Blinkist vs Audible: The Duel of Digital Libraries

I believe that when it comes to seeking knowledge in our busy, digital-driven lives, we need convenient, effective, and user-friendly solutions. In the ever-expanding realm of digital libraries, two platforms, Blinkist and Audible, take the spotlight.

But each provides a unique way to explore books and gain insights, which can leave readers in a bit of a pickle. Which one to choose? To help you navigate this question, let’s take an in-depth look at both Blinkist and Audible, comparing their features, pricing, and the overall value they offer to readers and learners alike.

But first, let’s see what they have in common:
 

Blinkist vs Audible: The Powerhouses of Digital Reading & Their Similarities

Both Blinkist and Audible have one overarching aim: to make the world of books more accessible. However, the way they approach this goal differs, offering two distinct reading experiences. 

Blinkist’s mission is to make the key points from thousands of books available to everyone by condensing them into 15-minute summaries, or ‘Blinks’. With Blinkist, you can absorb vital information and insights without having to pore over hundreds of pages.

So you can get the main message, educate yourself, or decide to read the whole book! In contrast, Audible delivers full-length audiobooks, inviting users to dive deep into a story or subject.

Let’s take a look and find out how exactly they approach their missions:
 

Blinkist vs Audible: The Main Features

The Content Selection of Blinkist and Audible

When it comes to content, both Blinkist and Audible boast extensive libraries. Audible, primarily an audiobook platform, offers a big selection of books from a range of genres alongside Audible Originals and podcasts. With Audible Plus, users can enjoy unlimited access to over 11,000 titles.

On the other hand, Blinkist is best known for its “Blinks”, which are condensed versions of non-fiction books. The platform hosts more than 6,500 Blinks, providing knowledge seekers with quick, digestible information from top non-fiction books.
 

Blinkist vs Audible: What About the Quality of Content?

Quality is paramount when it comes to selecting an audio-learning platform. Audible excels in delivering professionally narrated audiobooks, ensuring a seamless listening experience. Blinkist, though offering condensed versions of books, doesn’t compromise on quality. The summaries are carefully crafted to retain the essence of the original work, providing listeners with critical insights and actionable takeaways.

With years of experience (11 to be precise) and a team of expert curators, Blinkist offers book summaries of superior quality. Additionally, Blinkist pays special attention to the narrators of their audio versions, ensuring that they are talented and engaging speakers who bring the content to life.
 

User-Friendly Platforms for Effortless Learning!

Blinkist’s app interface is designed to be incredibly user-friendly, catering to individuals who are keen on learning and gaining insights from non-fiction books but may have limited time. Upon opening the Blinkist app, users are greeted with a clean and intuitive layout that facilitates easy navigation.

The home screen features a Discover tab, which serves as a gateway to a huge library of book summaries across various genres and topics. Users can effortlessly browse through the curated selection of titles or use the search function to find specific books they are interested in.

One standout feature of the Blinkist app is its “Library” tab, which plays a central role in enhancing the overall user experience. Users can add summaries of books they find intriguing to their library, creating a personalized collection of bite-sized insights from a wide range of non-fiction works. This not only makes it convenient to access their favorite summaries but also enables Blinkist to generate tailored recommendations based on their reading preferences.

One of Audible’s notable features is its seamless integration with Amazon, as the platform is an Amazon company. This integration allows users to easily access their Audible content through their Amazon account, making the login process effortless for existing Amazon customers.
 

Blinkist vs Audible: The Key Features

Blinkist’s Unique Features

Blinkist offers unique features like ‘Blinkist Spaces’ and ‘Blinkist Guides’ to enhance the user’s learning experience.

Blinkist Spaces

With this feature, premium users can create group spaces within the app to add, share, and recommend titles from the library. It’s like a virtual book club, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Blinkist Guides

This new content format is designed to provide practical insights and actionable tips on specific topics. Each Guide contains a blend of original audio content, Blinks, and Shortcasts, along with additional resources like exercises, infographics, and quizzes.

Users can choose to listen to a Guide from the beginning or scroll through the chapters to start where they prefer. At the end of each chapter, a quick summary of the main idea is given, as well as a summary of the whole Guide. Guides offer a comprehensive and engaging way to learn about various topics, focusing on practical application and knowledge retention.

Audible Key Features

With Audible Plus, members have unlimited access to a catalog of audiobooks, including Audible Originals and podcasts. Premium Plus members enjoy a monthly credit to purchase any audiobook outside the Plus catalog.
 

Blinkist vs Audible: The Pricing

In terms of pricing, Audible offers two membership tiers: Audible Plus at $7.95 per month and Audible Premium Plus at $179.40 per year. Blinkist also offers a free version with limited access and a Premium version that unlocks all features, including ‘Spaces’ and ‘Guides’, priced competitively.

Both platforms have similar pricing structures, with free and paid versions available.

Blinkist‘s annual plan costs $99.99 per year, while the monthly plan is $15.99. The yearly plan offers significant savings over the monthly plan. 

Blinkist Premium grants unlimited access to the entire library, exclusive guides, collections, and short casts. Premium users can also download titles for offline access and send reads to Kindle. 

Moreover, Blinkist lets subscribers invite one person to share their Premium plan at no extra cost. Sharing is caring! With Blinkist’s 2-for-1 offer and its huge collection of titles, Blinkist not just got you covered but also your special someone!
 

Blinkist vs Audible – The Conclusion

Both Blinkist and Audible want to provide knowledge to everyone, but it’s worth noting that Audible’s platform is solely focused on audiobooks, while Blinkist provides shorter summaries and key insights from non-fiction books and spoilers: also some carefully selected fiction books! Depending on your preferences and reading habits, you should choose the platform that best suits your needs and makes your reading or listening experience enjoyable and efficient.

Still Undecided About the Blinkist vs Audible Dilemma?

Are you wondering whether investing ten or more hours in an audiobook is the right fit for you or if Blinkist’s bite-sized summaries, which distill a book’s essence into manageable 15-minute summaries, would suit you better?

While Blinkist allows for quick revisits to refresh your knowledge, the practicality of listening to a 10-hour audiobook multiple times can be intimidating. To ease your decision, Blinkist offers a free 7-day trial. This is a golden opportunity to test the platform and explore whether these 15-minute summaries cater to your needs.

So why wait? Sign up for a trial and relish in 7 days of unlimited knowledge, absolutely free!
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