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Best Listening Books Apps

232+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated April 2026

Apple Books is the household name in listening books, but it's far from the only option. We track 232+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Top Picks for Listening Books

Apple Books#1

Apple Books by Apple Inc.

Read, listen, discover.
Editor's Choice
📚 Books
4.4😐(71K ratings)
FreeAds
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Discover, read, and listen to a wide selection of books and audiobooks with personalised recommendations and curated collections. Set reading goals, customize your reading experience, and share with family members. Enjoy convenient features like Apple CarPlay integration and access from Apple Watch. Start your reading journey now!

What We Love

  • 🚀 Seamless integration across devices
  • 📚 Vast library of books available
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🎧 Exceptional audiobook experience

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Books get deleted from local storage
  • 🐛 Unreliable syncing between devices
  • 🔒 Lack of audio closed captions
Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts#2

Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts by Audible, Inc.

1M+ Popular Books & Stories
Strong Contender
📚 Books
4.9😐(5.5M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#1in Books
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Experience a wide range of audio entertainment with audiobooks, podcasts, and more in one convenient app. Dive into captivating storytelling and enrich your mind on-the-go. Download now for endless listening pleasure.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Convenient for listening while doing other tasks
  • 👍 Wide selection of books
  • 👍 Narration quality is good
  • 👍 Easy to use app

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and sync issues
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
  • 💰 Expensive subscription and book prices
Audiobooks.com: Get audiobooks#3

Audiobooks.com: Get audiobooks by Storytel Audiobooks USA LLC

Listen to novels
Worth Considering
📚 Books
4.7😊(64K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#22in Books
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Enjoy your favorite books on the go with the ultimate audiobook experience - access over 450,000 titles, enjoy adjustable playback speeds, and engage with a vibrant book-loving community. Download now to start your adventure!

What We Love

  • 👍 Simple to use
  • 🚀 Great selection of books
  • 💡 Useful features like sleep timer and playback speed
  • 👍 Seamless experience across devices

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Issues with bookmarking and navigation
  • 🐛 Occasional playback issues and loss of progress
  • 💰 Relatively expensive credits/subscription

More Listening Books apps to explore

4
Pocket FM: Audio Series
Pocket FM: Audio Series
Pocket FM: Audio Series
Fantasy, romance & drama story
Free

Discover a groundbreaking audio series platform offering a diverse range of genres like romance, horror, thriller, and drama. With over 100,000 hours of content, Pocket FM provides non-stop entertainment from top creators, perfect for audiobook and podcast enthusiasts. Surrender to a world of captivating storytelling and immerse yourself in hours of binge-worthy content. Join the millions of listeners experiencing a new era of audio entertainment.

🎬 Entertainment
(266K)
5
Amazon Kindle: Reading App
Amazon Kindle: Reading App
Amazon Kindle: Reading App
Read eBooks & Magazines
Free

A versatile platform for reading eBooks on various devices, offering a vast library of digital books. Explore a world of literature at your fingertips.

📚 Books
(5.6M)
6
Speechify – Text to Speech PDF
Speechify – Text to Speech PDF
Speechify – Text to Speech PDF
Voice AI Assistant, Read Aloud
Free

This application is a text-to-speech tool that converts written text from the web or documents into spoken audio, making it easier for users to listen to content instead of reading. Experience hands-free reading and productivity with this voice-enabled app!

📊 Productivity
(476K)
7
FreeFM: Audibooks, Good Novels
FreeFM: Audibooks, Good Novels
FreeFM: Audibooks, Good Novels
Romance stories & Listen books
Free

Discover a captivating world of love and passion with FreeFM, where you can access a vast collection of romance novels for free. Immerse yourself in thrilling love stories and experience the magic of romance like never before!

📚 Books
(12K)
8
Storytel - Audiobooks Library
Storytel - Audiobooks Library
Storytel - Audiobooks Library
Audio Books & Reading App
Free

Access a vast library of audiobooks covering various genres and interests, offering a convenient and immersive reading experience on the go. Dive into captivating stories and knowledge at your fingertips with our extensive collection of audio content. Start exploring today!

📚 Books
(10K)
9
Libby, the library app
Libby, the library app
Libby, the library app
Library audiobooks and ebooks
Free

Access millions of free ebooks and audiobooks from local libraries instantly with Libby: the library app. Borrow, download, and enjoy a wide range of titles, customize your reading experience, and sync across all your devices seamlessly. Start your reading adventure today!

📚 Books
(4.1M)
10
LibriVox Audiobooks
LibriVox Audiobooks
LibriVox Audiobooks
45,000 unlimited audiobooks
Free

Access a vast library of 40,000+ free audiobooks in over 30 languages with the LibriVox Audio Books app. Listen online or download for later, browse by title, author, or genre, and enjoy unlimited bookmarks and a sleep timer. Dive into world literature for free!

📚 Books
(400)
11
Limitless Books and Audiobooks
Limitless Books and Audiobooks
Limitless Books and Audiobooks
by Patryk Kaflowski
Free

Explore a vast library of free audiobooks and ebooks, offering classic literature to contemporary narratives with easy offline access, diverse genres, and high-quality audio experiences. Perfect for book enthusiasts, commuters, and those who love the audible aspect of storytelling. Begin your unlimited reading and listening journey today!

📚 Books
(40)
12
Chirp Audiobooks
Chirp Audiobooks
Chirp Audiobooks
Audio without Subscriptions
Free

Discover daily limited-time audiobook deals without needing a subscription with the Chirp app. Get handpicked audiobook recommendations, access your purchases, and easily listen on your iPhone or iPad. Start exploring top audiobook titles today!

📚 Books
(84K)
13
Bookmate. Listen & read books
Bookmate. Listen & read books
Bookmate. Listen & read books
Ebooks & audiobooks
Free

Access a vast library of audiobooks and e-books across various genres on an intuitive platform. Enjoy seamless reading and listening experiences on the go with Bookmate.

📚 Books
(1.2K)
14
Galatea: Books & Audiobooks
Galatea: Books & Audiobooks
Galatea: Books & Audiobooks
Read Novels & Stories
Free

Experience interactive storytelling like never before with our innovative application, where you can immerse yourself in engaging visual novels and make choices that shape the outcome. Dive into a world of captivating narratives and unleash your creativity today!

📚 Books
(266K)
15
Audiobooks Now Audio Books
Audiobooks Now Audio Books
Audiobooks Now Audio Books
Listen to Audiobooks Now
Free

Enjoy listening to over 310,000 audiobooks on the go with our app! Benefit from low prices, Club Pricing Plan, and a free rewards program. Download now to start exploring a world of captivating audio books!

📚 Books
(411)
16
Google Play Books & Audiobooks
Google Play Books & Audiobooks
Google Play Books & Audiobooks
Books & Audiobooks
Free

Discover a vast library of books, audiobooks, and comics spanning various genres and interests. With features like personalized recommendations and offline access, find your next favorite read effortlessly. Start exploring today!

📚 Books
(9.6K)
17
Kobo Books & Audiobooks
Kobo Books & Audiobooks
Kobo Books & Audiobooks
Your eBook library, anywhere
Free

Discover a comprehensive e-book platform offering a wide range of titles across genres, from bestsellers to niche publications. Immerse yourself in a world of reading with an extensive library at your fingertips. Start exploring today!

📚 Books
(12K)
18
Everand: Audiobooks & Ebooks
Everand: Audiobooks & Ebooks
Everand: Audiobooks & Ebooks
Audiobooks, ebooks, podcasts
Free

Discover a comprehensive digital library offering ebooks, audiobooks, sheet music, magazine articles, and more across various genres. Subscription features customization options for both audiobook and ebook experiences. Start exploring with the Everand app today!

📚 Books
(27K)
19
MyBook: books and audiobooks
MyBook: books and audiobooks
MyBook: books and audiobooks
Read ebooks and listen offline
Free

Discover a vast selection of e-books and audiobooks, get personalized recommendations, save books for offline reading, and enjoy full synchronization between devices with daily catalog updates. Try it free for 14 days and experience a legal catalog where authors receive royalties. Access it on iOS 12.0 and later versions and share feedback at support@mybook.me.

📚 Books
(3.6K)
20
Wehear - Audiobooks & Stories
Wehear - Audiobooks & Stories
Wehear - Audiobooks & Stories
Audible love story
Free

Access a vast library of audiobooks across various genres and languages, enjoy offline listening, set bookmarks, and customize playback speed. Start your immersive listening experience today.

📚 Books
(39K)