If you’re like me, you probably want to squeeze in some reading whenever possible, like on a commute or during a workout. This is where audiobooks come in. And what’s better than listening to a book while on the go? Listening to a book for free.
Premium platforms such as Audible can run $9 or more per month for audiobooks, but you actually don’t have to pay anything to start listening. Several audiobook apps now offer bestselling novels, classic literature, and even modern nonfiction completely free—either through public libraries, public domain collections, or limited free deals. Below, I ranked the best free audiobook apps available right now so you can start listening without paying a dime.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
| App | Free Audiobook Content |
| Libby | Full audiobook library catalog |
| Hoopla | Full audiobook library catalog |
| Loyal Books | 7,000+ free titles |
| LibriVox | 45,000+ public domain titles |
| Chirp | Hundreds of rotating free titles |
| Apple Books | 100 free titles |
| Shortform (Bonus App) | Two free nonfiction guides + five-day free trial |
1. Libby
- What’s free: Every available audiobook in your library system
- Best for: Readers who want current bestsellers at no cost
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Kindle, Web
Libby is a very popular app for free audiobooks. With a participating library card, you can borrow bestsellers, new releases, and classics entirely for free. Libby offers the best free selection available.
The app feels just as polished as paid platforms, with adjustable playback speed, sleep timers, offline downloads, and syncing across devices. There are just a couple of downsides: You can keep a book only for the duration of the loan, and a popular book often has a waitlist.
2. Hoopla
- What’s free: Audiobooks in participating libraries
- Best for: Library users who want instant borrowing
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Hoopla solves Libby’s biggest problem: waiting. Instead of placing holds for popular titles, most audiobooks on Hoopla can be borrowed immediately, making it ideal for listeners who don’t want to wait days or weeks to start a book.
The selections include everything from thrillers and romance to biographies and self-help. Like Libby, this is a library app, so audiobooks are available only for loan. Also, many libraries place monthly borrowing limits on Hoopla accounts. But the convenience of immediate access makes it one of the most useful free audiobook apps available.
3. Loyal Books
- What’s free: 7,000+ audiobooks
- Cost to go further: Users can pay for certain best sellers, business week best sellers, children’s books, and selections from Oprah’s Book Club
- Best for: Fans of classics and other public domain books
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Loyal Books offers free public domain audiobooks, making it a great option for listeners who enjoy classics. The library includes novels, short stories, poetry, children’s books, and historical works from authors such as Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jules Verne.
The biggest advantage is simplicity—you don’t even need an account. The app includes user ratings and reviews, which help separate the best narrations from lower-quality recordings. On the mobile app, you can add books to your “My Books” list. Perhaps the only drawback with Loyal Books is that it contains ads, but you can remove those for a fee.
4. LibriVox
- What’s free: Tens of thousands of public domain audiobooks
- Best for: Unlimited free listening with no restrictions
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
LibriVox has one of the largest collections of free audiobooks online, with tens of thousands of public domain titles recorded by volunteers around the world. You’ll find everything from Shakespeare and Dickens to philosophy, history, and lesser-known literary works that are hard to find elsewhere.
Because the recordings are volunteer-produced, narration quality can vary quite a bit. Some audiobooks sound highly professional, while others feel more homemade. Still, the sheer size of the catalog makes LibriVox one of the most valuable resources for completely free audiobook listening.
5. Chirp
- What’s free: Rotating free audiobook deals
- Cost to go further: Pay per audiobook (usually heavily discounted)
- Best for: Listeners who want modern titles without subscriptions
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Chirp focuses on audiobook deals rather than subscriptions. Periodically, the app adds new free titles and deep discounts—often reducing audiobooks to just a few dollars.
Unlike library apps, books you claim on Chirp are yours permanently. The catalog includes modern thrillers, romance, fantasy, memoirs, and nonfiction, making Chirp a great option for listeners who want newer releases without paying monthly fees.
6. Apple Books
- What’s free: 100 audiobooks, including many classics
- Cost to go further: Pay per audiobook (no subscription)
- Best for: Apple users who want a seamless built-in experience
- Platforms: Apple devices, Apple CarPlay
If you own an Apple device, you already have one of the best free audiobook apps installed. Apple Books includes a dedicated free audiobooks section (Audiobook Store > Special Offers > Great Free Listens). Many of these are classic novels, such as Pride and Prejudice and The Great Gatsby, narrated by celebrities.
The real advantage is convenience. Your listening progress syncs across Apple devices automatically, and features like CarPlay, Apple Watch support, and offline listening all work seamlessly. For Apple users, it’s the easiest way to start listening for free without downloading another app. However, with only 100 free titles, this app is probably best seen as only a starting place.
Bonus App: Shortform
- What’s free: Two book guides plus a five-day free trial
- Cost to go further: Subscription after trial
- Best for: Fast nonfiction learning
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Shortform isn’t a traditional audiobook app. Instead, it offers detailed guides that break down the key ideas from thousands of nonfiction books. Shortform offers two free audio guides without requiring a subscription. Users who start a trial can access the full book guide library for five days.
What makes Shortform stand out is depth. The guides include analysis, exercises, and connections to related ideas—making them much more comprehensive than typical book summary apps. If you mainly read business, productivity, psychology, or self-improvement books, it’s a fast way to absorb more ideas.
👉 Sign up for Shortform to try out two free nonfiction guides with audio narration. When you start a free trial, you’ll unlock the full library of audio-narrated guides for five days.
How to Choose the Right Free Audiobook App for You
Not sure which app to start with? Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
- Apple user: Apple Books
- Best free bestseller selection: Libby
- No waitlists: Hoopla
- Completely free classics: LibriVox or Loyal Books
- Modern audiobooks without a subscription: Chirp
- Fast nonfiction learning: Shortform
The best strategy? Use a combination. Pair Libby (for bestsellers on hold) with Hoopla (for instant access) and Chirp (for free and cheap modern titles you own forever). Add Shortform if you want to get through more nonfiction ideas in less time.
👉 Want to read more without paying? Check out our guide to the best apps with free books.
FAQ
Is Audible free?
No, Audible is not completely free. Most audiobooks on Audible require a paid membership or individual purchase. Audible does have a catalog of free audiobooks, but it’s very limited.
Which free audiobook app has the newest bestsellers?
Libby usually has the best selection of current bestsellers and new releases because it connects directly to public library catalogs. The downside is that popular books can have waitlists.
Do I need a library card to use free audiobook apps?
Only some of them. Libby and Hoopla require a participating library card. Apps such as Apple Books, Chirp, LibriVox, and Loyal Books don’t.
Can you use audiobook apps offline for free?
Yes. Every app on this list supports offline listening in some form, allowing you to download audiobooks for travel, commuting, workouts, or listening without a connection.
Which app is best for free classic audiobooks?
LibriVox and Loyal Books are the best options for classics because they specialize in public domain literature such as Pride and Prejudice, Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes.
Are there any free audiobook apps with unlimited listening?
Yes. LibriVox and Loyal Books are completely free with unlimited listening and no subscriptions required.
Which app is best for nonfiction?
If you mainly read self-improvement, business, productivity, or psychology books, Shortform is one of the best options. Instead of full audiobooks, it provides detailed audio guides that summarize and explain the key ideas from thousands of nonfiction books.
