Can you listen to audiobooks without Audible?

Audible seems to pop up every time you search for an audiobook. Maybe you’ve found a brilliant new thriller, but don’t fancy another monthly subscription. Or perhaps somebody has recommended a great memoir, and you’d rather buy the audiobook outright.

The good news is that Audible is far from your only option!

You can listen to audiobooks without Audible using dedicated audiobook apps, online bookstores, or even your local library. Some services let you listen for free, while others let you buy individual books and enjoy them whenever you like.

The best option for you will come down to how you prefer getting your books. You might enjoy browsing an audiobook library for something new, or prefer buying a specific title without paying a monthly fee.

At ElevenReader, we offer a library of audiobooks you can enjoy on your phone or computer. You can also turn your own ebooks and documents into audio with stunningly natural voices. Our Audible alternative page explains how the two services compare.

Here, we’ll walk you through five ways to enjoy audiobooks without Audible, including where to get them and how to start listening.

Summary

You don’t need an Audible account to enjoy your next audiobook. Here are five ways to listen:

• ElevenReader: Enjoy thousands of free audiobooks, with more than 200,000 premium titles available through Ultra. You can listen on your phone or computer.
• Apple Books: Buy individual audiobooks through the Books app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. There’s no monthly subscription.
• Google Play Books: Purchase audiobooks for your Android phone, iPhone, or computer. Some titles are available to rent.
• Your local library: Borrow digital audiobooks for free with a library card, if your library offers the service.
• Downloadable audiobooks: Buy audiobooks from stores such as Libro.fm and download the audio files to play using compatible apps.

You can use more than one service, too. Buying your favorite novels and borrowing something new from the library is a great way to enjoy more books without paying for every one.

5 ways to listen to audiobooks without Audible

Getting started is pretty simple. You can sign up for another audiobook app, buy books through an online store, or borrow them from your library. Some options are completely free, while others let you choose how much you spend.

Here’s how each one works.

1. Use another audiobook app

The easiest way to replace Audible is to try another app with its own audiobook library.

ElevenReader gives you thousands of free audiobooks to enjoy, with a new featured title you can claim each week. Our Ultra plan also includes access to more than 200,000 premium audiobooks, most of them professionally narrated.

All you need to do is create an account, find a book you like, and press play. You can listen through our website or use the ElevenReader app on your iPhone or Android phone. Your library syncs across devices, so you can start listening on your computer and pick up where you left off on your phone.

You can change the playback speed, bookmark your favorite parts, or set a sleep timer when listening in bed. Ultra members can download audio in the mobile app for offline listening, too.

ElevenReader also lets you upload your own ebooks, PDFs, and documents and have them narrated by a lifelike voice of your choice. If you’ve got a book sitting on your laptop that you’d love to listen to, you can add it to your library alongside your audiobooks.

Fancy finding something new? Our roundup of the best audiobooks of all time has more than 30 recommendations to get you started.

2. Buy audiobooks through Apple Books

Already have an iPhone? You can buy audiobooks directly through Apple Books without paying for a subscription.

Open the Books app, search for a title, and tap the audiobook to see its price. After buying your audiobook, you’ll find it in your Apple Books library, ready to play whenever you like.

You can listen on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac using the same Apple account. Apple Books includes playback speed controls and a sleep timer, plus the option to download your purchases for offline listening. That means you can enjoy your audiobook on a flight or train journey without needing an internet connection.

The main benefit is that you only pay when you want a new audiobook. If you go a few months without buying anything, there’s no subscription charge waiting for you.

Apple Books is a good choice if you already use Apple devices and prefer buying books individually.

3. Buy or rent audiobooks through Google Play Books

Google Play Books is another easy way to buy audiobooks without signing up for a monthly membership.

Open the Google Play Books app on Android or visit the Google Play Books website. Search for the audiobook you want, check the price, and buy it. Your purchase will appear in your Google account’s audiobook library, where you can listen whenever you like.

You can enjoy your audiobooks through the Google Play Books app on Android or iPhone, as well as on your computer. Your listening progress syncs between devices, so you won’t need to find your place again after switching.

Google Play Books also lets you rent certain audiobooks. Renting means you pay to listen for a set period instead of buying the book. Google shows you the rental price and how long you’ll have access before you pay.

This could work well if you want to finish a book once and move on. For an old favorite you expect to enjoy again, buying the audiobook may be the better choice.

Check that you’re buying the full audiobook

Some titles are sold in both abridged and unabridged versions. An abridged audiobook is shorter because parts of the original book have been removed. An unabridged audiobook includes the full text.

If a huge novel has a surprisingly short listening time, check which version you’re buying. You probably don’t want to pay for a shorter edition by mistake!

Google Play Books is especially handy for Android users, although you can enjoy your purchases on other supported devices too.

4. Borrow audiobooks from your local library

Fancy listening to audiobooks for free? Your local library might have exactly what you’re looking for.

Many public libraries offer free digital audiobooks to people with library cards. Some let members borrow digital audiobooks through apps such as Libby, too. You can search for books, borrow available titles, and listen on your phone without visiting the library building.

Start by checking your library’s website to see which audiobook service it offers. If you’re already a member, you may be able to sign in with your library card number and start borrowing. Digital audiobook loans work much like borrowing a physical book. You get access for a set number of days, and the audiobook is returned when your loan ends.

The main drawback is availability. Popular audiobooks may have a waiting list, so you won’t always be able to borrow the book you want straight away.

Still, it’s a brilliant option for trying new authors without spending money. If you borrow a mystery novel and find you’re not enjoying it after a few chapters, you can return it and choose something else.

5. Buy audiobooks you can download as files

Some audiobook stores let you download your purchases as audio files, which means you can play them outside the store’s own app.

Libro.fm is one example. Its audiobooks are available as MP3 or M4B files, and you can download them to your computer.

These are known as DRM-free audiobooks. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management, which is technology that can restrict where digital content can be played. With a DRM-free audiobook, you can save the audio file and open it using another compatible player. You’re free to choose the listening app you prefer.

Don’t fancy dealing with audio files? 

You can still use Libro.fm’s own mobile app or web player to enjoy your purchases. Downloading the files is optional, but it’s a nice feature if you want to keep copies of your audiobooks on your computer.

It’s a good choice for people who prefer buying audiobooks and want more control over where they listen.

Where can you play audiobooks without Audible?

You can listen to audiobooks without Audible on most of the devices you already use. You won’t need to buy special equipment, although some services work on more devices than others.

Here’s a quick look at where you can enjoy your audiobooks.If you usually listen on your phone, any of these options could work well. Choosing an app that syncs your listening progress is especially handy if you switch between your phone and computer.

Our guide to the best audiobook apps takes a closer look at the different features available.

Can you listen through headphones or in your car?

Yes! You can listen to audiobooks through Bluetooth headphones and speakers, much like you would with music or podcasts. Connect your headphones to your phone, open your audiobook app, and start listening.

If your phone connects to your car’s audio system, you can usually play your audiobooks through the car speakers too. Some audiobook apps support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which can give you playback controls on your car’s display.

Check your chosen app for support if you plan to listen while driving. In most cases, the devices you already own will work perfectly well.

Can you keep audiobooks after leaving a service?

You might want to listen to a favorite book again in a few years, so it’s worth knowing what happens to your audiobooks if you stop using an app.

Audiobooks you’ve purchased

When you purchase an audiobook through Apple Books or Google Play Books, the book stays linked to your store account. You can return to your library and listen through that service.

DRM-free purchases give you the option to download your own copy of the audio files. You can keep those files on your device and play them through compatible software, without having to use the original store’s app.

Library loans and subscription audiobooks

Borrowed audiobooks work differently. Library loans expire after the borrowing period, so you’ll need to borrow the book again if you want another listen.

Subscription apps can have their own rules, too. For example, ElevenReader Ultra gives you access to premium audiobooks during your membership, but that premium access ends if you cancel.

If you love listening to the same books again and again, buying them may suit you better. If you enjoy trying new stories and rarely revisit old ones, borrowing or using an audiobook subscription could save you money.

Find your next audiobook with ElevenReader

You have plenty of ways to enjoy audiobooks without an Audible account. You can buy individual titles, borrow books for free, or use another audiobook app with a library of stories ready to enjoy.

At ElevenReader, we make it easy to enjoy audiobooks alongside books and documents you already own. You can listen on your phone or computer, choose lifelike voices for your personal content, and keep your listening together in one library.

Our free plan includes thousands of audiobooks, plus 10 hours of AI text-to-audio each month for your own ebooks and documents. You can choose from more than 1,000 voices to bring your personal content to life.

Looking for even more audiobook options? Our guide to audiobook apps that rival Audible compares other services you might enjoy.

Your next audiobook could be a few taps away.

Start listening for free with ElevenReader

FAQs about listening to audiobooks without Audible

Do I need Audible to listen to audiobooks?

No. You can listen to audiobooks without Audible using other audiobook apps, buying books through Apple Books or Google Play Books, or borrowing them from your local library.

Can I buy an audiobook without a subscription?

Yes. Apple Books and Google Play Books let you buy individual audiobooks without paying a monthly fee. Your purchases are saved to your account.

Can I listen to audiobooks without Audible on an iPhone?

Yes. You can buy audiobooks through Apple Books, use an app such as ElevenReader, or borrow digital audiobooks through participating libraries.

Can I listen to audiobooks without Audible on Android?

Yes. Google Play Books and ElevenReader both work on Android. Many library audiobook services also have Android apps.

Can I listen to audiobooks on a computer without Audible?

Yes. ElevenReader and Google Play Books work through a web browser. You can also download DRM-free audiobooks and play them using compatible software on your computer.

What happens to my audiobook if I stop using the app?

Purchased audiobooks usually stay linked to your store account. Library loans expire, and subscription audiobooks may require an active membership. DRM-free audiobooks can be downloaded and saved as audio files.