This Scribd review shows it is a huge resource of the written word, but if you are looking for unlimited reading and listening to major blockbuster book titles, it does not exist. Scribd is a good unlimited audiobook subscription service but is plagued by limited major book titles and user access throttling.
While Scribd claims to be the Netflix of Audiobooks and the written word, the reality is quite different.
Scribd Rating | 3.6/5.0 |
💸 Pricing | ★★★★★ |
🚦 Audiobook Availability | ★★★★✩ |
📰 Library Depth | ★★★✩✩ |
↩ Returns Policy | ★★✩✩✩ |
☎ Customer Support | ★★★✩✩ |
Scribd Review Summary
Our Scribd review and test reveal that Scribd has a huge library of books, audiobooks, and magazines. However, if you are looking for unlimited audiobook access to premium titles, you will be disappointed, as the selection is weak, and access is throttled.
There are a lot of fans of Scribd out there, especially avid readers and audiobook listeners.
Scribd announced something very new in the world of media: flat-rate unlimited access to Audiobooks, eBooks, and Managzine Libraries.
This essentially went viral because, before this announcement, everyone was forced to pay for audiobooks individually.
There is nothing official from Scribd, but I estimate the Audiobook library to contain about 30,000 to 40,000 titles; this is a lot lower than Audible or Audiobooks.com, but I also suspect that the publishers receive a lot less revenue from Scribd, so they are less inclined to release new and best-selling titles.
Scribd Review: Features
⚡ Features | Unlimited Reading & Listening |
🏆 Unique Features | A Huge Library of Older Books |
🎯 Best for | Older Titles |
♲ Subscription | Monthly, Yearly |
💰 Price | $9.99/mo |
💻 OS | Android, Apple |
✂ Discount | None Available |
🌎 Region | Global |
Scribd Pros
★ Unlimited Audiobook Listening
★ $9.95 Flat Rate per Month
★ 100+ Magazines
★ Good Apps for Android & Apple
★ 1,000s of eBooks
Scribd Cons
✘ You do not own the books
✘ Limitations on Accessing Popular Titles
Visit Scribd | Find Scribd Alternatives |
Is Scribd Netflix for Audiobooks
Scribd is very similar to Netflix’s business model; it licenses content from publishers and pays those publishers on a per-user basis.
As consumers, we see only a low flat rate monthly subscription charge for a large amount of content.
The monthly subscription is so low because you do not own the books; you are only allowed to access them for the duration of your subscription.
It isn’t easy to compare Scribd for Audiobooks with Audible or Audiobooks.com.
The Scribd library is not as large and does not contain the sheer depth of blockbuster titles, and bestseller titles and popular books are throttled.
In addition, I have found many audiobooks to enjoy, including the entire works of Tolkien and books by my favorite British comedians.
Scribd will become tiresome for the hardcore Audiobookhphile, but it is quite compelling for casual listeners who enjoy magazines and ebooks.
Scribd Magazines
Scribd has 100 magazines, which you can access via browser or the App. I was impressed because some good magazines are included in the Scribd subscription.
Flagship magazines like Time, T3, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Newsweek, and Inc are included.
I was very excited to see this, but after reading a few magazines, I realized that the experience is not like reading a magazine.
I do not mean the paper; I mean the layout and editing. The magazine articles are in simple HTML with simple images; some magazines, like T3, were very poorly formatted.
This detracted from the magazine experience.
Scribd Pricing Plans
The Scribd pricing is straightforward; it is $9.99 per month for unlimited access to their library of books, audiobooks, and 100+ magazines for the duration of your subscription.
If you stop the subscription, you lose access. For many, this is not a problem; if you listen to many audiobooks and are not interested in building up a library of books you own, then it is a great solution.
I have been with Audible for nearly a decade. I have 255 audiobooks, which cost me approximately $2,500 over that period, but those books are mine for life and my children.
If I had been with Scribd for that period, it would have cost me $972, but I would own nothing. It is like the difference between renting and owning a house.
Scribd Alternatives
If you want to build a library of excellent books that you can keep forever, Scribd is a poor choice. Excellent Scribd alternatives are Audible and AudioBooks.com, which provide cost-effective subscriptions to audiobooks you can keep for life. Compare Audible vs. AudioBooks.com.
Customer Service & Returns Policy
I have seen many complaints online that Scribd is throttling heavy audiobook consumers who consume too many books. Also, I have read that certain bestselling titles are restricted to one or two per user per month or are not even visible to some users.
I have not experienced this, but I can understand that it is a balancing act for Scribd to ensure they earn in revenue what they need to pay to publishers and that some do not abuse the system.
Scribd – A Large Collection of the Written Word & Music
I must say you could never get bored inside the SCRIBD ecosystem; you can see below the sheer depth of content available for the small monthly subscription.
Scribd App & Device Compatibility
Scribd App Store Rating: 4.5 ☆ Excellent
I have been using the App with my new subscription for two months and have found it an absolute delight. Running on Android and iPhone, the App actually has everything you need to enjoy Audiobooks and other media.
Key App Functionality:
- Sleep timer
- Bookmarking & Note Taking
- Sharing
- Playback speed control
Scribd Review Summary
Scribd is recommended; although it cannot compete head-to-head with Audible or Audiobooks.com on audiobooks alone, it provides added value in magazines, eBooks, and even sheet music. So, if you are looking for a good overall written work package, look no further.
Scribd is a ripoff. I canceled Scribd 3 times but they kept billing me anyway. So I called CitiBank and they said all I could do is cancel my credit card and get a new one. So I did that and Scribd still managed to bill me again. Now I have to get a new card CitiBank will block Scribd but it will take a week to do that and get a new card. Save your money, get online with your library, get a card, download Libby, and you can borrow thousands of books free.