Audible vs. Apple Books: What you need to know

The popularity of eBooks and audiobooks has been growing in recent years. That’s why Apple and Amazon, two of the world’s largest companies, have launched their own audiobook services to get in on the action.

Yet you may be left with the question, which is better?

Let’s dive into a detailed comparison of Audible and Apple Books.

What is Audible?

Audible is Amazon’s audiobook membership service. It offers a massive library of books with over 68,000 listening hours. In addition to books, Audible also offers other content like TV and radio programs. The service is free for a month, after which you need to pay a monthly fee.

Audible features

Audible has a plethora of useful features other than audiobooks:

• Podcasts—Free for every subscriber they cover lots of different topics
• Sleep timer—Various soundscapes and stories to help you sleep that can automatically shut down at a preprogrammed time
• Book returns—You can easily return a book and get your credit back
• Audible originals—Exclusive Audible audiobooks you can’t find elsewhere
• Multi-device support—Audible is available on most major platforms, including Android and iOS devices

What is Apple Books?

Formerly known as the iBooks app, Apple Books is an eBook reader and bookstore native to Apple devices. It launched as a result of Apple moving its books from the iTunes store and creating a dedicated audiobooks app. You can buy eBooks or audiobooks or read previously downloaded material. At the moment, Apple Books doesn’t involve a subscription. The app is free to use, but most books are paid. There have been rumors about Apple launching Apple Books+, which would be a subscription service, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Apple Books features

Apple Books has a different approach to eBooks and audiobooks. Their service offers a variety of handy features:

• eReading—You can choose to read or listen to books
• PDF storage—You can add your files to the library and read them in the app
• Family sharing—Your family members can share the account and read the books you buy
• Personalization—Custom recommendations based on your likes and dislikes
• Integration—You can add books to most Apple devices, including iPod and Apple Watch

Audible vs. Apple Books: A comparison

While Audible and Apple books share many similarities, they have a few key differences, the first being multi-platform support.

You can use Audible on many devices. Thanks to the Kindle Cloud Reader, you can even read books in a browser. Apple doesn’t offer such versatility, as it’s exclusive to iOS and other Apple platforms. You can only use it on iPhone, iPad, and MacBook devices.

As a result, app availability varies greatly as well. While Audible is available on both the Google Play and Apple App Store, you can only find the Apple Books app on the latter.

The size of the audiobook library is another essential difference. While Audible offers just over 420,000 titles, Apple Books has over a million. Both apps include many bestsellers, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding your favorite in either app.

Finally, another significant difference is the subscription models. Audible features a standard monthly subscription with several tiers to choose from. Apple Books, on the other hand, doesn’t have a membership—you can browse the app for free and buy audiobooks.

Audible vs. Apple Books: Which one is better?

Because of their different approach to audiobooks, it’s hard to say that one service is undeniably better than the other. If you own Apple products, their eBook service is a more suitable option. It features that familiar Apple interface and allows you to sync audiobooks across all your devices via iCloud.

In comparison, Amazon Audible is much more versatile platform-wise, so it’s suitable for a larger audience. However, it offers fewer audiobook titles, which some may find limiting.

Both audiobook players offer high quality, so there’s not much difference. Apple Books does have a slight edge because it offers eReading and audiobooks, practically combining Audible and the Kindle app. Both apps also offer bookmarks so that you can save your favorite titles.

Essentially, Apple Books is better for Apple users and those who want a richer library. Others might benefit more from the Audible app.

Pros and cons of Audible and Apple Books Audiobooks

Pros and cons of Audible

Pros:

• Various content other than audiobooks
• High-quality playback
• Multi-device support

Cons:

• Some audiobooks are more expensive than their eBook or hard-copy counterparts
• Loss of all credits if you cancel your Audible membership

Pros and cons of Apple Books

Pros:

• Extensive library of eBooks and audiobooks in different languages
• Free to use
• Clean user interface

Cons:

• Available only on Apple devices
• Some books are pricey

Audible vs. Apple Books Audiobooks comparison—Final results

As you can see, Audible and Apple books come with a variety of valuable features. If we had to choose a winner, it would probably be Audible, mainly because it’s available to more users than Apple Books.

If you’re already an Apple user, however, Apple Books is a fantastic choice that will let you browse more titles than Audible. Whichever service you go with, it will surely satisfy your inner bookworm.

FAQ

What’s the difference between Apple Books and Audible?

Audible only offers audiobooks, while Apple Books can also be used as an eReader.

Can you put Audible books in Apple Books?

There’s no option to put Audible books in Apple Books as they’re both standalone services.

Does Apple own Audible?

No, Audible is Amazon’s service.

What is Whispersync?

Whispersync is a feature that allows you to switch between your Kindle reader and Audible seamlessly.

What are the benefits of Audible?

Audible offers a variety of books and other content. It also has a high-quality audiobook player.

Is there an Audible app for Android?

Yes, Audible is available for both Android and iOS devices.