Which book and audiobook apps work offline?
Every major reading and listening app on this site lets you download for offline use: Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Libby, Hoopla, Audible, Libro.fm, Chirp, Everand, Spotify and the summary apps. The catch is what happens later. Library downloads expire with the loan, subscription downloads lock when you stop paying, and only Libro.fm audiobooks and DRM-free ebooks can leave their app. Reading trackers such as Goodreads, StoryGraph and Hardcover barely work without a connection.
How do you get books ready for offline?
Download before you lose signal, not when you notice it is gone. In most reading apps a book you open while online downloads in full; audiobook apps often stream unless you tap download. Check the downloaded filter in the app's library before a flight. Large audiobooks can run to hundreds of megabytes, so do it on Wi-Fi.
Library loans download for the length of the loan. If a loan expires mid-flight, the book closes the next time the app checks in, so renew or finish before long trips.
Which apps download, and for how long?
The table lists all 20 apps we score, using the offline row from each review's lock-in table. "While subscribed" means the download stays on your phone but stops opening after you cancel. "In the app" means it plays only inside that company's app.
Which offline downloads are really yours?
Libro.fm audiobooks download as DRM-free MP3 or M4B files you can copy to any player and keep forever. DRM-free ebooks from Kobo's store or elsewhere, and EPUBs you add to Apple Books or Kobo yourself, are equally portable. Everything else is a licence to read or listen in one app: Kindle and Audible purchases stay in Amazon's apps, Chirp purchases stay in Chirp, and subscription and library downloads stop when the subscription or loan ends.
What about trackers and companion apps?
Trackers are online services. Goodreads barely works offline, StoryGraph and Hardcover have limited offline support, and Bookly runs reading sessions offline and syncs later. Log your progress when you are back online.
Recap and companion apps such as Magic Bookmark do not contain the book, so there is nothing to download. Its offline behavior is not documented on the App Store listing or website (checked 3 November 2026), so plan to use it with a connection.
What is the best setup for a long trip?
Two books more than you think you will need, downloaded in full: one ebook and one audiobook, so you are covered whether you can hold a device or not. If you rely on the library, borrow early and check loan end dates. If you rely on a subscription, check it will not renew or lapse mid-trip.
| App | Offline? | After you cancel or the loan ends |
|---|---|---|
| Kindle app | Yes, everywhere | Purchases stay, in Kindle apps only |
| Kobo app | Yes | Purchases stay; Kobo Plus titles go |
| Apple Books | Yes | Purchases stay, in Apple's apps; your own EPUBs move freely |
| Libby | Full downloads for the loan period | Expires with the loan |
| Hoopla | Downloads for the borrow window | Expires with the borrow |
| Audible | Yes, inside the Audible app | Purchases stay in Audible; included catalog goes |
| Libro.fm | Yes, in the app or any player | Files are yours, DRM-free |
| Chirp | Yes, in-app downloads | Purchases stay in Chirp |
| Spotify Audiobooks | Downloads while your plan is active | Locked |
| Everand | In-app downloads while subscribed | Locked |
| Kindle+ | Yes, on borrowed titles | Borrowed titles return |
| Serial Reader | Yes | Nothing lost but the schedule |
| Blinkist | In-app downloads while subscribed | Locked |
| Shortform | In-app downloads while subscribed | Locked |
| Fable | Partial | Club history stays while the club exists |
| Bookly | Yes, sessions run offline | Free tier limits apply |
| StoryGraph | Limited | Export your data any time |
| Hardcover | Limited | Export your data any time |
| Goodreads | Barely | Export your data any time |
| Magic Bookmark | Not documented | Your book is untouched; credits never expire |
Questions readers actually ask
- Can I read Kindle books offline?
- Yes. Downloaded Kindle books open offline in the Kindle app and on Kindle devices. Kindle+ borrows also work offline while your subscription is active.
- Do Libby audiobooks work offline?
- Yes. Download the loan in Libby and it plays offline until the loan ends. Then it expires whether you are online or not.
- Can I keep Spotify audiobooks offline after cancelling Premium?
- No. Downloads stay playable only while your plan is active.
- Which audiobook app lets me keep the files?
- Libro.fm. Its audiobooks download as DRM-free MP3 or M4B files you can play in any player, and they stay yours if you cancel.
Sources
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