Libro.fm vs Audible: which audiobook membership is better?

On credits alone they are almost the same: about $15 for one audiobook a month. The difference is what else you get. Audible Premium adds the included catalog, so if you would listen to some of those 150,000+ titles anyway, your cost per book falls. Libro.fm adds 30% off extra purchases, which helps if you buy more than one book a month.

Audible Standard at $8.99 is the cheapest way to hear one new audiobook a month, but you are renting: titles stay only as long as you remain a member. Our audiobook cost per book table works through each plan.

DRM-free means the audiobook file is not locked to one company's app. Libro.fm's membership page says its downloads are DRM-free so you can access them on any device, and its App Store listing calls them accessible audiobooks. If you want your audiobook library to outlive any one app, that matters. If you are happy to listen in the Audible app forever, it matters less.

• You listen more than one book a month. The included catalog fills the gaps between credits.
• You also read Kindle ebooks. Read & Listen (formerly Whispersync for Voice) and Immersion Reading pair Audible audiobooks with Kindle ebooks. See how to read and listen at the same time.
• You want the biggest store. Audible's listing says 1M+ audiobooks; Libro.fm's membership page lists over 750,000.

• You want credits that never expire. Skip a month without losing anything.
• You want to own the file. DRM-free downloads work on any device.
• You want your money to reach a bookshop. Libro.fm shares profits with more than 4,000 indie bookshops, and every purchase supports the store you choose.

Yes: Libby lends audiobooks free with a library card, with holds when copies are out. Many listeners borrow from Libby first and spend a credit only on books with long waits. See the best audiobook app for every option, including Spotify's 15 hours a month.