The audiobook industry has taken the world by storm. With the fast-moving world, crazy deadlines, and quick takeaway food, somewhere, we readers lost our incredible connection with books. But audiobooks saved us! Now, we can catch up on our reading list by listening to audiobooks while commuting, cooking, walking, or even while slapping on a face pack in the name of self-care. When talking about Audiobooks, the name Audible pops up automatically. You can get an Audible free trial now 🎧 and enjoy up to 2 premium high-quality audiobooks for free!
Audible vs. Spotify Audiobooks
Audible is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon and the largest audiobook producer and retailer in the United States of America. For a lot of people, Audible and Audiobooks are synonymous. It’s safe to say that Audible is a favorite, and it is difficult for any other platform to compete against it. However, in September 2022, Spotify launched audiobooks on its platform, allowing its users to access over three lac audiobook titles. Spotify is a Swedish audio streaming proprietorship founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon.
It is one of the biggest names in the music streaming services industry, with over four hundred eighty-nine million monthly active users and over two hundred million paying subscribers. Spotify has more than a hundred million songs and five million podcasts. (Now, those are some crazy numbers!) It offers digital copyright-restricted audio content from record labels and renowned media companies.
Aside from streaming music, Spotify is famous for providing some of the best podcasts globally. The motivation, entrepreneurship, self-improvement, and business podcasts on Spotify are fire. The platform also offers Spotify-exclusive podcasts, keeping listeners hooked to the app. Spotify offers freemium service, which makes it a mass favorite. With their launch of audiobooks, Spotify is covering all the corners and aims to become the biggest name in the audio entertainment industry.
Catalog: Audible vs. Spotify
On the Audible website, it says that they offer thousands of audiobooks. But it would be safe to say that Audible provides a vast number of audiobooks, which include best-selling titles from an array of genres such as romance, mystery & thriller, Young Adult fiction, classics, science fiction, motivational, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, psychology, etc. Even though Audible doesn’t state the number of titles it offers, it’s clear that Audible has the world’s most extensive catalog, which they also claim on the website.
Other than audiobooks, Audible Originals makes the platform even more enjoyable. For those who don’t know, Audible Originals are exclusive audio titles created and produced at Audible studios, where they collaborate with famous storytellers and personalities from various fields such as journalism, cinema, theatre, literature, and more. The quality of the Audible Orginal titles is mindblowing and worth every penny. On the other hand, Spotify launched audiobooks with over three hundred thousand titles in its catalog, including a wide range of genres such as fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery thriller, and most anticipated books.
There is also an Editor’s pick section, where you will find many bestselling book recommendations from some of the most well-known authors. To search for audiobooks on the app or website, type the author’s name or book name on the search bar or click the Audiobooks button to explore the collection. Spotify isn’t offering audiobook titles through in-app purchases. So, to purchase an audiobook, you will need to visit the website through a web browser, pay directly to Spotify, then you can return to the app and access the unlocked title. By doing this, Spotify avoids paying commissions to Apple and Google on its sales.
Listening Experience: Audible vs. Spotify
The listening experience is the primary element when talking about audiobooks. With years spent in the industry, Audible has nailed the quality of its audio titles. The audiobooks on Audible come with premium audio quality and exceptional narrators. Audible also offers 3D audio, which uses enhanced sound technology to give you an immersive listening experience. 3D audio allows you to feel transported into the story or narration you’re listening to. The additional sound effects and collaboration with great storytellers give Audible an edge.
It’s safe to say that Spotify would need some time to come to par with the premium audio quality that Audible has been offering for years. Audible and Spotify have similar features on their mobile app, such as the option to download your books to read offline, automatic bookmarking where you can start listening from the point you left, speed control to make the audio pace faster or slower, and rating your books. The interface is different, but the overall user experience is similar.
Device Availability: Audible vs. Spotify
The device availability for both Spotify and Audible is extensive. Audible is available on the web, Android, iPhone, iPad, iTunes, Amazon Fire, Amazon Kindle, and Alexa Devices. The supported web browsers for Audible include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge. Spotify is available on the web, Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Amazon Fire, Xbox, Smart TVs, Playstation, and Smart Speakers. The supported web browsers for Spotify include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
Pricing: Audible vs. Spotify
Now let’s talk about the most crucial aspect, the pricing model. So, Audible offers membership subscription plans for its users. After you have exhausted the 30-day free trial, you can choose any current membership plan:
- Audible Plus – $7.95 per month, provides access to the Plus Catalog.
- Audible Premium Plus 1 Credit – $14.95 per month, allows access to the Plus Catalog and one credit per month to choose from their premium selection titles.
- Audible Premium Plus 2 Credits – $22.95 per month, allows access to the Plus Catalog and two credits per month to choose from their premium selection titles.
- Audible Premium Plus Annual 12 Credits – $149.50 per year, allows access to the Plus Catalog and twelve credits a year to choose from their premium selection titles.
- Audible Premium Plus Annual 24 Credits – $229.50 per year, allows access to the Plus Catalog and twenty-four credits a year to choose from their premium selection titles.
On the other hand, Spotify has ditched the subscription model and opted for the a la carte, pay-per-book model. You will see a lock icon on the green play button on a title. On clicking the green play button, you will see a ‘Get Email’ button. Spotify will send you an email with a link to purchase the audiobook. You will need to click on the ‘buy audiobook’ button. After you enter your payment details and make your one-time purchase, the audiobook will be unlocked. Once unlocked, you can then start listening to your audiobook. All your purchased audiobooks will be in your library.
Conclusion: Audible or Spotify?
With Spotify launching audiobooks, the competition in the audiobook industry has skyrocketed. Audiobooks.com dropped its prices considerably just a week after Spotify’s launch in September 2022. Therefore, as customers, it’s an excellent time for readers to start listening to audiobooks since we have many options. However, if you need clarification about whether to go for Spotify or Audible, the answer depends on your reading habits.
If you are an avid reader, who listens to several books every month, then going for an Audible subscription plan will be ideal. Whereas, if you like to listen to audiobooks occasionally or are just starting to imbibe the habit of listening to audiobooks, you can try out Spotify. The comparative analysis shows that Spotify audiobook prices are mid-ranged. They are neither the cheapest nor expensive.
So, with Audible’s massive catalog, and Premium audio quality, it’s the ideal choice for the long run. However, Spotify has the potential to compete against Audible in the future, but it needs to work on bringing more to the table to come to par. You can check out our Audible Audiobooks Review to know more. No matter which platform you choose, this is definitely a great year to start listening to audiobooks. There haven’t been better times for us readers! Get an Audible free trial now 🎧 and enjoy high-quality premium audiobooks + exclusive Audible Originals!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)❓
How many audiobooks per month Audible?
If you have an active Audible membership, then you can access all the free audiobooks available in their catalog + full access to their exclusive Audible Originals content, including podcasts. They also provide you monthly credit(s) to buy any of your favorite premium audiobooks.
Why are audiobooks locked on Spotify?
Spotify audiobooks will have a lock icon because you need to purchase them before you can listen to them. After unlocking them, you can check your library to see all your available audiobooks.