I have a secret: I really enjoy reading audiobooks along physical copies – especially when the audiobook is full-cast or has mixed-media elements to it like podcasts! And I’ve found that I’m consuming more audiobooks than ever since switching to LibroFM last year from Audible.

Did you know there's an audiobook option supporting independent bookstores instead of behemoth Amazon?

✨ If you sign up for LibroFM using my link, you'll get a free month & I'll get a credit too! Memberships are NA-only but audiobook purchases are intl. https://t.co/1s89ZcYxzh

— Kal is adventuring in books (@kalventure) May 6, 2020

I want to first acknowledge my privilege. I am fortunate that I’m able to afford paying more for books to support local businesses. There are countless readers around the world who only have access to the books they want through their country’s Amazon store or Book Depository (which is owned by Amazon, in case you weren’t aware). I will never shame a reader for where they buy their books, but I do like to share alternatives whenever possible!

Why I Switched to LibroFM

Here’s the thing: I don’t like what Amazon has done to the publishing industry as a whole. While it has certainly democratized access and removed publishing barriers for non-traditionally published authors, it has also driven so many bookstores out of business as it corners the market and gains a monopoly. #RIP Borders 😭  (More on this is coming in a separate post.)

I was so happy to discover LibroFM: an audiobook alternative that supports independent bookstores! I adore my local indie Mysterious Galaxy and honestly want as many of my bookish dollars going to them whenever possible. As soon as I knew there was a comparable service to Amazon which aligned with my purchasing goals, I made the switch! If you want to check LibroFM out and support me too, please use my referral link.

Comparing LibroFM and Audible

When you look at the two audiobook services side-by-side, they are very similar. LibroFM has 150,000+ audiobooks  Honestly, the only difference is that you don’t have access to the Audible Originals library – which could become an issue if Amazon continues to buy rights for audiobooks and make them exclusive, but for me? Everything I want is on LibroFM!

Try LibroFM Today with a Free Trial
(referral link)

LibroFM’s membership is comparable to Audible‘s as it is essentially the same price and gives you a credit for any audiobook that you want. Sure, you don’t get those two originals but I never really wanted the originals that were offered.

Note: LibroFM’s membership is only currently available to the United States & Canada. I do hope that they expand it soon so international readers can take advantage of membership credits for what’s available in their country.

While LibroFM’s membership is not currently a solution for users outside of the US and Canada, international readers can still take advantage of a la carte purchases.

On the search page, you can check for what’s available to you by filtering Country Availability (see above screenshot). The search results will only include the audiobooks available by the publisher in your country. In theory the access should be the same across platforms because publishers set the sale rights.

Sales & Author Events

LibroFM puts a large number of audiobooks on sale every month! One of my favorite things is that they have so many diverse titles on sale every month. And all the purchases support your chosen indie, win-win!

Want to attend author events but don’t have the access (or stuck in quarantine)? LibroFM now offers exclusive access to author events recorded live at independent bookstores!

LibroFM Also Offers Audiobook Listening Copies

Did you know that LibroFM also has an ALC program that has a selection of audiobook listening copies for review every month? The genres and age-range of the selection varies each month, and it’s a ‘Download It or Lose It’ scenario.

Depending on your status (bookseller, librarian, influencer) you will have access to a different set of audiobooks.

In my experience, I have not been limited to the number I redeem in any month. However, I’ve only received the first one as an advanced copy. The additional ones download into my account on publication date.

Request Access to LibroFM ALCs

As I mentioned, there are a few different curated lists that LibroFM has for their ALC program. To request access, all you need to do is fill out the form on their website.

I requested the reviewer/media list and was granted access to their influencer list last year; I think bloggers and reviewers will all fall under this category unless you write reviews for magazines or other publications.

The main criteria for the influencer list is to have at least 1,000 followers on any one platform (I’ve seen Twitter, IG, Blog all count). I’d recommend including your follower counts in the message field.

If you love audiobooks, you definitely should check out LibroFM! Depending on where you are, it may not make sense to completely switch due to membership restrictions but I hope you check it out and maybe bookmark the sales page. It’s a relatively newer company and I hope it will provide much needed disruption to the industry!

Are you an audiobook listener? Have you checked out LibroFM?
What are some of your favorite audiobooks?

Let’s go on another adventure together!