Is there a free alternative to Audible? 4 ways to listen for $0

Love audiobooks but starting to feel like you’re paying for one subscription too many? You might be surprised by how many books you can listen to without spending a penny.

Maybe you’ve got a library card collecting dust in your wallet. Perhaps you’ve been meaning to listen to a classic novel, but haven’t got around to it. Or maybe you already own an ebook and don’t fancy paying for a second copy so you can listen to it. Fair enough!

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to enjoy audiobooks for free. You can borrow books from your local library, find free recordings online, or use an app that lets you listen without paying a monthly fee.

At ElevenReader, we offer thousands of free audiobooks, plus the option to turn your own ebooks and documents into audio. You can even claim a featured audiobook for free each week. Our Audible alternative page explains how we compare with Audible’s paid plans.

If you’re looking for a free alternative to Audible, we’ve picked four ways to get started. We’ll explain what you can listen to, how each option works, and any limits you should know about before you choose.

Summary

You don’t need a paid Audible subscription to enjoy audiobooks. Here are four free options worth trying:

• ElevenReader Free: Listen to thousands of free audiobooks and claim a featured book each week. You also get 10 hours of text-to-audio for your own content every month.
• Your local library: Borrow professionally narrated audiobooks for free with a library card, although popular titles may have waiting lists.
• Public-domain audiobooks: Enjoy free recordings of classic novels and other older books through sites such as LibriVox.
• Text to Speech apps: Turn compatible ebooks you already own into audio without buying another copy of the book.

You can try more than one option, too. There’s no need to stick with a single service if you enjoy listening to different types of books.

4 ways to find a free alternative to Audible

There are a few ways to enjoy audiobooks without paying a monthly fee. Some give you a collection of professionally narrated books to choose from, while others let you borrow titles or listen to ebooks you already own.

Let’s look at how each option works and what you can expect.

1. Listen to free audiobooks with ElevenReader

Fancy putting on an audiobook right now? ElevenReader gives you thousands of free titles to choose from, without starting a paid subscription.

You can browse our audiobook library, pick something that catches your eye, and start listening through our website or mobile app. Your progress is saved automatically, so you can pause a book on your computer and carry on listening through your phone later.

There’s no need to enter your credit card details or sign up for a trial. Simply create a free account and find something you fancy listening to.

Claim a free audiobook every week

Here’s another reason to check back regularly. ElevenReader offers a different featured audiobook that you can claim for free each week.

Head to our free audiobooks page, sign in, and claim the featured title. We’ll add the audiobook to your ElevenReader library, where you can listen to it whenever you like. You can keep collecting the weekly titles as they become available, giving you more books to enjoy without paying for a subscription.

ElevenReader Free also includes text to speech for your own ebooks and documents. We’ll explain how that works a little further down.

If you’re having trouble choosing your next book, our roundup of free audiobooks online has more than 25 titles to tempt you.

2. Borrow audiobooks from your local library

Remember that library card you signed up for ages ago? It might be your ticket to hours of free audiobook listening. Many public libraries offer digital audiobooks that you can borrow through an app on your phone. You don’t even need to visit the library in person once your account is set up.

Start by visiting your local library’s website and checking which audiobook service it uses. Many libraries work with apps such as Libby, where you can search for titles and borrow available audiobooks.

How do library audiobook loans work?

Borrowing a digital audiobook is much like taking a physical book home from the library. You get a set amount of time to enjoy it, and the loan ends when your borrowing period is over.

You can often download the audiobook through your library’s app, too, so you won’t need an internet connection every time you want to listen.

The one downside is that popular books may have waiting lists. If a new bestseller is already on loan, you might need to reserve it and wait for your turn. Still, if you’re happy to browse the available titles, your library can be a brilliant way to enjoy professionally narrated audiobooks without spending anything.

3. Find free recordings of classic books

Been meaning to catch up on Jane Austen? Perhaps you’ve always fancied listening to Frankenstein, but never found the time to sit down with the book.

Public-domain audiobook collections could be exactly what you need. These collections feature books whose copyright has expired, making them available for people to record and share for free.

One of the best-known options is LibriVox, where volunteers record public-domain books for anyone to enjoy. You’ll find classic novels, poetry, and plenty of older titles.

What are LibriVox audiobooks like?

LibriVox recordings are made by volunteers, so the listening experience can vary.

Some books are narrated by a single person, while others have different volunteers recording individual chapters. You may even find several recordings of the same book, giving you a choice of voices.

You can listen online or download the recordings to play on your own device.

The main thing to remember is that public-domain collections focus on older books. You won’t find the latest bestselling thriller here, but there’s plenty to enjoy if you’ve been meaning to catch up on the classics.

Our guide to free audiobook apps covers more places to find books you can listen to without paying.

4. Turn ebooks you already own into audio

Got a collection of ebooks sitting on your phone or computer? You might be able to listen to them without paying for audiobook editions.

Text to speech apps turn written text into spoken audio. Instead of listening to a recording made by a professional narrator, you hear the book spoken by an AI or computer-generated voice. It’s a great option if you already have a digital copy of a book, especially when there isn’t an audiobook version available.

How to listen to your ebooks with ElevenReader Free

Getting started with ElevenReader is pretty straightforward.

Add a supported ebook or document to your library, choose a voice you like, and press play. You can pick from more than 1,000 natural-sounding voices, so you’re free to find one that suits your book.

The Free plan includes 10 hours of text-to-audio each month, and your allowance resets automatically. You can keep using the plan month after month without paying for a subscription.

Text to speech works especially well for ebooks, PDFs, and other documents you’d rather listen to than look at on a screen.

What about Kindle books?

Kindle books can be a little different. Some support audio features, while others have restrictions that limit how you can use them with other apps.

You won’t be able to upload every Kindle book directly into a text to speech app, so it’s worth checking which options are available for your book. Our guide to listening to Kindle books without Audible explains the different ways you can hear your Kindle library.

Text to speech won’t sound exactly like a professionally recorded audiobook, but being able to choose the voice is a nice bonus. And if you already own the ebook, there’s no need to buy another edition to enjoy listening.

When is Audible still worth paying for?

Free audiobooks are great, but sometimes you’ve got one particular book in mind, and nothing else will do.

Maybe your favorite author has a new release coming out tomorrow. You want to hear it straight away, and the thought of waiting several weeks for a library copy isn’t appealing.

Audible could still be worth paying for in that situation, especially if you regularly listen to new releases.

How much does Audible cost?

Audible currently offers two main monthly plans in the US.

• Audible Standard costs $8.99 per month after a 30-day free trial. You can choose one audiobook each month and listen to your selected books for as long as your membership stays active.
• Audible Premium costs $14.95 per month after the trial. You get one credit each month to buy an audiobook, which stays in your library even if you cancel your membership. Premium also includes access to a collection of audiobooks at no extra cost.

Audible has a catalog of more than one million titles, giving you a large selection of books to choose from.

Do you really need a paid subscription?

Think about the last few audiobooks you listened to. Did you pick them because you had a specific title in mind, or did you browse until something sounded interesting?

If you regularly want particular new releases as soon as they’re available, paying for Audible may make sense. If you’re happy to try different authors or have a long list of books you’ve been meaning to get around to, a free alternative to Audible could save you money.

You might find that you already have plenty to enjoy without paying for another subscription.

Your next free audiobook is waiting on ElevenReader

Looking for a free alternative to Audible doesn’t mean giving up your favorite way to enjoy books. There’s plenty to listen to without adding another monthly bill.

At ElevenReader, you can browse thousands of free audiobooks, claim a new featured title each week, and listen to your own ebooks and documents with stunningly natural voices. You can listen through our website or mobile app, with your library and listening progress saved across devices. And there’s no need to enter payment details to get started.

That next audiobook you’ve been looking forward to? You could be listening sooner than you think.

Start listening for free with ElevenReader and find something new to enjoy.

FAQs about free Audible alternatives

Is there a completely free alternative to Audible?

Yes. ElevenReader has a Free plan with thousands of audiobooks and 10 hours of text-to-audio each month. Your local library may also let you borrow digital audiobooks for free.

Is ElevenReader Free a trial?

No. ElevenReader Free is an ongoing $0 plan. Your 10 hours of text-to-audio reset each month, and you don’t need to upgrade to keep using the free features.

Can I get new audiobooks for free without Audible?

Yes, although you may have to wait for popular titles at your local library. ElevenReader also offers a different featured audiobook you can claim for free each week.

Does Audible have a free plan?

No. Audible offers eligible new members a 30-day free trial, but there’s no ongoing free membership. After the trial, Standard costs $8.99 per month and Premium costs $14.95 per month.

Can text to speech replace buying an audiobook?

Yes, if you already own a compatible ebook. Text to speech uses an AI or computer-generated voice to narrate the text, so you can listen without buying a separate audiobook edition.