4 Of The Best Free Audiobook Streaming Apps
Sometimes, we just want to get immersed in a story in a way that can't entirely be achieved by reading. Other times, we don't have time to sit down with a book — but you might just have the time to listen to it. This is the beauty of audiobooks, as they are novels and stories we can get immersed in no matter where we are or what we are doing.
Unfortunately, with competition between audiobook providers ramping up, it can be difficult to find the right audiobook for your current needs for free. Revenue generation and promotion efforts are key concerns for audiobook providers since it's crucial that authors get paid for their work, especially if the work is being brought to a huge audience.
Still, even keeping all of this in mind, it's not impossible to find great audiobooks online for free as long as you don't mind some caveats. In fact, you can find some very effective apps right on the Apple or Android app stores.
Hoopla
Arguably the best app here in terms of quantity and quality, Hoopla is an essential streaming service if you are a book lover. Not only does it provide users access to new and old audiobooks, but it also provides ebooks, movies, and even comics for your viewing pleasure. There is a lot to discover and listen to on Hoopla, and its intuitive interface will make finding your perfect audiobook match a breeze.
Of course, there is a caveat that is important to understand. You are only able to sign up for this service if you have a library card, and even if you do, the library system has to have a Hoopla membership. Check with your local library to see if this is the case, and if not, put in a suggestion for them to begin using it. Even if your library does have a subscription, the four checkout maximum might be a bit restrictive for some users.
All of that being said, these minor issues are more than worth it considering how expansive Hoopla's library is.
LibriVox
If you don't have a library card and are looking for audiobooks, you can't go wrong with LibriVox. Run entirely by volunteers, this program offers thousands of audiobooks in various different languages. The catch is that all of the audiobooks available on the app are stories that are in the public domain, which is why you don't have to pay for books offered by the service.
Of course, this means a huge amount of classic literature and nonfiction writing is easily accessible. If you have ever wanted to get into the works of Jane Austen or William Shakespeare, LibriVox offers plenty of options read by their volunteer staff. This same staff also ensures that the highest possible quality recordings are uploaded. You can also save or download the audiobooks you want to listen to at a later time.
Unfortunately, if there is one thing bringing down LibriVox — it's the user interface. Even though it is responsive, it looks very crowded as all of its titles are available in one long list on the opening screen. The placement of ads in this list is also distracting, although they can be removed if you purchase a $2.49 yearly subscription. Overall, however, LibriVox does exactly what it advertises -– provides high-quality audiobooks completely free of charge.
Loyal Books
Many book apps, both free and paid, often divide their libraries by books and audiobooks. After all, audiobooks aren't for every reader, and neither are ebooks. However, Loyal Books does things differently. It is a combined ebook and audiobook app, and users can choose their preferred method of reading. You can do this by either selecting the Play or Read buttons, which you can access by clicking on the book you're the most interested in.
Like LibriVox, Loyal Books' library relies almost entirely on public domain works, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It also helps that the app is more user-friendly than LibriVox, thanks to its various categories -– the app has everything from children's books to Greek philosophy essays to old romances. Not only that, but the advertisements are also less intrusive, making for a more focused experience.
While the audio quality from the book recordings could be better, they get the job done, making the benefits of Loyal Books more than worth the download.
Apple Books
If you own an Apple product, you likely are familiar with Apple Books in one way or another. However, you may not know that they offer more than just paid ebooks and audiobooks, as they offer a select number of titles completely for free. What makes this different from the other apps on this list is that Apple Books actually offers both classic public domain stories and modern independently-published audiobooks. In theory, this makes the app arguably the most diverse in what it offers on this list.
Unfortunately, it doesn't quite live up to its expectations on a user level. It is surprisingly difficult to find the free offerings on the app -– once you click the Audiobooks section on the bottom right-hand corner, click Browse Sections and then Special Offers before scrolling down to find Great Free Listens.
You also have to download the audiobooks in order to listen to them, but the top-tier audio quality and wide selection of titles still make this an app that's well worth checking out, especially if you are an iPhone owner.