TheBookSwarm
Ask Question

Is Audible worth the $15 a month or am I better off getting a library card and using overdrive?

Is Audible worth the $15 a month or am I better off getting a library card and using overdrive?

Cassie #questionnaire #audio book

29
Reply

126 Answers

Sarah

Library for sure.

1
Reply
Holly

Library is great but there are some things you can only get from audible. I do both.

4
Reply
Christopher

If you only want traditionally published books, then Overdrive is the way to go. That’s pretty much what I do. But if you want a broader selection, then go with Audible. My book is on there, but you won’t find the audio version at the library.

0
Reply
Regan

I’m getting Audible here in few minutes
I also use the library and overdrive
I guess the main reason why I want Audibles is for those hard to get audiobooks
Most of the time with overdrive there is a long wait I was the waiting list for one for 3 months
And the library list for 2 months for a audiobook

0
Reply
Cath

Audible is immediate gratification. Library can have wait lists

1
Reply
Kristy

@Cath Have you tried Hoopla? No wait.

0
Cath

@Kristy I’ll look into that. Thanks!

0
Misty

I’m on the “every other month” audible plan. And I use the library.

1
Reply
Stephanie

I do both. Overdrive rarely has what I am looking for available. I love audible and as a member you get access to a lot of good sales where you can buy audio books at excellent prices.

0
Reply
Nikita

@Stephanie I agree! I also like that if you already own the kindle version the audible is discounted! Hooray sales!!!

1
Sandy

Depends on how much you’ll use it. I listen 6 days out of 7, so for me, yes

0
Reply
Jessica

Library (Libby or Overdrive) & Scribd are my favorite services to use

0
Reply
Dinara

Yea, I was debating about this too

0
Reply
Diane

My husband loves audible and has been using it for years. I prefer the library and I’m always trying to convert him. Lol

0
Reply
Taylor

Library card and get Libby too

2
Reply
Niffer

Unless your library charges you for overdrive, why not do both? Or start with the library and if you’re finding the selection to be insufficient, then try audible. I’m big into supporting libraries.

1
Reply
Helen

If you listen to audiobooks regularly, audible is worth it $15 for an audiobook isn’t bad and you get discounts plus they often have specials. I use my library also.

0
Reply
Barbara

I use both! I listen to one on each.

0
Reply
Ruthie

Depends on how many new releases you want access to. Overdrive is for sure a better deal, but you may end up waiting a while for those new titles

1
Reply
Skylar

I think anything else is a better deal unless you really care about keeping every audiobook you read “as your own”

3
Reply
Mercedes

Check to see if you can use the app Axis 360

0
Reply
Marissa

I use audible and it’s fantastic. I like that all of my audiobooks on Audible are mine. I can re-read them whenever I want and not have to wait.

0
Reply
Jose

Both

0
Reply
Lena

I’m on the one credit every other month. I also have 4 libraries. I have Audible for the very few that I can’t get from my libraries and the 2 audible originals per month.

0
Reply
Hannah

I use my library card with Libby. It’s free and they have books and audiobooks which I really like.

0
Reply
Lauren

Libby works great

0
Reply
Rhonda

I like Amazon Unlimited. $9.99 a month for up to 10 titles as and many have audio. Here is the catch…not all titles are on the Unlimited list. But I have read/listened to some great books! The selection is good. For example “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” “Handmaids Tale” the Tracy Crosswhite series and many I had not heard of but really enjoyed.

0
Reply
Kirby

I’m on the 1 credit/month Audible subscription, which is about $15/mo. I like it and listen to a lot of audiobooks, but if I felt like I had to start budgeting more and cutting things I didn’t need, Audible would likely be one of the first things to go.

0
Reply
Sarah

I would use overdrive. I dont think it is worth it for audible.

0
Reply
Richard

My city county library makes ebooks, audio, and video available FREE via Hoopla (in the App Store). There are also some Great Courses available. Get the card then take that $15 and buy my book.

2
Reply
Marissa

Libby is amazing! Just link your library card to your account, and you get access to lots of ebooks and audiobooks for free!!! You might have to wait for books occasionally, but there is a preference that allows you to borrow books that are ready to rent. It’s awesome!!

1
Reply
Carla

Free is better in my book. LOL
I absolutely love Overdrive

1
Reply
Eric

I use both, some really popular titles will have 15 to 30 holds on them. For those I use my one credit for, for all others I use overdrive.

0
Reply
Zondra

I use both frequently. I find both worth it. Cuz I can own audio books if I end up liking them from overdrive. Like right now I’m almost finished with the Cuckoos Calling by Robert Galbraith on overdrive and Im considering on getting it on audible. But I like both cuz if I dont feel like buying an audiobook Im not sure if I’ll like I’ll see if Overdrive has it and if so I’ll listen there first

0
Reply
Dawn

Well, I’d say that’s up to you. It’s not worth it for me, but it might be worth it for you. This is why they offer a free trial ?

0
Reply
Shannon

I say your library as well as Overdrive. At least that way you won’t be paying for books you didn’t enjoy.

1
Reply
Jean

Library card and using Libby.

Scribd is a good subscription too. Here’s a link for two months free
https://www.scribd.com/ga/6vcbqd

3
Reply
Kay

I use Libby EVERY day. No need to spend the money in my opinion.

2
Reply
Susanne

@Kay ME TOO!!!!

1
Gecko

$15? Mine is £7.99. That’s a lot for audible tbh. Maybe it’s the equivalent though.

1
Reply
Maggie

Plus some 🙁

0
Tyler

I recommend scrib’d it’s like $10 a month, and you don’t have to pay extra for the books you listen to, and you can listen to as many as you want.

0
Reply
Kathryn

Overdrive is great for audio books. Also, ask your library if they are part of hoopla. When I can’t find what I want in overdrive I usually can in hoopla. Alllllll free!

0
Reply
Jennifer

I use libby, hoopla, and cloud library with my card and I have audible too

0
Reply
Melanie

The audible $15 monthly charge gives you one “free” book a month, any size, any regular cost. I had a monthly subscription when I was commuting and always chose the biggest, most expensive book I was interested in (usually in the $27.99+ range) to get the most out of my $15. I would then partake in their deals, each month, if I found something interesting. It was a great way to avoid the news and radio ads. Sirius XM costs about the same, but I preferred books!!

2
Reply
Melanie

You might also look into free classics through http://librivox.com/ The librivox books are read by volunteers, so there can be some challenges there. I “read” several classics that way, that I’ve never been able to manage in paper format! I highly recommend that route, as well!!

0
Penny

library

0
Reply
Teresa

Library

0
Reply
Lisa

Library ?

0
Reply
Clay

Is Overdrive free?

0
Reply
Eric

@Clay yep, just need a valid library card from your local library.

0
Jennifer

To make an account yes but you have to have a library card to use it

2
Pat

It’s free. As noted above, you’ll need a valid library card.

0
Kristy

Hoopla is also through the library…no wait time for audiobooks. I can get 7 per month…free. If it’s not on Hoopla then I put my name on the library wait list through Libby. All free unless you pay for a library card.

1
Reply
Ruth

Libby is awesome and free!

1
Reply
Kashana

Following

0
Reply
Karie

Both!! Libby is awesome but they don’t always have every book. Depends on your county too. I have both Libby and audiables.

2
Reply
Kristy

@Karie Have you tried requesting for your library to get an audiobook?

0
Heather

I love audible and they frequently have daily specials and frequent sales. I have been a member for years.

0
Reply
Amy

I don’t listen to Audiobooks enough to justify it personally. They do also have a silver membership option that is $15 every other month. They gave me this option when I went to cancel.

0
Reply
Nichola

I’m new to Audible and very impressed so far!

0
Reply
Tori

@Cassandra Oooh do you mind sharing what groups, I’d be down to try that ?

0
Reply
Denise

Library.

0
Reply
Sibyl

I do both! I listen to 4-6 audiobooks a month so buying them all isn’t a great option for me (I’m not rich). I like the combination of immediate access/”expensive” options on Audible plus the free books I get, but might have to wait for, from the library. Plus my library doesn’t get everything available on Libby/Overdrive (and doesn’t subscribe to Hoopla at all), and there are lots of Audible exclusives that I love and cannot get from the library.

1
Reply
Sarah

I love using Audible and the great thing I found is that if you don’t like a book, or just want to return it you can and they’ll give you your free credit straight back to use on a different book

0
Reply
Stephanie

Library! We all need to support your local library!

2
Reply
Heather

I tried audible but found it expensive for one audible book per month. Switched to overdrive and kindle unlimited for $9.99 per month and a lot of books have audible on kindle unlimited.

0
Reply
Ted

The Overdrive app through the library is awesome and I can listen to all the books I want.

0
Reply
Pamela

I have both and they are great!

0
Reply
Cheri'

I have both and use both. Overdrive is wonderful however you may have to wait quite sometime to get the audiobook.

0
Reply
Christina

I love Scribd!

1
Reply
Glenda

Hoopla and Libby are good options too

0
Reply
Brittiany

I use Libby and overdrive and find them amazing since its free and you can pause them and restart in the same place, set sleep timers etc

0
Reply
Kelly

I also use Scribd, it’s $9/month and they have a good selection of audiobooks and ebooks. And it’s unlimited, not just 1 credit.

0
Reply
Kelly

Well, I use Scribd as a supplement to my library.

And I do use Audible when they have good sales once in a while.

0
Jessica

I have a membership at 2 libraries and there are still some they don’t have audiobooks for, and there are some you are dying to read, but you’re 234 in line, so worth it to me.

1
Reply
Eric

@Jessica that’s how I do it too. I wanted The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck, and it had 47 holds on it…… That’s like 3 and a half years to wait on an audiobook, no thanks I’ll use my credit for that one. Which by the way was so worth it!!!

0
Emily

I travel a lot for work so it is totally worth it for me

0
Reply
May

I think you should definitely try the library first, but I have and use both. Audible works as a good substitute for things the library doesn’t have or things that you have to wait half a year for.

1
Reply
Eric

@May lol right. The really good books have like 27 holds on them. The 15 bucks a month is totally worth it for the books I really wanna listen now!

0
April

If the library has what you want then of course free is better than paid. That said audible is totally worth it if you listen to a book a month or more.

0
Reply
Jaime

I’m not a fan of audiobooks (I’m visual, not auditory), but my husband swears by Audible. He loves that he can find full volumes of things on there for a single credit that would otherwise cost him $$$ in print. He gets a lot of his college textbooks on there too. It’s been WELL worth the money per month!

0
Reply
Desiree

Get a library card and use overdrive. (I’m a librarian)

4
Reply
Melanie

Overdrive

0
Reply
Kensley

Library

0
Reply
Nay

My fiancé really likes Audible. He just recently started listening to books and I gotta say, it makes me really happy.

1
Reply
Holly

I think it’s worth it.

0
Reply
Holly

I have overdrive with my library too. My library isn’t very large. I’ve listened to all they have.

0
Holly

Besides the monthly credit they occasionally have sales available to members only. Ive purchased books for 2.00 and several for 5. I like to be smart with my credits. I don’t use them for anything under 20.00. My most recent was a 30.00 book.

0
Kai

if you regularly buy one or more audiobooks a month anyway, its totally worth it. but if you go through spells of listening & not listening, I find it’s better to use the local library instead. if you love audiobooks, it is quite a deal, since they can be very expensive on their own!

1
Reply
Kellie

LIBRARY

0
Reply
Lupita

Library

0
Reply
Desi

Try scribd instead

0
Reply
Teresa

Scribd or library

0
Reply
Anthony

Mixed feelings about the 15 dollars a month, and overdrive is cool but they don’t have every book, like audible does.

0
Reply
Tazi

I personally love audible and think it’s 100% worth it.

0
Reply
Bailey

Scribd and Libby, but you can get library cards from other county’s to add to overdrive or Libby and you can have a huge area to choose from

0
Reply
Karen

It depends on what you are comfortable with. If you are someone who only likes to pay for things once, use the library. But lots of people are willing to pay for things twice. In that case, add Audible.

0
Reply
Anthea

It’s crap, try Scribd, same price and unlimited audio and ebooks, so much better!

3
Reply
Misty

I get the romance package only 6.95 a month.

0
Reply
Jocelyn

Library.

Although I’ve started using Scribd again. When I first tried it a couple years ago, it didn’t have much. But their audiobook collection is pretty impressive now. I go through 2-4 audiobooks a month so the £7 a month for *unlimited audiobooks is a better deal than audible.

I wish audible would do something like that. I don’t want to own the audiobook. I just want to listen to more than one a month.

1
Reply
Isaac

I love Audible. I have Audible to let me snag new releases or stuff my library doesn’t have, then the library for the rest.

Not a huge fan of scribd, since you don’t get to keep the books.

1
Reply
Eline

With a Kindle Unlimited subscription plus Audible Romance Package, you basically never run out of good books and audiobooks.

0
Reply
Ken

@Eline that presupposes one considers the genre of romance “good”.

0
Eline

@Ken I see what you did there. But that aside, there are a lot of audiobooks in the Romance Package that are not mainly Romance.

0
Ken

@Eline seems like a library malfunction ?

0
Eline

@Ken You know, that makes me think of a thing I wrote a little while ago.
https://lovelyaudiobooks.info/romance-audiobooks-reader/

0
Ken

@Eline people that read romance are real readers, but I feel like often it’s the literary equivalent of pornography. Sets up unrealistic expectations and clouds peoples view. Not always.

It’s just not a genre I’m interested in being exposed to.

1
Ken

I have a ton of books in audible. It’s a good service. I’ve never had any of the problems I’ve had with playster (etc). I’m happy with it all in all! ?

0
Reply
Barbara

If you have a library card, you can download the hoopla app and find your library. They have TONS of audio books that you can borrow for 3 weeks.

1
Reply
Sheri

I’m addicted to Audible and I hope the authors make Something from my membership

1
Reply
Kay

I have audible and love it but I also use my library card and use Hoopla and Overdrive. I love having Audible because I like keeping the books to listen to over and over again and I am working on getting complete series of some of the books I read.

1
Reply
Miz

i love it

0
Reply
Dale

I love it too

0
Reply
Amber

Library and Overdrive

0
Reply
Tasha

Library and overdrive

0
Reply
Kerstin

I highly recommend Scribd. 8,99$ per months. And tons of audiobooks and ebooks. Here’s a link for it.
There’s not enough time in the day for everything I want to read on @Scribd. Check it out for yourself: https://www.scribd.com/gi/7cmx26

0
Reply
Kelsey

Bro free audio books through the library on the libby app

0
Reply
Tori

Scribd and library/Libby is what I use. With scribd you can get 8 books a month, for me I use it when I have a long wait on libby and I don’t go always through that many audio books in a month.

1
Reply
Kerstin

Tori Christian I didn’t knew there’s a limit.

0
Kerstin

Tori Christian

Image may contain: text
1
Christina

I have never been limited but I dont read very fast either

0
Bailey

@Tori I’m an avid reader I listened to an 18 hour audio in 2-3 days. With the audio they will limit you but for regular books I’ve never been limited and I’ve read up to 16 in a month

0
Jo

I love my audible. Totally worth it.

0
Reply
Megan

Library cards and use Hoopla.

0
Reply
Dana

I had it for a while until I realized that I wasn’t listening to any more audiobooks with a subscription than I was before. I mostly listen to audiobooks on the Libby app.

0
Reply
Leave a Answer Cancel

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Loading Please wait
Log in
Register
Categories
  • get the book
  • questionnaire
  • recommend
  • review
Genres
animal art biography business chick lit classics comics contemporary cookbooks crime detective fantasy fiction gay and lesbian graphic novel historical fiction history horror humor and comedy kids languages manga memoir music mystery nonfiction novel paranormal philosophy poetry psychology religies religion romance scary science science fiction self help spirituality sports suspense thriller travel young adult young adults
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

2019 © TheBookSwarm