Tool profile
Libby: cost, fit and limits
Libby is a library lending app made by OverDrive, Inc. that lets patrons with a library card borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from a participating library, then stream them or download them for offline use.
What to know first
Libby costs the reader nothing at the point of use: the page says users borrow for free from their local library, and it does not say how the library pays OverDrive. What is available depends on the library's catalog and on holds. Audiobook controls reach 3x speed, with sleep timers, and the app also sends books to Kobo or, for U.S. libraries, to Kindle. No AI feature is named on the page.
Libby at a glance
| Maker | OverDrive, Inc., Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Audiobook Apps in 2026, rank 6 of 11 |
| Website | overdrive.com/apps/libby |
Who Libby is best for
Budget-conscious listeners
A library card is enough to borrow audiobooks, so someone who listens a few hours a week can avoid any monthly subscription.
Drivers
The page lists CarPlay, Android Auto and Android Automotive support, plus Bluetooth, so a borrowed audiobook can play through a car dashboard without any adapter.
Kindle and Kobo owners
Libby can send library books to Kindle in the U.S. and reads on Kobo devices, which keeps ebook readers on the same free supply.
Libby plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free for patrons | Free | Borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from a participating library, using the card issued by that library at no charge. |
| Kindle delivery | Free with a U.S. library | Library books can be sent to Kindle, available for U.S. libraries only, per the page. |
| Library side | Not stated on the pages opened | The page does not say what libraries pay OverDrive, so cost to the institution is unknown. |
Checked November 2026.
What Libby does
- Borrow and hold
- Patrons borrow from a library and place holds when a title is out. Hold notifications and a to-be-read list help keep track of waiting titles.
- Playback controls
- Audiobooks play at speeds up to 3x, and sleep timers stop playback at a set time. The page lists both among its audiobook controls, aimed at bedtime and commute listening.
- Download or stream
- A loan can be downloaded for offline use or streamed. The page does not state how long a download remains playable after the loan ends.
- Device support
- The app works with CarPlay, Android Auto, Android Automotive and Bluetooth, and books can be read on Kobo devices, so loans reach the listener's hardware.
- Magazines
- Besides ebooks and audiobooks, the same card opens magazines, so a patron can use a single app for periodicals as well as books and audio.
How Libby handles your data
OverDrive's privacy policy describes how reading history works: lending history can be shown to the user where the library has enabled it, while retention periods were not extracted in what we read. The app page says nothing on model training, hosting region or certifications. OverDrive, Inc. is named as maker, with no country stated on the pages. Libraries choose some settings, so ask yours whether history is switched on and how a patron clears it.
Where Libby falls short in practice
- Depends on your library. If your library has not joined, or has few audiobook licenses, Libby has little to offer. Catalog size varies with the funding of each library system.
- Holds can be long. Popular titles may carry waiting lists. The pages we read state no loan lengths or hold limits, which vary by library, so check before planning a trip around a title.
- Kindle only in the U.S.. Sending books to Kindle works for U.S. libraries only, so readers elsewhere need a Kobo device or must read and listen inside the Libby app itself.
- Cost to the library is unclear. The page does not say who pays OverDrive, which matters little to a patron but means a library can drop the service and take the catalog away.
Works with
Alternatives to Libby
Libby: common questions
Is Libby really free?
The page says users borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines for free from their local library. You need a card from a participating library. The page does not say who pays for the service, so the cost sits with the library rather than the reader.
Can Libby send audiobooks to a Kindle?
Libby can send library books to Kindle, but the page says this is for U.S. libraries only. Audiobooks play in the Libby app itself, so the Kindle route mainly applies to ebooks. Readers outside the U.S. can use Kobo devices or the app.
How fast can Libby play audiobooks?
The page lists playback up to 3x and sleep timers among its audiobook controls. It does not say whether the speed is saved per book. Offline downloads are possible, and streaming is the alternative when phone storage is tight. The page does not describe a saved speed.
Does Libby show my borrowing history?
The privacy policy describes showing lending history where the library enables it. The settings therefore depend on your library, and we did not extract retention periods. If privacy matters, ask the library whether history is on and how to clear it.
Does Libby use AI?
Libby's page lists holds, a to-be-read list and playback controls, and names no AI feature. People who want AI voices or summaries will find them described by Speechify and ElevenLabs, while Libby simply lends recorded books from the library. Its catalog is whatever your library licenses.