It is a fact that audiobooks have become increasingly important in our daily lives. There are many applications that are available to download and be able to enjoy narrated books anywhere. However, there are some of these applications that have a subscription, but there are others of them that are completely free. In this post we tell you more about some of them.
What features should these apps have?
Although many of these applications are very similar, there are small nuances that make some better than others. Most have very extensive libraries, but it is worth highlighting those that have the most recent available and some audiobooks that are perhaps not as well known by most of the public.
They also have to be able to change the listening speed so that you can decide how you want to listen to the books. It stands out that you can also synchronize the audiobooks on your devices as well as in the car to be able to enjoy a much more complete experience, given that many users who consume this type of content do so during long driving days.
The best free apps
Within the free applications, there is more and more variety and more options . There are more and more free applications that are available to listen to audiobooks, with very extensive libraries and with the great classics of all life among them. In addition, many of them allow you to download the books to enjoy them from wherever you want.
AudioBooks LibriVox
In this application you will find more than 24,000 books available to listen to, the majority being novels and classic stories. These include Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Divine Comedy or Alice in Wonderland. All audiobooks are in the public domain, and are narrated by volunteers.
Within this application you can download the books you want , as well as save your favorite books in a folder. It is compatible with ChromeCast, so you can listen to your audiobooks from your home TV. A very good option, with a fairly simple interface that will be very easy to use, so we recommend it if you like classic books and don’t want to complicate yourself looking for other apps.
hoopla
This application is something different from the others. With it you can take the library of your city with you . You will only need the library card and once you sign up, you can enjoy audiobooks whenever you want. In addition, there is no type of penalty if you return a book late. Its operation is like that of a normal library, you can borrow books, but instead of being in physical format, they are audiobooks.
It works with Apple CarPlay and syncs with all your devices so you can continue reading whenever you want. It also allows you to mark the parts that interest you the most, as well as add a marker to the part where you stayed so you don’t get lost. You can modify the speed to hear it faster or slower, whatever you like. In addition to having books, this application also has movies and series since it is a real library and you can borrow anything.
Free Audiobooks HQ
In this app you have more than 100,000 free audiobooks with which you can enjoy and have a good time. It does not require a subscription, but you search for the book you want to listen to, download it and you can now enjoy the audiobook at any time and from anywhere. It has great classics in its library, as well as the latest news and lesser-known authors.
Its player allows you to modify the speed at which you want to listen to the book, either faster or slower. One of the great advantages of this app is that it has a timer, so you can set it when you go to sleep and the book stops playing automatically.
The Whole Book
In addition to having books, this application also has dictionaries. Allows you to choose between professional or natural voices to listen to the books. It also has books in different languages, and you can compare the pages of two books at the same time. One thing to note is that it allows you to listen to music related to the book you are reading, and you can search for specific topics within the application itself to find the books you want.
You will receive recommendations of books that you may like, in addition to being able to make a personalized library with works and authors that you like the most, to have everything archived and organized. If you want to share with your friends, you can send them a personalized message with the link of what you want to share.
Libby
This is another application whose catalog depends on your local library. You can borrow the books you want and enjoy them at any time or situation. You have the possibility to listen to books and magazines. It is compatible with Apple CarPlay so you can enjoy the books you want in the car, as well as add bookmarks, notes and annotations to the book you are listening to.
Its audio player allows you to listen slower or faster, reaching up to a speed of x3.0. To go from one book to another you only have to slide your finger on the screen, so you won’t need much to learn how to use this app. It is a very good option if you have children, as it contains a large number of children’s stories.
The best paid
Although the apps do not cost money to download, they usually have a monthly or annual subscription with which you can enjoy much more content, including some exclusive ones. Most of these apps have a trial period with which you can see if the application is really what you expected.
Storytel
It is undoubtedly one of the best known apps in the world , and also one of the most downloaded. It has audiobooks in Spanish, Catalan, English and Italian. You’ll be able to play the app from your Apple Watch, and you’ll be able to download the audiobooks you want to listen to them wherever and whenever you want without any complications.
It has a sleep timer , so if you are one of those who listens to a book before going to sleep, you can configure it so that the book is saved in the part where you were. Thanks to its children’s mode, the little ones will be able to enjoy the best children’s books and stories, and with the parental PIN you will be able to keep the rest of your library safe so that they cannot read or play with them.
Apple Books
The app developed by Apple could not be missing from this compilation. It has both classic books and audiobooks and more recent works available for you to listen to wherever and whenever you want. When you buy a book, it will be saved in your iCloud account so you can read and listen to it from any of your devices.
It has an organization function with which you can organize your books by theme or as you see fit, always leaving your books well organized. You can mark the parts that you like the most and return to them whenever you want, you can also share your audiobooks with your whole family thanks to En Familia.
iVoox
Although many people think that iVoox is just a podcast app, few know that it has a small section where you can enjoy some audiobooks. It has great titles saved so you can listen whenever you want, thanks to its download option. It has speed controllers so you can modify the speed faster or slower, as you like.
You will be able to make a playlist as if it were a music list, and you will be able to add all the audios you want so that they are played one after the other. In addition, this app learns from your tastes to recommend audiobooks that you may like based on what you have been downloading and listening to.
audiobook.com
It has a library of more than 300,000 books , of which about 10,000 are completely free. You have the option to download the audiobooks you want so you can enjoy them while driving or traveling. It has lists of different themes so you can choose and see recommended books with the same theme.
Among its library you can find the best books, including best sellers. It has rewards for the best listeners and readers, which encourages you to increase the listening of different books.
Audible
It is another of the best known and most downloaded applications. It has a library that you can listen to even without connection , as well as bookmarks so you don’t lose detail of where you were going. It also has a car mode so you can enjoy the books even while you’re driving, and you can change the speed at which you listen to the books.
One of the advantages of this app is that it has exclusive titles and information about the books and authors. Another of the most notable features is that you can integrate your Kindle in this app to enjoy a complete experience. In the great library you can find books of all kinds and on any subject to be able to discover new subjects that you were not so used to.
Which one did we like the most?
Regarding completely free applications, Free Audiobooks stands out. It has a very extensive library with which you can enjoy great classics as well as the latest releases. Its interface is simple and it works in a very similar way to a music application, so you won’t have to go crazy to listen to your favorite audiobook.
In paid apps, Audible is one of the best. Its trial period allows you to try the app beforehand to see if you like it. In addition, apart from having audiobooks, it has a variety of podcasts available with which you can enjoy and learn about new topics.
