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Book Lender vs Scribd

Wednesday, March 22nd

2023 Audiobook Store Reviews

Book Lender Review 4 Star Rating

Book Lender

4 Star Rating
  • Cost: Plans starting at $12.99 with 50% off the first month

Book Lender is set up for customers to rent their paperback books or audiobooks rather than purchase them. From classics to new releases, Book Lender has over 40,000 audiobook titles to choose from. Rentals allow customers to experience as many or few books each month as they would like, making this service a solid option for customers who don't want to pay to keep their audiobooks in their virtual library forever.

Scribd Review 1 Star Rating

Scribd

1 Star Rating
  • Cost: $8.99/month

Scribd advertises themselves as a platform for unlimited audiobook listening for only $8.99/month. We wanted to give them a high rating due to their unbeatable pricing structure, but they have a plethora of negative customer comments, which makes us think that their services are just too good to be true. Many people report being charged continually for their services even after having cancelled their free trial.

Where is the Best Place to Find Audiobooks?

Within the last few years, the audiobook industry has exploded. With the increased use of tablets, smartphones, and iPods, the practice of listening to books rather than reading them has almost become the standard. The convenience of listening to a book in the car, while exercising, or even while cleaning the kitchen means listeners are able to digest the knowledge of so many more books than they would have time to otherwise.

Not only are audiobooks convenient, but they open listeners up to an endless amount of book titles. Seeking out books in a store or at the library limits you to the selection they have in stock and takes time to browse through the inventory. With online audiobook stores, you can search for books by title, genre, ratings, and more. Books you wouldn't have found on a shelf are now at your fingertips in the form of an audiobook.

The Best Audiobook Stores Compare Audiobook Stores Compare Audiobook Store Reviews What are the best Audiobook Stores Best Audiobook Store Reviews

Audiobook Store FAQ

It's exactly what you'd think: an audio recording of a narrator reading a novel, biography, or any other printed work. Some audiobooks are strictly narration, while others incorporate sound effects and other engineering to enrich the listening experience.
It's hard to multitask with a printed book in your hand, but listening to an audiobook gives people more freedom. Driving while listening to a self-help book, enjoying a thriller while on the treadmill, or relaxing outdoors while having a favorite narrator read the latest bestseller are just a few ways book-lovers can essentially have their cake and eat it too. Plus, for anyone who struggles to read print - because of dyslexia, vision impairment, and so on - audiobooks are a must.
A better question might be "what titles can't you get" ! From classic stories like Pollyanna and Dracula to the top 10 books on the NYT Best Sellers list, the possibilities are nearly endless. History buffs, sci-fi fanatics, autobiography lovers, romance addicts, and every other type of reader can find what they're looking for when it comes to audiobooks.
You can do either one - or both! Some audiobook services are subscription-based, giving you access to a certain number of titles for your monthly fee. Others provide titles a la carte, so you buy only what you want, when you want. There are even audiobook providers that let you rent what you read!
Not really. You can expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $30 for a single title, comparable to what you'd pay for the book itself. If you choose a membership service, fees usually range from $10 to $30 per month, depending on how many titles you'd like to have at any given time.
Not usually. You can stream titles if you prefer, but most audiobook platforms allow you to download the title to your phone or computer for offline listening. Of course, you'll need to be connected to the internet to select your book and download it, but you're free to disconnect once you have the title saved to your device.
That depends, both on the audiobook service you select and the app or platform you use for listening (and sometimes those two aspects are integrated). Some listeners appreciate being able to listen to titles at twice the speed (even though it comes out a little like a chipmunk!). You can also find services that let you sync up an audiobook with the print title, letting you essentially follow along in the book while it's read to you.
This is a hotly-debated topic! Some people say that audiobooks are a "lazy" way of reading - or that they don't even count as "reading" a book because you don't use your eyes on a page. Others fiercely advocate for audiobooks as an effective method of letting all people love books, even if the actual act of reading the words isn't part of the process. At the end of the day, if you enjoy audiobooks as a part of your life, we say "keep listening!"
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

Services that provide audiobooks used to be expensive and much more limited than they are now. Some services come in the form of monthly subscriptions, while others let you purchase audiobooks individually. Other online book stores allow you to rent audiobooks and return or exchange them rather than having to purchase each one individually. However, the online service works, you'll find that the audiobooks are quite affordable and there are more title options than you'd ever be able to get through in a lifetime.

When searching for the best audiobook options, consider the following things to ensure you get the most bang for your buck:

  • Cost. Are you paying for each audiobook individually? Or do you get multiple books for one set price each month? If you're renting, make sure it is significantly cheaper than purchasing the book outright.
  • Selection. Listening to audiobooks allows for multitasking, so you can potentially get through more content this way than taking time to sit and read a physical book. You'll want to have a vast selection of listening material from whatever online store you choose so that you don't run out of audiobooks you enjoy.
  • Available formats. Is the book downloadable on your phone? Tablet? Laptop? Some audiobooks even come in the form of a CD, though most services have instant downloads and streaming services. You'll want to ensure that whatever formats are offered, they will make book listening convenient for you.

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best audiobook stores available today. We hope these reviews help you find the audiobook service that provides you with a great experience!

The Best Reviews of Audiobook Stores