Key Takeaways
- Audible offers a vast collection of over 750,000 audiobook titles, whereas Spotify Premium has a smaller selection of around 300,000 audiobook titles.
- Audible provides a better sound quality compared to Spotify Premium, although Spotify allows for faster listening with lower quality.
- Audible focuses on curating an extensive library of audiobooks, while Spotify Premium offers a user-friendly experience with personalized playlists and content recommendations based on preferences.
With the rise of audiobooks in recent years, more listeners are turning to streaming services such as Audible and Spotify to access their favorite books. But what are the differences between these two popular platforms, and which one is the best option for you?
What is an audiobook service?
An audiobook service is a platform that offers you a vast collection of digital audio versions of books, allowing you to listen to your favorite books rather than read them. Professional voice actors typically narrate audiobooks and are available in various formats like CDs, MP3 downloads, or streaming through their app or website.
Everything you need to know about Audible
Audible is an audiobook platform owned by Amazon. They are one of the largest providers of audiobooks, offering an extensive collection of digital audiobooks across various genres and categories. Their platform has a vast library of over 750,000 titles.
Audible audiobooks are available for purchase and download through the Audible platform. You can access and listen to these audiobooks on computers, tablets, and smartphones. Audible audiobooks are narrated by professional voice actors, providing a high-quality audio experience for you to listen to. As an Audible member, you have two main choices for your subscription membership: Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus.
Go to the Audible website or the Audible app to sign up for a membership. As a new member, you typically get a 30-day free trial.
Audible Plus
This plan costs $7.95 monthly and provides unlimited access to Audible's Plus catalog, including thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals. This plan does not include credits for purchasing additional audiobooks.
Audible Premium Plus
This plan costs $14.95 monthly and includes one monthly credit to buy audiobooks. In addition, it provides you unlimited access to the Audible Plus catalog. Premium Plus also unlocks a 30% discount for any additional content you purchase from the Premium catalog.
In addition to these plans, Audible occasionally offers promotional deals, gift memberships, and other special offers. It's important to note that membership plans may vary depending on your location.
Remember that Audible memberships are billed monthly or annually, depending on your chosen plan, and can be modified at any time.
What you need to know about Spotify Premium Service
Spotify Premium is a paid subscription audiobook service offered by the music-streaming platform Spotify. It provides you with various additional features and benefits compared to the free version of Spotify.
These features include playing music without ads, on-demand playback of any song in the Spotify library, downloading music and listening offline, and higher-quality audiobook streaming.
Spotify Premium also offers exclusive content and personalized playlists based on your preference. It is available for a monthly fee and can be accessed on various devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart speakers.
Spotify Premium has four subscription plans: Premium Individual, Premium Duo, Premium Family, and Premium Student.
Premium Individual
Premium Duo
Premium Family
Premium Student
How do you compare Audible vs. Spotify Premium?
Spotify Premium has a good competition in Audible. Below is how they compare to each other.
| Audible | Spotify Premium | |
| Pricing Plans | The Basic plan in Audible costs $7.95 per month. | The basic plan in Spotify Premium costs $10.99 per month. |
| Sound quality | Have a better sound quality than Spotify Premium. | It can allow you to listen to audiobooks faster but with less quality than Audible. |
| Accessibility features |
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| User experience | Audible focuses on providing an extensive collection of audiobooks. They strive to curate an exceptional library, partnering with publishers and narrators to bring the best storytelling to you. | Excellent user experience: You can create personalized playlists, discover new artists, follow your favorite podcasts, and explore curated content based on your preference. |
| Compatibility and syncing | Audible supports many devices and enables smooth synchronizing of progress across all devices. | Spotify's multi-device syncing feature ensures that your audiobook progress stays consistent, regardless of whether you're using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. |
| Library size | Have over 475,000 audiobook titles | Have over 300,000 audiobook titles |
| Content variety | Audible offers more selection of audiobooks than Spotify Premium. | Offers less selection of audiobooks. Have more selection of music and podcasts |
| Membership Benefits | Offers monthly credits, discounts, and exclusives. | Offers Ad-free audiobook streaming podcast access. |
Other Audiobooks to check out
Scribd
Scribd is a subscription-based platform that gives you quick access to ebooks, audiobooks, articles, podcasts, sheet music, and documents.
Blinkist
Blinkist is an educational app that summarizes the concepts of well-known nonfiction books and podcasts into digestible 15-minute snippets, available in audio or written format.
Librivox
This comprises a global community of volunteers who contribute to recording various public domain texts such as poetry, short stories, complete books, and even dramatic works in multiple languages. LibriVox audiobooks can be freely listened to on computers, iPods, or any other mobile device and burned onto a CD.
Which should you choose?
Audible stands out with its vast collection of books, exclusive content, and seamless connection to Amazon. In contrast, Spotify provides a convenient option by leveraging its familiarity, cost-effective strategy, and integration with its music and podcast services. The best option for you depends entirely on your budget and preference.