Audiobooks help you make the most of your time because you can listen to them while commuting to and from work, at the gym, doing chores around the home, or performing repetitive tasks at work. And audiobooks don’t need to be expensive; in fact, there are many ways to listen to audiobooks for free. In this guide, we’ll help you find the best places to listen to free audiobooks.
1. Free Audiobooks from Your Public Library
Did you know that you can easily listen to audiobooks with a library card and an app such as Libby?
Libby is available for Android, iOS, Windows 10, some Chromebooks, and in your browser at libbyapp.com. The following video is a helpful guide to getting started with Libby:
Note: even though audiobooks are digital files, libraries treat them like any other book, stocking limited “copies” and allowing only one person to check out each copy at any given time. So, depending on the size of your library, how popular a title is, and how many audiobooks are stocked, you may see really long wait times.
In the case that Libby is not available from your library or with your type of device, you can try the following alternatives:
- OverDrive (the legacy app from the same developer as Libby)
- Sora (an app for students from the developer of Libby – requires a school account)
- Hoopla (a popular alternative to Libby that may have a larger selection, depending on your library)
- cloudLibrary
- RBdigital
Tip: install Library Extension to instantly see audiobook availability from your local library.
2. Free Audiobook Trials
Did you know that most audiobook providers offer a free trial with a free audiobook(s)?
The following are our two favorite services with free trials (note: you may need a credit card to sign up):
Audible is the leading provider of audiobooks and other spoken-word content. Its free trial includes 1 premium title along with unlimited access to the Audible Plus catalog. Click here to try Audible for free.
Audiobooks.com is another popular audiobook provider that is similar to Audible. Its free trial includes 1 premium title along with 2 titles from its VIP selection. Click here to try Audiobooks.com for free.
Scribd is a subscription service that provides members access to millions of audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, comics, and sheet music selections. Click here to try Scribd for free.
3. Free Audiobooks from Music and Audiobook Services
Did you know the following services offer a selection of free audiobooks?
Spotify is primarily known as a streaming music service. However, it also has a growing selection of audiobooks available for free, including some recently added original productions. Audiobooks can be a little tricky to find on Spotify so we recommend reading our guide: How to Listen to Audiobooks on Spotify. Note: if you don’t have Spotify Premium you may notice some drawbacks such as occasional ads, lower sound quality, and the need for an internet connection.
Audible offers Audible Free Listens which is a selection of 50+ high-quality audiobooks. Click here to browse Audible Free Listens.
Audiobooks.com also offers a selection of free audiobooks in its app.
4. Free Audiobooks from their Authors and Narrators
Did you know that many authors and narrators offer their audiobooks for free?
Audiobooks Unleashed has a wide selection of audiobook titles across different genres for listeners to use and enjoy for free with hassle-free codes. Authors and narrators put their free audiobooks on Audiobooks Unleashed because they want you to find their audiobooks, fall in love with ’em, and then come back for more!
5. Free Audiobooks in the Public Domain
Did you know that if a book is in the public domain the copyright on the book has expired and anyone is free to distribute it?
LibriVox is an online digital library of free public domain audiobooks, read by volunteers. It has a catalog of over 14,000 unabridged audiobooks and shorter works available to download. Approximately 90% of the collection is in English, although recordings are available in a total of 42 languages. has a huge selection of audiobooks available for download.
What are your favorite places to find and listen to free audiobooks?
Great resources! Thanks so much.
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Was suprised how much free and very low cost stuff audible has – some series have a holiday special 1.5 which is free – trawling for fans to buy book 1 & seek book 2.
I just typed “free” into audible’s search once I’d logged on as a member & downloaded about 12 things – often short just a few hours, but interesting.
Also typing “.99c and under” or “under $10” can reveal some slightly older gems for next to nix.