Ebooks
Audible Review
Audible is a subsidiary of Amazon and provides monthly and yearly subscriptions to its expansive catalog of audiobooks. Audible is constantly innovating its services and adding things like theater readings, celebrity readings, and more.
The Gist
Audible’s mission is to unleash the power of the spoken word. Founded in 1995 by Donald Katz, Audible is an Amazon subsidiary with a startup vibe and a small company feel. They offer more than 425,000 audiobooks that you can listen to at any time, anywhere. Audible members downloaded almost 2 billion hours in 2016 — that’s a lot of reading. With an easy-to-use subscription platform and tons of options to choose from, Audible makes stories come to life.
Great For People Who
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Regularly use an Amazon account (you can access Audible with your Amazon login)
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Listen to multiple audiobooks a month
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Want to test out a product before they pay — Audbile offers a 30-day free trial that includes 1 audiobook and 2 Audible originals
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Want access to more than 425,000 titles
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Have home speakers or Alexa technology — you can play audiobooks through any number of devices around your house or in your home
What Else Do They Do?
Their subscription includes Audible Originals, which are exclusive titles created by celebrated storytellers from fields such as journalism, literature, theater, and more. Their stories are all produced in the Audible studios, and members get 2 originals each month (in addition to 1 audiobook). Audible Theater, which is bringing 1- and 2-person audio plays to its app, transforms the audiobook experience by bringing renowned actors and playwrights directly to your device. Audible Theater is also supporting emerging playwrights by giving them the opportunity to apply and earn the Audible’s Emerging Playwrights Fund.
Bonus Points
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With a membership, you also have unlimited access to premier audio fitness programs
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In addition to 1 audiobook a month, members earn 30% off additional books
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They offer a service called Audible Theater, which are 1- and 2-person produced audio plays driven by language and voice
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Listen to Audible in the car, on Apple Devices, listening apps for iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, and more
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You can also listen to Audible on Amazon devices such as Kindle, Fire TV, and Alexa-enabled devices
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They offer audiobooks in multiple languages
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Audible has won 34 Audies and a Grammy
Take Note
While Audible by far has the largest audiobook collection available, you can’t purchase additional Audible credits for your membership. You only get one or two audiobooks a month (depending on your membership). Audible has multiple membership levels, ranging from $14.95 a month (1 credit per month) to $229.50 a year for 24 credits. Each membership starts with a 30-day free trial to see if it’s right for you.
