Listening to audiobooks on Spotify. Is it any good?

Listening to audiobooks on Spotify is a great idea for anyone who enjoys reading but doesn’t have the time to sit down and read a physical book. With the...

Listening to audiobooks on Spotify is a great idea for anyone who enjoys reading but doesn’t have the time to sit down and read a physical book. With the convenience of streaming audiobooks, readers can now enjoy their favorite books while they are on the go, at work, or just relaxing at home.

A little history about Spotify

Spotify was founded in 2006, which is not too long ago. Formed in Sweden by Daniel Elk and Martin Lorentzon, the headquarters are in Stockholm. Initially it was available only in Europe and was only talked about as this “cool new music streaming service” in the U.S. and other countries. In 2011, Spotify finally made its U.S. debut. This early incarnation of Spotify was pretty much as it is right now. Users got to stream music for free, within a limited period which was ad supported. This was in addition to premium plans. Along the way, Spotify has seen major growth points and bold business decisions. In just the last few years, they announced a record breaking deal with the largest podcasters in the world. This was Joe Rogan taking his podcasts exclusively to Spotify, further cementing itself as a leading podcast player in the space. Late 2022, Spotify made yet another big move by getting into the audiobook business. Spotify believes that with its user base and core competencies in streaming audio, it can become a top player in this market. However, Spotify short-circuited this move by buying Findaway and launched day 1 with over 300,000 audiobook titles. Companies like Audible spent years growing their library and Spotify needed to play catchup quickly. One interesting thing to note is that while Spotify initially launched in Europe and then later in the U.S., the audiobooks section for Spotify is currently launched only in the U.S. and will, later on, be unlocked across the world.

Catalog is Everything

When choosing an audiobook service, catalog is everything. People want to know that their annual membership grants them access to find audiobooks that span various categories and genres. Spotify launched with over 300,000 and potentially is over 500,00 by now. Surely the best sellers and most popular and historic books are in this catalog. One tip is to sign up for a free trial and search for all your favorite books and best sellers to check the catalog before committing. Audible, on the other hand, isn’t transparent with their catalog. It is estimated to be well over 760,000. So if you choose Spotify, you’d get about 50% of the catalog, but perhaps every book you want to read could be found on Spotify. Spotify now offers a wide selection of audiobooks, ranging from classic literature to all the modern bestsellers. Many of the audiobooks are narrated by professional voice actors, giving the listener a high-quality experience. Additionally, Spotify subscription offers a variety of subscription plans that make it easy to access audiobooks. The convenience of streaming audiobooks is one of the biggest advantages of using Spotify. With the Spotify app, listeners can access their audiobooks anywhere, anytime. They can also easily switch between devices, allowing them to continue listening to their audiobook even when they are away from their computer or smartphone. Another great feature of Spotify is its ability to sync across multiple devices. This allows listeners to pick up where they left off in their audiobook, no matter which device they are using. This makes it easier to keep track of where they are in the story, and it also allows them to listen to audiobooks while they are on the go. One of the most unique differentiators for Spotify is the purchase model. Most providers allow you to accrue credits which you can use to purchase audiobooks. Spotify, however, simply lets you buy an audiobook at retail price. You then add this to your catalog forever. One caveat is that books might be slightly more expensive when compared to Audible. This is very similar to how you’d buy a movie on Amazon Prime or even YouTube. There is no subscription service for audiobooks. Even if you are a Spotify Premium subscriber, there is no discount. Audiobooks are full price. You can buy audiobooks on the web version and they will show up in the your library in the mobile app. Currently there are no public domain or free audiobooks available. In addition to convenience, listening to audiobooks on Spotify also offers a variety of other benefits. For instance, some audiobooks come with extra features such as interactive quizzes, which can help listeners better understand the material. Additionally, some audiobooks also feature bonus content such as interviews with the author or behind-the-scenes information about the book. Overall, listening to audiobooks on Spotify is a great way to enjoy books without having to read them. With its wide selection of audiobooks, convenient streaming capabilities, and additional features, Spotify is an excellent option for anyone who wants to enjoy their favorite books without having to sit down and read them. Spotify has been in the streaming space for a long time now. They’ve always had a stellar experience and have constantly iterated. With audiobooks, it is no different. You can expect the same word-class quality everyone’s liked about Spotify. It goes without saying, the Spotify app is available on Apple, Android, and the web. Another new player in the audiobook space is Speechify. Speechify currently offers close to 100,000 audiobooks. You can find all the best sellers and even public domain and free audiobooks. The pricing model is simple annual subscription based.
One big differentiator is that Speechify is also a text to speech app, and you can bundle both products and enjoy all the benefits of audio. It is important to note, that Speechify audiobooks are all narrated by the famous voice actors you’ve come to love - books are not AI generated audio. Learn more, see the catalog at Speechify Audiobooks.