Whether you're looking for entertainment while you're getting your steps in, tidying the house, or trying to reach your reading goals, an audiobook app can provide you with plenty of entertainment. You can find the best audiobooks
With the best audiobook apps, you'll have an array of the best-selling books and podcasts at your fingertips, read by different authors and actors.
When surveyed by the British Literacy Trust, 70 percent of people said that listening to audiobooks made them feel less stressed and cheered them up when they were feeling down, so if you're looking for fantastic stories to switch off to, we've collated a selection of the best audiobook apps available to download.
The best audiobooks apps 2025
Audible
You can get your hands on almost any title in audiobook form on this Amazon-acquired platform. Audible offers a 30-day free trial for new users, which will automatically renew for £7.99 a month if you don’t cancel it.
There are two monthly memberships to choose from: a 1 or 2 credit per month, but you can also opt for an annual membership for £109.99, where you’ll receive a total of 12 or 24 credits (again, depending on which option you choose). Each credit allows you to keep an audiobook of your choice, and you’ll need to purchase more credits to listen to more books if you run out.
As well as credits, a membership gives you access to thousands of free titles from a range of categories and genres, as well as exclusive members-only sales and deals. There are also plenty of podcasts to discover, including Audible Originals such as Dawn French and Jennifer Saunder’s 'Titting About' and 'Ripley and Badiel’s Believe it or Not' with Fay Ripley and David Baddiel.
If you don’t like a book or you have downloaded the wrong one, you can return it and get your credit back to spend on a different title and if you end your subscription, you can still access the titles you have already purchased.
Is Audible free with Prime?
Even though Audible is owned by Amazon, you'll have to pay for a separate membership. However, if you sign up to a 30-day trial you'll get two free credits so that you can select a couple of audiobooks to get you started.
Apple Books
If you’re an iOS user, you can download Apple Books to read e-books or listen to audiobooks. You don’t need a subscription, which is ideal for those sporadic listeners and if you’re on a budget, there are some free titles you can enjoy.
The app is laid out in a way that’s easy to use. You can scroll through different categories such as ‘Top Audiobooks and ‘New & Trending’, as well as ‘Coming Soon’. If you’re looking to read more books, there is a reading goal section where you can set daily time targets and yearly goals.
If you’re planning to listen to audiobooks when you’re on the go, you can use the app on CarPlay and your Apple Watch if you have one.
Apple Books is available on IOS.
BookBeat
Designed specifically for audiobooks and e-books, BookBeat has a selection of memberships to choose from. The cheapest is the monthly membership that's £5.99 and you get access to 20 hours of listening, then there's standard account priced at £9.99 per month which gives you up to 50 hours and finally a premium account which grants you 100 hours for £14.99 a month.
If other people in the same household fancy using BookBeat, you can create a family account and add up to five additional profiles at £4.99 each.
Spotify
September 2022, saw the introduction of Spotify audiobooks. Spotify has started giving users with a premium membership 15 hours of free listening a month and they can choose from over 150,000 titles.
Although you have to leave the app to purchase the stories you want to listen to, the books you buy will go onto your account, where you will then have your music, podcasts and chosen audiobooks all in one place.
Are Spotify audiobooks worth it?
If you're already a regular Spotify Premium user, the added bonus of a free audiobook is a nice extra, but it's probably not worth buying the membership just to listen to one book, as you'll only get 15 hours of listening.
Google Play Books
There are plenty of audiobooks on Google Play including Booker Prize winners, real-life stories, comedy and even audiobooks under £8. You don' need a subscription - you can find and pay for books whenever the mood hits.
You can browse the top charts to see what's trending or scroll through new releases to discover exciting stories. There are a number of free options to listen to including Frankenstein and Gulliver's Travels, as well as non-fiction books such as The Art of War, A Modest Proposal and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
Google Play Books is available on Android.
What are the benefits of listening to audiobooks?
Save time - If your reading list is as long as your arm, listening to audiobooks instead of physically reading can make your to be read pile shrink quicker, as you'll get through the "pages" faster.
Tidier shelves - If your book storage is overflowing with unread titles, using an audiobook app can help to keep everything that you're reading in one place and prevent you from buying anymore physical books which could be collecting dust on the shelf.
Improve physical health - Reading is a sedentary activity, but putting in headphones and listening to an audiobook can get you off of the sofa and into the great outdoors. Whether you walk or run, a good story can become a great companion as you exercise.
Reduce strain - Sometimes, reading can take a toll on your posture. Sitting in bed or slouching in a year for long periods of time can cause strain on your neck and back, but with an audiobook, you can listen in any position you want too. Also, if your hands hurt after holding a book for stretches of time, you can alleviate that discomfort by switching to digital books and you won't get eye strain or need a reading book light.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who enjoys cooking and spending time with her many pets.