Audiobooks: 11 providers compared

Audiobooks are very popular - here we compare eleven major providers for literary listening pleasure. We pay particular attention to the selection and the price model.

1. Audiobook at Napster music portal

Napster not only offers a variety of songs, but also an audio book library. However, the offer is not yet as large as that of other providers.

• Compared to other audiobook services, Napster's offer is quite modest. For this you get additional access to a very large music database.
• Audiobooks are played as a stream via the Napster software. If you have the premium package, you can also download it and listen to it offline.
• Pricing model: You have a 30-day trial version of Napster. Then you pay around 8 euros per month for the Napster Music flat rate. If you also want to enjoy audio books on your smartphone, you pay just under 10 euros per month for the Napster Music Flat Rate + Mobile (incl. Download).

benefits

Additional access to music

Downloads and offline mode

disadvantage

Little choice

2. Audiobook specialist: vorleser.net

The second audio book provider in comparison is vorleser.net. On this portal you will mainly find settings for classical works and audio books by quite new authors. The special: All downloads are free of charge.

• The library offers around 600 classical works. There are also departments for children and young people. The extensive category "Poetry" should also be emphasized.
• You can download the audio books directly from the website. Alternatively, you can download the web app here. This makes shopping at vorleser.net even easier.
• Price model: The audio book service currently offers around 750 audio books free of charge in MP3 format. New audiobooks are added regularly.

benefits

Free downloads

Good selection with around 750 plants

Available as an app

disadvantage

No modern novels

3. Audiobook giant: Audible

Amazon also runs its own audiobook project called Audible. This service has by far the largest library of German-language audio books.

• The Audible library contains approximately 100, 000 audio books. Whether thriller, poetry, fiction or children's book - there is something for everyone here.
• You cannot download the audiobooks directly: you have to listen to them using Amazon's own Audible Manager. The software is also available as an Android and iPhone app.
• Price model: You pay EUR 9.95 a month as a subscription and receive an audio book free of charge. This subscription can be canceled at any time. In a second subscription version, however, you only pay 5 euros for the first three months, but you can only cancel after three months. Otherwise, the audiobooks can also be bought individually for the full price.

benefits

Large selection

Available as an app

Downloads possible

disadvantage

Can only be used with an Amazon account

4. Spotify: Audiobooks also from the streaming market leader

The king of the music streaming market also wants to get involved in online audio books and so Spotify has been presenting its customers with numerous audio books and games for some time.

• There is no official information on how many audiobooks are available on Spotify. According to our research, there should be more than 450 audio books and 1000 radio plays.
• With Spotify, the audio books can be streamed as usual on the PC and on smartphones. You can also download them offline to your mobile phone, provided you have a corresponding subscription.
• Price model: Spotify Free is available for 0 euros - however, there are no audiobooks, advertising and random playback restrict. You are better served with Spotfiy Premium for 9.99 euros per month or 4.99 euros for students. There is also a 3-Montas trial subscription for 99 cents.

benefits

Access to songs

Downloads possible

Radio plays are updated regularly

disadvantage

Small selection

Restricted use without premium

5. BookBeat: Audiobooks for young and old

BookBeat is completely designed for audio books. Available as an app for Android and iOS, the provider satisfies with a large selection and many languages.

• The streaming service advertises to host tens of thousands of audio books, although it has only been on the market for 4 years. The app convinces with 17 categories, which include four languages ​​besides German.
• There are separate categories for children and young people, which can be sorted according to age and interest. A suitable audiobook can be found for every age group.
• BookBeat was not originally intended for the smartphone or tablet and cannot be streamed on the desktop. To do this, you can download numerous audiobooks, provided the storage space on your device allows it.
• Pricing model: There are 2 test weeks before you have to choose a subscription that you can cancel at any time. You can choose the standard model for 9.99 euros a month, with which you have up to 25 hours of audiobook fun.
• Or you can opt for BookBeat Premium, which costs € 19.99 a month and allows unlimited listening time. With this price model, you can also book additional accounts for EUR 4.90 each.

benefits

Large selection with 17 categories

Multiple languages

Available as an app

$config[ads_text5] not found

disadvantage

Not developed for the PC

Comparatively expensive

6. Books to listen, read and be amazed at Nextory

Unlike the previous providers, Nextory is not only designed for audio files, but also wants to score with e-books.

• In 14 categories you can find both reading and reading material from the Swedish streaming service. There is even talk of hundreds of thousands of (audio) books.
• Before you can use the app on your iPhone or Android phone, you have to register on the desktop. Also, you cannot listen to or stream an audiobook before you download it.
• Once in the app, you can set bookmarks, adjust reading speed, set a sleep timer, and adjust screen options or font sizes.
• Nextory also presents statistics that evaluate your reading behavior and give you an overview of the books you have heard and read.
• Price model: After a test period of 14 days, you can download an audio book or book for 8.90 euros per month. The "Gold" model for EUR 16.99 per month, which allows unlimited use, is more popular.
• For 3 euros more, even 2 to 4 users are possible, who can also use the accounts indefinitely. Nextory also promises simple subscription cancellations.

benefits

Books and audio books

Numerous additional features

Reading behavior statistics

Good value for money

Available as an app

Large selection with 14 categories

$config[ads_text6] not found

disadvantage

Complicated registration

Download necessary

7. Blinkist: Summaries for quick listeners

Patience is a virtue for which not everyone has time. That is why Blinkist offers audiobook summaries that are a maximum of 25 minutes long and bring the content of specialist books to the point.

• The streaming service conveys knowledge on desktop, mobile phone (iOS and Android) and tablet. More than 3, 000 audio books are available in 27 categories, and the trend is rising. These do not have to be heard, but can also be read.
• You can stream a free track daily if you are signed in. However, this is specified by the providers - the choice is therefore taken over for you.
• If you decide to subscribe after a week of rehearsals, advantages await you. You get unlimited access to the offers, you can take notes, mark text passages and get offline access to your favorite books.
• Price model: In addition to a severely restricted free subscription, there is premium for 79.99 euros per year, which corresponds to 6.67 euros per month, or you can try it out with 12.99 euros per month.
• Both models include the same improvements, so they only differ in the payment method.

benefits

Large selection

time-saving

Listening and reading option

One free title every day

Additional useful features in Premium

disadvantage

No full audiobooks

Errors and incompleteness possible

Comparatively expensive

8. Ohrka: Sea listening fun for children

The Ohrka audio book portal exists as a project for children and is supported by the Ministry of Family and the Federal Agency for Civic Education, among others.

• On the website you can select around 100 audio books that are spoken by well-known voice actors and personalities, for example by Oliver Rohrbeck, known from "Die Drei ???".
• The audio files are easy to download and can also be transferred to mobile phones and tablets. The portal is easy to use and opens up additional information for parents.
• Children from five years of age experience exciting adventures or learn about our world in four categories. Classic fairy tales are also part of Ohrka's schedule. The length of the audiobooks varies from 5 minutes to 6 hours.
• Price model: Ohrka is a funded project, which allows free use without restrictions.

benefits

Funded project

Free downloads

Renowned speakers

User-friendly application

Education and entertainment

disadvantage

Less suitable for adults

Comparatively small selection

9. On-line loan: Libraries with online access

A walk into the library leads to new adventures in reading and listening. Especially when your favorite library works with on-line lending. So you don't have to go across town to the book shelter, even on rainy days, but can access various media online at any time.

• If the library participates in the project, you have almost unlimited access to the online database by logging in with a library card number and password.
• However, if an audiobook is very popular, there may be waiting times due to the licenses.
• But once an audiobook is borrowed, it can be listened to until the usage time has ended and the file is automatically removed from your lending account and deleted from your computer.
• The audio files can be streamed at any time via the browser or the iOS and Android app and can also be downloaded via the smartphone or tablet and listened to offline.
• Price model: The costs depend on the prices of your responsible library. Depending on the location and provider, you pay between 5 and 30 euros per year. There are no (additional) costs for the online loan itself, which makes the concept comparatively cheap.

benefits

Free downloads

Available as an app

Automatic return

Different media accessible

disadvantage

Use only with library card

Cost depending on your library

Waiting times possible

Compatible programs required to play

10. BR and WDR radio plays

Radio plays are well known to many. All the better if they are saved online.

• The public service providers have audio databases that offer the audio books and radio plays for free download. BR sorts its files alphabetically, while WDR divides them by genre, among other things.
• Although the selection is quite small and only includes in-house productions, these are always of high quality and often written with flying colors. You will not find classic audiobooks here.
• Price model: The two radio stations make their audio files available free of charge.

benefits

Exciting in-house productions

High-quality

Free downloads

disadvantage

Confusing layout

No known audiobooks

11. The media libraries of FlixBus and Deutsche Bahn

There is plenty of time, especially on the go, to relax with an audio book. You can now take advantage of bus and train offers if you want to use the latest and popular media on your short or long journey.

• The repertoire of FlixBus and Deutsche Bahn regularly includes refreshed titles. You can use the means of transport via smartphone, tablet and computer, provided that they have Internet.
• The media can be used without restriction and do not burden your data volume. You don't have to be afraid of tunnels or wastes - the program runs smoothly thanks to the local server on the train or bus.
• Pricing model: As long as you are on the FlixBus or ICE and have paid for your ticket, you do not have to worry about any additional costs.

benefits

New titles regularly

No burden on the data volume

Free use

Available for all devices

No interruptions

disadvantage

Can only be used on the go

Little choice

Conclusion: Which audio book provider is the best?

All audiobook providers presented have advantages and disadvantages. Summarized:

• Napster: This audiobook provider does not offer a large library, but has a fair price model. You also have access to a large music database.
• vorleser.net: If you are a friend of classical works, you should take a closer look at this audio book provider. Although the library is very small with only 600 audiobooks, you can download everything free of charge as an MP3 file.
• Audible: With over 100, 000 audiobooks, Audible has the largest selection. An audiobook for 4.95 euros a month is not expensive. You can also buy the audiobooks for the full price.
• Spotify: For existing customers, the audio books at Spotify will surely be an asset. New customers who are primarily targeting audio books will not be satisfied here due to the small library.
• BookBeat: Similar to Audible, BookBeat has a large collection of audiobooks. Although the provider is not the cheapest in terms of price, it scores with a user-friendly layout and suitable audio files for every taste.
• Nextory: Particularly suitable for reading owls, Nextory offers both e-books and audio books. They convince many customers with their offer, only the use has some flaws.
• Blinkist: If you are only interested in the content of a technical or non-fiction book, you can be happy with Blinkist. However, the program is less suitable for you if you want to fully enjoy the stories. The cost point can also act as a deterrent.
• Ohrka: The German project is very suitable as a job for children. Instead of amateur quality, real professionals speak the stories, whereby classics and reinvention are equally represented. However, adults do not necessarily find a green branch here.
• On-line loan: The use of on-line loan is very cheap, provided your library participates in the project. The selection is large and easy to use. With bad luck, however, waiting times for the favorite title can arise.
• BR and WDR radio plays: If the crime scene and thrillers on the radio are enough and you follow the radio plays regularly, you will enjoy the collections. The downloads are free, which is another plus. Only the selection could be unsatisfactory for audiobook fans, especially since well-known and modern spoken books are not available.
• Media libraries from FlixBus and Deutsche Bahn: Also free of charge is the use of the databases of travel providers, which include current and popular titles. Unfortunately, you can only use it for the duration of your trip - if you have to get out before the end of the audiobook, you were unlucky.

In this audiobook practical tip, we show you which hooks there are at Audible and where you can get further audio books.

Video tip: Kixi - series, films and audio books for children