Audiobooks Vs Audible – Which One is Better in 2024?
Reading books improve your imaginative and cognitive abilities. However, despite the fact, lots of people have a really hard time in reading books. Some people love to read books but they do not have much time. On a flip side, some are quite lazy. However, whichever category you come in, audiobooks are your rescue.
Audible and Audiobooks.com are two best services. However, in terms of reliability and affordability, both of them are the good option. You will good value for your hard-earned money and selection is equally good of both the software. Thus, if it is the showdown between Audible and Audiobooks.com make sure you choose the right one. You may also sign up for the free trial and test it out before you think of spending your money. But, apart from Audible & Audiobooks.com there is a third contender, which blows them out of water!
Also Read: 10 Best Audiobook Services
Audiobooks vs Audible
Basically, concept of listening to the audiobooks is very much similar to Netflix streaming in a sense that the users download audiobooks on supported devices & listen to them it is convenient. Audiobook services make use of this concept. But, they have got different features that set them different from one another.
Audible & Audiobooks.com are two highly popular audiobook services. The new entrants inevitably need to measure up on the standards both have set over years. However, how do two measure-up with one another? Which company will be better? Honestly, they have got their benefits.
Audible Content Offered
Suppose you happen to buy an audiobook & realize it is faulty, and for certain reason you do not like it, you return a book. Here is how refund policy works:
Firstly, Audible calls this ‘Great Listen Guarantee’. It assures affords users luxury to return audiobooks they bought in last twelve months and didn’t like. Suppose you bought book with some credits, you can get the credit refund and in case you have used cash, then your cash can be refunded. However, do not get excited. To keep the people from taking benefit of this guarantee, refunds will be limited to one audiobook per month. In addition, in place of the refund, you can get the audiobook exchange.
Audiobooks.com Content Offered
Audiobooks.com doesn’t have an elaborate refund plan. For most of the part, purchases will be final. But, suppose your case is real, it is easy to stay in touch with customer service through Email or Live Chat.
Audiobooks.com will grant refunds at discretion. However, if audiobook is faulty, you can get the replacement.
Audible
Amazon owns Audible and company was started two decades before. When they opened its first shop, they presented the whole world with the portable audio player (first of kind) that was made specifically for the audiobooks. Device cost around $200 and can hold two hours of audio. Now, the capacity fades compared to many audiobooks & cumulative hours that Audible has in the library. Number of devices that are compatible with an audible app has increased exponentially from past some years.
Audiobooks.com Features
- Audiobooks by Google Play Books comes out in around 45 countries & 9 different languages starting Tuesday. These audiobooks are accessible on iOS, Android, the web & with the Google Assistant devices such as Google Home speakers.
- You can access audiobooks over multiple devices from a company. For instance, you can listen on the Google Home speaker, and start where you left on the Pixel smartphone later.
- There is no subscription needed, and audiobooks will be bought individually. Audible service by Amazon costs around $14.95 monthly after free 30 day trial. This gets users to get the free credit for the book every month & 30% off extra titles.
Audible Features
- From International bestsellers to Indian Classics, there are more than 200,000 audiobooks accessible on Audible. There’re a lot of books with author’s narration. There is something intimate on having author of the book read to you in a way they intend. Experience is spell-binding.
- If you are not very sure of your experience with the new way to read books, you may subscribe for the 30day free trial & get a free audio-book.
- Audible app is accessible on tablets, phones, desktops and is also compatible with Android and iOS devices.
- You may either buy the titles individually over Audible or you can pay the monthly fee of just Rs. 199/- as a credit. You may use the credit for buying any audiobook here.
- Audible has the flexible policy to return audiobooks. Thus, if you bought the book based on the reviews but ended up yawn-worthy purchase, Audible can refund your money.
Difference between AudioBooks and Audible
Audiobooks | Audible |
Has user-friendly app | Audiobooks bought are for keeps |
Phone device compatibility | Has a wide library |
Huge selection of audiobook | Has WhisperSync for the Kindle users |
Accessible in 45 countries | Good refund policy |
Audiobook.com was initially started by the team of book and tech nerds in the year 2012 as the ‘Simply audiobooks’ subsidiary. In 2017, this was taken over by RB Media. While it was started first, it offered monthly users limitless access to the audiobooks. But, Audiobooks.com canceled its unlimited access plan reduced this to one audiobook per month. Over past some years, company has attracted the strong following and app had over 1 million of downloads.
Audible Pricing
If you subscribe with Audible you can own three Audiobooks monthly on the yearly subscription of over $149.50 or $4.13 every book that is a cheapest in this industry. Of 3 books, two of them are the Audible Original content (like mentioned in previous section).
Thus, you get a premium audiobook (external publishers) and 2 audiobooks own by the Audible studios. Suppose you terminate the monthly and yearly subscription with the Audible you can keep all audiobooks forever.
Audiobooks.com Pricing
Compared to Audible, you just get two audiobooks every month with the Audiobooks.com. Those are the full bought title, and other is the bonus title from restricted VIP selection. It means you will have to pay $7.48 every audiobook.
Problem here is in case you end the subscription with the Audiobooks.com, you will lose an access to the VIP book, and it means that your end cost for every audiobook will be $14.95.
In terms of value, Audible wins the round.
Final Words
Audible is a clear winner here. But, Google manages to come ahead on two occasions and wins in certain category. Still, Audiobooks by Google Play is the new entrant & there is a lot of room to expand, and Google Play has the higher user base of two that must give them a lot of room to find better plans in future.