10 Best Audiobook Apps of 2026

This list is for listeners comparing audiobook subscriptions, credit prices and free library apps. We compared documented features and published prices for 10 apps using vendor pages and US App Store listings, and ranked them by value (40%), features (35%) and ease of use (25%). Value weighs what you get free, the cost of the cheapest paid plan, and whether you keep the books. Prices are in USD as shown on November 12, 2026; Libro.fm's USD price is still pending.

1. 01Top value

   

   Libby

   9.1/10

   OverDrive's free library app for borrowing audiobooks, ebooks and magazines from your public library with a library card.

   Price

   Freefree with a library card

   Free with a public library card; no paid plan

   “Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more for free from your local library with Libby, the library reading app.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   10.0

   Features (35%)

   8.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forlibrary card holders who want free audiobooks

   Libby ranks first on value because it is the only way on this list to borrow current bestsellers in audio at no cost. OverDrive says you sign in with a public library card and then borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines for free from your library's digital collection. The audiobook player covers the basics that paid apps charge for: playback from 0.6x to 3.0x, a sleep timer that can stop at the end of a chapter, swipe to skip, bookmarks and notes. Downloads work offline, and listening in the car is supported through Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Android Automotive or Bluetooth. The trade-off is availability. Each library buys a limited number of licenses, so new releases often carry a hold list, and loans end on a set date. Listeners who need a specific title right away will still want a store or credit plan alongside it. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Costs nothing beyond a library card from a participating library
   • ✓Titles return themselves, so there is nothing to mail back
   • ✓Tags let you build a to-be-read list and get notified when a hold is ready

   • ✕The catalog is whatever your library licenses, so popular titles often need a hold
   • ✕You need a card from a library that uses OverDrive
   • ✕Loans expire, so you do not keep the audiobook

   Price:

   Free with a library card

   Playback speed:

   0.6x to 3.0x

   Car support:

   Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Android Automotive

   Developer:

   OverDrive, Inc.

   Bottom line: Libby is the best audiobook app for most listeners because a library card gets you audiobooks for free. Pair it with a paid service only if hold lists are too long for you.

   Visit libbyapp.com ↗

2. 02

   

   Audible

   8.7/10

   Amazon's audiobook service with a Standard plan for one pick a month and a Premium plan with keepable credits and the Plus Catalog.

   Price

   $8.99per month (Standard)

   Standard $8.99 per month; Premium $14.95 per month or $149.50 per year for 12 audiobooks; 30-day free trial

   “Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime. Unused monthly audiobook selections don't roll over.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Free trial

   30 days

   Value (40%)

   7.6

   Features (35%)

   9.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forlisteners who want to own bestsellers through monthly credits

   Audible has the most complete feature set here and two clear plans. Standard costs $8.99 a month after a 30-day trial and lets you pick 1 audiobook a month from the whole collection, which you can play for as long as you remain a member; unused picks do not roll over. Premium costs $14.95 a month and gives 1 credit a month that buys any title to keep, plus access to the Plus Catalog of thousands of Originals, audiobooks and podcasts and member-only sales. Premium Annual costs $149.50 for 12 audiobooks or $229.50 for 24, which lowers the price per credit to about $12.46 or $9.56. Audible plays on iOS, Android, Alexa devices, Fire tablets, Kindles and Sonos. It scores lower on value than Libby or Kobo Plus because a credit still costs more than a month of most all-you-can-listen plans, and Premium credits expire after 12 months. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Premium credits work on any title in the catalog regardless of length or list price
   • ✓Premium Annual brings the cost to $149.50 for 12 audiobooks, about $12.46 each
   • ✓Titles bought with credits stay in your library after you cancel

   • ✕Standard picks are locked if you cancel and do not roll over
   • ✕Premium credits expire 12 months after they are issued
   • ✕Premium at $14.95 a month costs more than Everand Standard or Kobo Plus

   Cheapest plan:

   Standard, $8.99 per month

   Credit plan:

   Premium, $14.95 per month

   Annual option:

   $149.50 for 12 or $229.50 for 24 audiobooks

   Free trial:

   30 days

   Bottom line: Audible is the best paid audiobook service for listeners who want to keep what they buy, since Premium credits work on any title. Standard at $8.99 is the cheaper way in if you only rent one book a month.

   Visit audible.com ↗

3. 03

   

   Spotify

   8.5/10

   Music and podcast app that adds 15 hours of monthly audiobook listening to Premium, or sells it alone as Audiobook Access.

   Price

   $9.99per month (15 hours of listening)

   Audiobook Access $9.99 per month for 15 hours; Premium Individual $12.99 per month includes 15 hours plus music

   “Spotify Audiobook Access $9.99/month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   8.4

   Features (35%)

   8.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.2

   Best formusic listeners who finish one or two books a month

   Spotify is the easiest pick for people who already pay for Premium, because audiobooks sit in the same app as music and podcasts. Spotify says Premium Individual subscribers, and the managers of Duo and Family plans, get 15 hours of listening each month from its subscriber catalog of hundreds of thousands of titles. Premium Individual costs $12.99 a month. Free-tier users can pay $9.99 a month for Audiobook Access, which adds the same 15 hours while music stays ad-supported, and anyone who runs out can add Audiobooks+ for $11.99 a month or buy a top-up. Fifteen hours covers one or two average books, so heavy listeners will hit the cap. Hours reset on the billing date and unused time expires. Recaps, Page Match and Follow-Along help on select titles. Premium Student does not include audiobook hours. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Premium Individual at $12.99 a month covers music and 15 audiobook hours in one bill
   • ✓Audiobook Access gives 15 hours for $9.99 without paying for Premium
   • ✓Free samples of any audiobook on every plan

   • ✕Unused hours expire each month and do not carry over
   • ✕Premium Student and free plans do not include audiobook hours
   • ✕Audiobook Access is not supported on Apple Watch, Garmin, Samsung watches or Tesla

   Cheapest audiobook plan:

   Audiobook Access, $9.99 per month

   Monthly hours:

   15 hours

   Extra hours:

   Audiobooks+, $11.99 per month for 15 more

   Premium Individual:

   $12.99 per month

   Bottom line: Spotify is the best value for music subscribers who finish a book or two a month, because Premium Individual already includes 15 hours. Heavy listeners will hit the cap and pay for Audiobooks+.

   Visit spotify.com ↗

4. 04

   

   Hoopla

   8.4/10

   A library lending app for audiobooks, ebooks, comics, music, movies and TV that works with a participating public library card.

   Price

   Freefree with a library card

   Free with a card from a participating library; no subscription

   “Borrow audiobooks, eBooks, movies, TV episodes, comics, and music, all in one app. No subscription. No ads.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.4

   Features (35%)

   7.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.2

   Best forlibrary patrons who want instant borrows without holds

   Hoopla is the second free library option and it fills the gap Libby leaves. Its App Store listing says many titles are ready to borrow the moment you find them, so you are less likely to sit on a waitlist for an audiobook. It works with your public library card, has no subscription and no ads, and lends audiobooks, ebooks, comics, music, movies and TV episodes in one app. Listening features include offline downloads, a sleep timer, Apple CarPlay and a dark mode, and borrowed titles return automatically. The limits come from your library: Hoopla is only available where a library has signed up, and each library sets its own monthly borrowing limit and available formats. Titles are licensed rather than owned and can leave the catalog. That keeps its features score below the paid apps, but the price is hard to beat. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓No subscription and no ads in the app
   • ✓Many titles can be borrowed right away rather than waiting on a hold
   • ✓One app covers audiobooks plus movies, TV and music

   • ✕Only works if your library offers Hoopla
   • ✕Borrowing limits vary by library
   • ✕Titles are licensed, not owned, and can leave the catalog

   Price:

   Free with a participating library card

   Formats:

   Audiobooks, ebooks, comics, music, movies, TV

   Car support:

   Apple CarPlay

   Developer:

   Midwest Tape, LLC

   Bottom line: Hoopla is the best free companion to Libby because many of its titles can be borrowed without a hold. Check first that your library offers it and how many borrows it allows.

   Visit hoopladigital.com ↗

5. 05

   

   Everand

   8.2/10

   Scribd's reading subscription that gives a set number of audiobook or ebook titles each month from a catalog of 1.5 million bestsellers and new releases.

   Price

   $11.99per month (1 title)

   Standard $11.99 per month for 1 title; Plus $16.99 for 3; Deluxe $28.99 for 5 (website only)

   “STANDARD PLAN • $11.99/month • Unlock 1 title per month from our catalog of 1.5M bestsellers and new releases” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Free trial

   30 days

   Value (40%)

   8.0

   Features (35%)

   8.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.4

   Best forreaders who mix audiobooks and ebooks

   Everand suits people who switch between listening and reading, because each monthly title can be either an audiobook or an ebook. Its App Store listing describes three plans: Standard at $11.99 a month for 1 title, Plus at $16.99 for 3 titles and Deluxe at $28.99 for 5 titles, the last sold only on the website. On Plus that works out to about $5.66 per title, cheaper per book than an Audible credit. The catalog is listed at 1.5 million bestsellers and new releases. Audiobook features include speed control, a sleep timer, offline downloads, progress settings and bookmarks, and every plan includes the Fable Plus reading tracker. The catch is ownership: you can replay a title as often as you like only while the subscription is active or paused, so canceling removes access. The website trial runs 30 days with 1 free title, the App Store trial 7 days. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Plus works out to about $5.66 per title at $16.99 for 3 titles
   • ✓One plan covers both audiobooks and ebooks
   • ✓30-day free trial with 1 free title when you subscribe on the website

   • ✕Titles stay available only while the subscription is active or paused
   • ✕The 5-title Deluxe plan can only be bought on the website
   • ✕The App Store trial is 7 days, shorter than the website's 30

   Cheapest plan:

   Standard, $11.99 per month for 1 title

   Catalog:

   1.5M bestsellers and new releases

   Formats:

   Audiobooks and ebooks

   Free trial:

   30 days on the website, 7 days in the App Store

   Bottom line: Everand is the best pick for people who alternate audiobooks and ebooks, since any monthly title can be either format. Choose Plus at $16.99 for 3 titles if you finish more than one book a month.

   Visit everand.com ↗

6. 06

   

   Kobo Plus

   8.2/10

   Rakuten Kobo's all-you-can-read subscription with an audiobooks-only plan and a combined ebooks and audiobooks plan.

   Price

   $7.99per month (audiobooks only)

   Audiobooks only $7.99 per month; eBooks and audiobooks $9.99 per month; 14-day free trial

   “Your price $7.99 USD /month Audiobooks only” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Free trial

   14 days

   Value (40%)

   8.6

   Features (35%)

   7.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.2

   Best forheavy listeners on a fixed budget

   Kobo Plus is the lowest priced paid plan we verified for listeners who get through several books a month. Kobo's US page lists an audiobooks-only plan at $7.99 a month and a combined eBooks and audiobooks plan at $9.99, each with a 14-day free trial and cancel-anytime terms. The plan page does not list a monthly title or hour limit, which sets it apart from Spotify's 15 hours and Everand's per-title model. What you can play is limited to books marked Free with Kobo Plus, a selection that includes Kobo Originals and some well-known series, but not every bestseller. Listening works in the Kobo Books app for iOS and Android and on Bluetooth-enabled Kobo eReaders, with progress synced between them. Titles stay available only while you subscribe. If you want a specific new release, a credit service will be more reliable. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓The cheapest verified paid audiobook plan on this list at $7.99 a month
   • ✓No monthly title or hour cap is listed on the plan page
   • ✓14-day free trial on every plan

   • ✕Only titles marked as included in Kobo Plus can be played with the plan
   • ✕Books are borrowed for the life of the subscription, not owned
   • ✕Some eBooks are excluded from Kobo Plus, per Kobo's own FAQ

   Audiobooks plan:

   $7.99 per month

   eBooks and audiobooks plan:

   $9.99 per month

   Free trial:

   14 days

   Devices:

   Kobo Books app (iOS, Android), Bluetooth Kobo eReaders

   Bottom line: Kobo Plus is the best value for heavy listeners because the audiobooks plan costs $7.99 a month with no title cap listed. Check that the books you want are marked Free with Kobo Plus.

   Visit kobo.com ↗

7. 07

   

   Audiobooks.com

   7.9/10

   Storytel's US audiobook service with a credit membership, a monthly VIP bonus pick and 10,000+ free titles.

   Price

   $14.95per month (1 credit + 1 VIP pick)

   Monthly Subscription listed at $14.95 in the US App Store; 30-day free trial; 10,000+ free titles without membership

   “Monthly Subscription $14.95 InstaCredit $14.95” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Free trial

   30 days

   Value (40%)

   7.6

   Features (35%)

   8.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.2

   Best forcredit buyers who also want free titles and a bonus pick

   Audiobooks.com, owned by Storytel, runs a credit model like Audible's with a monthly extra. Its App Store listing says a paid membership gives 1 credit a month for any premium title to keep, plus 1 VIP selection from an exclusive bonus catalog, access to 2-for-1 deals and discounted a la carte titles. The US App Store lists the Monthly Subscription at $14.95, though $15.99 and an annual $143.99 also appear, so confirm the offer in the app. The catalog is listed at 700,000+ audiobooks, and 10,000+ titles are free with no membership. The website trial runs 30 days and includes 1 audiobook from the full library plus 2 from the VIP section. Listening features include offline downloads, CarPlay, smart speakers, speed control, a sleep timer, bookmarks and notes. At about the price of Audible Premium it lacks an all-you-can-listen catalog. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Each month brings two titles: one credit and one VIP pick
   • ✓Free titles are available without paying
   • ✓30-day free trial with 1 audiobook plus 2 VIP bonus titles

   • ✕The App Store lists more than one price for the same subscription, so check the in-app offer
   • ✕At $14.95 a month a credit costs more than Kobo Plus or Spotify hours
   • ✕VIP picks come from a curated bonus section, not the full catalog

   Monthly plan:

   $14.95 in the US App Store

   Catalog:

   700,000+ audiobooks

   Free titles:

   10,000+ without membership

   Free trial:

   30 days

   Bottom line: Audiobooks.com is a sound Audible alternative for credit buyers because each month adds a VIP bonus pick on top of the credit. Use the 10,000+ free titles before paying.

   Visit audiobooks.com ↗

8. 08

   

   Chirp

   7.9/10

   An audiobook store from BookBub that sells limited-time discounted audiobooks with no subscription or credits.

   Price

   Customper audiobook, no subscription

   No subscription; pay per audiobook with limited-time deals of up to 95% off

   “Chirp is an audiobook retailer that brings you amazing limited-time audiobook deals without subscriptions or hidden fees.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   8.4

   Features (35%)

   7.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.5

   Best forbargain hunters who want to own audiobooks without a subscription

   Chirp is the pick for people who would rather buy a few cheap audiobooks than pay a monthly fee. Chirp describes itself as an audiobook retailer with limited-time deals and no subscriptions or hidden fees, and says discounts reach up to 95% off on hand-picked titles. You create a free account, choose the genres you like and receive matching deals by email. There are no credits, waitlists or expiring balances, and purchased books are yours to keep. Listening works in the Chirp app for iOS and Android, on the web and through a custom Alexa skill, with offline downloads in the app. Chirp also says it will refund a purchase you do not enjoy. The limit is choice: deals cover a rotating selection, so you buy what is on sale rather than any new release you want. That keeps its features score low even though the pricing model is simple. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓No monthly fee, credits or waitlists
   • ✓Every purchase is yours to keep
   • ✓Deals are matched to the genres you choose at sign-up

   • ✕Discounts apply to selected titles, not the whole catalog
   • ✕No all-you-can-listen plan
   • ✕The best prices are limited-time, so timing matters

   Subscription:

   None

   Discounts:

   Up to 95% off on limited-time deals

   Apps:

   iOS, Android, web, Alexa skill

   Ownership:

   Purchased books are yours to keep

   Bottom line: Chirp is the best option for bargain hunters who want to own audiobooks without a monthly bill. It works best as a second app next to a library or subscription service.

   Visit chirpbooks.com ↗

9. 09

   

   Libro.fm

   7.9/10

   An employee-owned audiobook store that shares profits with independent bookstores, sold through credit memberships or a la carte.

   Price

   Check price

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.4

   Features (35%)

   8.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.4

   Best forlisteners who want DRM-free files and to support indie bookstores

   Libro.fm is the credit service for people who care where their money goes. It is an employee-owned Social Purpose Corporation and Certified B Corp, and its App Store listing says it shares profits with more than 4,000 indie bookshops. Membership comes in three shapes on its own page: 1 credit a month, 2 credits a month or 12 credits a year added at once, all with 30% off extra audiobooks, member-only sales and credits that never expire. The catalog is listed at over 750,000 audiobooks. Downloads are DRM-free, so you can play them outside the Libro.fm apps, and the iOS app supports Apple Watch and CarPlay along with bookmarks, a sleep timer and tags. Our fetch of the membership page showed euro prices, so we have not confirmed a USD price and score value conservatively. There is no all-you-can-listen tier. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Every purchase supports the indie bookstore you choose
   • ✓DRM-free files are not tied to the Libro.fm app
   • ✓Credits never expire, unlike Audible Premium credits

   • ✕No all-you-can-listen catalog
   • ✕A USD price could not be confirmed from the vendor page from our location
   • ✕Membership requires a monthly or annual charge for credits

   Plans:

   1 credit monthly, 2 credits monthly, 12 credits annually

   Member discount:

   30% off additional audiobooks

   Catalog:

   750,000+ audiobooks

   File format:

   DRM-free downloads

   Bottom line: Libro.fm is the best credit service for listeners who want DRM-free files and to support local bookstores. Its credits never expire, but it has no unlimited catalog.

   Visit libro.fm ↗

10. 10

    

    Apple Books

    7.7/10

    Apple's built-in store and player for audiobooks and ebooks, priced per title with no subscription.

    Price

    Freeper audiobook, no subscription

    Free app with no subscription; audiobooks priced individually; thousands of free titles

    “The Apple Books app is free and there is no subscription. Audiobooks and ebooks are priced individually, and thousands of free audiobooks and ebooks are available.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

    Free plan

    Yes

    Value (40%)

    7.2

    Features (35%)

    7.4

    Ease of use (25%)

    9.0

    Best foriPhone owners who buy the odd audiobook outright

    Apple Books is already on every iPhone, which makes it the lowest effort way to buy an audiobook if you only want one now and then. Apple says the app is free, there is no subscription, audiobooks and ebooks are priced individually, and thousands of free audiobooks and ebooks are available. You can sample before buying, pre-order upcoming titles and gift a book to anyone. Purchases can be shared with up to five other family members, which helps households split the cost of a title. Playback works on iPhone, iPad, CarPlay, Apple Watch, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, iCloud syncs your place across devices, and titles can be downloaded for offline listening. It ranks last on value because there is no credit discount or included catalog, so a regular listener will pay full list prices that a Kobo Plus or Everand plan avoids. It is also unavailable on Android. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

    • ✓No subscription or monthly commitment
    • ✓Thousands of free audiobooks and ebooks
    • ✓Purchases can be shared with up to five family members

    • ✕Every paid audiobook is bought at its individual price
    • ✕Not available on Android
    • ✕No credit or all-you-can-listen discount

    Price:

    Free app; audiobooks priced individually

    Subscription:

    None

    Family Sharing:

    Up to five other members

    Devices:

    iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, CarPlay, Vision Pro

    Bottom line: Apple Books is the simplest choice for iPhone owners who buy an occasional audiobook, because there is no subscription to manage. Regular listeners will save with a credit or catalog plan.

    Visit apple.com ↗

Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.