What is the best audiobook service? You're not alone if you've ever wished you could read more but can't find the time. Maybe you're commuting an hour each way to work, folding endless loads of laundry, or logging miles on the treadmill. Audiobook services solve a problem that's become all too common: wanting to consume great literature, learn new skills, or just escape into a good story, but lacking the chunks of uninterrupted time to sit down with a physical book.
Good
Looking for your next great listen? Barnes & Noble's audiobook service brings you "audiobooks for book people, from book people" with over 300,000 titles at your fingertips. Their straightforward subscription model costs $15 monthly for one credit (one audiobook), with no additional tiers to navigate. You can access your library anywhere through the free NOOK app on iOS and Android or directly through their website.
Just one subscription plan for $14.99
Barnes & Noble offers a straightforward audiobook subscription at $14.99 per month. You'll get one credit each month, which equals one audiobook. You can try their service before you buy with a 30-day free trial. Subscribers enjoy savings over regular purchase prices on hundreds of thousands of titles, but if you don't want to commit to a subscription? No problem. You can purchase any of Barnes & Noble's 300,000+ audiobooks individually without signing up.
No freebies
One thing missing here is a catalog of free-to-listen audiobooks. Some of B&N's top competitors offer a subscription tier that includes a selection of audiobooks you can stream without using up a credit. Granted, these aren't usually titles that are flying off the shelf, but it can give you something to fill the silence while you wait for your credits to renew. B&N doesn't offer you this option - you get what you pay for here, and nothing besides.
Credits expire after 1 year or 30 days after cancelation
According to B&N's Help articles, credits received via a B&N Audiobooks subscription are valid for one year after being added to your account. If you choose to cancel your subscription, any credits in your account will expire just 30 days after cancellation. However, should you choose to re-subscribe within that 30-day period, your credits will return to their original expiration date. This makes Barnes & Noble one of the better options in our review, at least as far as credit expiration goes.
Barnes & Noble boasts a massive audiobook library
With over 300,000 titles available for purchase, you'll find plenty to listen to on Barnes & Noble's audiobook platform. New titles appear frequently - we even spotted placeholders for upcoming releases that weren't out yet. Being a major bookstore player means they're likely to have what you want as soon as it hits the market.
Special collections make discovery a breeze
Looking for something specific? Barnes & Noble organizes their audiobook catalog into helpful collections like "Best of the Year (So Far)," "Book Club Selections," "Celebrity Narrators," and "Read by the Author." They even feature GraphicAudio productions with full cast performances, immersive sound effects, and cinematic music. While they offer something called "Audiobook Originals," these aren't necessarily exclusive to the B&N platform, as we found the same titles on competitor sites. B&N's subscription service focuses purely on audiobooks rather than expanding into ebooks, podcasts, or other audio content - they're clearly positioning themselves as a dedicated audiobook service to compete with the likes of That Orange Audiobook Platform We Won't Name.
Barnes & Noble uses DRM, so don't expect to keep your audiobooks forever
You're locked into Barnes & Noble's apps when you purchase their audiobooks, thanks to Digital Rights Management (DRM) that restricts how you use your content. While you can access your purchases on multiple devices (up to six) through the NOOK app or website, these aren't truly "yours" to keep forever. For example, if the company goes bankrupt (remember Borders?) or discontinues their audiobook service, you lose access. You can't convert files to other formats or share them with friends - the DRM ensures your audiobooks stay within your account only. If this approach irks you (as it does us), know that you have better options among their competitors.
Barnes & Noble's app is your only choice for listening offline
When you buy audiobooks from Barnes & Noble, you're locked into using their NOOK app - so it had better work well, right? Fortunately, the app gets respectable ratings on both iOS (4.7/5 stars) and Android (4.3/5 stars). You can access your audiobooks through the app or directly via their website, with offline listening available through the app. Some reviewers mention occasional bugs and sluggish performance that detract from the listening experience, however. Perhaps most frustrating is that you can't redeem your credits directly through the app - you'll need to visit the Barnes & Noble website instead. While this limitation likely exists to avoid Apple and Google's app store commission fees, it creates an annoying hurdle when you just want to get your next audiobook.
Customer service is a real frustration with Barnes & Noble's audiobook offerings
Don't expect refunds for Barnes & Noble digital audiobooks - they're simply not returnable according to their policy. Need help? You can contact customer service through online chat (though users report 10+ minute waits with no response) or by phone (expect 20+ minute hold times and offshore representatives who might be difficult to understand). The company has earned a dismal "D-" rating from the Better Business Bureau for failing to respond to 95 complaints, and their 2.5-star Trustpilot rating reveals consistent issues - though keep in mind those scores reflect the entirety of Barnes & Noble's business dealings, not just their audiobook subscription service. When we searched for reviews specifically pertaining to the audiobook platform, we found only a handful of complaints about being unable to access purchased audiobooks without entering credit card information (even for gifts), the restrictive DRM policies that limit ownership, and frustrating experiences trying to get help when problems arise.
Barnes & Noble offers a decent audiobook experience with some drawbacks
If you're considering Barnes & Noble for your audiobook listening needs, prepare for a mixed bag. On the plus side, you'll get access to a wide selection of titles and some unique offerings like GraphicAudio, all accessible across multiple devices with offline listening capabilities. However, you'll face frustrating DRM restrictions that limit true ownership, non-returnable purchases, and customer service that could be painful to deal with. Compared to better-known competitors, B&N lacks the polished user experience and responsive support you might expect. Barnes & Noble's audiobook service works, but doesn't excel.
Continued from above...
You're not alone if you've ever wished you could read more but can't find the time. Maybe you're commuting an hour each way to work, folding endless loads of laundry, or logging miles on the treadmill. Audiobook services solve a problem that's become all too common: wanting to consume great literature, learn new skills, or just escape into a good story, but lacking the chunks of uninterrupted time to sit down with a physical book.
Whether you're a multitasker by necessity or simply prefer listening to reading, audiobooks let you turn downtime into story time - and that's a win for anyone trying to squeeze more culture into their day. But not all audiobook services are created equal. Some operate on a subscription model, giving you a set number of credits each month to "purchase" titles you'll own forever. Others work more like Netflix, offering unlimited streaming from a catalog as long as you keep paying your monthly fee.
Then there are the pay-per-title services, which let you buy audiobooks outright without any recurring commitment. Finally, there are library-based audiobook services, where your free ticket to entry is your library card. The model you choose will depend on how many books you listen to, whether you like to revisit favorites, and how much you're willing to spend.
Subscription services tend to dominate the audiobook landscape. They're popular because they offer decent value if you're a regular listener, typically giving you one or two credits per month that you can exchange for any audiobook in their catalog, regardless of retail price. This model works well if you devour lengthy fantasy epics or non-fiction tomes that would otherwise cost $30 or more. On the flip side, unlimited streaming services appeal to binge-listeners who tear through multiple books a week and don't care about "owning" them permanently. If you're the type who rarely re-reads (or re-listens), this can be a more economical route - though you'll want to make sure the catalog is robust enough to keep you entertained.
Audiobook subscription services differ when it comes to ethical considerations, too. You'll want to think about how the service supports authors and narrators, and their impact on the publishing industry as a whole. Some platforms offer better royalty rates or direct support for independent creators, while others prioritize corporate publishers. Library-based services allow you to borrow audiobooks for free using your library card, which supports public library systems. If supporting authors and fair compensation matters to you, you'll want to research how each service shares revenue with the people who create the content you enjoy.
So what should you actually look for when shopping for an audiobook service? Here are the key considerations:
Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked the audiobook services available today. We've looked at catalog depth, pricing models, app functionality, and overall user experience to help you find the service that fits your lifestyle. Whether you're a daily commuter looking to make the most of drive time or a fitness enthusiast who wants company on long runs, we hope this review helps you find the best audiobook service for you.
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So You Want to Hear About Audiobooks
If you're looking to decide if you should take the dive and get into audiobooks, you've come to the right place! We here at Top Consumer Reviews love audiobooks and have quite the extensive collection ourselves. There are plenty of reasons you may be unsure if audiobooks are right for you, but here are some ways to help you determine if this is the right step for you.
Audiobooks can often seem intimidating. It's not the same as reading, and can take a lot of time to listen to an entire book, so it's natural to be unsure if this will be the right fit for you. One way to tell if this is something to consider, is to look at your current listening time. Do you have a long commute to work? A long workout you never miss? Even long showers? If you have time now, that you spend listening to music or podcasts, then you should have time for an audiobook. It might seem like a big time commitment at first, since the book listening time can be several hours long, but just remember to listen in chunks and fit it in where you normally listen to things. Soon you'll be flying through books in no time!
Some people worry if the audiobook method will be boring. While some books may be dry, each one is different and it just depends on your tastes to see if the book is one you will like or not. Additionally, audiobooks are rather like podcasts, they can have a wide range of people for different characters that really add to the experience. Audiobooks can even be read by their own author, especially if that author is famous. You can feel closer to the likes of Nick Offerman or Amy Poehler as you hear them narrate their own books and life stories.
If that hasn't convinced you of how fun audiobooks can be, think of this: Audiobooks can be shared. You can literally have your own book club by sharing your favorite new book with whomever you want. Now you can have friends and family join in the fun as you all listen and share your favorite new book.
Another concern you might have may be about the cost. Some audiobook stores have a recurring membership. This can be good if you decide you like the audiobook world and want to continue on with a series, or listen to audiobooks often. However, you might not want to commit to a subscription right off the bat, and that's understandable. Some stores will let you buy one book at a time, if you just want to test the waters first and then that would be your best bet. A one time purchase may be the best for starting out, but chances are pretty soon you'll want that membership and all the benefits that come with it!
All in all, audiobooks are not going to be for everyone. Some people just never get into the feel of it. If you can take the first step of trying it out though, you might discover a whole new world of reading that you enjoy. We think it's well worth the risk, and you should take the plunge and start your newest adventure today!
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