With the number of people who listen to audiobooks continually rising (1), it’s no surprise that there are many services out there (free and paid) to choose from. Which is why we did the hard work for you and selected and reviewed the 12 best audiobook services, with Audible coming in at number one.
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Choosing the best audiobook service comes down to personal preference. In short, there’s something for everyone. Just consider how many audiobooks you listen to a month and see if you’ll need a subscription or are better off buying as you need them.Â
It all depends on preference, but in general be on the lookout for:Â
In one word: quality. The quality of some of the free services can’t be guaranteed, especially the ones that use volunteer narrators that don’t necessarily have the recording tools of more professional services.Â
The beauty of audiobooks is that you can listen to them while doing practically anything, like this Reddit user who says they even listen to them while working! Admittedly, it can take a while for some people to adapt to not letting the audiobook fade into the background and getting distracted, but once you do you’ll join the millions (2) of people who listen to audiobooks each year, in every possible way you can think of! Â
According to the Audio Publisher’s Association, there are many benefits to spoken-word literature, like:
This in addition to finally being able to conquer that pile of books that’s been waiting for you to read them! Who knew you just had to listen to them?Â
While we love the unmatched quality and user experience of paid subscriptions, there are some great free alternatives, like LibriVox and their extensive library of public domain works.
And remember, most paid subscriptions, like Audible and Barnes & Noble, offer a free book when joining their free trial so they’re also worth checking out!Â
In recent years, podcasts, audiobooks and other spoken-word media have taken the world by storm, with a whopping 45% of Americans (3) subscribed to an audio service. The reasons for this heightened interest in audio content may include:Â
If you’re an avid reader (or wish to be!) but find that you just don’t have time to sit down with a physical book, or when you do, just can’t manage to read more than a paragraph without getting distracted, then audiobooks might be your perfect solution. Some services (like Graphic Audio) even make the book become a movie in your head with sound effects and different voice actors for each character. Users say that these elements really help them to immerse themselves in the story.Â
In the end, the best way of knowing if this medium is for you is to try it for yourself!Â
Yes. All the subscription-based services mentioned in this article allow you to cancel at any time.Â
While this is a cheap alternative to Audible or other paid audiobook services, we should mention that there has been some controversy surrounding Scribd and their cancellation policies. Apparently, some users are claiming they’re being charged the monthly amount even after canceling their subscriptions. While we haven’t experienced this issue firsthand, it’s always best to make an informed decision.Â
We feel that with Audible you get the best bang for your buck. Not only do you get 2 credits after signing up for the free trial, you also get unlimited access to their Plus catalog and you get to keep every book you purchase. If you’d like an alternative to Amazon (we get it), there’s the recently-launched Barnes & Noble audiobook service which is very similar to Audible, except with a smaller library. Chirp Books is a great alternative for a subscription-free service, where you can find daily deals and discounts on hundreds of audiobooks.Â
In the end, Audible’s great offering (which includes exclusive content!), user-friendly interface and the ability to keep your books even if you cancel, makes this the all-around winner for us.
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