Are you an avid listener of audiobooks? Then you probably know the problem: the choice of providers and subscriptions is huge, and it's hard to keep track. In the big audiobook subscription comparison, I'll show you the best offers on the market!
The great Audiobook subscription comparison is here! Are you ready to immerse yourself in a world full of exciting stories, captivating narratives and educational non-fiction books?
Then a Audiobook subscription is just right for you. With a subscription, you have access to an enormous selection of audiobooks - and at a favorable price. But which subscription is right for you? Which providers are there and what advantages and disadvantages do they have?
Don't worry, I'll help you decide! I've taken a close look at the most important providers and examined their services in detail. I'll tell you which subscription models are available, how many audiobooks you can listen to per month and which Additional services the providers have in their program.😊
Table of contents
What is an audiobook subscription?
Audiobook subscriptions are the perfect way to always and everywhere to enjoy exciting stories, captivating narratives and informative non-fiction. Similar to streaming services for films and series, you pay a monthly amount and in return you get unlimited access to a huge library of audiobooks.🎧📖
So you have the freedom to choose from a variety of titles from different Genres and Topics brought to life by professional speakers.
The Selection of audiobook subscriptions is large and is constantly growing. Different providers offer different subscription models, price scales and additional services. So you can really decide on a provider that offers you offers everything, what you wish for!
You should know these 9 Audible alternatives!
These are the advantages of an audiobook membership
If, like me, you have a Reading mouse with little time to read, a subscription to an audiobook provider the solution you've been looking for so long. I've even tested a few providers already!
With a streaming service for audiobooks, you can TBR list ("to be read") without actually having to read. For me personally, this is particularly important alongside the Cooking super pleasant or for long Car journeys.
But now we come to the most important advantages. Here is a small table that briefly shows you why a subscription is worthwhile:
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Unlimited choice | Access to thousands of audiobooks from all genres |
| Flexible and mobile | Listen to audiobooks anytime and anywhere |
| Saving time and multitasking | Complete tasks and listen to audiobooks at the same time |
| Affordable and family-friendly | Inexpensive and ideal for families |
| New perspectives and the joy of reading | Experience stories in a new way |
These are the audiobook subscription disadvantages
Personally, I think that the Advantages the Disadvantages predominate, but I still think that you shouldn't ignore the negatives. Maybe one of the disadvantages is super relevant for you?😵💫
Here is an overview of the biggest disadvantages:
| Disadvantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Limited selection of new products | New products often only available a few weeks/months after release |
| Dependence on the provider | Switching to another provider involves effort |
| Impairment and weaknesses | Restrictions in reading ability and imagination development (especially in children) |
How do you find the ideal audiobook subscription?
Before I go into the big audiobook subscription comparison with you, you should take a look at some Thoughts to find the ideal subscription for your needs.💭
First of all, it is important to Listening behavior to analyze. How many audiobooks do you listen to or want to listen to per month? Which genres do you prefer? Do you prefer listening on the go or at home? By answering these questions, you can narrow down your selection.
Then you should use the various providers compare. What selection of audiobooks do they offer? Are there any new releases or exclusive titles? What is the price? What subscription models do they offer that might be of interest? Read test reports and use free trial subscriptions to get an idea of the providers.
Technical aspects also play a role. Which devices do you use for listening? Are the provider's apps user-friendly? Can you listen to audiobooks offline?
Don't forget to think about Additional functions to think about. Some providers offer extras such as podcasts, radio plays or discounts on eBooks.
Your Budget is of course also an important factor. Decide how much you want to spend per month on a subscription.
Other points you can consider:
- Do you want to share your account with other people?
- Do you need a secure child account?
- Would you also like to listen to audiobooks on other devices, e.g. on your smart speaker?
- Is it important to you that you can also listen to audiobooks offline?
- How important is the provider's customer satisfaction to you?
With this information in hand, you're sure to find the perfect audiobook subscription for you!
Which is better: BookBeat or Audible?
What subscription models are available?
In the world of audiobooks Various subscription models waiting to be discovered. Whether you're an avid frequent listener or an occasional connoisseur, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Opt for a subscription with limited listening time if you Save costs and want to test your listening habits. Choose a model of listening lessons that suits your monthly needs.
Do you love immersing yourself in exciting stories and devouring several audiobooks every month? Then a subscription with unlimited listening time just the thing for you.
Are you both an audiobook fan and an avid reader? Then benefit from a subscription with Flat rate for Audiobooks and eBooks. Combine two media in one subscription and enjoy price benefits.📖
Do you want to stay flexible and choose your own audiobooks? Then opt for a subscription with Credit balance for a certain Number of books. Pay for a credit and buy audiobooks without monthly fees. Perfect for irregular listeners or to give as a gift to friends and family.
Audiobook subscription comparison: The best providers
I did some research for you on the Internet and 5 providers that appealed to me with their subscriptions. You can listen to all the providers I'm going to introduce to you in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
I have taken a closer look at the subscription offers for you in particular. You can then decide for yourself which Price-performance design is the best for you.😊
1. bookbeat
BookBeat was founded in Sweden in 2015 and is one of the best known and largest Streaming provider for audiobooks. The offer from BookBeat includes eBooks as well as audiobooks.😊
With a subscription, BookBeat offers you a Flat rate model which in this case means that you have a maximum number of listening hours available (per month, of course). With the 20 hours Basic- and Student subscription you can listen to about 2 novels per month.
The Premium model has 100 listening hours per month, which is about 8 novels. Every month you can cancel the subscription change flexibly, if the number of listening hours is too high or too low for you.
With the Basic and Premium subscriptions, you can also upgrade your account (with your own listening lessons) with 4 other parts. You can also set up a child profile.🎧📖
The student model costs less than the Basic subscription, but has the same number of hours. You can use the account with Proof of enrollment for up to three years - but do not share.
I myself am big fan from BookBeat - I have even tested the provider myself and am completely delighted: "My BookBeat experience: The test will surprise you!“
For the subscription, you get a really well thought-out app that is incredibly well structured, self-explanatory and clear is designed. What's more, the selection of audiobooks is huge - I found what I was looking for straight away.
With our We Go Wild Deal you can BookBeat whole Test for 60 days free of charge! So if you want to get a taste of it, I wouldn't miss out on the offer.
| Basic | Premium | Student | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 9,99 € | 14,99 € | 4,99€ |
| Audio books / eBooks | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Listening hours per month | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| Integrated devices | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Extra profile | 4,90€ | 6,99€ | ✘ |
| Multiple payment methods | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audiobook on the PC | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Offline mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
We Go Wild has changed the pricing in the March 2024 researched. We can not promise that prices will remain the same in the future.
2. storytel
Perhaps you are completely new to audiobooks and have never heard of Storytel heard - but no problem, that's what I'm here for.😊
Also Storytel comes from Sweden, but has actually been around since 2005! Storytel also offers a large selection of Audiobooks and eBooks that will make your Lesemaus heart beat faster.
Just like BookBeat, Storytel offers you a Flat rate model, where you pay for a certain number of listening hours. With this provider you can also choose between 3 Tariffs decide: Basic, Unlimited and Student.😁
The Basic model is somewhat less expensive than what BookBeat offers, but has the same number of listening hours available. And with Pin you can easily set up a children's account (yes, I had to make that joke).
With the Unlimited subscription, Storytel offers you exactly what the name suggests: Unlimited listening hours! This sets the streaming service apart from others that rely on fixed hours. And students can also listen to unlimited hours per month for a few euros less.😍
It doesn't matter which account you currently have: You can convert any account into a Student subscription convert. All you have to do is register your student status on your own page every year.
I have Storytel* and I have to admit that I had never heard of the provider before. But I was really positive from the offer and the app surprised. The only thing I find a little "unfair" is that you only get a Test subscription of 7 days when you register via the browser.
So if, like me, you think that you can test for 7 days even when signing up via the app, the Debit on your Account as disappointing as me. The good thing is: I contacted Storytel and received a Credit note for a free month - so all's well that ends well!
If you want to read more about my test, you can find it here: "My Storytel experience: The ultimate listening service test!“
| Basic | Unlimited | Student | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 7,90 € | 16,99 € | 9,90€ |
| Audio books / eBooks | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Listening hours per month | 20 | unlimited | unlimited |
| Integrated devices | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Children's profile | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple payment methods | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audiobook on the PC | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Offline mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
We Go Wild has changed the pricing in the March 2024 researched. We can not promise that prices will remain the same in the future.
3. audible
Audible has been an Amazon subsidiary since 2008 and is one of the largest providers on the German market. Audible has been around since 1995, making it a true veteran of audiobook services.
At Audible you have the choice between 5 different subscription modelsAudible trial subscription, Audible trial subscription for Amazon Prime members, special subscription, subscription for students and Audible subscription. Of course the 2 trial subscriptions are not at eternal enjoyable (which is a shame, because who wouldn't want to enjoy free audiobooks for life).😄
Audible still mainly offers No flat rate model on. Instead, you get 1 credit, which equals 1 audiobook. For some, that might be pretty low for the price (and I'm one of them). However, it has to be said that Audible has been starting to (slowly) move to a flat rate model for a few years now.
As a Prime member, you can use the trial subscription for the whole 60 days long with 2 credits test. Unlike other providers, you can keep, listen to and download the books you buy forever - this applies to all subscription models that Audible offers you.😍
At the end of the probationary period, you pay either monthly or yearly a fixed amount. I also tested Audible. Here you can find my detailed Test report: „Audible test: My experience with the audiobook service!"
| Audible trial subscription | Audible trial subscription for Amazon Prime members | Special subscription | Subscription for students | Audible subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 0€ in the 1st month | 0€ for the first 2 months | the first 3 months 4,95€ | the first 6 months 4,95€ | 9,95€ |
| Audio books / e-books | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Listening hours per month | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Integrated devices | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Extra profile | up to 10 | up to 10 | up to 10 | up to 10 | up to 10 |
| Multiple payment methods | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audiobook on the PC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Offline mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
We Go Wild has changed the pricing in the March 2024 researched. We can not promise that prices will remain the same in the future.
4. nextory
Nextory is more or less the Nestling among the streaming providers - the service has only been available on the German market since 2019, but offers a large selection of audiobooks and eBooks!
You can test Nextory* For 14 days free of charge. After that, you can either end your test phase or create a subscription that you can cancel at any time. With the subscriptions you can choose between 3 packages choose: Basic, Premium and Unlimited.
The only difference between Basic and Premium, apart from the pricing, is the maximum number of listening hours - here the provider relies on a Flat rate model. You have 30 listening hours with the Basic subscription and 100 with the Premium subscription.
The Unlimited subscription has a proud price, but here you can unlimited many Hours listen, 4 Profiles (at no extra charge) and also via up to 4 accounts simultaneously use. This is a completely different and new idea to the better-known providers on the market.
Especially Families or Circles of friends could benefit from the offer benefit and save. After all, you have to work out how much you save in total when you compare an Unlimited with a Basic account - I think that's pretty amazing!
And now I'll tell you the best part: thanks to We Go Wild you can even make Nextory 45 days free of charge test! So if that's not really good, I don't know what is.😄
Try Nextory today 45 days free of charge: "Test Nextory now!“
| Basic | Premium | Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 9,99€ | 16,99€ | 22,99€ |
| Audio books / eBooks | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Listening hours per month | 30 | 100 | unlimited |
| Integrated devices | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Children's profile | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple payment methods | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Profiles simultaneously | 1 | 1 | 1-4 |
| Offline mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
We Go Wild has changed the pricing in the March 2024 researched. We can not promise that prices will remain the same in the future.
5. legimi
Legimi has been offering a large number of eBooks, audiobooks and synchrobooks since 2016. You can use the Polish provider up to Free for 30 days before you have to decide on one of the packages.😁
There are 3 packages that are chosen particularly frequently and then there is a special feature. But first to the classics: A monthly or annual subscription or you pay for a certain number of pages.
However, I should point out here that the number of pages is then only are eBooks. So if you really want audiobooks, you can only choose between 2 Models decide.🎧📖
With both packages you have no limit, what the Listening lessons is a decisive difference to other providers!
| Contract for 12 months | Monthly cancelable | With number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 12,99 € | 13,99 € | 5,99 € |
| Audio books / eBooks | unlimited | unlimited | 300 pages |
| Listening hours per month | unlimited | unlimited | ✘ |
| Integrated devices | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Multiple payment methods | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Credit note | 3 € per month | 3 € per month | 1 € per month |
| Offline mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
We Go Wild has changed the pricing in the March 2024 researched. We can not promise that prices will remain the same in the future.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about audiobook subscriptions
Do you still have questions that are burning under your fingernails? I know what it's like, because I'm no different myself. That's why I've put together a few Questions from myself and Forums that may provide you with answers.
If not, you can always add a Comment leave behind.😊
How can I take out a subscription?
A subscription can usually be taken out online on the provider's website.
How can I cancel an audiobook subscription?
Cancellation conditions vary depending on the provider. However, you can usually cancel your subscription conveniently via the app or website.
Which audio books are available?
The selection of audiobooks varies depending on the provider. As a rule, however, all popular genres and bestsellers are available.
Can I give an audiobook subscription as a gift?
Yes, many providers offer gift vouchers for subscriptions.
Where can I find more information about audiobook subscriptions?
You can find more information about audiobook subscriptions on the providers' websites and in comparison portals.
Can I also buy audiobooks individually?
Yes, at Audible, for example, you can buy individual books with credits and keep them.
Which devices work with audiobook subscriptions?
Audiobook subscriptions work with most smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart speakers.
My conclusion
In the big Audiobook subscription comparison I have introduced you to what I consider to be the best providers on the German-speaking market that could also convince you.
I think every streaming service offers a Good width of choice, functions, subscription models and add-ons. One of them is sure to be the ideal choice for you!
My personal favorites are BookBeat and Storytel - I just can't decide on one, if I'm honest.😄
Tell me who you have chosen. I wish you have fun listening!📖🩷
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