How to listen to Kindle books while you commute, cook, or unwind

If you've ever wanted to listen to a Kindle book, you've probably already experimented with your device's built-in screen readers… only to quickly realize that they're not necessarily the easiest (or most enjoyable) way to experience a great story. 

Fortunately, there are other ways to listen to your Kindle book out loud. And in this article, we're sharing everything you need to know about how to listen to Kindle books, including why free tools aren't really suited to longer listening sessions and what you can use instead. 

Summary: 

• Amazon's Assistive Reader feature and built-in screen readers are free, but they're designed more for accessibility rather than immersive listening. 
• ElevenReader offers more natural-sounding narration for Kindle online.
• Another convenient option is Read & Listen with Audible. However, you'll need access to the title in both Kindle and Audible formats.
• The right read-aloud tool ultimately depends on your budget and how often you want to listen to your Kindle books. 

Can you listen to books on Kindle for free?

Yes. If you already use the Kindle app, there are a couple of free ways you can listen to your book out loud without having to pay for an audiobook or download a third-party app.

The first option is Amazon's built-in tool, Assistive Reader, which is available in the Kindle app for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, and Fire tablets. Assistive Reader uses your device's text-to-speech engine to read supported books out loud. 

There is one catch, though. Not every Kindle book supports Assistive Reader. The title must be compatible with Enhanced Typesetting, and if it isn't, you'll need to use your device's built-in accessibility tools instead.

On iPhone and iPad, that means Speak Screen. On Android, it's Select to Speak. These tools can read aloud any text that's visible on your screen (including your Kindle book), making them a decent backup option if your book doesn't support Assistive Reader. 

Why system voices aren't always ideal for long listening sessions

Assistive Reader, Speak Screen, and Select to Speak work really well for basic accessibility and reading short passages out loud. 

However, because they rely on basic text-to-speech voices, they can't really bring a story to life. The delivery can sound robotic, and because there's no variation in tone or pace, dialogue in a story can be very difficult to follow for longer periods of time, especially if you’re doing other things like driving, cooking, or working out. 

That's why many Kindle readers looking for a way to listen to full books eventually find themselves choosing between two options: paying for a professionally narrated audiobook in an audiobook app or using a text-to-speech app with better voices. 

Let's take a quick look at both options, as well as the pros and cons of each. 

How to listen to books on Kindle with professional narration

If you're looking for the highest-quality audio experience on Kindle, Audible offers a feature called Read & Listen. 

This feature, formerly known as Whispersync for Voice, synchronizes your reading and listening positions across the Kindle and Audible apps. That means you can read a chapter on your Kindle, switch to the Audible app in your car, and pick up exactly where you left off.

Because you're listening to the official audiobook, you get all the benefits of professional narration. Character voices feel distinct, and there's genuine emotion behind the narration, which makes the story much more engaging and easier to follow. 

The elephant in the room, though, is the cost. As Publishers Weekly points out, to use Read & Listen, you'll need access to both the Kindle eBook and the matching Audible audiobook. And while Amazon often offers discounted audiobook pricing when you already own the Kindle edition, building a library this way can still become expensive if you listen to a lot of books. 

How ElevenReader bridges the gap

If you want a voice that sounds more human than a standard screen reader, but you don't want to buy the audiobook version of every title on Audible, a dedicated text-to-speech app might be just what you're looking for. 

For example, with ElevenReader, you can listen to your Kindle books (and other supported content) online using expressive, natural-sounding AI voices that capture human pacing and emotion more naturally than traditional built-in TTS voices.

You can hear it for yourself in the following example: 

To get started, all you have to do is: 

1. Download and open ElevenReader.
2. Launch the built-in browser and choose Kindle from the list of supported websites. 
3. Sign in to your Amazon account, open a Kindle book you already have access to, and press Play.

We'd also like to emphasize here that ElevenReader offers a live listening experience. It does not import, download, copy, store, or create an audio file from your Kindle books. Your content stays exactly where it belongs, and the app simply reads the visible text while you view the page.

ElevenReader vs Audible Read & Listen vs Kindle's free tools

We’ve laid out how each approach works, plus the pros and cons. Now, to make choosing a little easier, here's a side-by-side comparison of Kindle's free accessibility tools, Audible Read & Listen, and ElevenReader. 

As you can see, there isn't a single "best" option, only the one that best matches how you like to read. 

If you only need occasional text-to-speech, Kindle's built-in accessibility features may be all you need. 

If you love professionally narrated audiobooks, Audible's Read & Listen is hard to beat, but it can be expensive. 

And if you're looking for a more enjoyable way to listen to your Kindle books without having to buy the audiobook version, ElevenReader offers a cost-effective middle ground.

Your story deserves a great voice

Stories are meant to be experienced and enjoyed, not left unfinished because you couldn't find time to sit down and read, or because you couldn't stand listening to a robotic voice for more than five minutes. 

So if you'd like to make more time for reading in your life (without having to buy the audiobook version of every title you already own on Kindle), sign up for ElevenReader today and start listening to your Kindle books, articles, and PDFs for free. 

Frequently asked questions about how to listen to Kindle books for long periods of time

How do you listen to books on Kindle without an Audible subscription?

Yes. You do not need an Audible subscription to use text-to-speech features. Assistive Reader, VoiceView, and third-party phone screen readers (like ElevenReader) use synthesized voices to read the text of standard ebooks you already own or have borrowed. 

Why doesn't my Kindle book have the Read Aloud option?

Not every Kindle book supports Amazon's Assistive Reader. The feature is only available for titles with Enhanced Typesetting that have Read Aloud enabled. If the option doesn't appear, you can use your device's built-in screen reader or another compatible text-to-speech app instead.

Can I use text-to-speech with books I've already bought on Kindle?

Yes. If you've already purchased a Kindle eBook, you can use compatible text-to-speech tools to have the text read aloud. Depending on the option you choose, this may include Amazon's Assistive Reader, your device's accessibility features, or apps like ElevenReader that let you listen to Kindle online and other supported content you own or have access to. 

What's the difference between text-to-speech and an audiobook?

An audiobook is professionally narrated by a human voice actor, often with different voices, emotion, and dramatic pacing. 

Text-to-speech uses AI or system-generated voices to read the text of an eBook aloud. Modern AI voices sound much more natural than traditional screen readers, making them a cost-effective alternative if you don't want to buy the audiobook version of every book.