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Do you love to read?
Do you wish you had more time to do so?
Do you fashion yourself a multitasker?
Or are you the type or person who enjoys
learning new things, but has very little time to commit?
If you answered yes to any or all of these
questions… audible books may just be what the doctor ordered.
And nobody does it better than Amazon’s Audible.
I mean, seriously… pretty much everything
Amazon touches turns to gold.
Sure, there are other audiobook sites and apps
out there… but few with the same level of customer service or content Amazon
can offer.
In this article, I’ll touch on what sets
Amazon Audible apart.
We will cover:
- The main features of the program
- How to find Audible books
- The different platforms it’s available on
- Pros and cons of the program
- “Who” is it for
- Final thoughts
So let’s get started, shall we?
Want a Free Audiobook from Audible?
Get one audiobook for free when you sign up for a 30-day Audible Free Trial. Here are some of the best audiobooks from S.J. Scott:
What is Amazon Audible?
Simply put, Amazon Audible is an audiobook
subscription membership program, offering nearly 200,000 titles… many of
which are classics or bestsellers.
There is also a wide selection of Audible
Original titles.
Audible currently offers a 30-day free trial,
which includes 1 audiobook download (referred to as one credit) and 2 Audible
Originals from a rotating selection.
Note:
you can’t just choose any Original audiobook. Amazon provides approved choices
for free downloading every month.
Existing Prime members are entitled to two
audiobook downloads (or credits), plus 2 Audible Originals… rather than one
credit for non-members.
After the trial period ends, membership
includes access to 1 audiobook download and 2 Audible Originals per month.
You can cancel at any time, no questions
asked… similar to Amazon’s general return policy. I’ve always found returns
simple with Amazon, be it with Prime products or Video.
Your credit card is only charged if you fail
to cancel within the free trial period.
Once you’ve logged in, you are able to browse from a plethora of titles.
You can search by:
From a laptop or desktop, you can use a mouse
to scroll over titles and view a pop-up summary.
Otherwise, simply tap or click on the book title you find interesting to be brought to a summary page.
There you will be given information regarding
the book’s length, release date, narrator’s name and language.
You will also have access to:
Should you decide to go ahead and select the
title, you’ll be shown a membership price.
Typically, the free credit earned each month
covers the cost of one title… so you wouldn’t be charged anything additional
for one audiobook.
When you select a title, it is placed in your
cart and any available credits will be used.
Should you decide the book isn’t worth the
read, you can simply exchange it for another at no additional cost.
Think of it as a money back, no risk, reading
guarantee.
Amazon Audible also boasts a unique feature called Whispersync. Whispersync for Voice-ready allows you to move between audiobook and Kindle book seamlessly from one device to the next.
In my case, I purchased The Handmaid’s Tale: Special Edition as part of my Kindle Unlimited membership.
Since it is available in a corresponding
audiobook version, Audible offers the chance to purchase it for a discounted
price (or one credit).
By electing to purchase the audio version, I
am now able to read the book on my tablet before bed… and pick up where I left
off via audiobook while out for my morning jog.
How cool is that?
And for a busy working mom to four small kids…
this feature is worth its weight in gold.
Or, in this case, the modest membership fee.
In addition to the best sellers, Audible
Originals really set the service apart from the competition.
What competition, you ask?
Among the most popular are:
Still, none of these have yet to truly
threaten what Amazon Audible is doing.
The business models vary, for starters.
Primarily, while many of these services come
by way of free app, there is typically a “pay per title” fee… which can really
add up.
Conversely, the ones that charge monthly
membership fees offer a fraction of the title selection that Audible does.
And getting back to that…
Audible Originals are exclusive audio titles created by celebrated storytellers from worlds as diverse as theater, journalism, literature and more… all produced in the Audible studios.
Similar to the best sellers, you are able to
browse Audible Originals by category and recommendations just for you.
“Quick Listens for the Commute” appealed to me… especially when I got a glimpse of one of my favorite comedians, Nick Offerman, on the summary page. This, however, was not one of my free Original choices (remember, you get 2 per month).
So instead, I selected to download “You Can Thank me Later”, a novella by
Kelly Harms. It’s free for the month of November.
A wide array of podcasts are also included
with Amazon Audible. And there is no denying the rising popularity of podcasts
these days.
I believe NBC even had a series about a
corporate exec-turned-podcaster.
So if podcasts are your jam… look no further.
Audible has got you covered.
There is also tons of free content available every month on Amazon Audible… including news, meditations and audio-guided fitness downloads.
Other key membership features include:
I’m Sold! So, How Do I Find My Next Audiobook?
Searching for your next listen is easy with
the Amazon Audible taskbar.
You can search two ways:
- Utilize the Browse Feature, which is broken into categories
- Type a title or topic into the search bar
Once you type something into the search bar,
you are brought to a suggestions page, based on the matching keyword. These
suggestions are in all categories.
You can sort by:
You can also filter your search by:
Depending on how specific you want to be, the
search will be drastically cut down to a manageable list.
And, voila! You’re set to select.
Whatever audiobooks you choose are placed in
your library.
Once a book is in your library, you can access
and manage it at any time via the “Library” tab.
That is also where you actually download the
title to your device. You can also submit a review from here.
Where to Enjoy Amazon Audible
Once you’ve selected your listens, downloading the Audible App is required in order to be able to enjoy audiobooks.
The app is free and available for the
following, making listening on your smartphone a snap:
You can also enjoy Amazon Audible on these
supported devices:
The Pros and Cons of Amazon
Audible
Let’s face it… life can’t be all sunshine and roses.
But Amazon Audible comes close in its efforts to make top quality reads accessible to anyone with the ability and willingness to listen.
So let’s start with the pros:
And now the cons:
As you can see, rather clearly, the pros
seriously outweigh the cons here.
But don’t take my word for it… see for
yourself with the 30-day free trial.
And if you have any more questions or
reservations, be sure to visit and FAQ page.
Is Amazon Audible Right for Me?
You may be wondering what type of person
benefits most from Amazon Audible?
Well, that answer is three-fold.
First,
it’s for busy people who don’t typically have as much time to read as they’d
like.
If you work long hours… commute to work by
bus or train… have a busy social calendar… a heavy college course load… or
have kids… chances are, you don’t have a lot of down time.
You’re lucky if you get your daily workout in
– or get to eat dinner at a normal speed once in a while.
But read a book?
Now that’s just unheard of.
Or at least it was… before Amazon Audible.
Thanks to its groundbreaking and intuitive
interface, you are able to take your books from the sofa, to the gym, to your
kid’s dance lessons, to the office.
Audible goes wherever you go and makes reading
for pleasure accessible again.
It’s also great if you want to get out of your
comfort zone and learn about something new.
Don’t have time to listen to the news?
You can for free with Audible.
Need to recenter yourself? Audible meditations
cost nothing more than the time you’re willing to invest in them.
Second,
Amazon audible is for people that will commit to listening to at least one book
per month.
As with most everything that is worthwhile,
the audible membership is not free. That being said, the monthly fee covers 1
audiobook credit and 2 Audible Original reads.
These credits, however, vary their worth based
on the book’s list price.
The monthly fee, which gives you 1 or 2
credits per month based on your membership plan, essentially is the most you’ll
pay for one book.
That being said, depending on what you opt to
read… books valued at say, $40 USD, are a huge savings for members paying a
fraction of that monthly.
Alternately, if a book you are interested in
purchasing is on sale or retailing for less than $10, you may be best served to
purchase the book and save the credit for a more expensive title later…
especially considering you are able to roll over a certain number of credits.
Finally,
Amazon audible is for the audiobook junkie.
Nobody does it better than Amazon.
If you can’t live without your audiobooks, the
service offers the best selection there is.
Hands down.
More than 150,000 hands… to be exact.
There is no real competition.
And although other sites may cost less on
paper, or offer unlimited titles, the selection suffers because of it.
Plus, as an Audible member, you’re given
access to:
If you think about it, the typical person will
purchase the hardcopy of a book and put it down without finishing. Perhaps,
never finishing it.
Why?
Because life happens!
But if the book is accessible 24/7, on
multiple platforms… you’re much more
likely to make it to the end.
Plus, if you keep your eyes open for those
“member only” deals, you might find yourself purchasing multiple books for the
price of one.
So… is Amazon Audible Worth It?
If you’re still with me, you don’t need to be
a psychic to guess what I’m about to say.
If you want to “read” more… Amazon Audible is
for you!
If you can commit to listening to at least one
or two titles per month… Amazon Audible is for you!
If you are an audiobook fanatic… Amazon
Audible is for you.
Yes, it costs money.
But in my humble opinion, it’s a drop in the
bucket compared to the other stuff we spend money on.
Lattes.
Lunches.
A pair of shoes we don’t really need.
Not only are the Audible book titles and
narrators in a class unto themselves… but if you seek, you shall find deals.
And more deals.
Couple that with award winning customer
service and no-hassle cancellation and return policies… and Audible is the
clear cut winner in the category.
The cons are hardly worth a second thought –
and really only come into play if you don’t take full advantage of what Audible
offers.
Hey, I’m not trying to sell you on audiobooks.
You like them or you don’t.
You want to read more, or you don’t.
But if you do, start your free trial today.
I promise you will be kicking yourself for not
doing it sooner.
And if you’re on the lookout for more books to read, be sure to read these articles:
Nicole Krause has been writing both personally and professionally for over 20 years. She holds a dual B.A. in English and Film Studies. Her work has appeared in some of the country’s top publications, major news outlets, online publications, and blogs. As a happily married (and extremely busy) mother of four… her articles primarily focus on parenting, marriage, family, finance, organization, and product reviews.
Nicole Krause
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