Audiobooks are transpositions of audio texts, where a reader, often a professional, has dedicated himself to reading aloud and has been recorded. They are a lovely way to enjoy the pleasure of a good book at times when it is objectively difficult to read, perhaps while driving, taking a walk or even during a sporting activity.
Audiobooks have always existed, since recording and playback media were available. Nowadays, audiobooks are experiencing a moment of special attention also thanks to smartphones, which are always with us and, therefore, allow us to listen to audiobooks in situations that previously seemed unthinkable.
Listening to audiobooks in a foreign language is often recommended in language courses to those who study it to improve their command and, above all, their comprehension skills.
After this brief introduction, let's go into more details. best audiobook apps which will make your smartphone or tablet a useful audiobook player.
The best audiobook apps
Audible (Android and iOS)
It is 'Amazon application dedicated to audiobooks. I am in this solution thousands of books, podcasts and audio series available, in different languages. Each book is read by a professional narrator (and this makes a big difference) and in the catalog there are also a good number of best sellers and great classics in our language.
To access you must subscribe, with a monthly subscription of €9,99 you have unlimited access to all the contents of the catalogue, from the most popular books to the most specialized ones. You also have them available 30 free trial days, where you can easily check the quality of the catalog.
To take advantage of the free trial days you can register by entering the official Audible website. Once registered for the service, installing the Audible app is very simple: simply go to the Android or iOS store (iPhone or iPad) and press the "Install" or "Get" button. In short, exactly like installing any other application.
Once the download is complete, you can launch Audible, sign in with your credentials, and start listening. If you want, you can also download some audiobooks and podcasts to listen to them later even without an Internet connection.
Using the app is so immediate that you will immediately feel comfortable: at the bottom you will find the "Explore" section with the audiobooks highlighted; At the top is the regular magnifying glass to search for a specific book or podcast. Once you've chosen the book or podcast you like, simply tap on it to start playback.
The player has the usual controls (Play/Pause) and the ability to adjust the playback speed and set a timer to interrupt playback (standby time).
storyteller (Android and iOS)
This is another excellent application dedicated to audiobooks. Storytel is available on both Android and iOS (iPhone and iPad), the service allows you to access one large number of audiobooks in different languages, including audiobooks in Spanish. Also in this case, as in the case of Audible, the service works by subscription, by doing so you will be able to access the entire large catalog available. The subscription costs €9,99 per month, but it is possible try the service free for 14 days, without obligation to renew.
The Storytel app is available for free on the Android Play Store and the App Store (for iPhone and iPad). The installation is, as always, canonical and identical to that of all other applications.
After the installation is complete, you can launch the application, on the first screen you can log in with your account or register for the service by pressing the "Create an account" button.
If it is the first time you use the service you can also get the 14 free days we talked about. First of all, you need to log in with the credentials you just registered and then press the "menu" button at the top left of the interface (it is characterized by three parallel and horizontal segments), then on the "Settings" item and then in “Account Settings” and finally in “Activate subscription” and in “Ok”. At this point a quick wizard will start.
Once you have accessed Storytel, you will find a simple and practical interface. In the "Recommended" section you can find all the trending audiobooks at the moment. If you want to search, just press the "menu" button at the top left and press the "Search" item.
After choosing a book, you can decide whether to listen to an excerpt or skip to the full playback. The player is basic but offers everything you really need: playback controls, speed adjustment, the ability to add bookmarks and a sleep timer.
google books (Android and iOS)
Google's app is primarily dedicated to e-books, but it does contain a large audiobook section.. Unfortunately, a monthly subscription is not available and you have to purchase the books you want to listen to one by one, and some are quite expensive. Fortunately, before purchasing you can test the quality of the e-books with a 5-minute preview.
The application is very simple to use and also includes a practical player with all the necessary options. If you want to download Google Play Books, you can find it on the Play Store and App Store.
LibriVox (Android and iOS)
If you are looking for a valid application for listen to audiobooks for free and legally, LibriVox is for you. All audiobooks present are free and the project is supported thanks to the commitment of volunteers, who lend their time and voice to reading completely free of charge.
There are only free mastery books, so don't expect recent bestsellers.
The project portal is available through the website and as an app for Android and iOS, there are many audiobooks in many different languages, including Spanish. If you want to support the project and eliminate advertising, you can subscribe for the paltry sum of 49 cents per month or 2,49 euros per year.
Installation, as with the rest of the apps we have described, is very simple, just access the store for your platform: Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS. Use is also simple: you search by keyword for the audiobook that interests you and once found you can start playing it.
The best application to listen to audiobooks.
