The most straightforward option: Audible offers a 30-day free trial that includes one credit (one audiobook of any price) plus access to their Plus Catalog of thousands of titles.

Here's what you get:

The reality check: Amazon will auto-renew at $14.95/month unless you cancel. Set a phone reminder for day 28 if you're just testing it out.

If you already have Amazon Prime (and let's be real, most of us do), you get access to a rotating selection of free audiobooks through Prime Reading and can often snag extended Audible trial periods—sometimes 2-3 months instead of just one.

Even without credits, Audible's Plus Catalog is massive and included with any membership. Think of it like Netflix for audiobooks—thousands of titles you can stream unlimited. It includes:

The selection rotates, but it's genuinely useful for families.

Look, Audible is great, but it's not the only game in town:

Libby/OverDrive - Your public library's audiobook app. Completely free with a library card. The wait times can be brutal for popular titles, but you can't beat free. Learn more about Libby here.

Spotify - Already includes thousands of audiobooks in Premium subscriptions ($11.99/month for families). If you're paying for Spotify anyway, you already have audiobooks.

Scribd - $11.99/month for unlimited audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, and documents. Better value than Audible if your family reads a lot.

Free public domain audiobooks - LibriVox offers free volunteer-narrated classics. Quality varies wildly, but it's free.

Here's the honest truth: audiobooks aren't a magic bullet, but they're one of the few digital habits that genuinely works as a screen replacement.

What makes audiobooks different:

The research backs this up—kids who listen to audiobooks show similar comprehension gains to reading print, and it's especially powerful for reluctant readers or kids with dyslexia.

Ages 5-7: Start with picture book audiobooks or short chapter books. The Plus Catalog has tons of options like Pete the Cat series that work great for this age.

Ages 8-12: This is the sweet spot. Kids can handle longer series like Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, or Wings of Fire. Pro tip: the narrators for these series are genuinely excellent.

Ages 13+: They can navigate the app themselves, but you might want to enable content filters in settings. Audible's YA section is huge, but it sits right next to adult content.

The credit system is confusing at first. One credit = one audiobook, regardless of price. So use your credits on the expensive titles ($25+) and grab shorter books from the Plus Catalog.

Sharing is complicated. Amazon Household lets you share some content, but Audible's family plan situation is weirdly limited. Each family member technically needs their own account, though kids under 13 can use a parent's account with supervision.

Downloaded titles stay forever. Even if you cancel your subscription, any books you purchased with credits remain in your library. The Plus Catalog content disappears when you cancel.

Audible has a return policy. If your kid picks a book and hates it within the first few chapters, you can return it and get your credit back. Don't abuse this, but it's useful for avoiding $30 mistakes.

The free trial is worth it, especially if you're trying to build better screen time habits. Use that first credit wisely (grab a long book or expensive series starter), explore the Plus Catalog, and see if your kids actually use it.

If audiobooks become a real habit in your house, the monthly cost is comparable to other subscriptions—and honestly, it's one of the few I don't feel guilty about.

Not sure Audible is worth it? Try Libby first—it's completely free through your library and has a similar selection. If your kids burn through the available titles and you're tired of wait lists, then Audible makes more sense.

Want more ideas for screen time alternatives that don't feel like punishment? Explore audiobook alternatives or check out the best podcasts for kids.