Right here Are 11 Choices to Discover Free or Low-cost Audiobooks

Although some nonetheless choose the old style printed e-book, many individuals choose the comfort and portability of audiobooks.

However how do you get the audiobooks you need with out paying some huge cash? There are a selection of audiobook companies obtainable, however the choices could be overwhelming. Discovering the fitting audiobook service is a matter of discovering the fitting one for a way you wish to learn.

11 Companies for Low-cost Audiobooks

Right here’s our rundown of among the finest companies the place you’ll be able to seize a e-book to your ears.

1. Audible

Audible is an enormous title in audiobooks. As part of Amazon, it’s closely marketed and simply obtainable, but it surely has its professionals and cons.

Professionals

• Audible boasts one of many largest audiobook libraries on the market with greater than 500,000  titles and round 100,000 podcasts, in line with an organization spokesperson. No matter you wish to learn, you’ll be able to most likely discover it on Audible.
• You get to maintain any titles you learn even in case you cancel your subscription.
• You additionally get day by day offers and an additional 30% low cost on extra e-book purchases.
• You possibly can obtain the books you select and hear offline.
• You possibly can strive Audible out with a no-cost, 30-day trial interval.
• Amazon Prime members can strive Audible free for 90 days whereas additionally receiving 2 credit (1 credit score = 1 title) per 30 days.

Cons

• Audible is a subscription service with 5 completely different subscription plans, the most affordable being $7.95 per 30 days. At that lowest tier, although, you’re unable to earn further credit and also you gained’t get reductions on premium choice titles or entry to unique gross sales.
• The opposite membership plans are expensive. They embrace month-to-month subscriptions of $14.95 for one credit score per 30 days or $22.95 for 2 credit per 30 days. Annual plans are additionally obtainable; they price $149.50 for 12 credit per 12 months or $229.50 for twenty-four credit per 12 months.
• Unused credit expire after one 12 months. In addition they expire whenever you cancel your membership.

2. Audiobooks.com

Audiobooks.com is one other subscription service, very similar to Audible.

Professionals

• Very giant choice with greater than 300,000 titles plus greater than 10,000 free audiobooks.
• Entry to greater than 100 million podcast episodes at no cost.
• Your subscription consists of one e-book per 30 days.
• You should purchase further credit as wanted. One credit score equals one e-book.
• You get free further VIP books every month with no extra cost. VIP titles are older, much less widespread books, however they aren’t all obscure. For instance, one e-book at present on the checklist is Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.”
• With a free 30-day trial you get two books free and may choose one e-book from the VIP assortment that adjustments month-to-month.
• You possibly can stream books or obtain so you’ll be able to hear offline.

Cons

• It’s dearer than many choices at $14.95 per 30 days.

3. Scribd

Scribd is a subscription service that lets you entry “limitless” audiobooks and likewise provides options like ebooks, podcasts and even sheet music.

Professionals

• At $11.99 it’s cheaper than Audiobooks.com and also you get to hearken to as many books as you need.
• There are loads of extras like Kindle books, magazines and even sheet music obtainable together with your subscription.
• You possibly can select from greater than 1 million ebooks, 200,000 audiobooks and 1 million journal and information articles.
• It features a 30-day free trial.

Cons

• The time period “limitless” isn’t 100% correct. Customers within the iPhone app retailer complain that after two or three widespread books, your means to learn new and widespread titles  turns into very restricted for the remainder of the month.
• You’re renting reasonably than shopping for the books, so you can not hold them.
• The platform is just not loaded with extras like among the different companies.

4. Downpour

For $12.99, subscription service Downpour offers you one credit score (good for anybody e-book) per 30 days. You possibly can spend them as you go or save them up. Or you’ll be able to merely lease or purchase books with out a subscription, however you’ll pay a bit of extra for every title.

Professionals

• Inexpensive than Audiobooks.com.
• You personal the books and may hold them even in case you cancel.
• You possibly can obtain and hear offline.
• You might have the choice to purchase or lease books exterior of the membership. Leases are cheaper, however, in case you purchase the e-book, you’ll pay greater than you’ll with a membership.

Cons

• Smaller choice with simply 80,000 titles (and counting).
• Every credit score expires after 12 months.
• Books for buy are expensive, although there’s a tab for “Every day Offers” with sections for downloads underneath $10, $5 and even 99 cents.

5. Chirp

Chirp is a sister website of Bookbub, an e-book website. While you join the service, you get a day by day e mail that includes particular offers. Lots of the offers are $3.99 or much less for every e-book.

Professionals

• No subscription wanted, so that you solely pay for what you purchase.
• You purchase reasonably than lease the books, in order that they’re yours to maintain.
• You should purchase from a big selection of books at common worth.
• There’s a “my wishlist” part the place you’ll be able to checklist out the books you need to hearken to and get alerts in the event that they go on sale.

Cons

• The featured offers are random and aren’t catered to your style, so chances are you’ll or could not see books on sale that you just really need to learn.

6. Apple Books

Apple Books is a retailer for Apple customers to buy audiobooks. It’s not a subscription website, only a pay-for-what-you-want retailer.

Professionals

• New and widespread books can be found, in addition to classics.
• Apple editors curate basic lists to assist readers discover new books.
• You retain your audiobooks proper in your telephone.
• You possibly can obtain books and hearken to them out of your Apple Watch whilst you exercise.
• No strain to obtain books to justify a month-to-month expense.

Cons

• Particular person books could be costly.

7. Google Play Books

Google Play Books is very similar to Apple Books, however for Android and PC customers, and with just a few extra perks.

Professionals

• No subscription, simply purchase what you want.
• Hearken to previews earlier than committing.
• Good gross sales and costs total.
• Can be utilized on iPhones and Macs.
• Massive collection of audiobooks.
• Gives some free books.

Cons

•  Some customers complain that the app is clunky.

8. Libro.fm

Libro.fm is the unbiased bookstore of audiobook companies — the anti-Audible if you’ll.

Professionals

• Libro.fm donates a portion of each buy you make to the regionally owned bookstore of your alternative.
• No membership required.
• Nevertheless, you’ve gotten an choice to turn into a member for $14.99 per 30 days, which supplies you one audiobook credit score per 30 days and 30% off particular person purchases.
• Greater than 250,000 audiobooks can be found.
• You personal the books you purchase, that means you retain them in case you ever cancel your membership.
• Gives free iOS and Android listening apps.

Cons

• Equally priced plans by Audible and Audiobooks.com provide a bigger catalog of books to select from.

9. Blinkist

Blinkist is a singular service in that it provides condensed variations of widespread nonfiction books for individuals who don’t really feel like they’ve time to hearken to complete books.

Professionals

• It’s pretty cheap at solely $8.34 per 30 days.
• You possibly can strive the service out at no cost for seven days.
• Contains entry to greater than 5,000 nonfiction books in dozens of classes.
• Most audiobooks could be listened to in 20 minutes or much less.
• Subscription consists of limitless entry to all books.
• When you just like the condensed e-book, you’ll be able to improve to the total model.

Cons

• Nonfiction solely.
• Good for a fast overview however not for in-depth information.

10. Librivox

The Librivox audiobooks web site declares “acoustical liberation of books within the public area.” So what does that imply? Mainly, it’s a free library of audiobooks which might be sufficiently old to have outlasted their copyright. They’re learn by volunteers.

Professionals

• Fully free to make use of.
• A number of nice classics like “Moby Dick,” “Frankenstein” and “The Life and Instances of Frederick Douglas.”
• Obtainable within the Apple app retailer.

Cons

• Restricted choice (50,000) with no current titles.
• No extras, comparable to podcasts.

11. Your Public Library System

After all, you’ll be able to go to your native library and take a look at audiobooks on CD, however that’s so 2005. As of late most library techniques are attached with apps like OverDrive or Hoopla so you’ll be able to try audiobooks digitally in your telephone, pill or reader.

Professionals

• With a library card, it’s fully free.
• Not restricted to your native library however related to a big community of libraries, so there are numerous titles obtainable.
• You possibly can place holds on titles you need if they don’t seem to be at present obtainable.

Cons

• You could not discover each e-book you need.
• Books are checked out identical to non-digital copies, so they’re restricted and you’ll have to attend for sure books.
• New and widespread books continuously have a really lengthy ready checklist.
• You don’t hold the titles, simply borrow.

Tyler Omoth is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder. Robert Bruce, a senior author with The Penny Hoarder, additionally labored on this story.