5 Apple CarPlay Apps Perfect for Audiobooks

CarPlay is one of the favorite infotainment systems among drivers, especially iPhone users. Over the past few years, Apple has improved the experience by adding several new features. Just with iOS 26, the company redesigned the experience, started offering AI chatbots and other benefits like widgets, live activities, etc.

However, if you are looking for ways to improve your CarPlay experience, you should try audiobook apps, as this could be the perfect time to get addicted to a new saga, the book everyone is commenting on, or simply to try discovering a new classic. Among the top picks, CarPlay users can enjoy a wide range of choices, including built-in Apple Books, Spotify, Audible, etc. Audiobooks can be an alternative when you’re tired of your songs, none of your favorite podcasts have new episodes, and you simply spend a lot of time moving around.

While I personally would rather read a book than get an audio version, several companies put extra effort into the narration, as you might encounter multiple voices, familiar actors, etc. If you want to improve your literary knowledge, here are the best apps that can make traveling more fun, as you can engage in multiple stories without getting distracted from the road, thanks to CarPlay.

Although Apple has offered more and more subscriptions over the years, the company offers the Apple One offering, bringing together music, TV, arcade, news and fitness at one price; AppleCare One, ideal for protecting all your Apple devices for a monthly subscription; and Apple Creator Studio, the latest set of creative apps – the company still doesn’t offer an Apple Books subscription, meaning users have to pay for the title or get the free ones.

According to the company, Apple Books is where Apple users should go to discover their next favorite books and audiobooks, as it has specific sections for both options. Users can track what they read/listen to and set their own goals while everything syncs across Apple devices. With a dedicated CarPlay app, Apple Books only offers audiobooks, so you can listen to your books safely while driving.

The interface uses large buttons to make it easy to start and stop a playback, the ability to rewind or fast forward, and even a simple library with titles you’ve enjoyed. Users can preview and purchase books and audiobooks through the Apple iPhone, iPad, and Mac stores. Another advantage of this app is that users can share books with the whole family by keeping family sharing enabled.

Unlike Apple Books, Spotify has a broader approach to its audiobook market. If you are a Premium subscriber, you can benefit from 15 hours of audiobook listening per month. However, users can choose to subscribe only to the Audiobooks Access plan or get an add-on, in addition to the Premium subscription, for additional hours. In addition to this, customers can purchase audiobooks on Spotify Web Player and then enjoy the titles on any platform with their Spotify account.

Spotify promotes more than 700,000 audiobooks available to customers in the US, UK and Australia. However, the platform is available in other markets such as most countries in Europe and the United Arab Emirates. The company highlights curated selections, like Spotify Editors choosing the best books of the century (it includes Twilight, so it’s probably accurate). That said, while Premium customers can take advantage of this limited monthly benefit without spending too much, Reddit users complain that some narration is done by artificial intelligence, making it harder to concentrate due to poor pronunciation and a very monotone voice.

Yet there are several books where Spotify encourages reading by an appropriate actor/voice actor. Recently, the company announced a partnership with ElevenLabs, which can generate AI narration in additional languages. While this may help more users access new books in their native language, the monotonous problem of AI voiceover remains.

For audiobook aficionados, the best platform is probably Audible, and it’s also available on CarPlay. The Amazon-owned platform accounts for 63.4% of all audiobook sales worldwide and also offers its exclusive “Audible Original” content, setting it apart from the competition. For the first time, users have 30 days to try the platform and see (hear) if they like it. After that, users can choose between a Standard plan or a Premium Plus plan.

With the Standard plan, users can select an audiobook each month that they can listen to as long as they are a member, while the Premium Plus plan gives users the option to acquire any audiobook in the collection and keep it even if they cancel Audible. The app offers over a million titles with over 130 audiobook genres and microgenres.

Users also have access to unlimited rewinds, so even if they have to turn down the volume while trying to have a conversation, or if someone has just started speaking in the most important part of a book, users can still rewind and listen to what just happened. One of the coolest things about Audible is that it offers a great selection of audiobooks with Full Cast, which means you can listen to some of the hottest books, like the “Harry Potter” saga, with the voices of multiple actors at the same time, making the experience much more immersive.

As a free alternative, Libby is probably one of the most interesting platforms available for audiobook lovers. For this app, you need to have a library card from your local library so you can borrow any e-book or audiobook instantly. Owned by OverDrive, the platform is also available on CarPlay, which means you can select any of the audiobooks you borrowed from your local library and then start enjoying it. Users can change the playback speed, fast forward and rewind within 15 seconds, in addition to playing and pausing.

Libby has no limit on the number of library cards you can have, so the best part is that if you collect library cards around the world, or if you’re just a big fan of the libraries around you, you can easily access their catalog. This is one of the best free Apple CarPlay apps that users swear by, and it’s a worthy option among the selection presented so far.

Recently, Libby announced a new Inspire Me feature, which uses machine learning to suggest books to readers. The company claims that user data, their devices and other details are not used by the AI ​​model. Basically, it uses a random selection of titles that you have saved so that the AI ​​can generate suggestions, and once it does, it brings you the recommendations. That said, before you head off on your next big trip, Libby may have the perfect audiobook to pack.

Apple CarPlay users might also decide to try Google Play Books. This is another subscription-free alternative, but for cross-platform users. With this in mind, you can enjoy this app on your iPhone and then get the selected audiobooks on CarPlay. What makes Google Play Books attractive is that if you have an iPhone but a PC at home or at work, you can enjoy your favorite titles. Like Apple Books, no subscription is involved and titles can be purchased individually. Google usually has discounts, including a “Great Listens Under $6” section, which can be a good deal for audiobook fans.

Google Play Books lets users create a digital library with custom shelves to make it easier to browse multiple titles. They can also enjoy audiobooks the way they want with customizable reading speed, sleep timers, and favorites. Siri is also an important part of this app because you can control your audiobook using Apple’s personal assistant. Once back on your phone or tablet, you can also personalize the experience by adjusting the font, text size, brightness, and other settings. Google says its Play Books offering has millions of stories, meaning users always have something new to discover, read or listen to.