Audiobooks enable me to continuously learn whilst performing mundane activities. I am crazy about Audiobooks and have a full subscription with both Audible and Audiobooks.com.
I have been using Audible since 2011 and Audiobooks.com since 2019, so I have thoroughly tested both services, and most importantly, I can highlight the significant differences.
Audible vs. Audiobooks.com Contents
- Audible vs. Audiobooks.com – Verdict
- Product Comparison
- Pricing Comparison
- Customer Service Comparison
- Apps & Devices Comparison
- Full Audible Review
- Full Audiobooks Review
Audible vs. Audiobooks.com – Verdict
Both Audiobooks.com and Audible offer excellent services; after significant usage and testing, I can assure you, you will be happy with either service. Which one you choose just depends on what you are looking for.
| Audible vs. Audiobooks Results |  |  |
| Rating | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Do You Own the Audiobook? | ✔ | ✔ |
| Lifetime Access to Books | ✔ | ✔ |
| Audiobooks Collection | 200,000+ | 200,000 + |
| # Audiobooks / Month | 1 Book | 1 Book |
| Bonus Books With Membership | 1 Audible Original | 1 VIP Collection |
| Returns Policy | 1 Year No Limit | At Company Discretion |
| Family Sharing (Included) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Membership /Monthly | $14.95 | $14.95 |
| Membership /Yearly | $149.50 | -- |
| Cost per Book /Yearly | $12.45 | $14.95 |
| Platinum 24 Books /Yearly | $229.50 | -- |
| Platinum Cost Per Book | $9.56 | -- |
| Result | Winner | |
| Visit Audible | Visit Audiobooks |
For me, both Audiobooks.com & Audible offer exceptional services that lead the industry in terms of library size and service quality. However, there are a few advantages of each service; there are four important reasons why to go for Audible and two critical benefits to Audiobooks.com.
6 Reasons Why Audible is Better Than Audiobooks.com
- Cost per Audiobook: Audible costs $6.22 per book on a yearly subscription, compared to $7.47 with Audiobooks.com. Not a substantial price difference, but still a gap.
- Returns Policy: Audibles Great Listening Guarantee allows you to return any book with one year of purchase, no questions asked, while Audiobooks.com has no guarantee, and specify returns are “at our discretion.”
- Audio Quality: Audible’s sound quality is significantly better a 64 kbps, compared to Audiobooks.com’s 32 kbps. However, most people will not notice the difference in audio quality, but for audiophiles, this might be important.
- For heavy audiobook usage, the Audible Platinum Subscription gives you 24 books per year, meaning you will save $5.50 per book.
2 Reasons Why Audiobooks.com is Better Than Audible
- The Audiobooks.com App is better; browsing for new books to listen to on mobile is a better experience with Audiobooks.com
- If you do not want to keep feeding the Jeff Bezos billionaire profit machine, then go for Audiobooks.com, it is an excellent service and the best Amazon/Audible alternative.
Audible vs. Audiobooks.com Product Comparison
| Audible vs. Audiobooks Product Comparison | | |
| Audiobook Type | Full | Full |
| Do You Own the Audiobook? | ✔ | ✔ |
| Lifetime Access to Books | ✔ | ✔ |
| Audiobooks Collection | 200,000+ | 200,000 + |
| Audio Quality | Excellent (64kbps) | Good (32 kbps) |
| Exclusive Content (Podcasts & Original Productions) | ✔ | ✘ |
| Podcasts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Result | Winner | |
| Visit Audible | Visit Audiobooks |
In terms of product offerings, both companies have an excellent and extensive library. Both libraries feature 200,000+ titles, so, for significant book releases, you will not really see a difference.
Where you will see a difference is the sheer amount of original content that is offered by Audible.
What I have noticed over the past few years are the incredible growth in Audible Originals and exclusive content. Audible being an Amazon company, are able to invest heavily in differentiating themselves from their competitors.
- Audible Originals – Produced by Audible Studios, high-quality blockbuster titles like Winter Rising by Alex Callister (11 hours 31 minutes)
- Audible Original Podcasts – Free Podcasts Exclusively from Audible, featuring big names such as Stephen Fry’s “Victorian Secrets” (7 hours 40 minutes)
- Audible Theatre – High-end theater production from great names, for example, Stories by Heart by John Lithgow
Audiobooks.com cannot compete with this.
Library & Audio Quality
New releases and bestsellers are inevitably released on Audible first as its market share, and customer base make it irresistible to publishers. Therefore Audible always has the latest releases.
Audible also provides the industry-leading audio quality with a bit rate of 64 versus Audiobooks.com’s standard 32 bit, if you are an audiophile with great speakers or headphones, you will notice the difference.
Audible vs. Audiobooks.com Pricing Comparison
| Audible vs. Audiobooks Pricing | | |
| Subscription Required | No | No |
| Membership /Monthly | $14.95 | $14.95 |
| Membership /Yearly | $149.50 | -- |
| Cost per Book /Yearly | $12.45 | $14.95 |
| Platinum 24 Books /Yearly | $229.50 | -- |
| Platinum Cost Per Book | $9.56 | -- |
| Result | Winner | |
| Visit Audible | Visit Audiobooks |
Audible Pricing & Audiobooks Ownership
With Audible, you will get to own 1 Audiobook per month on a yearly subscription of $149.50 or $12.45 per book, which is the cheapest in the industry. You will also get access to 1 free Audible Original title (as mentioned in the previous section).
So you get one premium audiobook (by external publishers) and one audiobook by Audible studios.
If you terminate your monthly or yearly subscription with Audible, you get to keep both monthly audiobooks forever.
Audiobooks.com Pricing & Ownership
In comparison with Audible, you get two audiobooks per month with Audiobooks.com. One of those is a full purchased title, and the other is a bonus title from the limited VIP selection.
The problem here is if you end your subscription with Audiobooks.com, you lose access to your VIP book.
This means that in terms of value for money, Audible wins this round, but again it is close.
Audible vs. Audiobooks Apps & Devices Comparison
| Audible vs. Audiobooks Apps & Devices | | |
| App Store Rating | 4.6 ☆ | 4.5 ☆ |
| Devices | iPhone, Android, PC, TV, Alexa, Kindle, Fire TV | iPhone, Android, PC |
| Smart Speaker | Alexa | ✘ |
| Result | Winner | |
| Visit Audible | Visit Audiobooks |
Both Audible and Audiobooks.com provide great apps for mobile that are highly rated in the App Stores by users. The most significant difference here is that Audible will play on your Smart TV, your Amazon Firestick, and even Alexa will play your audiobooks. Audiobooks.com does not have this.
Audible vs. Audiobooks.com Customer Service Comparison
| Audible vs. Audiobooks Customer Service | | |
| Books Return Policy | 1 Year, No Questions Asked | At Company Discretion |
| Customer Support | Phone, Chat, Email | Phone, Chat, Email |
| Result | Winner | |
| Visit Audible | Visit Audiobooks |
One of the most essential reasons why Audible is the clear winner for me is that they have the best returns policy in the industry. If you do not like a book, for whatever reason, the narrator, the plot, or it is merely dull, you can return your book within one year of purchase, no questions asked.
Unlike with Audible, with Audiobooks.com, there is no easily discernible way to return a book you are unhappy with.
In fact, looking into the user agreement, it says: “Audiobooks.com grants refunds at our sole discretion. We do not offer refunds on any subscription charges”.
This could be an area where Audiobooks.com can improve and be more explicit.
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Full Audible Review
Simply the Biggest & Best Audiobook Collection & Surprisingly The Lowest Subscription Costs per Book
Audible Review Summary
Audible is the leader in the Audiobook industry with by far the most extensive library of titles with over 200,000 audiobooks in its library.
I should know, I have been an Audible member since 2011.
New releases and bestsellers are inevitably released on Audible first as its market share, and customer base make it irresistible.
For me, one of the most essential elements of books or audiobooks is that you get to keep the books you pay for.
I own over 250 titles with a value of $2,500, and I am pleased that I can hand them down to my children in the future.
Some services such as Scribd offer an unlimited listening subscription, but you are really just borrowing the book for the duration of your subscription. When you end the subscription, you have nothing.
With Audible, you can still log in and use the App even when you have ended the subscription.
Audible Features, Benefits & Costs Table
| Audiobook Service | |
|---|---|
| Our Rating | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Audiobook Type | Full |
| Do You Own the Audiobook | ✔ |
| Lifetime Access to Books | ✔ |
| Audiobooks Collection | 200K+ |
| Membership /month | $14.95 |
| Membership /yearly | $149.50 |
| Audiobook Service | |
| # Audiobooks | 1 /month |
| Cost per book /monthly subscription | $14.95 |
| Cost per book /yearly subscription | $12.45 |
| Subscription Required | Yes |
| Audio Quality | Excellent |
| Books Returns Policy | 1 Year Unlimited |
| Customer Support | Phone, Chat, Email |
| Audiobook Service | |
| Special Services | Audible Original Podcasts |
| Podcasts | ✔ |
| App Store Rating | 4.6 ☆ |
| Devices | iPhone, Android, PC, TV, Alexa, Kindle, Fire TV |
| Smart Speaker | Alexa |
Audible Pricing Plans
With Audible, you need a subscription, but that subscription means you get to buy books at a tiny fraction of their actual retail value. Some believe that Audible is expensive, but the reality is that they are the cheapest way to buy audiobooks.
Audible Subscription – $14.95 per month
With the entry-level subscription with Audible, you will get one credit for any title and also one free bonus Audible Original title. This means you get one premium book per month for $14.95.
If you pay this subscription annually, you will pay $149.50, meaning you get two free months, and this brings the average cost per book down to $12.45, the lowest price in the industry.
You could also opt for $22.95 per month for two audiobook credits, which works out at $9.56 per book, a saving of $5 per book.
Whichever subscription you choose, you will get 30% off any other purchases you make. But the best news is that even if you run out of credits, Audible will allow you to buy additional credits at between $5 to $7 per credit, depending on the offers they have.
Additionally, nearly every single week, you will receive special promotions for “2 books for 1 credit” or “Every book for $3”, which are simply excellent deals.
Finally, Audible has a massive selection of exclusive professional Podcasts that they offer free to members, and at Christmas, they will also send you Christmas stories for the family and children, a really nice touch.
Audible Content & Quality
What I have noticed over the past few years is the incredible growth in Audible original and exclusive content. Audible being an Amazon company, are able to invest heavily in differentiating themselves from their competitors.
- Audible Originals – Produced by Audible Studios, high-quality blockbuster titles like Winter Rising by Alex Callister (11 hours 31 minutes)
- Audible Original Podcasts – Free Podcasts Exclusively from Audible, featuring big names such as Stephen Fry’s “Victorian Secrets” (7 hours 40 minutes)
- Audible Theatre – High-end theater production from great names, for example, Stories by Heart by John Lithgow
Audio Quality
Audible offer two formats, Enhanced and Format 4, Format 4 is for those who value space rather than audio quality.
I download all my books in Enhanced format. This is exclusive to Audible! Audiobooks in Enhanced format are minimally compressed, so their audio quality is the best on the market. What this means, however, is that the audiobook file is also larger and takes a bit more time to download.
Audible Customer Service & Returns Policy Is the Best
One of the most essential reasons why Audible is the clear winner for me is that they have the best returns policy in the industry. If you do not like a book, for whatever reason, the narrator, the plot, or it is merely dull, you can return your book within one year of purchase.
Great Listens Guarantee
There is nothing worse than paying for a book that you ultimately dislike; Audible removes this problem with their “Great Listens to Guarantee.”
You can simply go to Account -> Purchases -> Click Return Title, and you are immediately refunded your credit.
I would know I have returned so many books for one reason or another, and never once have they said no.
Finally, you can contact Audible via phone, chat, or email. I have used chat many times, and they are available instantly 24/7 with no wait, that is an excellent service.
Audible App & Device Compatibility
Play Store App Rating – 4.6 ☆ Excellent
Having used the Audible App for nine years, I can safely say it is rock solid, easy to use, and actually perfect.
The Audible App has the following key features:
- Car Mode – Makes the app simple to use when driving, with bigger buttons.
- Books Sharing – Send a Book to a Friend or share your progress.
- Clips, Bookmarks & Notes – Saving sound clips and making notes.
- Sleep Timer – Useful for listening when you go to bed, so it does not play all night.
- Variable Speed Playback – Great for slow narrators or digesting long books quicker.
Your Audible books will play on all devices from Apple, Android, Smart TV’s and even the Amazon Alexa smart speaker will read them to you.
Audible Audiobook Download Speeds
Downloading an Audiobook to your phone is incredibly quick, usually, within 30 seconds you can start listening to a book. This is because the intelligent downloading system allows you to start listening before the entire audiobook has been downloaded.
Audible Customer Satisfaction
They say customers vote with their feet; if this is the case, then our recent audiobook survey suggests that Audible Customers are delighted. Audible was the most popular choice of Audiobook service amongst our 1,000 strong poll.
Why Audible Video
Full Audiobooks.com Review
A Huge Library & Low-Cost Subscription Model Make Audiobooks.com a Viable Alternative to Audible
Audiobooks Review Summary
I have been testing and using Audiobooks.com for over eight weeks now, and I have to say that the library is extensive, and the service works very well.
With access to over 200,000 audiobook titles, and new releases arriving quickly, you will not notice any real difference between the Audible service and Audiobooks.com.
Importantly, like Audible, you own the book, which means that even if you terminate your subscription, you should have access to your audiobooks; for me, this is vital.
However, there are two drawbacks that I need to mention, the returns policy and the lack of smart-speaker support (see below).
Firstly, there is no easily discernible way to return a book you are unhappy with. In fact, looking into the user agreement, it says: “Audiobooks.com grants refunds at our sole discretion. We do not offer refunds on any subscription charges”.
Secondly, there is no support for smart speakers like Alexa, Apple, or Google Now.
Audiobooks.com Pricing
Free Trial
Audiobooks.com offers a free 30-day trial during which you can access one free credit for a full Audiobook and get access to 2 free VIP Books.
Monthly Membership
The monthly membership costs $14.95 per month, which gets you one credit for a book you own and access to an additional VIP book from a selection they have curated.
This means the average cost per book is $7.48.
The only issue I have with this is that you do not actually own the VIP book. It will always be in your library, but if you end your subscription, you will only have access to the books you purchased with a Credit, all the VIP books will be removed as they were only loaned to you, not actually purchased by you.
This essentially means the real cost per book, should you end your subscription is $14.95.
On the positive side, they are always running 2 for 1 deals, which means that if you purchase books in the deal, you may bring your average cost per book back down to $7.50.
Audiobooks.com Features, Benefits & Costs Table
| Audiobook Service | |
|---|---|
| Our Rating | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Audiobook Type | Full |
| Do You Own the Audiobook | ✔ |
| Lifetime Access to Books | ✔ |
| Audiobooks Collection | 150K+ |
| Membership /month | $14.95 |
| Audiobook Service | |
| # Audiobooks | 2 /month |
| Cost per book /monthly subscription | $7.48 |
| Subscription Required | Yes |
| Audio Quality | Good |
| Books Returns Policy | At Vendors Discretion |
| Customer Support | Phone, Chat, Email |
| Podcasts | ✔ |
| App Store Rating | 4.3 ☆ |
| Devices | iPhone, Android, PC, Mac |
| Smart Speaker | ✘ |
Audiobooks.com Library
Online and on the mobile App, the Audiobooks library is the easiest to browse and find new books to listen to. The layout and recommendation engine is excellent, indeed.
Customer Service & Returns Policy
As mentioned previously, for me, the ability to return a book at any time that you do not like is a critical feature.
Unlike with Audible, with Audiobooks.com, there is no easily discernible way to return a book you are unhappy with.
In fact, looking into the user agreement, it says: “Audiobooks.com grants refunds at our sole discretion. We do not offer refunds on any subscription charges”.
This could be an area where Audiobooks.com can improve and be more explicit.
App & Device Compatibility
App Store Rating: 4.3 ☆ Good
The Audiobooks.com App is straightforward and easy to use. I particularly like the recommendation engine and how the browsing screen is very visual (see the image above)
However, viewing your own library could be improved in the App as the book thumbnails are large and difficult to navigate.
The App has some crucial features like a sleep timer, notes, bookmarks, and playback speed control.
I really like the ability to quickly follow an author and be notified of any future releases; this is something Audible does not have.
The only thing missing is car mode and compatibility with a smart speaker.
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Hi, I’m just wondering is in the states you get the offer of three Audible books a month becasue over in the UK its only one per month.
Hi AJ, actually I have the 2 books per month subscription with the UK, and I also receive an extra “Audible Studios Production” Title in addition to that, meaning 3 books.
Thank you so much for this comparison. I wasn’t sure which company to go with and now I know. I live in the UK. Your review has made it clear to understand the differences and with the current situation re COVID-19 Listening to a book will be wonderful.
I was going to express the same thing. I don’t know how you came by that 3 book a month subscription deal with audible but here in Canada the only option was one book a month for the same price. If anything this article has now made me raise brows about audible and why they are giving some customers more credits than others for the same price. That’s shady to me.i also think this should have been addressed in this article
Hi Inda, the 3 books per month comes from 1 Book plus a choice of 2 of 6 audible originals per month. See amazon details here.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202162260
You get one credit that can be used for any book. Anything else is not something you can choose.
Am I missing something?
Hi George, you get one credit for any premium title. But also both audiobooks and audible offer one additional free/complimentary book from their curated/exclusive/VIP selection. A free book from a limited list.