Best Sora Alternatives in 2026
The top Sora alternatives are Libby, Hoopla and Audible: 15 audiobook apps our editors would look at instead of Sora, in our ranking order.
Sora: A free school-library app with offline audiobook listening and student reading tools. Where it falls short: requires access through a participating school or institution.
Switching from Sora? For most audiobook apps buyers the best Sora alternative is Libby, built for free library borrowing with broad device support. On a budget, Downpour starts at $12.99/mo. Storytel offers the most included catalog (800000 titles).
Why People Look for a Sora Alternative
- Requires access through a participating school or institution
- Catalog size and availability vary by school or connected library
- Primarily focused on school-based library borrowing
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallLibby9.4
Free library borrowing with broad device support
Visit Libby - Lowest priceDownpour7.5
Paid plans from $12.99/mo
Visit Downpour - Best free optionLibby9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Libby - Most included catalogStorytel8.4
800000 titles
Visit Storytel
All 15 Sora Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forFree library borrowing with broad device support
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 7.8
A free library-borrowing app with strong playback controls and broad device support.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Libby -
Best forFree library access with entertainment extras
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 7.8
A free library-card service with audiobooks, offline listening, and entertainment extras.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Hoopla -
Best forMainstream audiobook listeners
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 7.8
A broad audiobook service with flexible listening, credits, and cross-device support.
- Family sharing
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Audible -
Best forDRM-free audiobook ownership
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 7.8
A flexible audiobook service for DRM-free ownership, memberships, and offline listening.
- DRM-free downloads
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Libro.fm -
Best forFamilies wanting audiobooks and ebooks
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 7.8
A family-oriented audiobook and ebook subscription with offline listening and hour-based plans.
- Family sharing
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit BookBeat -
Best forUnlimited family audiobook streaming
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 7.8
A mobile subscription with unlimited listening, reading, offline access and family options.
- Family sharing
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Storytel -
Best forKobo users wanting purchases or subscriptions
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 7.8
A flexible choice for Kobo users who want purchases, offline listening, or subscriptions.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Kobo Books -
Best forSubscription listeners wanting a large catalog
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 7.8
A subscription audiobook app with offline listening, unlocks, and an unlimited catalog.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Everand -
Best forLow-cost purchases with DRM-free options
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 7.8
A flexible audiobook store with low-cost club discounts and DRM-free downloads where available.
- DRM-free downloads
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit AudiobooksNow -
Best forFree borrowing from participating libraries
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.8
A free library-borrowing app for audiobooks, eBooks, magazines and newspapers.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit BorrowBox -
Best forLibraries combining multiple digital vendors
- Better than Sora:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 7.8
A free mobile app that brings library ebooks and audiobooks from multiple vendors together.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Palace -
Best forPrivacy-focused library access
A privacy-focused library app with broad integrations, retired in August 2025.
7.7/10★★★★☆Learn about SimplyE -
Best forFlexible subscription with a free plan
A flexible book subscription with free access, offline listening, and family accounts.
- Family sharing
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Bookmate -
Best forCredit membership with detailed playback tools
A flexible audiobook retailer with strong playback controls and offline listening.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Downpour -
Best forBuying audiobooks without subscriptions
A focused audiobook retailer for listeners who prefer buying titles individually.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Chirp
Sora Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Sora?
Libby: #1 in our Audiobook Apps ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A free library-borrowing app with strong playback controls and broad device support.
Is there a free alternative to Sora?
Yes. Libby, Hoopla, Kobo Books, BorrowBox and The Palace Project have a free plan or a free tier (7 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Sora alternatives?
Requires access through a participating school or institution; Catalog size and availability vary by school or connected library; Primarily focused on school-based library borrowing.
Which Sora alternative has the most included catalog?
Storytel, with 800000 titles.
How do I switch from Sora?
Export your data from Sora (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Sora.
How to Switch from Sora
- Export your data from Sora (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Sora.
Sora vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Offline listening | Access model | Mobile platforms | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Sora | Yes | Free | Yes | Library borrowing | Ios and android | 7.8 |
| 1 | Libby | Yes | Free | Yes | Library borrowing | Ios and android | 9.4 |
| 2 | Hoopla | Yes | Free | Yes | Library borrowing | Ios and android | 9.2 |
| 3 | Audible | No | Yes | Mixed | Ios and android | 9.0 | |
| 4 | Libro.fm | Yes | Mixed | Ios and android | 8.8 | ||
| 5 | BookBeat | No | €9.99/mo | Yes | Mixed | Ios and android | 8.5 |
| 6 | Storytel | No | €9.99/user/mo | Yes | Subscription | Ios and android | 8.4 |
| 7 | Kobo Books | Yes | Yes | Mixed | Ios and android | 8.3 | |
| 8 | Everand | No | Yes | Subscription | Ios and android | 8.2 | |
| 9 | AudiobooksNow | No | $35.99/yr | Yes | Mixed | Ios and android | 8.1 |
| 10 | BorrowBox | Yes | Free | Yes | Library borrowing | Ios and android | 8.0 |
| 11 | The Palace Project | Yes | Free | Yes | Library borrowing | Ios and android | 7.9 |
| 12 | SimplyE | Yes | Free | Library borrowing | Ios and android | 7.7 | |
| 13 | Bookmate | Yes | Yes | Subscription | Ios and android | 7.6 | |
| 14 | Downpour | No | $12.99/mo | Yes | Mixed | Ios and android | 7.5 |
| 15 | Chirp | No | Yes | Pay per book | Ios and android | 7.4 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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