Good news: Thanks to modern technology and humanity’s limitless capacity for horny innovation, we are blessed with many, many different ways to consume erotic content. (We love it here.) Yes, you can watch porn, but you can also read it (including, ahem, on this very website), and, of course, listen to it. Hello and welcome to the world of audio porn.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the concept of listening to your porn, audio erotica is pretty much what it sounds like: erotic content created to be listened to, rather than watched. And trust us, it can be just as hot—if not even hotter—than the visual stuff.
“Audio porn can actually be an enhanced experience, not a diminished one,” says legendary porn director Erika Lust, a pioneer in the ethical and cinematic erotica industry. “It’s like sex itself: Sometimes, when you deprive yourself of one sense—with a blindfold, for example—all your other senses are elevated to compensate and the overall sensations of sex are intensified. Same with audio porn.”
Not to mention, listening rather than watching can make it easier to imagine yourself at the center of the action. “Traditional visual porn often falls short for many, either due to unrealistic portrayals or a lack of personal connection, making users feel like bystanders,” says Hannah Albertshauser, CEO and co-founder at erotic audio platform BLOOM. Stripping away the visual element may help some listeners feel more engaged in the content by putting *you* in the driver’s seat—you get to fill in the visuals and craft your own fantasy to go along with the words and sounds you’re hearing.
Indeed, “Audio porn is an erotic experience that directly engages your imagination,” says sex expert Angie Rowntree, founder and director of the ethical porn site Sssh.com. “Without any visuals to go on, just hearing a voice narrate the fantasy aloud brings it to life and allows your mind to engage from the very beginning.”
And while, as Lust notes, audio porn and visual porn are not in any kind of competition—hi, we love and support all porn as long as it’s ethically produced—it may be a better fit for some folks who don’t generally consider themselves super pornographically inclined but would still like to get off to some quality erotic content. “While visual porn is certainly more explicit—which is what a lot of people are looking for in their porn—for those who prefer a softer, more imaginative approach, audio porn might be good,” says Lust.
That’s not to say that audio erotica is, like, porn-lite, by any means. From hearing people have sex to listening to a hot story or even taking part in a guided audio masturbation session, there are tons of different ways to listen to your porn, encompassing as many different genres and steaminess levels as regular ol’ visual porn. So if you’re looking to broaden your erotic entertainment horizons, audio porn might be the key to a whole new kind of turn-on.
Lucky for you, we’ve gone ahead and sourced 15 of the very best audio porn options out there, right here, just for you. Happy listening!
1. BLOOM
BLOOM features a wide array of audible erotic content, from fictional stories spanning various genres (including a full catalog that centers queer sexperiences, written by and for the queer community), to guided masturbation sessions to ASMR porn, this wellness-centered platform celebrates “the transformative power of audio erotica,” says Albertshauser. Offering “a discreet and intimate way for individuals to explore their fantasies,” BLOOM is home to erotic stories recorded in English, Spanish, and German.
Cost: Free for base-level membership; $7.99/month or $59.88/year for premium membership.
2. AudioDesires
If you want some audio porn that really feels like you’re in on the action, AudioDesires is where it’s at. The mission of the site is to provide stories for women and couples, so there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. Some stories are read and some are narrated situations (with intermissions), both ideal for some alone time with your vibe.
The library is full of a variety of all-gendered voice actors “acting” out all types of situations from dominatrixes to threesomes to romantic sex with ratings from “sweet” to “kinky.” You can even listen to “guided masturbation” which is easily one of the hottest things I’ve ever done. While they do have a whole section dedicated to ASMR, all of the voices and stories and so seductive, you’ll get those feel-good tingles no matter what you try.
Cost: Free for base-level membership; $7.99/month or $59.88/year for premium membership.
3. Sssh.com
Sssh.com, an award-winning ethical porn platform that specializes in sex-positive erotic content from a woman’s POV, boasts a diverse range of audio porn options in addition to their visual porn library. Their audio content includes sexy stories, guided masturbation, and erotic ASMR spanning a wide variety of sexy scenarios and genres, from couples to threesomes and group sex and BDSM scenes.
And if guided masturbation is something you’re interested in trying out, Sssh boasts an array of options designed specifically with women in mind. Combining erotic instructions, steamy imagery, and sexy sounds, their guided masturbation courses can help you explore everything from edging to the elusive nipplegasm.
Cost: $19.95/month, $54.95/three months, or $99.95/year
4. Yuu
This wellness-focused app aims to “help you relax, pleasure, and fall asleep,” per Yuu’s website, all of which sound pretty ideal to me. This platform features sexy stories that are designed to both get you off and improve your overall sexual wellness. Drifting off to sleep to the tune of some self-pleasure? Sign us up!
Cost: Free
AVAILABLE HERE
5. Ferly
Sex ed is the name of the game with Ferly, but make it sexy. This app helps you learn about sex and how to improve your sex life through guided, touch-based practices that help you explore what pleasure means to you, whether you want to increase desire, experience orgasm, or whatever it is your horny little heart desires.
Cost: Free 7-day trial; three paid membership tiers.
AVAILABLE HERE
6. Emjoy
If you’re looking for a little less in-your-face (or ear, in this case) porn, and a little more of a sensual, erotic journey, Emjoy is unlike anything else. The self-care app leans toward intimate wellness that highlights everything from body acceptance to increasing your arousal. Not only does it have guided audio practices and pleasure-filled meditations, but it actually has a lot of erotic stories as well.
This app is ideal for anyone new to the porn game or for those who want to get better in touch with their own desires. It’s basically like taking an erotic class where you learn about your body and sexuality and you get to listen to kinky stories and get off. Honestly, win-win.
Cost: Free for limited access; $35/year or $17 quarterly for premium
7. FrolicMe
If you want to combine the Holy Trinity of erotic entertainment (i.e. watching porn, listening to it, and reading it), then FrolicMe is the place to be. The audio porn section of the platform lets you watch or read along while you listen to sexy stories spanning a wide array of genres, sexual scenarios, and steaminess levels.
Cost: Free for written erotica. $6.25 for five-day trial, then $18.75/month, $28.90/month, or $125.75/year.
8. The Kiss Me Quick’s Erotica Podcast
Writer Rose Caraway, AKA “The Sexy Librarian,” narrates this erotic podcast featuring steamy stories and sexy tales. Whether you’re in the mood for romance, adventure, sci-fi, or horror, Kiss Me Quick’s audio erotica library has a perfect story for those who like their audio porn a little on the literary side.
Cost: Free
9. Dipsea
If you’re into erotic stories that are actually—dare I say—good, Dipsea is definitely worth your money. It’s also got the most aesthetically pleasing layout of any of the sites on this list, so do with that what you will.
Instead of just playing the sounds of people boning, Dipsea tells legit erotic stories. They’re not cheesy tales like the ones you see lined up at the checkout counter at your grandma’s drugstore. Dipsea’s stories are more nuanced. Even their most basic storylines have that necessary buildup of sexual tension that really gets your mind and body invested. Plus, it’s made by women, so you know they know what you may be into. And as far as topics go, Dipsea does not disappoint. The app has a v cool range of genres to choose from, including Exes and Friends and Queer.
Cost: 7 day free trial, then $5.83/month or $69.99/year subscription
This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
10. Quinn
This paid, subscription-based platform is home to hundreds of steamy recordings designed to turn you on and get you off—from sexy stories to guided masturbation sessions to POV scenarios that put you right at the center of your own fantasy. It’s also super easy to search and filter this platform’s wide array of spicy content, whether you want to narrow down gender and sexuality, specific kinks, genres, etc.
Cost: $4.99/month
11. Rosy
If you want your audio porn with a side of intimate wellness, look no further than this award-winning, ob-gyn-founded app. In addition to the platform’s sexual wellness tips and holistic approach to intimate health, Rosy features a library of audio erotica that includes a wide range of sexy stories for every mood. Romantic? Explicit? Kinky? Historical? Rosy’s got it covered.
Cost: $10/month
12. Literotica
Some of you may have already been on Literotica to read their sexy short stories, but the site also has an audio section that you can sort through as well. If you’re a fan of the tried and true slightly-cheesy-but-majorly-sexy erotic novel, you’ll probably love Literotica’s audio stories. The catch with Literotica is it’s super no-frills. The site isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as others, and the stories are organized A to Z, so no option for filtering them by the sort of kink you’re into.
Having said that, there’s something nice about having a site that’s so back to basics. First of all, it gives you a chance to listen to stories that you otherwise might not have listened to. Second, a lot of the stories are told in a Morgan Freeman-ish voice that, TBH, some may prefer to the standard try-hard sexy voice.
Cost: Free
13. Vibease
Pairing your sex toys with your erotic listening is kind of a given, but the audio porn offerings from sex toy company Vibease make it that much easier to incorporate your fave pleasure products into your next steamy listening session. While you don’t need a Vibease toy to access the brand’s catalog of audio porn (available either online or through the Vibease app), some of the stories are compatible with your favorite Bluetooth toys so you can vibe along while you listen. Cue the perfectly timed vibrations!
Cost: $9/month or $48/year.
14. Bawdy Storytelling
Before I get into Bawdy, I should let you know Bawdy Stories are a little longer than the rest (they range from 20 minutes to an hour). So, yes, they’re free, but they do require a little more of an investment time-wise. That being said, if you’re a theater nerd (hi, me), Bawdy Storytelling will make you feel like you’re at a damn event because each podcast episode is the recording of a live musical show.
Oh, and did I mention every story is true? Real people submit their true stories to sexual folklorist Dixie De La Tour, who picks which stories are performed and recorded at live shows by Bawdy’s storytellers. Instead of giving you a purely sexual experience, their stories provide you with a full range of emotions. They’re hilarious, they’re super theater-y, and they just so happen to also be extremely graphic and sexy. A standing ovation indeed.
Cost: Free; Support on Patreon
15. Girl on the Net
If you haven’t heard of Girl on the Net already, let me give you a little TL;DR: She’s a female sex blogger whose goal is to take the shame out of sexuality. She started blogging back in 2011 by just writing her stories, but now she also produces them as audio porn that you can find on her site. The audio is great if you either already enjoyed reading her blogs or enjoy reading sex blogs in general. Instead of following the standard sexy story format, Girl on the Net’s erotic porn consists of real people reading their own blog posts aloud.
It more feels like your cool friends are just giving you all the steamy deets about their sex life and you can’t help but get a little turned on. If you’re not sure whether or not this would be your thing, you might as well just give it a whirl: The episodes are each only about 10 minutes and they’re free on the site.
Cost: Free; Support on Patreon
Candice is a dating expert and the author Just Send The Text, out Feb. 2, 2021, which she likes to think of as a 70,000-word-long reminder to be yourself. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @candicejalili.
Rachel Varina is a full-time freelance writer covering everything from the best vibrators (the Lelo Sona) to the best TV shows (The Vampire Diaries). She has over 10 years of editorial experience with bylines at Women’s Health, Elite Daily, Betches, and more. She lives in Tampa, Florida, but did not feed her husband to tigers. When she’s not testing out new sex toys (100+ and counting so far!), she’s likely chilling with her dogs or eating buffalo chicken dip. Ideally at the same time. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Associate Sex & Relationships Editor
Kayla Kibbe (she/her) is the Associate Sex and Relationships Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers all things sex, love, dating, and relationships • She lives in Astoria, Queens and probably won’t stop talking about how great it is if you bring it up • Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
