Are you looking for the best audiobook subscriptions that are really worth it? Then let me share with you my three absolute favorites!
I talk a lot about Romance books on this blog, but I often listen to them in audio format instead of reading ebooks or print.
And with “often” I mean… 200 audiobooks a year. Audiobooks have been such a game-changer for me. I can enjoy so many books!
Below, I want to introduce you to my three favorite audiobook subscriptions that have a flat monthly fee. I’ll show you how they compare to one another, what sets them apart, and what the strengths and weaknesses are of each audio service.
Audible
Audible is one of the most popular audiobook subscriptions and for a good reason!
They offer a great selection of books. If a book has an audiobook, I will almost certainly find it here.
As Audible subscribers, we can also enjoy a lot of exclusive content. And the people working at Audible do seem to love audiobooks. So, I always find their Originals to be super fun and entertaining productions.
A standard Audible subscription (Audible Premium Plus) has a lot to offer. For our flat monthly fee, we get an Audible credit that we can use for any premium title of our choice.
And as an additional member benefit, we get unlimited access to the Plus catalog which has lots of Audible Originals and Audible Studios productions that we can borrow without any limitations.
Over the years, my Audible subscription has changed regularly. Sometimes I have canceled for a few months, but most of the time, I either have an Audible Plus membership, the super secret 1 credit every other month plan, or a discounted annual membership. That’s the one I have at the moment and it’s really a lot of listening for a relatively low fee.
As Audible belongs to Amazon and as they often use their strong market position to pressure authors and publishers, I aim to use other audiobook services whenever possible.
When an audiobook is sold in different stores, the author and publisher will be paid more if I buy it somewhere other than Audible, as Audible pays relatively low royalties.
If you like, check out some great Kindle Unlimited Romance books with narration that you can also play in the Audible app.
Everand
I am not too fussed about owning all the audiobooks I listen to. I just want A LOT of them!
And that’s why Everand is in my top 3 of the best audiobook subscriptions. With our monthly subscription, we audiobook fans can borrow a whole lot of audiobooks here.
This isn’t unlimited like the Audible Plus catalog I mentioned above. But I always find many new releases here or BookTok hits that would usually require me to spend an Audible credit.
On Everand, I just borrow them. And once I’m done listening, I can borrow something else.
I don’t love their app because it constantly gives me trouble. It sucks my Samsung tablet’s battery empty and the app often hangs and freezes.
Nevertheless, I simply love what they have to offer. I get so much listening here for my monthly fee and ebooks on top of that.
So yeah, even if the app isn’t the best, I still love Everand a lot!
Libro.fm
Last, but very much not least, in my top 3 is LibroFM. I adore this audiobook service and cannot recommend it enough to you!
Two things truly set it apart in my eyes.
Firstly, LibroFM supports our local bookstores and communities. As customers, we get to choose our store and every purchase and membership fee benefits that brick-and-mortar indie shop.
Secondly, all LibroFM audiobooks are DRM-free. That means we really, truly own what we buy here. We can save our audiobooks in MP3 format on our computer and play them on any device and in any app.
That doesn’t work with Audible books!
That being said, LibroFM’s own audiobook app is very nice, and I often use it even though I also save my audiobooks as MP3s on a hard drive.
LibroFM has the same monthly fee as Audible but fewer benefits. Or well… I say that. But obviously, being DRM-free and supporting local communities are pretty big benefits!
LibroFM also has an excellent sales section with many titles for as little as $5, so it’s super affordable to listen to more than one audiobook per month here. And you don’t even need the monthly audiobook subscription to pick up discounted books.
I make sure to check out their deals at least once a month!
LibroFM doesn’t really have any downsides. It’s a truly wonderful audiobook subscription.
The Best Audiobook Subscriptions: Conclusion
So, what did you think about my top 3 of the best audiobook subscriptions? Have you tried them all? How did you like them?
I always use all three regularly. While I have a bunch more apps and subscriptions I cycle through, these three all have something to offer that sets them apart from the rest. And I have used them all for many years and with many hundreds of audiobooks.
I hope you’ll try them all out!
Happy listening 🙂