Do you prefer listening to books rather than reading them? Here are the best audiobook apps for iPhone and iPad that let you do just that.
As we live in a digital age, audiobooks have replaced printed books for many. If you're new to audiobooks, simply put, they are books that are recorded for listening. Instead of buying a physical book, you can get an audiobook and listen to it wherever you are. Audiobooks make reading quite convenient!
There was a time when audiobooks were available on CDs and DVDs. But nowadays, you can listen to audiobooks using just a smartphone or a tablet. Likewise, there are also many audiobook apps available for iOS devices. Here are some of the best audiobook apps for iPad and iPhone.
Apple has built many apps for its devices, and they are all well optimized. So, there is no better audiobook app for your iPhone or iPad than Apple Books. You can browse through a library of countless books (audiobooks and e-books) in every category.
The user interface is clean and follows the design language of Apple. The audiobooks on Apple Books are often narrated by famous actors, authors, or artists. Once you start listening to an audiobook, you'll see it in your Reading Now section.
With Apple Books, you can browse and buy books directly from the app, so you can discover new books with ease. Unfortunately, audiobooks are only available in certain countries, and therefore are not available worldwide.
Download: Apple Books (Free, in-app purchases available)
Audible, Amazon's audiobook platform, has gained traction in recent years. There is no doubt that Audible is one of the best audiobook apps that you can get for your smartphone. As an Amazon product, Audible offers the largest collection of audiobooks out there, along with some exclusive content.
Audible comes integrated with the Amazon shopping app, and it has its benefits. Amazon Prime members occasionally get audiobook credits for free, as well as amazing deals on some audio content. Like Apple Books, you'll hear celebrities narrate many of these audiobooks to make it more interesting.
Audible's WhisperSync feature allows you to switch between audiobook mode and e-book mode seamlessly. Audible also features the Alexa assistant. All you need to do is ask Alexa to play an audiobook or recommend one; it'll do it for you.
Download: Audible (Subscription required, free trial available)
Libby is an advanced application, from OverDrive, that allows you to borrow books from local libraries. With Libby, you can register more than one library card to borrow an e-book or an audiobook.
To sign up for Libby, you'll just need to follow a few steps, and you'll be able to add your library cards later. Libby also lets you download or stream songs. This is one of the best audiobook apps if you've got a good library nearby.
However, Libby becomes useless when there are no libraries located near you. If you have some nearby, you're in luck. The site offers free audiobooks for all kinds of books—new releases, bestsellers, and even classics. Moreover, the app is intuitive and simple to use.
Download: Libby (Free)
For those who prefer Google's services, or recently switched from an Android device, Google Play Books may be the ideal audiobook app for you. Google introduced audiobooks in 2018, and the iOS app is a great one too.
You can access all sorts of content, including e-books, audiobooks, comic books, and more. This app is available for iPhone and iPad, but you can also use it in a browser on your PC or Mac. While the catalog isn't as extensive as what you get with Audible, you do get the advantage of buying audiobooks separately without needing to subscribe.
Google Play Books offers an audiobook player with the most basic options for controlling the playback of audiobooks. You can move the playhead as you wish to go back or forward, touch the options to jump 30-second back or forward, or set a timer to stop the playback.
Download: Google Play Books (Free, in-app purchases available)
Kobo offers something similar to what Google Play Books offers. You have access to all digital content, such as audiobooks, e-books, comic books, and more. Additionally, it supports French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, and more languages.
You can use Kobo as an e-book reader and an audiobook player. Kobo has a subscription-based service that costs $9.99 per month. If you go for the subscription, you'll get one free audiobook every month.
It also has an intuitive user interface and useful sorting options. When you launch the app, you'll see your recently read e-books and audiobooks on the home screen. It also works with CarPlay.
Download: Kobo Books (Subscription available)
If you want the best experience for audiobooks, Audiobooks.com is the right choice for you. This app allows you to listen to over 250,000 audiobooks, with some of them available for free. The audiobooks available in this catalog include various topics, from children's books to nonfiction. You can find almost anything.
The Audiobooks.com app has podcasts built in if you're into them, and you can access them for free. The recommendations available in this app are among the best. You will find that it offers recommendations tailored to your interests, and the application also provides lists for you to check out.
When it comes to the user interface, this application offers the best experience. You'll immediately get the hang of it. There is almost no learning curve. Moreover, the app is available on every Apple device.
Download: Audiobooks.com (Free, in-app purchases available)
These are all the best audiobook apps for iPhone and iPad. Some of these apps are also available on the Apple Watch to make your experience seamless across devices.
Audiobooks are a great way of experiencing books and involving yourself in the writer's world. Recently, Spotify has started adding audiobooks to its app as well. You can give them a try if you want.
Varun Kesari is the Junior Editor at MakeUseOf for the Office & Productivity and Work & Career sections. His career in tech journalism began in 2015, and he has written and edited for various well-established publications. He is passionate about all things related to technology. You can reach out to him: varunkesari@makeuseof.com
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