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LibriVox
What it is
LibriVox provides free online recordings of public-domain books, read by volunteers. Listeners can browse by author, title, genre or subject, and language, then play or download individual files, download a book ZIP, subscribe to RSS, or use BitTorrent. Catalog pages offer MP3 files at 64 kbps and 128 kbps, and most books have an M4B option. LibriVox also publishes a podcast that releases one book in three audio installments per week. Volunteers may record in any language, and no prior experience or audition is required. Developers can use the catalog API to update catalog data automatically, with endpoints for audiobooks, tracks, and authors. Requests return 50 records by default and can include up to 500; larger pulls can use offset batches. Recordings are donated to the public domain, although status may vary by country. LibriVox is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Its catalog includes older public-domain texts, which may contain language or ideas some listeners find offensive or outdated. Third-party apps are unaffiliated, and LibriVox does not endorse them.
For and against
For
- Free audiobooks of public-domain books
- Browse by author, title, subject, genre, or language
- Offers MP3 downloads and usually M4B options
- Offline downloads and DRM-free recordings
- Catalog API supports audiobook, track, and author data
Against
- Older texts may contain offensive or outdated material
- Public-domain status can vary by country
- Third-party apps are unaffiliated and not endorsed
The verdict
LibriVox offers several ways to find and listen to volunteer recordings, plus downloads and catalog access. Listeners should be aware that older texts and public-domain status can vary by context.
Who it suits
LibriVox suits listeners looking for free recordings of public-domain books and developers who want programmatic access to its catalog. It may also appeal to volunteers who want to contribute readings in any language.
Plans and prices
Free
Public-domain audiobooks · streaming or downloads · volunteer-created catalog
Read 15 Oct 2026 · librivox.org
On the record
- API
- The catalog API lets third-party apps update their catalog data automatically and supports audiobook, track and author endpoints.librivox.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- API availability
- LibriVox provides a released public Audiobooks API plus simpler audiotracks and authors endpoints.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- API extensibility
- LibriVox invites third-party apps and services to redistribute its public-domain recordings, but development depends on limited volunteer time.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- API formats
- The API can return XML, JSON, JSONP, serialized data or PHP array format.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- API functions
- API parameters support lookup by ID, author, title, genre, date, fields, cover art, format, sorting, limits and offsets.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- API limit
- Since the September 2026 update, API requests are capped at 500 records and larger catalogs require offset batching.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Audio formats
- Catalog pages offer 64 kbps and 128 kbps MP3 files, and most books have an M4B option.librivox.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Catalog
- Listeners can browse the catalog by author, title, genre or subject, and language.librivox.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Catalog browsing
- The site supports browsing and searching by author, title, genre or subject, language and reader.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Catalog mission
- Its stated goal is to make every public-domain book available as a free audiobook narrated by people.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Code availability
- LibriVox's GitHub public code repository is archived, says it cannot be deployed as-is, and points to newer private or separate repositories for current infrastructure.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Content sources
- Most source texts come from Project Gutenberg, while Internet Archive hosts the audio files.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Help materials include listener instructions, volunteer guidance, recording tutorials, a forum and a community wiki.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- LibriVox describes third-party apps as unaffiliated and says it does not endorse them.librivox.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Languages
- Volunteers may record in any language and the catalog supports multilingual projects.librivox.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: advertisements and bugs
- Recent Google Play feedback complains about intrusive ads, inability to remove downloads, lost saved books and update-related bugs.play.google.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: app usability
- Reviewers report confusing redesigns, difficulty finding previous books and lost chapter-reader information.apps.apple.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: narrator consistency
- Trustpilot and App Store reviewers repeatedly report uneven narration quality, including difficult-to-hear or grating readers.trustpilot.com · read 15 Oct 2026
