Audiobooks let you “read” while you live your life—driving, cleaning, walking, or relaxing. They’re perfect if you’re busy, have trouble focusing on print, or just love being told a story.
Not every “free download” you see online is legal. This page focuses only on legal, safe, and ethical ways to get audiobooks at no cost:
LibriVox offers thousands of audiobooks recorded by volunteers, all from books in the public domain. You can stream online or download MP3 files to listen offline.
Project Gutenberg is famous for free ebooks, but it also has a section for audiobooks—both human-read and computer-generated—for many classic titles.
Many public libraries offer free access to modern audiobooks through apps like Libby, Hoopla. With a library card, you can borrow bestselling titles, nonfiction, and more all for free, just like checking out a physical book.
Search your library’s website for “digital audiobooks,” “Libby,” or “Hoopla” to see what they support.
Loyal Books organizes public domain audiobooks and ebooks in a user-friendly way, with categories and reviews. Most titles are classics, and you can download MP3 files or subscribe via podcast feeds.
The Internet Archive hosts a huge collection of audio, including audiobooks, poetry readings, and spoken word. Many are public domain or shared under open licenses.
Free Sections & Trails on Major Platforms
Some big audiobook platforms occasionally offer free books, samples, or limited-time access through trials. These aren’t permanently free, but they can be a good way to explore:
Free starter titles or “originals” during a trial period
Rotating collections of no-cost books
Always read the terms so you know when billing starts and how to cancel if you don’t want to continue.