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Audiobooks are a great way to catch up on your to be read list while doing other things, especially if you have a long commute to and from work every day. Here’s a quick list of some of the best audiobook players available on Android and everything they have to offer, from the complete subscription package to standalone cloud players with widgets.
1. Audible
Best For: Audiobook subscription, best overall selection
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: Yes
When it comes to Audiobooks, Audible is the cream of the crop. There are a couple different ways you can enjoy the service, depending on your needs. You’re welcome to purchase any audiobook for the upfront cost, or you can choose to subscribe to Audible Unlimited for $12.99 per month and get a free audiobook each month, no matter the cost.
This is a great option if you’d like to read something new every month without paying the full audiobook price, which can range from $30 to $60 depending on what you’re buying. It also pairs well with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service, which offers a handful of audiobooks for free when you subscribe to it.
2. Smart Audiobook Player
Best For: Most customizable player with cover download support
Price: Free, Pro – $2
In-App Purchases: Yes
Smart Audiobook Player is one of the most customizable audiobook players for DRM-free audio books and while it’s interface isn’t the best on this list, I’ve found it to be the most reliable with remembering my place in audiobooks.
The app gives you a 30-day free trial to determine whether you like it or not, after that it reverts to a basic version with some features removed. To unlock the full version again, you’ll need to fork over $2 bucks as an in-app payment.
3. Audiobook Player
Best For: You hate the way Smart Audiobook Player looks
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: No
Another good choice for people who want to listen to their local audiobooks. The app supports widgets, sleep timer, and m4b chapter formats for audiobooks, but also features the ability to speed up the reading from 0.5x to 3.0x speed.
The interface isn’t quite material design, but it is much cleaner than Smart Audiobook Player. It hasn’t been updated for a while now, so it’s likely that the project has been abandoned. However, it still works reasonably well enough to earn its place on this list.
4. Nook Audiobooks
Best For: You’re already in the NOOK ecosystem
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: Yes
Nook Audiobooks is Barnes & Noble’s answer to Amazon’s Audible and it’s a pretty good option for those who prefer the Nook eReaders. You’ll pay outright for any eBooks you buy and it doesn’t feature a subscription service, so you should go with Audible if you’d prefer to try out a bunch of different books before you buy them.
5. Material Audiobook Player
Best For: Open source, ad-free audiobook reader
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: No
This is my preferred audiobook player on this list, thanks to the clean Material Design. It features the ability to remember your last position, adjust playback speed, setup bookmarks, and it even features a sleep timer if you often fall asleep listening to your audiobooks. Best of all, it’s free as in free and open source.
6. Overdrive
Best For: Borrowing audiobooks from your local library
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: No
Did you know that you can borrow audiobooks from your local library the same way you would a physical book? It’s possible using a system called Overdrive, which keeps track of ebooks and audiobooks the same way libraries keep track of physical books. If your library only has one copy of an audiobook, you can join a waiting list to be next in line to receive it. Most local libraries support the service.
7. 50,000 Free eBooks
Best For: Reading the Classics
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: No
50,000 Free eBooks is an app that catalogs classic stories that are in the public domain. Moby Dock, Alice in Wonderland and more await you, all for free. If you’ve been meaning to brush up on your classic literature, this is the best app for doing so.
More Best Apps
The Google Play Store has hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from. This list only scratches the surface. We’ve published numerous “Best Apps” lists for everything from dating to education. Check out the lists below to explore even more!
- 100 Best Android Apps
- 10 Best Email Apps for Android
- 10 Best Dating Apps for Android
- 10 Best Android Camera Apps
- Best Android apps for college students
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