The comfort and portability of audiobooks allow you to take pleasure in your love of studying on the go. However how do you get monetary savings on the audiobooks you need?
There are a variety of audiobook companies out there, however the choices will be overwhelming. Discovering the appropriate audiobook service is a matter of discovering the most effective one for the way you prefer to learn.
11 Companies for Low-cost Audiobooks
Right here’s our rundown of a number of the finest audiobook companies the place you’ll be able to seize a guide to your ears.
1. Audible
Audible is a giant identify in audiobooks. As part of Amazon, it’s closely marketed and simply out there, but it surely has its professionals and cons.
Execs
- Audible boasts one of many largest audiobook libraries on the market with greater than 500,000 titles and round 100,000 podcasts, in accordance with an organization spokesperson. No matter you prefer to learn, you’ll be able to most likely discover it on Audible.
- You get to maintain any titles you learn even in the event you cancel your subscription.
- You additionally get day by day offers and an additional 30% low cost on further guide purchases.
- You possibly can obtain the books you select and hear offline.
- You possibly can attempt Audible out with a no-cost, 30-day trial interval.
- Amazon Prime members can attempt Audible free for 30 days whereas additionally receiving 2 credit (1 credit score = 1 title) monthly.
Cons
- Audible is a subscription service with 5 completely different subscription plans, the most affordable being $7.95 monthly. At that lowest tier, although, you’re unable to earn further credit and also you gained’t get reductions on premium choice titles or entry to unique gross sales.
- The opposite membership plans are expensive. They embody month-to-month subscriptions of $14.95 for one credit score monthly or $22.95 for 2 credit monthly. Annual plans are additionally out there; they price $149.50 for 12 credit per yr or $229.50 for twenty-four credit per yr.
- Unused credit expire after one yr. Additionally they expire once you cancel your membership.
2. Audiobooks.com
Audiobooks.com is one other subscription service, very similar to Audible.
Execs
- Very massive choice with greater than 350,000 titles plus greater than 10,000 free audiobooks.
- Entry to greater than 100 million podcast episodes at no cost.
- Your subscription consists of one guide monthly.
- You should buy further credit as wanted. One credit score equals one guide.
- You get free further VIP books every month with no further cost. VIP titles are older, much less common books, however they aren’t all obscure. For instance, one guide presently on the checklist is Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.”
- With a free 30-day trial you get one guide free and may choose two books from the VIP assortment that adjustments month-to-month.
- You possibly can stream books or obtain so you’ll be able to hear offline.
Cons
- It’s costlier than many choices at $14.95 monthly.
3. Scribd
Scribd is a subscription service that lets you entry “limitless” audiobooks and in addition affords options like ebooks, podcasts and even sheet music.
Execs
- At $11.99 it’s cheaper than Audiobooks.com and also you get to hearken to as many books as you need.
- There are quite a lot of extras like Kindle books, magazines and even sheet music out there together with your subscription.
- You possibly can select from greater than 2 million ebooks, 300,000 audiobooks and 1 million journal and information articles.
- It features a 30-day free trial.
Cons
- The time period “limitless” isn’t 100% correct. Customers within the iPhone app retailer complain that after two or three common books, your capacity to learn new and common titles turns into very restricted for the remainder of the month.
- You’re renting reasonably than shopping for the books, so you can’t maintain them.
- The platform isn’t loaded with extras like a number of the different companies.
4. Downpour
For $12.99, subscription service Downpour offers you one credit score (good for anyone guide) monthly. You possibly can spend them as you go or save them up. Or you’ll be able to merely lease or purchase books with out a subscription, however you’ll pay a bit extra for every title.
Execs
- Inexpensive than Audiobooks.com.
- You personal the books and may maintain them even in the event you cancel.
- You possibly can obtain and hear offline.
- You may have the choice to purchase or lease books outdoors of the membership. Leases are cheaper. However, in the event you purchase the guide, you’ll pay greater than you’ll with a membership.
Cons
- Smaller choice with simply 80,000 titles (and counting).
- Every credit score expires after 12 months.
- Books for buy are expensive, although there’s a tab for “Each day Offers” with sections for downloads underneath $10, $5 and even 99 cents.
5. Chirp
Chirp is a sister website of Bookbub, an e-book website. Whenever you join the service, you get a day by day e mail that includes particular offers. Most of the offers are $3.99 or much less for every guide.
Execs
- No subscription wanted, so that you solely pay for what you purchase.
- You purchase reasonably than lease the books, in order that they’re yours to maintain.
- You should purchase from a wide array of books at common worth.
- There’s a “my wishlist” part the place you’ll be able to checklist out the books you need to hearken to and get alerts in the event that they go on sale.
Cons
- The featured offers are random and aren’t catered to your style, so chances are you’ll or could not see books on sale that you simply really need to learn.
6. Apple Books
Apple Books is a retailer for Apple customers to buy audiobooks. It’s not a subscription website, only a pay-for-what-you-want retailer.
Execs
- New and common books can be found, in addition to classics.
- Apple editors curate basic lists to assist readers discover new books.
- You retain your audiobooks proper in your telephone or iPad.
- You possibly can obtain books and hearken to them out of your Apple Watch when you exercise.
- No strain to obtain books to justify a month-to-month expense.
Cons
- Particular person books will be costly.
7. Google Play Books
Google Play Books is very similar to Apple Books, however for Android and PC customers, and with just a few extra perks.
Execs
- No subscription, simply purchase what you want.
- Take heed to previews earlier than committing.
- Good gross sales and costs general.
- Can be utilized on iPhones and Macs.
- Giant choice of audiobooks.
- Gives some free books.
Cons
- Some customers complain that the app is clunky.
8. Libro.fm
Libro.fm is the impartial bookstore of audiobook companies — the anti-Audible if you’ll.
Execs
- Libro.fm donates a portion of each buy you make to the domestically owned bookstore of your alternative.
- No membership required.
- Nevertheless, you’ve got an choice to grow to be a member for $14.99 monthly, which provides you two audiobook credit initially, then one monthly after and 30% off particular person purchases.
- Greater than 275,000 audiobooks can be found, together with 99% of all New York Occasions bestsellers.
- You personal the books you purchase, that means you retain them in the event you ever cancel your membership.
- Gives free iOS and Android listening apps.
Cons
- Equally priced plans by way of Audible and Audiobooks.com supply a bigger catalog of books to select from.
9. Blinkist
Blinkist is a singular service in that it affords condensed variations of common nonfiction books for individuals who don’t really feel like they’ve time to hearken to total books.
Execs
- It’s pretty cheap at solely $8.34 monthly.
- You possibly can attempt the service out at no cost for seven days.
- Contains entry to greater than 5,500 nonfiction books in dozens of classes.
- Most audiobooks will be listened to in quarter-hour or much less.
- Subscription consists of limitless entry to all books.
- Should you just like the condensed guide, you’ll be able to improve to the complete model.
Cons
- Nonfiction solely.
- Good for a fast overview however not for in-depth information.
10. Librivox
The Librivox audiobooks web site declares “acoustical liberation of books within the public area.” So what does that imply? Principally, it’s a free library of audiobooks which can be sufficiently old to have outlasted their copyright. They’re learn by volunteers.
Execs
- Fully free to make use of.
- A number of nice classics like “Moby Dick,” “Frankenstein” and “The Life and Occasions of Frederick Douglas.”
- Accessible within the Apple app retailer.
Cons
- Restricted choice (40,000) with no latest titles.
- No extras, reminiscent of podcasts.
11. Your Public Library System
To seek out free audiobooks, you’ll be able to all the time go to your native library and take a look at audiobooks on CD, however that’s so 2005. Nowadays most library techniques are attached with apps like OverDrive or Hoopla so you’ll be able to try audiobooks digitally in your telephone, pill or reader.
Execs
- With a library card, it’s fully free.
- Not restricted to your native library however related to a big community of libraries, so there are lots of titles out there.
- You possibly can place holds on titles you need if they don’t seem to be presently out there.
Cons
- You could not discover each guide you need.
- Books are checked out similar to non-digital copies, so they’re restricted and you’ll have to attend for sure books.
- New and common books incessantly have a really lengthy ready checklist.
- You don’t maintain the titles, simply borrow.
Public libraries lend a lot greater than books, audiobooks and films. Relying on the library, you’ll be able to borrow museum passes, instruments, puzzles, cake pans, video games and extra
Tyler Omoth is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder. Robert Bruce, a senior author with The Penny Hoarder, additionally labored on this story.
