Listening to audiobooks is one of life's greater pleasures. Reading is essential for modern life, we read all day long. Sometimes the audio version can give our mind a break or simply give us the opportunity to do two things at once. A lot of us associate reading with school, which for some in turn is associated with all kinds of unpleasant feelings. Others have a preference to listening over reading. Maybe it's a bit of everything combined that creates a genuine hard-core audiobook fan. There are a lot of options on the internet to choose from. The Classic Tales Podcast was where I began, the show even became a mentioned influence on my book 575365.


B.J. Harrison reads to us each week from a chosen story from antiquity. His style is humorous and serious in exactly the right places and he has an innate understanding of the author's intention with each telling. Fans can support the show and get vouchers in return. The man has recorded a phenomenal amount of work and it's all available for sale at realistically good prices.


There's more to choose from, and sometimes we don't want to listen to the classics as enjoyable as they might be. The two big services out there are Audible and Kobo. Joining both services gives you a free first book so if you want to try them both then it's absolutely free. Here's a tip, use your free trial to get the longest book you can find. It's what I did.


So how do these services compare? You can assume that both sites offer extremely high quality recordings from a plethora of professional readers. This is exactly right. Their first comparable difference is in the price. One month membership is charged and in return you get a credit to spend on any book. Kobo is a pound cheaper than Audible.


This changes when you start getting into multiple credits. With Audible you can by 3 credits for £6 each provided you are a member. Kobo offers the same for £20. This is a two pounds increase. This being said, both sites offer plenty of cheaper options for selected titles. Plus, the books you might want to listen to but can't because Audible doesn't list them are probably on Kobo. I've managed to find titles on Kobo when Audible didn't have them.


Audible works on the computer and the phone. Any OS can play Audible through their app. Kobo doesn't have a Windows app, you have to use your phone. This can be a hassle, especially if you use your phone for other things. It would be great if Kobo could produce a Windows player. It would also be amazing if they created a list of free to listen content for members. Audible has this, and it's actually very generous. We understand that readers and writers need to get paid but there must be some viable economics for it to work on the other platform.


Learn about new subjects to university level, delve into the history of the world, or just escape into a made-up reality where you are a silent observer, see if you can settle down with audiobooks. You can still do other things while they're on.


Get a free audiobook with Kobo


Get a free audiobook with Audible

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