11 of the Best Places to Find Free Audiobooks

Whether you’re always on the go or you just prefer listening to reading, audiobooks can be a great way to bring more books into your life. Fortunately, there’s a great selection of free audiobooks available online.

In this article, I’ll take a look at 11 of the best websites and resources for finding free audiobooks. I’ve visited each of the websites listed below, and I’ve tested a few audiobooks from each to ensure quality and see what’s available at no charge.

Where to Find Free Audiobooks Online

When you start looking for free audiobooks online, it won't be long before you start coming across less-than-reputable websites. Some may actually require you to enter payment information while others provide access to pirated content. Still, there are several websites and apps that you can use to listen to and/or download free audiobooks legally. Among them are LibriVox, Project Gutenberg and Spotify.

If you're looking for a full list of ways to find free audiobooks that you'd normally have to pay for, you probably won't find it on this list. Instead, I've compiled 11 completely legal and free ways to find free audiobooks online.

Resource Best For App Rating Download/Stream

HooplaDigital New Releases App Store: 4.8
Google Play: 4.7 Both

OverDrive New Titles, Multiple Platforms App Store: 4.6
Google Play: 4.6 Both

LibriVox Public Domain Titles, Poems, Short Stories App Store: 4.8
Google Play: 4.6 Download only

Project Gutenberg Public Domain Titles, Multiple Formats Google Play: 4.1 Stream only

Digitalbook Finding Something New N/A Both

Learn Out Loud Educational Resources N/A Both

Internet Archive Variety N/A Both

Open Culture Finding a Specific Title N/A Both

Loyal Books Classic Titles, Kids' Books App Store: 4.4
Google Play: 4.5 Both

Storynory Kids App Store: 4.8
Google Play: 4.5 Both

Spotify Spotify Users App Store: 4.7
Google Play: 4.5 Stream only

Resource	Best For	App Rating	Download/Stream
HooplaDigital	New Releases	App Store: 4.8 Google Play: 4.7	Both
OverDrive	New Titles, Multiple Platforms	App Store: 4.6 Google Play: 4.6	Both
LibriVox	Public Domain Titles, Poems, Short Stories	App Store: 4.8 Google Play: 4.6	Download only
Project Gutenberg	Public Domain Titles, Multiple Formats	Google Play: 4.1	Stream only
Digitalbook	Finding Something New	N/A	Both
Learn Out Loud	Educational Resources	N/A	Both
Internet Archive	Variety	N/A	Both
Open Culture	Finding a Specific Title	N/A	Both
Loyal Books	Classic Titles, Kids' Books	App Store: 4.4 Google Play: 4.5	Both
Storynory	Kids	App Store: 4.8 Google Play: 4.5	Both
Spotify	Spotify Users	App Store: 4.7 Google Play: 4.5	Stream only

Below, you’ll find detailed information on 11 different places where you can legally stream and/or download free audiobooks.

HooplaDigital

Major Genres: Modern Classics, Fiction, Children's
Best For: New Releases and Variety
Platforms: App (iOS and Android), Computer (download and stream)

Hoopla is the digital service of Midwest Tape, which is a leading provider of entertainment and media to public libraries across North America. You'll find free audiobooks, e-books, movies, TV shows and more available from more than 1,500 libraries. You can visit the website or download the app to get started. At the time of writing, the app had a 4.8 rating on the App Store and a 4.7 rating on Google Play. When I checked out the service, I used the desktop version from my laptop.

Hoopla works just like a public library, which means you can instantly borrow free audiobooks at any time using your own library card. If you don’t already have a Hoopla account created, you can make one for free online. You will need to log in to be able to “borrow” anything.

Once you’re logged in, you can scroll over “browse” and click on “audiobooks” to see the entire available selection. When I checked out Hoopla, there were nearly 58,000 audiobook titles available. You can sort the titles or narrow your search results by format, user rating, date, language and more. Once you’ve found a title that interests you, you can click on it for more information. Below the cover image, you’ll see the “borrow” button that you can click to stream and/or download the title.

Pros	Cons
You can browse the available public library selection at home Select audiobooks are available for both streaming and downloading Hoopla also offers movies, music, e-books and more	You do have to log in with your library card to access free content Titles can be borrowed only for a limited time There may have a limitation of how many titles you can check out at a time/per month based on your library’s policies

OverDrive

Major Genres: Biography, Young Adult, Fiction, Literature
Best For: New Titles, Multiple Platforms
Platforms: App (iOS and Android), Computer (download and stream)

OverDrive also provides access to free audiobooks and e-books through your local public library or school. That means you'll need to enter your library card number or school/work email address in order to access free titles with this resource. Once you've signed in, you'll need to save the names of all libraries where you have borrowing privileges, so that you can see the entire selection available to you.

You can access OverDrive on your computer or as an app on your iOS or Android device. In addition to the OverDrive app (which has a 4.6 rating on both Google Play and the App Store), you can also download the Libby app for iOS or Android. It's owned by the same company, provides access to the same titles and also has an average rating of 4.6. According to OverDrive's website, the Libby app is the easiest way to get started, but if you have a device that's not compatible with Libby, you can use the OverDrive app for a similar experience.

Once you’ve found a title you’re interested in, you can click it to see additional information. You’ll initially see information for the print copy at your nearest library, but if it’s available as an audiobook, you’ll see that noted as well. From this page, you can click on the link to your library’s website to borrow the title or request a digital version. If a title isn’t available, you can also use this page to get on the waiting list for it.

Pros	Cons
Powered by your local library/school Free access to newer books You can browse the selection available at your library from home Two highly-rated apps to choose from	You have to log in to access content Not all titles are available as audiobooks Popular titles may not be available right away, even digitally

LibriVox

Major Genres: Children's Fiction, Action & Adventure, Poetry, Short Stories
Best For: Public Domain Texts, Poems, Short Stories
Platforms: App (iOS and Android), Computer (download)

LibriVox brings together volunteers worldwide to read and record public domain texts in order to create audiobooks. You can download the files to your computer and listen to them that way, or you can download the app for your iOS or Android device. The app has an average rating of 4.7 stars between the App Store and Google Play.

When you first visit the website, you can choose between reading as a volunteer or browsing the catalog to listen to audiobooks. Again, all of the books, poems, short stories and plays that you’ll find on LibriVox are public domain. You can search by author, title or reader. You can also browse the catalog by author, title, genre/subject or language.

When I visited LibriVox, I used a computer to access the full website. After I indicated that I wanted to listen instead of read, I was immediately able to begin browsing the catalog without creating an account. After finding a title I wanted to listen to, I simply clicked “download” on the right-hand side of the screen. Then the MP3 file was downloaded to my computer and ready to play.

Pros	Cons
You don’t have to create an account Highly-rated iOS and Android app	Audiobooks aren’t available for streaming Public domain texts only

Project Gutenberg

Major Genres: Classic Literature, Educational Resources
Best For: Public Domain Titles, Multiple Formats
Platforms: App (Android) Computer (stream)

Project Gutenberg was founded in 1971, making it one of the oldest digital libraries. The website relies mostly on volunteers to upload digital files including e-books and audiobooks. At the time of writing, there were more than 60,000 free titles available, and you don't have to create an account to access them.

When I checked out Project Gutenberg, I visited the website on my computer. You can also download the app on your Android device; it has an average rating of 4.1 on Google Play. Unfortunately, there isn't a version available for iOS.

While the website focuses on e-books, many of the titles you'll see are available as audiobooks as well. You can see a complete list of audiobooks on this page. Once you've found a title you'd like to listen to, you can click on it to see a list of files available for streaming. As I clicked through the titles, I found that most of them were available for streaming online, but none were available to download. Additionally, some audiobooks are read by volunteers/authors while others are digital renditions "voiced" by computers.

Pros	Cons
You don’t have to create an account to access free content Books are available in multiple formats including e-books	There isn’t an app for iOS devices Not all titles are available as audiobooks Some audiobooks are “voiced” by computers

Digitalbook

Major Genres: Fiction, Classics, History
Best For: Finding Something New
Platforms: Computer (download and stream)

Digitalbook.io is a great resource for finding free audiobooks, e-books and podcasts. While there isn't currently an available app for either iOS or Android devices, the website is extremely easy to navigate. You can search for a title directly from the homepage, scroll down to see top-rated and trending books or browse by genre.

When I visited the website, I clicked on the fiction genre to begin exploring. Along the left-hand side of the screen, I was able to narrow my search results by format (audiobook or e-book), author, sub-genre and more.

Once you find a book you'd like to listen to, you can click the play button on the book's cover image to begin streaming. You can also click "Free audiobook" on the right-hand side of the screen, next to the title, to download the free audiobook file. Note that some files are available only from third-party providers (like Gutenberg or LibriVox), but you'll still be able to download them on Digitalbook.io.

Pros	Cons
You don’t have to create an account You can stream and download free audiobooks Easily narrow your search results to find what you need	Not all titles are available as audiobooks There isn’t an app on the App Store or Google Play

Learn Out Loud

Major Genres: Education, Biography, Literature, Self-Development
Best For: Educational Resources
Platforms: Computer (download and stream)

Learn Out Loud is a resource that specializes in audio and video learning. In addition to audiobooks, you'll find courses, documentaries, podcasts and more. Unfortunately, not all of the content is available for free.

While there isn’t currently an app for Learn Out Loud, the website is quite user-friendly. From the homepage, you can click “Free Audiobooks” to narrow your results, browse by category and sort by popularity, date or title. At the time of writing, there were 3,580 free audiobooks available on Learn Out Loud.

Once you’ve found a title that interests you, you can click on it for more information. Some audiobooks are available for online streaming while others only offer an audio sample. On the right-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a box containing the link(s) to free file downloads. Lower on the page, you’ll see a description of the title and reviews/ratings from other listeners.

Pros	Cons
No account is required Huge selection of free audiobooks, courses and videos You can download and/or stream select titles	Mostly educational resources (lack of fiction) Not all audiobooks are available for free

Internet Archive

Major Genres: Classic Literature, Poetry, Philosophy
Best For: Variety
Platforms: Computer (download and stream)

Internet Archive has an entire section dedicated to audiobooks and poetry. At the time of writing, there were more than 20,000 titles included in the collection. While there isn't currently an app available, you can visit the website online and get started without having to create an account.

When I first visited the website, I clicked on the image of the speaker at the top of the screen to see the audio categories. From there, I selected “audiobooks and poetry.” Once you’ve made it to the audiobooks section, you can narrow your results further by using the filters on the left-hand side of the screen.

After you find a title that you’d be interested in listening to, you can click on it for more information. You’ll see the streaming player across the top of the screen ready to play the selected title. You can also scroll down to see the download options along the right-hand side of the screen. Below that, you’ll see comments and reviews from other listeners.

Pros	Cons
You don’t have to create an account Audiobooks are available for downloading and streaming You’ll see content from Internet Archive and other free libraries	The website can be a little overwhelming There isn’t an app for iOS or Android devices Recording quality varies

Open Culture

Major Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Classic Literature
Best For: Finding a Specific Title
Platforms: Computer (download and stream)

Open Culture is a little different from some of the other resources on this list because it compiles free audiobook files from across the internet. Once you've found a title you'd like to listen to, you'll be redirected to another site (like LibriVox or Loyal Books) that offers the file for free. Still, you'll find a list of more than 1,000 free titles.

When you first visit the website, you’ll be asked to disable your adblocker. If you don’t, you’ll be asked again every time you refresh the page. Once you’ve closed out of the notification, you’ll see a banner across the top of the screen displaying categories including online courses, audiobooks, movies, podcasts, K-12th grade, e-books and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). I clicked on audiobooks to browse the free selection.

You’ll see all of the titles divided into genres on the same page. While it’s hard to narrow your search results any further, you can use the “find” tool in your browser to search the entire page. I entered a few keywords like “Fitzgerald” and “Frankenstein” to find that most popular classics were included.

Pros	Cons
Links to 1,000+ free audiobooks You don’t have to create an account Books are available for streaming, downloading or both	You’re encouraged to turn off your adblocker before visiting the site You’ll be redirected to other websites for streaming/downloading content There isn’t an app for iOS or Android

Loyal Books

Major Genres: Kids, Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery
Best For: Classic Titles, Kids' Books
Platforms: App (iOS and Android), Computer (download and stream)

Loyal Books is another great resource for finding free public domain audiobooks as well as e-books. On this website, you can choose to stream audiobooks or download the files to your device. You can also download the Loyal Books app for iOS or Android. It has a rating of 4.4 on the App Store and 4.5 on Google Play.

When I checked out Loyal Books, I visited the website from my computer. Along the left-hand side of the screen, I was able to browse by popular genres (which includes a Top 100 list), more genres and languages. You can also search by title, author or keyword at the top of the screen.

After you find a title you’re interested in, you can click on it for more information. You’ll see the original author, a summary of the text, related links, a streaming widget, available audiobook downloads and available e-book downloads. You can click play to start listening immediately or download the files to listen offline.

Pros	Cons
You don’t have to create an account Stream and download audiobooks Read reviews from other listeners E-books are also available	Some audiobooks aren’t free, but they are separated into their own category

Storynory

Major Genres: Fairy Tales, Classic & Original Stories
Best For: Kids
Platforms: App (iOS and Android) Computer (download and stream)

Storynory is a great resource that offers a variety of free audio stories exclusively for kids. You can download the Stornory app on your tablet or phone or visit the website online. The app has a 4.8 rating on the App Store and a 4.5 rating on Google Play, but I used my computer to access the online version.

As you can tell from the homepage, this resource is for children. Across the top of the page, you’ll see a banner with popular categories including original stories, fairytales, classic authors, myths/world stories, educational stories and poems/music. As I browsed, I saw tons of original titles in addition to classic texts like “Alice In Wonderland” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Once you’ve found a title to play, you can click on it to see the audio player and download button. You’ll also see the full text on the same page so kids can read along with the audio. If you scroll down, you’ll also be able to see comments and reviews from other listeners.

Pros	Cons
Huge selection of children’s audiobooks You can stream and download files Text is included so kids can follow along	Aimed exclusively at children (no other content)

Spotify

Major Genres: Classic Literature, Short Stories, Plays
Best For: Spotify users
Platforms: App (iOS and Android), Computer (stream)

When you think of Spotify, free audiobooks probably aren't your first thought. Still, you'll be surprised to know that there is a selection of audiobook recordings available to Spotify users with free accounts. Of course, that means you will have to create an account if you don't already use Spotify.

I logged in on my computer, but you can also check out the Spotify app for iOS and Android devices. Between the App Store and Google Play, reviewers give the app an average of 4.6 stars. Personally, I thought the website was also easy to use if you'd rather log in on a laptop or computer.

When I started searching for free audiobooks, I immediately stumbled across this Spotify playlist that includes nearly 67 hours of free recordings. I saw popular titles including "The Great Gatsby," "Pride and Prejudice," "Great Expectations" and more. Once you find a title you're interested in listening to, simply click it to begin streaming instantly. Unfortunately, downloads aren't currently available.

Pros	Cons
User-friendly website Highly-rated apps	You will have to create a free account A limited selection of titles

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, any of these websites/apps are worth checking out if you’re looking for free audiobooks.

To see what's available at your local public library, be sure to check out HooplaDigital and OverDrive using your library card. For general public domain texts, try LibriVox, Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg and Loyal Books.

Loyal Books is also a great resource for finding free children’s books, but Storynory provides the biggest selection for kids, and they can read along with the on-screen text. To find educational resources for all ages, be sure to check out Learn Out Loud.

If you’re looking for a specific title, searching Open Culture is a great way to see a compilation of free audiobooks from across the web. If you’re looking for something completely new, Digitalbook is designed to help you find a free audiobook you’ll love. Lastly, if you’re a Spotify user, you’ll be happy to know that you can find a selection of audiobooks available for free there.

No matter where you decide to listen to/download free audiobooks, just make sure you're doing it legally and safely. While you may have to disable your ad blocker online or enter your library card number to create a free account, you shouldn't have to download any software or enter any payment information.

What are your favorite websites for finding free audiobooks online? Let us know in the comments below!

More Ways to Find Free Entertainment:

ExploreThis article was originally published on Clark.com

The post 11 of the Best Places to Find Free Audiobooks appeared first on Clark Howard.

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