Audiobook services compared, without the sales pitch.
Every figure below comes from an account we paid for. One entry — Audiobooks.com — is an affiliate partner, and it is labelled everywhere it appears. Here is exactly how that works.
| Service | How it works | Price | Free trial | Keep your books? | Files | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Audiobooks.comAffiliate partner | Subscription — 1 credit/month + included VIP library | $14.95 / month (US) | 30 days, 3 titles on most offers | Yes — credit purchases stay in your library if you cancel | DRM-protected, app-only playback | 4.5 / 5 |
 Audible | Subscription — 1 credit/month + Plus Catalog | $14.95 / month (Premium Plus, US) | 30 days, 1 credit | Yes — credit purchases are kept | DRM-protected, Audible apps only | 4.5 / 5 |
 Libro.fm | Subscription — 1 credit/month, or à la carte | $14.99 / month (US) | First month, 1 credit | Yes, as DRM-free downloads | DRM-free | 4.5 / 5 |
 Everand | Subscription — all-you-can-read with throttling | From $11.99 / month | 30 days | No — access ends with the subscription | DRM-protected | 4 / 5 |
 Chirp | À la carte — limited-time deals | No monthly fee; deals often $0.99–$5.99 | Not applicable | Yes — purchases are permanent | DRM-protected, Chirp app | 4 / 5 |
 Kobo Audiobooks | Subscription credits or à la carte | $12.99 / month for 1 credit (US) | 30 days | Yes | DRM-protected | 4 / 5 |
 Spotify Audiobooks | Included with Premium — 15 hours/month | From $11.99 / month (Premium) | Premium trial where available | No, unless bought separately | DRM-protected | 3.5 / 5 |
 Storytel | Subscription — unlimited listening tiers | Varies by country | Typically 14–30 days | No | DRM-protected | 4 / 5 |
 Apple Books Audiobooks | À la carte purchases | Per title, typically $9.99–$29.99 | Not applicable | Yes | DRM-protected, Apple ecosystem only | 3.5 / 5 |
 Downpour | À la carte, credits, or rentals | $12.99 / month for 1 credit; rentals from about $5 | 30 days | Yes, DRM-free | DRM-free | 3.5 / 5 |
 AudiobookSTORE.com | À la carte and club credits | Frequent sales; club credit around $12.99 | Free audiobook on signup | Yes | DRM-protected | 3 / 5 |
 Libby | Free with a library card | Free | Not applicable | No — loans expire | DRM-protected library loans | 4.5 / 5 |
Straight answers
Audiobooks.com or Audible?
Same monthly price. Audible wins on catalogue size and exclusives; Audiobooks.com wins on trial length and on the included VIP library you can dip into between credits. If you are unsure whether you will stick with audiobooks, start with the longer trial.
Libro.fm or Audible?
Almost identical cost. Libro.fm gives you DRM-free files and splits revenue with an independent bookshop; Audible gives you a bigger catalogue and Kindle sync. Ownership versus breadth.
Everand or Storytel?
Both are all-you-can-listen with soft limits. Everand adds ebooks and magazines and is available in the US; Storytel has far better non-English catalogues and is not sold in the US.
Chirp or Libby?
Libby is free but you wait; Chirp is cheap and instant. Most listeners we know use both — Libby for the queue, Chirp for the book they want tonight.
Official pages
Straight links to each company, so you can check current pricing yourself.