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Spotify audiobooks

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Cliff Weitzman
By Cliff Weitzman Dyslexia & Accessibility Advocate, CEO/Founder of Speechify in Books on June 27, 2022
Spotify is a well known music streaming app, but it also provides an extensive library of audiobooks. Learn more.

    Listening to music has never been easier than it is today. No longer do we go to record stores or wait for Amazon to deliver an album by mail. We have all the music in the world in one place, and that place is called Spotify.

    The Spotify app is the number one music streaming service in the world. They also offer additional content like podcasts, radio shows, and create playlists. And all that at a reasonable price. Still, there’s one feature that’s often overlooked by its users — audiobooks.

    This streaming platform is home to numerous read-aloud titles. Some of the best audiobooks on Spotify include bestsellers like The Raven Boys, various educational material, as well as Kurt Vonnegut’s dark comedy. All you need to do is type the name of the book in the app’s search bar.

    Unfortunately for them, some folks are still not into audiobooks. They think that having a hardcover is the only way to consume literature. But we beg to differ. So, allow us to introduce you to the benefits of audiobooks, as well as listening to them on Spotify.

    Audiobooks benefits: Multitasking

    The idea behind audiobooks is pretty simple. They are prerecorded pieces of audio of a person reading the text instead of you. This allows you to play them over your speakers or headphones while you do or don’t follow the text simultaneously. Both of these options have their benefits and are commonly practiced by many these days.

    If you decide to read while listening to the audio track, it allows you to improve your reading capabilities. It can also help you to pronounce words properly, as audiobooks usually hire narrators with proper diction skills, like movie and theater actors. Additionally, reading while listening can help your focus and comprehension of the written material.

    On the flip side, deciding to only listen has its pros too. These include allowing you to multitask. By this, we mean that you can focus on other activities while you experience the written material. What you do depends solely on you. For instance, you can listen to an audiobook while driving or jogging, and still receive the right amount of information. But more on that later. For now, let’s focus on the benefits of audiobooks.

    Namely, audiobooks provide a massive opportunity for people with learning difficulties like ADHD or dyslexia. They can also help people with poor vision or—in extreme cases—those who are blind. Furthermore, audiobooks can be more than helpful for students learning foreign languages. Numerous studies suggest that listening instead of reading helps people to improve their abilities, overcome difficulties, and eventually up their school grades.

    Listen to audiobooks while you’re working out, driving, or cleaning the house

    As we’ve mentioned above, many people listen to audiobooks while doing other activities. This is a great way to maximize your daily performance and save time. The unfortunate reality of modern life is that it sometimes seems like 24 hours isn’t enough to do everything we want in one day. As such, we’re always on the lookout for how to do more while multitasking, and audiobooks are a perfect solution.

    People across the world listen to audiobooks while they drive. Sure enough, someone would consider that dangerous. However, that’s not the case. Since you don’t use your hands, it’s like taking a hands-free call. Both your hands are on the wheel and your eyes on the road in front of you, and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women in your ears. Yet, that’s not the only activity that’s suitable for a good audible book experience.

    Another example of when people use audiobooks is when working out. It works the same as listening to music on Spotify. All you need to do is take your phone with you to the gym, and you’re all set for flexing muscles and listening to some non-fiction. Of course, you don’t need to go to the gym. You can listen to Jane Austen while jogging or walking your dog.

    Lastly, audiobooks are a perfect solution for doing boring chores like cleaning your house. You just press play, and even the dullest of tasks becomes enjoyable with Suzanne Collins’ sci-fi masterpiece The Hunger Games in your ears. It’s as simple as that.

    Alternatives to audiobooks — Speechify

    All this isn’t to say that the audiobooks don’t have their downsides. Frankly speaking, many great reads still aren’t available on the audiobook market. This is especially true for educational material like school books and encyclopedias. But you shouldn’t despair. There are fantastic alternatives to Spotify and the audiobook platform.

    Speechify is the world’s best text-to-speech software. It allows us to transcribe written words into speech instead of reading them on a Kindle. The app uses three main components: optical character recognition (OCR), machine learning, and artificial intelligence. These three combined can turn any digital writing into audio ready for listening.

    The need for alternatives is especially evident when you want to listen to important emails, documents, or personal notes. And to make things even better, the Speechify app allows its users to snap photos of text and, with some OCR magic, turn it into speech.

    Of course, there are countless other text-to-speech apps online. Still, none of them offer the same versatility that Speechify does. It has an easy-to-use interface that allows its users to switch between different reading voices, speed, and even fiddle with the sound.

    But that’s not all. Speechify is available across all platforms. You can use it as a mobile app on both your Apple and Android devices. And if you want it on your PC, it’s available as a plug-in for both the Google Chrome and Safari web browsers.

    All you have to do is download the app. It’s available for free during a 3-day trial. After that, you can purchase a year-long subscription for a reasonable price. All in all, the app does fantastic work at turning text into speech, it’s easy to use, and it’s available on any device.

    FAQs

    Are there any audiobooks on Spotify?

    A few curated audiobook playlists are available on Spotify. There are playlists covering a wide range of topics, as well as one simply titled “Audiobooks,” which has a wonderful collection of well-known titles.

    Are audiobooks on Spotify free?

    For readers who are constantly on the go, audiobooks are a terrific alternative, and you can access an entire library of them for free on Spotify. The audio streaming service has been growing its library to include a variety of podcasts, audiobooks, and even language study tools in addition to music.

    Where to find free audiobooks online

    The following eight websites provide numerous audiobooks that are free.

    • LibriVox
    • Lit2Go
    • Loyal Books
    • Mind Webs
    • Open Culture
    • Libby by Overdrive
    • Podiobooks
    • Project GutenbergM

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    Cliff Weitzman

    Cliff Weitzman

    Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

    Pick Your Speechify Tribe

    I have been flailing due to an eye injury on top of Lyme disease on top of long-covid and a herniated disc with neuropathy. Sitting hurts and propping a book while lying down is stressful. Anxiety over not keeping up, ADD with medication fluctuation and nystagmus of one eye, stigmatism with the other eye both before the retina injured has caused duress as an exam approaches in 35 days. I just need to get through these 500 pages and at least try the assignments. I believe this app will be the key.. thank you ever so much! It’s never too late to find a key and unlock the door to a new world!

    “I have ADHD and I love to read but have piles of book that I have never touched. I downloaded this app and it has helped me read more and obtain information better for school! Love this app , I recommend it to everyone!” - JENEMARIE

    “Love this app, I have eye problems and this app helps me read headache free. Plus it’s great for traders to listen to news and multitasks.” - JJJJJJMMMMMMM”

    “I like Reading books but I don’t like to read at the same time this is so nice and very much correct. Totally recommend!” - Amazing use this now!!! - HALL LACKS SI USA

    “I am a student who had dyslexia so is very very very helpful for me. A reading assignment that would normally take me 30+ minutes took 10! I will be using this very often.” - CHAMA NORLAND

    “I’m an audible learner. Speechify helps me to comprehend readings better than I am capable of reading the text silently.” - CANDI CL

    “This is probably top 5 of greatest apps ever, you can literally read alone an entire book in a day. Easily worth the cost of the app.” - TJV 34

    “Excellent for comprehending medical textbooks more quickly and thoroughly!! This is awesome for keeping up with latest surgical techniques and technology. Dr. K” - IMPLANTOPERATOR

    “Speechify saves my 70 year old eyes. I close them. I listen.” - WRANGLERSUPREME

    “I was dreading reading this long story but Speechify got it done now I can go ahead and take my college quiz.” - SUNCOP

    “I teach visually impaired students AND students with dyslexia. This app is a huge help to all of them. Thank you for helping those who need it most!!” - ETTETWO

    “I use this app to proofread before I publish chapters of my books and it works so good! 10/10 recommended.” - LOUIELEIUOL

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    “Congratulations for this lovely project. Speechify is brilliant. Growing up with dyslexia this would have made a big difference. I'm so glad to have it today.”
    - Sir Richard Branson
    "Speechify lets me listen to Goop blog posts out loud in the car and gets my friends through grad school. It's amazing for scripts."
    - Gwyneth Paltrow
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