No matter what other people may tell you, listening to audiobooks is reading. You still read a book, right? Just with your ears instead of your eyes.
Even if you aren’t an avid reader, you’ve likely heard of Audible. If you’ve ever used Amazon at all, you’ve definitely come across the platform.
It’s one of the most well-known audiobook subscription platforms out there, and as a proud library card holder who has primarily read audiobooks in the past few years, I decided to put it to the test.
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Is Audible worth it? Spoiler alert: I sure think so! Below, I put together a comprehensive review of the service, along with some of my favorite books I’ve read on audio.
What is Audible?
Audible is a subscription service from Amazon that offers a huge selection of audiobooks, audio originals, and podcasts. Users can purchase audiobooks a la carte or use one of the two monthly subscription plans to listen to unlimited audiobooks.
As noted above, I’m a huge reader and I primarily read via audio. I’ve tested a number of audiobook platforms and can honestly say none of them measure up to Audible for me. It’s so easy to use and comes with unique perks like the Audible Plus catalog of free-with-subscription titles.
Audible subscription price: How much is Audible?
Audible has two membership plans starting at $7.95/month; let’s break them down.
| Audible Plus $7.95/month | Audible Premium Plus $14.95/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Listen to the Plus Catalog Includes unlimited access to select Audible Originals, audiobooks, podcasts, and exclusive series | ? | ? |
| One title of your choice Get one credit every month to use on any audiobook in Audible’s premium selection, regardless of price | X | ? |
| Exclusive deals and discounts Save on all purchases with exclusive members-only pricing and Audible deals | X | ? |
| Free trial Get your first month (and everything included in those plans) for free | ? | ? |
Is Audible free with Prime?
No, unfortunately, Amazon Prime members do not get free Audible books or an Audible subscription included in the membership. However, the Prime Reading program is free with Prime and in addition to a rotation selection of free e-books, you’ll also get free access to Audible narration of those titles.
Does Audible have a free trial?
Yes! As we noted above, Audible offers a one-month free trial for both the Plus and Premium Plus plans. Occasionally, the service also offers extended free trials, typically tied to Prime Day or other major shopping holidays.
How does Audible work? Our review:
I’ve tried a handful of audiobook platforms, but I always find myself coming back to Audible, thanks to its free books included in the subscription, as well as receiving one book of my choice every month for $14.95 — a huge discount considering new books are often more expensive than that!
Sometimes, I admit, one credit per month isn’t enough for me if I read a book particularly fast, and while Audible does let you buy additional credits, they’re priced slightly higher than the subscription price — that’s why I typically use credits on books that are priced, even with the included discount, above $14.95, and purchase audiobooks outright if they’re priced lower than that subscription price.
Audible
Pros:
- Select free Audible books included in the subscription at no additional cost
- Playback speed ranges from 0.5 to 3.0x
- Books purchased are yours to keep even after canceling a subscription
Cons:
- One credit per month may be too little for avid readers
- Searching through your library could be more straightforward
How does Audible work?
It depends on the plan you pick, but for the purposes of this review, we’ll go with the one I use: Audible Premium Plus.
Every month, on the day that you initially subscribed, you’ll get one credit put into your account. From there, that credit can be used to purchase any book in Audible’s premium library (which is, essentially, every book).
The image above will show you the difference you’ll see on pages for books based on whether they’re in the Audible Plus catalog or not. You’ll have the option to play and add to your library immediately without purchasing anything for Audible Plus titles. Titles that require purchase, whether by credits or with real money, will clearly note that on the page.
Once you have the books in your library, you can download them to your device so they’re available for offline listening. You can also adjust the playback speed to your liking, ranging from 0.5x speed to 3.0x speed, and Audible will adjust the time remaining in your book to reflect how fast you’re listening so you’ll always have an accurate idea of how much time is left in the book.
Literary consultant and online book club founder Mackenzie Newcomb told our sister site Decider that listening to books at 1.5x speed is a good tip for those trying to get into audiobooks.
“If you have a hard time following an audiobook, it’s probably because it’s too slow,” Newcomb said.
As someone who listens to books at a minimum 2.0x speed (I can and have gone up to 2.5x!), I completely agree. It sounds absurd at first, but most audiobooks are read slow on purpose to be easily digestible and sometimes, it’s easier to process what you’re hearing if it’s being read faster.
Inside the book, you can also enter car mode, which only displays the most important buttons like play/pause and back 30 seconds; set a sleep timer to pause the audio after 5-120 minutes or the end of the chapter; and clip sections to save to your bookmarks for future reference.
How does Audible compare to other audiobook platforms?
In addition to Audible, I’ve also used Libro.fm and Spotify to listen to audiobooks.
Libro.fm works similarly to Audible, with a $14.99/month subscription that includes one credit to be used on any book. However, there aren’t extras included in the way Audible subscribers get access to the Audible Plus catalog of additional no-extra-cost books.
Spotify also recently introduced audiobooks to the platform. You can pay out of pocket for books a la carte, but Spotify Premium subscribers are entitled to 15 hours of audiobook listening every month, which is great until you realize that it’s rare to be able to finish more than one book with the 15 hour allotment, which refers to the runtime of the book before adjusting the speed.
So, while a 12 hour audiobook will only take me six hours to finish, it’ll still count as 12 hours against my 15 hour limit.
I’m also a big library person, so I take advantage of the Libby and Hoopla apps from my public library when I can, but when new releases have a long waitlist (sometimes, up to 6 months), I find that I’d rather just pay the discounted member price on Audible (especially if I have to read it for something with a deadline, like a book club meeting).
How to return an Audible book:
Audible books bought using credits or money are not eligible for returns. Even when you cancel your monthly Audible subscription, all of the books bought with credits will stay in your account indefinitely because you bought them.
Books from the Audible Plus catalog can be removed from your library by pressing the three dots next to the title and then clicking “Remove from Library.”
Some of the best Audible books we’ve read:
When looking for new books to read on audio, I look for things with interesting formats, full-cast narrations (when every character has its own narrator), and celebrity memoirs narrated by the author.
‘Do Tell’ by Lindsay Lynch
This debut novel brings the Golden Age of Hollywood to life through the eyes of a character actress-turned-gossip columnist wrestling with the weight of secrets, as she has the power to ruin her own friend’s lives with them.
‘Taste’ by Stanley Tucci
Go beyond the recipes and deep into actor Tucci’s life as he recounts stories of growing up in an Italian-American family, shooting culinary-centric films, and falling in love — all through the food that defined those times for him.
‘Angels in America’ by Tony Kushner
Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane reprise their Tony-winning turns as Prior Walter and Roy Cohn in this unabridged production of “Angels in America,” adapted for the Audible format and featuring the 2018 Broadway revival cast.
‘The Anthropocene Reviewed’ by John Green
Green, better known for his young adult works, takes a non-fiction turn with this book of essays examining facets of human-centered life on Earth, and reviewing them on a five-star scale — of course, we give “The Anthropocene Reviewed” five stars.
An aging, reclusive Hollywood star reaches out to a journalist with a proposition: Evelyn will finally tell her life story as long as Monique is the one writing it. This audiobook uses three narrators to signify three distinct POVs, making the story much richer.
‘The Cousins’ by Karen M. McManus
Karen M. McManus is the queen of YA thrillers. “The Cousins” follows Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story, cousins who barely know each other, and have never even met their rich, reclusive grandmother — until she sends them all invitations to spend the summer working at her island resort. Family secrets are uncovered!
The final verdict:
If I hadn’t made it clear already, I’m a huge fan of Audible. But is it worth it? For me, absolutely. But for others, it depends on how you plan to use it.
Do you like to read new releases shortly after they come out? You may find Audible more worth it than relying on your library (Libby) alone because of how long the waitlists can be.
I find it’s fairly easy to find a good balance between new releases on Audible and older titles on Libby (especially utilizing the waitlist correctly), but it really comes down to personal preference and how long it takes you to listen to books.
How we tested:
How else? I read a lot. I’ve had an Audible subscription for more than 2 years, so it’s been a constant app in my rotation, but I really ramped up my reading ahead of this review.
- User-friendliness: How easy is it to use the app? Is it easily searchable?
- Selection: Does Audible have the books I want to read? What books are available for free with a subscription?
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