card
Install and run AnyLibro Converter, click the Search icon, and type in your library’s name. Sign in using your library card credentials to grant access to your borrowed audiobooks.
Step 2. Borrow Your Books
Search and borrow the titles you want on the Libby interface. If you’ve reached your loan limit, return some books before adding new ones.
Step 3. Adjust Output Settings
Open the Settings menu by clicking the gear icon. Choose the audiobook format, or adjust output folders or file names if necessary.
Step 4. Add Borrowed Audiobooks for Conversion
On the Libby Shelf, open the audiobooks you want to convert. You'll see a plus icon at the lower right corner, click it to load the audiobook to AnyLibro Converter.
Step 5. Download Libby Audiobooks to MP3
Click the Download button to start converting Libby audiobooks to MP3. After conversion, you can read your Libby books offline anytime, anywhere.
Part 3. Verdict: What’s the Best Audiobook App?
Bravo! With numerous options available, it’s essential to identify the functionalities that matter most to you. Now, we make a summary based on different preferences.
Best Free Audiobook Apps: Libby, Hoopla
If budget is your top concern, start with Libby and Hoopla. You can listen to audiobooks for free with a simple library card. To keep Libby audiobooks forever for free, just hand down AnyLibro Converter.
Best Free Public Domain Audiobook Platform: LibriVox, Audiobooks HQ
You can enjoy classic literature that is in the public domain for free listening.
Best Paid Audiobook Apps: Audible, Audiobooks.com
It's smart to spend your credits on the books you actually want — and both Audible and Audiobooks.com reward that approach in their own way.
Best for Large Libraries Content: Audible, Everand, Hoopla
For paid listeners who want the deepest audiobook-only catalog, Audible is unrivaled. For the biggest free library, Hoopla wins hands-down. For readers who consume books and audio all at once, Everand is the best value bundle.
Best for Offline Listening: Chirp Audiobooks, Audiobooks.com, Everand, Audible
Ideal for downloading your cherry-picked audiobooks and listening with no network needed—on planes or anywhere connectivity is unreliable.
Wrapping It Up
Audiobook lovers now have a detailed list of the 10 best audiobook apps for Android and iOS devices, so they don't have to worry about finding the right one. Choose the one you like best, whether it's for free listening or a paid service. This page has also taught you how to download Libby audiobooks and keep them forever. Thanks to the AnyLibro Converter, you can save your Libby audiobooks offline with full chapters preserved. Now start your limitless audiobook experience!
Note: During the trial version, you can only convert and save the first 20% of each book. To unlock full access and convert entire books, you’ll need the full version.
Clara Whitman
Clara specializes in creating practical guides for book lovers and digital reading tools.
With years of experience exploring apps like Libby, Kindle, and Audible, she shares clear, step-by-step tips to help readers get the most out of their eBooks and audiobooks.
Libby Audiobook Converter
All-In-One Music Converter
Spotify Music Converter
Apple Music Converter
YouTube Music Converter
Amazon Music Converter
Tidal Music Converter
Streaming Music Recorder
Photo Enhancer AI
Video Enhancer AI
Audible Audiobook Converter