The comfort and portability of audiobooks allow you to get pleasure from 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 providers obtainable, however the choices may be overwhelming. Discovering the correct audiobook service is a matter of discovering the perfect one for the way you prefer to learn.
11 Companies for Low cost Audiobooks
Right here’s our rundown of a number of the greatest audiobook providers the place you’ll be able to seize a ebook to your ears.
1. Audible
Audible is a giant title in audiobooks. As part of Amazon, it’s closely marketed and simply obtainable, but it surely has its professionals and cons.
Professionals
- Audible boasts one of many largest audiobook libraries on the market with greater than 500,000 titles and round 100,000 podcasts, in keeping 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 should you cancel your subscription.
- You additionally get day by day offers and an additional 30% low cost on further ebook purchases.
- You may obtain the books you select and pay attention offline.
- You may strive Audible out with a no-cost, 30-day trial interval.
- Amazon Prime members can strive 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 might be unable to earn additional credit and also you gained’t get reductions on premium choice titles or entry to unique gross sales.
- The opposite membership plans are dear. 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 obtainable; they price $149.50 for 12 credit per 12 months or $229.50 for twenty-four credit per 12 months.
- Unused credit expire after one 12 months. In addition they expire whenever you cancel your membership.
2. Audiobooks.com
Audiobooks.com is one other subscription service, very similar to Audible.
Professionals
- Very massive choice with greater than 350,000 titles plus greater than 10,000 free audiobooks.
- Entry to greater than 100 million podcast episodes totally free.
- Your subscription contains one ebook monthly.
- You should buy additional credit as wanted. One credit score equals one ebook.
- You get free additional VIP books every month with no further cost. VIP titles are older, much less in style books, however they aren’t all obscure. For instance, one ebook at present on the record is Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.”
- With a free 30-day trial you get one ebook free and may also choose two books from the VIP assortment that modifications month-to-month.
- You may stream books or obtain so you’ll be able to pay attention offline.
Cons
- It’s dearer than many choices at $14.95 monthly.
3. Scribd
Scribd is a subscription service that means that you can entry “limitless” audiobooks and likewise affords options like ebooks, podcasts and even sheet music.
Professionals
- At $11.99 it’s cheaper than Audiobooks.com and also you get to take heed to as many books as you need.
- There are quite a lot of extras like Kindle books, magazines and even sheet music obtainable along with your subscription.
- You may 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 in style books, your means to learn new and in style titles turns into very restricted for the remainder of the month.
- You’re renting reasonably than shopping for the books, so you can’t preserve them.
- The platform isn’t loaded with extras like a number of the different providers.
4. Downpour
For $12.99, subscription service Downpour provides you one credit score (good for anybody ebook) monthly. You may spend them as you go or save them up. Or you’ll be able to merely hire or purchase books with no subscription, however you’ll pay a bit of extra for every title.
Professionals
- Cheaper than Audiobooks.com.
- You personal the books and might preserve them even should you cancel.
- You may obtain and pay attention offline.
- You’ve the choice to purchase or hire books outdoors of the membership. Leases are cheaper. However, should you purchase the ebook, you’ll pay greater than you’d with a membership.
Cons
- Smaller choice with simply 80,000 titles (and counting).
- Every credit score expires after 12 months.
- Books for buy are dear, although there’s a tab for “Each day Offers” with sections for downloads below $10, $5 and even 99 cents.
5. Chirp
Chirp is a sister website of Bookbub, an e-book website. While 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 ebook.
Professionals
- No subscription wanted, so that you solely pay for what you purchase.
- You purchase reasonably than hire the books, in order that they’re yours to maintain.
- You should purchase from a big selection of books at common worth.
- There’s a “my wishlist” part the place you’ll be able to record out the books you wish to take heed 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 it’s possible you’ll or could not see books on sale that you simply truly wish 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.
Professionals
- New and in style books can be found, in addition to classics.
- Apple editors curate common lists to assist readers discover new books.
- You retain your audiobooks proper in your cellphone or iPad.
- You may obtain books and take heed to them out of your Apple Watch whilst you exercise.
- No strain to obtain books to justify a month-to-month expense.
Cons
- Particular person books may 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.
Professionals
- No subscription, simply purchase what you want.
- Hearken to previews earlier than committing.
- Good gross sales and costs general.
- Can be utilized on iPhones and Macs.
- Massive number of audiobooks.
- Presents some free books.
Cons
- Some customers complain that the app is clunky.
8. Libro.fm
Libro.fm is the impartial bookstore of audiobook providers — the anti-Audible if you’ll.
Professionals
- Libro.fm donates a portion of each buy you make to the regionally owned bookstore of your selection.
- No membership required.
- Nonetheless, you’ve an choice to change into 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, which means you retain them should you ever cancel your membership.
- Presents 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 novel service in that it affords condensed variations of in style nonfiction books for individuals who don’t really feel like they’ve time to take heed to total books.
Professionals
- It’s pretty cheap at solely $8.34 monthly.
- You may strive the service out totally free for seven days.
- Contains entry to greater than 5,500 nonfiction books in dozens of classes.
- Most audiobooks may be listened to in quarter-hour or much less.
- Subscription contains limitless entry to all books.
- In the event you just like the condensed ebook, you’ll be able to improve to the total 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? Mainly, it’s a free library of audiobooks which can be sufficiently old to have outlasted their copyright. They’re learn by volunteers.
Professionals
- Utterly free to make use of.
- Numerous nice classics like “Moby Dick,” “Frankenstein” and “The Life and Occasions of Frederick Douglas.”
- Out there within the Apple app retailer.
Cons
- Restricted choice (40,000) with no latest titles.
- No extras, akin to podcasts.
11. Your Public Library System
To search 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. Lately most library programs are connected with apps like OverDrive or Hoopla so you’ll be able to take a look at audiobooks digitally in your cellphone, pill or reader.
Professionals
- 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 numerous titles obtainable.
- You may place holds on titles you need if they aren’t at present obtainable.
Cons
- Chances are you’ll not discover each ebook you need.
- Books are checked out similar to non-digital copies, so they’re restricted and you will have to attend for sure books.
- New and in style books steadily have a really lengthy ready record.
- You don’t preserve 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.