Table of contents:
- contents
- Audible: The market leader with the top selection
- Spotify & Apple Music: The hidden bookshelf in music streaming
- Libraries: Borrow audio books (almost) free of charge
- Amazon: CDs in abundance
- YouTube: Free audio books on the video platform
- Blinkist: Adviser in 15 minutes
- ARD Audiothek: Public radio plays and documentaries
- Audiobook charts: Which titles are popular right now?
Video: Audiobooks: 7 Recommendations For Providers Of Paid And Free Downloads
2024 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:42
Audiobooks are available as subscriptions, as single MP3 purchases or in the classic way on CD. If you want to hear a lot of current titles, a subscription is often the cheapest. Some providers use copy protection, and the books can only be listened to on certain devices or in smartphone apps. On the other hand, you can play mp3s - for example from self-converted CDs - on any mp3 player and many apps. You should keep this in mind when choosing a dealer or rental. For the following list, GIGA looked at important sources for audio books, selected seven and determined the advantages and disadvantages. Incidentally, hard-working bookkeepers should choose several providers.
contents
- Audible
- Spotify & Apple Music
- Libraries
- Amazon
- YouTube
- Blinkist
- ARD
- Audiobook charts
Audible: The market leader with the top selection
At Audible you will find a very large selection of current audio books, over 200,000 according to the provider - including some exclusive titles. The books can be purchased individually or by subscription. The provider is pushing the customer to the latter, which may also come cheaper for many: individual, new books often cost 15 to 20 euros. As a subscription you get one book per month for 9.95 euros (before: test 30 days for free). If you don't choose a title, the credit will be credited to the next month. Very pleasant: If you cancel the subscription, you can still access the selected books.
The books can be listened to on Amazon devices (Kindle Paperwhite, Fire Tablet etc.) or via smartphone apps. In addition, some mp3 players and car radios support Audible copy protection (e.g. iPod, Creative Zen Micro, some Olympus DS, TrekStor i. Beat Cebrax, SanDisk Clip - buy from Amazon). Practical: If you also have the e-book version for Kindle, you can easily switch between listening and reading versions on an Amazon reader. The reading progress is synchronized.
Try Audible for free
Per
- Large selection of audio versions of current books
- Practical functions such as setting bookmarks
- Good integration with Amazon devices
- Fair price
- Subscription can be canceled monthly, purchased books are still available
Contra
Limited compatibility due to copy protection
Spotify & Apple Music: The hidden bookshelf in music streaming
Those who subscribe to a music streaming service and only want to access audiobook entertainment occasionally can save themselves additional expenses: Spotify and Apple Music also offer some audiobooks. If you are looking for a certain title, you will fail in many cases. In general, the catalog of services includes thrillers, non-fiction, children's books and other genres. There are also radio plays. The best way to find the books is via the audio books genre tab (or link to audio books in Apple Music).
In our test, the samples were found on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer alike - or not. That is why we do not give a recommendation for a special music service here, but only the general recommendation. Subscription is not worth it for books alone.
Use Apple Music for 4 months for free
Per
Audiobook streaming as a "free bonus" in the music service
Contra
- Small selection of books
- Audiobook functions and partly bad labeling
- Limited compatibility due to copy protection
Libraries: Borrow audio books (almost) free of charge
If you have a library card (you can get one in Berlin, for example, for 10 euros per year), you can borrow audio books at no additional cost. Not only CDs in the branch, but also through online cooperation partners. You can find out what they are on the website of his library. The main services are on-loan and overdrive. With the personal access data to your library, you can log in here and you can borrow an audio book for a limited time - if it is not already on loan. The playback takes place via a browser or an app.
Per
- No extra costs for the library card
- Depending on the library, numerous audio book CDs are available
- Depending on the library, numerous online audiobooks are available
Contra
- Temporary loan of books
- Sometimes waiting time, even for online books
- Titles spread over several providers
- Average usability
- Very limited compatibility due to copy protection
Amazon: CDs in abundance
Amazon offers a wide range of audio book CDs. Yes, the CDs still exist. Some of these audiobooks are classic audio CDs, some have MP3 files.
Handling CDs may be a bit more cumbersome than direct streaming. There are several tangible advantages for this: Read files can be played on any MP3-compatible device or software. You can also lend or sell the CDs. This is prohibited for digital purchases.
View audiobooks on Amazon
Per
- High compatibility because no copy protection
- Resale possible
Contra
- Sometimes significantly more expensive than digital products
- CD player required (USB drive at Amazon)
- More cumbersome, no audiobook functions
YouTube: Free audio books on the video platform
There are legally listed audiobooks on YouTube. Since it is a video platform, the use is not optimized for the use of long audio files. The content is free of charge, namely financed by advertising. Publishers, but also private individuals, act as providers.
Tips for audiobook lists on YouTube:
- Spooks: The Little Prince, also newer titles
- Superman audio books: From classics (Faust) to non-fiction and guidebooks
- Word growth: classics like Die Verwandlung, Die Judenbuche
- Hörverlag: primarily making ofs, but also four complete radio plays
Per
Free
Contra
- Portal functions not optimized for audio books
- Few, hard-to-find complete books listed
- Download not provided
Blinkist: Adviser in 15 minutes
If you are in a hurry to listen to audio books, you can use Blinkist: the now internationally established startup from Berlin offers book summaries in written and spoken form. You can listen to a fat ham in 15 minutes - it is mostly advice or other non-fiction.
Test the blinker and book with a discount
Per
- Lovingly created book summaries
- German and English content
Contra
- Limited choice (focus on guides)
- Can only be used as a subscription
- Only audible via Blinkist apps and website
ARD Audiothek: Public radio plays and documentaries
There are very few classic audio books in the ARD Audiothek, but lots of entertaining and / or informative content - documentaries, interviews, thrillers (as a radio play) … A lot of this content is 30 to 60 minutes long. You can easily hear them on the smartphone via an app.
Call up ARD audio library
Per
- Many current topics very well researched
- Free
Contra
- Almost no audiobooks listed in the classic sense
- Download not provided
Audiobook charts: Which titles are popular right now?
Spiegel Bestseller: Audiobooks adults
- The kangaroo chronicles
- The kangaroo apocrypha
- The kangaroo manifesto
Spiegel Bestseller: Audiobooks children
- I hex for you
- Frozen 2
- The three ??? and the three-eyed skull
As of March 3, 2020
Audible / Amazon: Audiobook charts
- The NO horn
- Murder mindfully
- The kangaroo chronicles
As of March 3, 2020
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