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Audiobooks are long-established, more popular, and easier to use than ever. There are many websites out there selling audiobooks, but it can be hard to know which one to go with. Here’s a breakdown of the two most popular sites for audiobooks, Audible and Audiobooks.com, and some of the pros and cons of each.
It’s easier than ever to download digital audiobooks now that both Audible and Audiobooks.com are available. So, which one do you choose? Both offer similar titles, but one is significantly cheaper than the other. So, which one do you go with?
1. How do they compare?
The main difference between Audible and Audiobooks.com is that the former is an Amazon site while the latter is not. Audible gives you access to its library of audiobooks, MP3s, and radio shows, allowing you to download the content to your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
You can also stream the content online. You can purchase audiobooks on Audible, but you can also use the site to check out audiobook samples for free. The site boasts that it has more than 180,000 titles in its library. The site also offers members special discounts on audiobooks, MP3s, and radio shows.
Audiobooks.com
Audiobooks.com offers unabridged CD audiobooks, audiobooks, and ebooks, etc. You can also visit the ABC Shop which sells audiobooks, CDs, cassette audiobooks, DVDs, and ebooks.
It has audiobooks from more than 30,000 publishers, including Random House Audio, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Group, Hachette, HarperAudio, Recorded Books, Tantor, The Library of Congress, and more.
It is the biggest audiobook provider in the US, with over $30 million in revenue. They have been in the business for 20+ years and have a library of over 200,000 audiobooks.
Audible
Audible on the other hand is a subsidiary of Amazon.com which was founded in 1997. They have a library of over 85,000 audiobooks, and have expanded their collection to include a growing selection of digital audiobooks, as well as a selection of magazines and original audio programming. So, if you have a Kindle or a compatible smartphone, Audible is a great way to get audiobooks.
It is a program that allows you to buy and download audiobooks and listen to them though the application provided by Audible. This is a great service as you can listen to books as they are read out to you by the narrator.
2. What about cost?
Audible offers new members a free 30-day trial. During this trial, you are allowed to get any audiobook of your choice free of charge. You also have the ability to cancel your subscription at any time if you happen to dislike the service.
And even after cancelling your subscription, you still get to keep your audiobook! After your 30 days have elapsed, Audible automatically enrolls you into its Gold plan. For $14.95 a month, you get one credit redeemable for one audiobook monthly however do note if this is not enough credits for you, there is a yearly Gold plan available where for $149/year you can enjoy 12 credits per year – that’s quite a lot for avid readers out there!
Similar to Audible, Audiobooks.com offers memberships that offer varying degrees of credits per month. Unlike with Audible though, there is only one membership plan on audiobooks.com where users receive one credit for $14.95 each month.
This pricing strategy makes audiobooks slightly costlier than comparable plans on Audible however you’ll be paying $14.95 regardless of which audiobook you buy, so with this membership plan at least you know what you’ll be spending for any given audiobook read.
Also, with Instacredit enabled on their audiobook app, users do not need pre-paid credits to purchase ebooks via the platform – your purchases will be charged directly to your registered credit card!
Audible.com offers 2-3 books per month for 1 credit each. Which means you pay 1 credit for 2 books, 2 credits for 3 books. Audiobooks.com offers 1 book per month for 1 credit. Most books, both companies have in their catalog are available for free borrowing. You can borrow any one book for 1 month.
Audiobooks.com is $15 (and sometimes up to $20) per audiobook you want to download. Audible’s monthly subscription is $14.95 per month. After that, each audiobook is $.95. This includes new releases. I like Audible’s app better for listening on the go.
3. Which service has the better selection?
Audible.com is the largest provider of audiobooks and other spoken word entertainment that’s accessible through the Internet. With more than 180,000 audiobooks that are categorized into different genres, Audible.com is a great way for people to enjoy their day by listening to an audiobook. There are over 100 categories of audiobooks.
Audiobooks.com is one of the most underrated audiobook services on the market. Sure, it doesn’t have as many audiobook titles as Audible, but what it lacks in quantity it certainly makes up for in quality.
It has a library of over 100,000 audiobook titles, but what’s even more impressive is the fact that the site features book lists for listeners! You can join a book club or check out some of the best new releases. Everything about Audiobooks.com is designed with the listener in mind, so you know you’ll always have something to listen to!
4. What are the Refund Policies?
You can get your money back for books bought on Audible. Refunds are only given within the first 30 days, but there is no time limit on when you can request the refund. Once you sign up for Audible, you get a free book credit that can be used on any book.
If you listen to that book entirely, then you can get a refund for that book. I think you can get a refund for an audiobook that you have listened to entirely within the first 30 days. I have delt with audible before and they always been great to deal with.
Audiobooks.com offers a 15-minute refund window for all customers. This means that books can be downloaded and listened to for 15 minutes and customers can get a refund. Within this 15-minute period, you can check to see if the download is compatible with your MP3 player and if the book is the right one for you.
If you happen to listen to your audiobook for more than 15 minutes, you cannot get a refund after the 15 minutes elapses, so it is advisable to check your book right away and then get a refund if it isn’t what you expected.
5. Which one is the winner?
The answer to this question depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for cheaper price, then Audible is for you. Audible is owned by Amazon.com.
If you are looking for audiobooks that are not talked about too much, then you should use Audiobooks.com, because it offers many previously self-published audiobooks which are very hard to find. Most of the audiobook publishers are reluctant to sell their books to Audible due to Audible’s low royalty rate.
If you are looking for audiobooks that you can listen to without downloading it first, then you should use Audiobooks.com, because Audiobooks.com uses streaming, meaning you can listen to audiobooks without the fear of data overage.
Audible is owned by Amazon and Audiobooks.com is independently owned and both are both good services. But, Audible is more user-friendly, has a larger selection of audiobooks, and is more affordable. Audible has a 30-day free trial, so you can use the service without paying the first month.
Audiobooks come with both the great features. You can listen to audiobooks over the internet or download to your mobile device or purchase CDs. You can either download or stream Audiobooks. Audiobooks’ trial period is only 20 days.
But Audible has always been the first choice of people who love to read. But now with Audible, you need to purchase the books separately. Audiobooks.com allows you to rent audiobooks, which can be much cheaper than purchasing the entire book.
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