Looking to delve into the audiobook game but have no idea on what audiobook subscription services are available? The Bloom Stack’s got your back. I’ve been a member of all three of these audiobook subscription services and will be exploring the pros and cons of each.
I love audiobooks. They play a HUGE part in my life and have completely changed my reading habits in recent years. If you’re new here then I should probably start this post with some context.
My name’s Emma and I run my own content production studio. It’s a very cool job and I get to spend a large chunk of my day being creative, taking photos and shooting animations. That said, unlike my friends, one of the cons of working by myself is that I don’t have any colleagues or desk buddies for company. I work in an individual workspace and face-to-face interaction is often on the low *cough* non-existent side.
Audiobooks have helped with the loneliness of running my own business. I often tune into one when I’m working and they provide me with some much needed company during the day. Not only am I smashing my GoodReads reading goal but I’ve also found myself with a group of fictional BFFs – it’s great!
As fantastic as audiobooks are, if you’re new to the world then it can feel a little overwhelming. Unlike physical books or eBooks, the price for audiobooks can drastically vary – some retail at £10, whereas others can be £20 to £30+ on Amazon. Joining a subscription service is the one way to delve into audiobooks on a regular basis. But with each subscription drastically varying, which one is right for you?
Today we’re going to get to the bottom of that question. I’ve been a member of 3 different audiobook subscription services in the past 12 months – Audible, Book Beat and Scribd – and am going to share some of the pros and cons of each.
Audible
Audible is one of the biggest and most well-known audiobook subscription services in the UK. The site operates on a credit-based system, where 1 audiobook typically costs 1 credit.
As of May 2020, there are currently four different membership plans available:
- £7.99 per month for 1 credit per month
- £14.99 per month for 2 credits per month
- £69.99 per year with 12 credits per year at time of enrolment
- £109.99 per year with 24 credits per year at time of enrolment
THE PROS AND CONS OF AUDIBLE
I’ve been a member of Audible on and off over the years. Overall, I think it’s a great subscription service if you’re a casual listener of audiobooks.
A huge pro is the massive amount of books that are on Audible. Owned by Amazon, it’s the biggest audiobook store in the UK and if you’re after a specific title then you’ll more than likely find it on the site.
Another pro is that Audible offers fantastic sign-up offers. You can sign-up to the service using your Amazon account and try a 30-day free trial before you commit to it. Once you exchange a credit for an audiobook, you download it to your Audible library – something you’ll have access to, even if you end up cancelling your subscription.
Now for the cons, my biggest problem with Audible is how expensive it is. As someone who listens to audiobooks on a daily basis, paying £7.99 per month for 1 credit can work out fairly pricey. On average a 12-hour audiobook might last me 2-3 days. If I wanted to listen to another audiobook that month , I’d either need to upgrade my plan to the £14.99 per month membership or purchase additional Audible credits, which could be anything between £6 to £10 per credit.
Because of this, I’ve pressed pause on my Audible membership for a little while and have been delving into other audiobook subscription services. I won’t say no to ever joining Audible again but for the time being, it just isn’t cost effective for me.
BOOK BEAT
Book Beat is a subscription service that offers unlimited audiobooks for a set price. Unlike Audible, there’s only one membership plan available and this monthly fee gives you access to hundreds of audiobooks.
As of May 2020, Book Beat is currently priced at:
- £12.90 per month for unlimited access to the Book Beat library
THE PROS AND CONS OF Book Beat
Out of all my audiobook subscriptions, I’ve been a member of Book Beat for the longest.
If you’re an avid reader, who plans on listening to more than two audiobooks a month, then the biggest pro to Book Beat is that it is fantastic value for money. Unlike Audible, you can listen to as many books as you like per month. Book Beat also has the added bonus of including eBooks in its subscription plan – although, I’ll admit I haven’t used this feature as much as I’d would have liked to.
So what about the cons?
Well, there are some drawbacks to audiobook subscriptions that specialise in ‘unlimited reading’ like Book Beat. As they’re not a e-commerce store like Audible, not all publishers have put their titles on the app. This means that the choice of books is limited and if you’re after a specific book, it might not be available
Personally, I haven’t found any issues with the books that are on Book Beat. The app is owned by Bonnier Books and there’s plenty of titles on it (many of which are new releases) that I’ve LOVED. Recently I’ve been binge-listening to heaps and heaps of fantastic novels from publishers like Harper Collins UK and have a long TBR list that I plan on getting through over the next couple of months. Keep your eyes peeled on The Bloom Stack‘s Books We Love section!
Scribd
Similar to Book Beat, Scribd is also a subscription service that specialises in unlimited reading. Again there is only one membership plan available and this gives you access to Scribd’s library of audiobooks and eBooks.:
As of May 2020, Scribd is currently priced at:
- £9.99 per month for unlimited access to the Scribd library
THE PROS AND CONS OF SCRIBD
I’m a new member to Scribd and have really been enjoying the service so far. I love reading YA books and Scribd offers slightly more choice in YA than Book Beat.
One feature I’ve really been enjoying on Scribd is that the app is excellent at recommending books. After you’ve listened to a book, you’ll instantly get told similar books you might enjoy – meaning you’re never short on choice and your TBR list will grow and grow. Scribd also offers some great editorial content discussing new releases. Again, a handy feature if you’re unsure on what to listen to next.
There are a few more cons to a Scribd membership than there are Book Beat. Personally, I find the functionality of the app and it’s navigation a little clunky. Sometimes audiobooks will skip chapters, crash or take a long time to download. I also wish there was a way to keep track of books you’ve read by making them as finished or rating them.
Another con surrounding Scribd, which may or may not be an issue as my membership continues, is that they’ve recently come under scrutiny for not always offering ‘unlimited reading’. Depending on the type of books you listen to and their popularity, cost and general consumption level, Scribd can sometimes make it so ‘titles may be temporarily unavailable’. Whilst I haven’t experienced this firsthand, I can imagine it being frustrating for users – especially if you can’t listen to the books you want to!
So WHAT’S THE Best SERVICE?
There’s really no right or wrong answer. After exploring the pros and cons of each, the audiobook subscription service that’s best for you will depending on your budget, reading habits and how many books you consume a month. All of these services offer free trials, which are a fantastic way to see what one is a good fit for you. Audible is currently offering a 30-day free trial, which I’d definitely recommend. Book Beat offers a 2 week trial and Scribd’s trials vary from 1 week to 30 days depending on when you sign-up.
What service do you use to listen to audiobooks? Let us know in the comments below!