Is It Worth It? A Comparison of Book Platforms

By Katy Clements

Ever since I was a teenager, books and audiobooks have always been an obsession of mine. We are now living in such a modern technological era that almost everything is at the tips of our fingers. Instead of going out to rent a movie, we can obtain them on demand or even scour through vast libraries of streaming services like Shudder, Tubi, or Netflix. What is more, thanks to the availability of VPNs (virtual private networks), we can access Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ collections from other countries. You can imagine my relief when I discovered that book lovers were also represented in this flood of streaming services. Recently, I began comparing different book streaming platforms to find which was best for me. I compared aspects such as product quality, price per month, library availability, and genre inclusivity. Here is the six-item ranking I came up with, in order from least to most favorite.

6. Kindle Unlimited – ($9.99 per month) Kindle Unlimited is a book and audiobook subscription program run by Amazon that is like Netflix. With this service, you pay a flat rate and are treated to books included in your membership. You can subscribe to this service through your Amazon account and use the service via a Kindle reader or an application on a device. Kindle Unlimited functions as a borrowing service where you can borrow up to ten books, and if you are unhappy or finished with one, you can return it for another. This sounds convenient for an avid reader, but to me I did not find this product to be what I was looking for. Luckily, canceling your subscription is not too difficult. The reason I was unimpressed was because of the limited library. I am an avid reader of horror and suspense, but the books represented on Kindle Unlimited were mainly fantasy, manga, or self-published ones. If you are a reader looking for a lot of fantasy, cheesy romance, or manga, this service is something you may find useful. Additionally, the books that are included in your subscription are hard to find. The interface is exceedingly difficult to navigate. I am not too sure if it is because Amazon has Kindle Unlimited region-locked, or if the availability is not up to par. Ultimately, I do not think this platform is worth my money or time. 5. Audiobooks.com – ($14.95 per credit) This was the first audiobook streaming service I ever used, and I was very committed to bringing them business. Most of the audiobooks that I own are through this program, but that was before I was introduced to many of the other applications. I wanted to stay dedicated to it, but it does not offer too much in the way of free/unlimited listens or perks. The quality of the readers is very good, and the interface is easy to operate. I have communicated with customer service a few times and find them extremely helpful. Even though I do not subscribe to this platform any longer, I still use it daily because it still has houses of my books. Before I left the service, they introduced a feature called “Clubs” where you could read books included in that club for the price of one credit. However, after I viewed the titles in my preferred genre, I found them not to be to my taste. Sadly, even though I was dedicated at first, I find that this service is no longer worth it.

4. Google Books – (price varies per book) Google Books is not a subscription service, but their library is extremely vast and they offer books in every genre. I own a lot of books on this platform simply because I could not find them anywhere else. The home screen is very easy to navigate and products are available both in ebook and audiobook form. I find that sometimes this service is useful, but I try to use it only if I am unsuccessful on other platforms.

3. LibriVox – (free)

This service can be hit or miss because these books are all in the public domain and are read by volunteers.

Sometimes, multiple people are reading the same book and it can be very distracting. However, I have found good readers and am satisfi ed overall with people who are dedicating their time for others.

2. Scribd – ($8.99 per month) It was diffi cult for me to choose this as my second-favorite because it was such a unique idea with an extremely vast library. Th is service allows you to listen to “unlimited” audiobooks and ebooks. I say “unlimited” because aft er you listen or read three popular books, the library actually disappears and the remaining books, though vast, are not as well known. I use this service oft en, and the ebook feature is very much like Kindle or Google Books. I was able to fi nd old R.L. Stine books and textbooks for class. Th ere are also a lot of magazines, sheet music, and PDFs. 1. Audible – ($14.95 per month for Audible Premium Plus, which comes with one credit and access to included books)

My absolute favorite goes to Audible. Th ough you do pay more for the number of book credits you get, I fi nd the quality of the product is very good. As an example, I was able to purchase the entire Th e Chronicles of Narnia series for the price of one credit. Additionally, for the price of once credit, I acquired the entire Th e Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Anne of Green Gables collections. Th is is an amazing deal that I have yet to see on any other platform. Typically, I will purchase credits separately and subscribe to Audible Plus ($7.95 per month). Th is service gives me access to all included books, which are actually popular books read by entertaining authors.

Currently, my balance is a blend of Scribd and Audible Plus. Being abroad, it is hard to fi nd interesting books that I have on my bucket list. If you are an avid reader who has missed reading, I recommend giving some of these book platforms a try!

Katy Clements has been a writer for the Gwangju News since 2019. She is from Memphis, Tennessee, in the U.S. and has a degree in criminology and sociology. In her free time, Katy likes to read, write fi ction, and watch fi lms. She lives in Mokpo with her husband.