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Choose Wisely: Blinkist vs Scribd – Which One is Your Reading Buddy?

Stuck between Blinkist and Scribd? We’ll help you pick! Uncover the magic of quick reading with Blinkist vs Scribd. Blinkist might just be the game-changer you've been waiting for!
by Chris Allmer | Jul 19 2023

Are you like me? Do you adore books but struggle to find time to read? Or are you maybe one of those knowledge-hungry humans who want to gobble up all the knowledge without going through the pages like a snail?

Well, your shiny knights in digital armor are here: Blinkist and Scribd! These two are popular friends for book lovers. But when you must pick one, which one should be your reading buddy? Let’s find out!
 

What Do They Have in Common?

Before we dive into the details and their specific features, let’s peek into what these two reading giants share:

Both Blinkist and Scribd are part of the modern wave of digital libraries. They provide content in digital format, allowing users to read or listen to it on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Both platforms operate on a subscription-based model. Users pay a monthly or annual fee to gain access to the content available on Blinkist and Scribd.

In addition to written content, both platforms offer audio content. This is particularly useful for people who prefer to listen to content rather than read, or those who want to consume content while multitasking.

Both platforms also offer content curation features, recommending books and content based on your interests and past consumption. This helps in discovering new content that aligns with the user’s preferences.

Now, let’s take a look at the specific features of Blinkist and Scribd:

Blinkist Scribd
Content Library 6,500+ pieces of content
Including books (fiction and non-fiction), Guides, collections and Shortcasts
178 million pieces of content
Subscription Mode Basic and Premium Basic and Premium
Trial Free 7-day trial Free 30-day trial
Free Plan One free daily pick and access to selected collections N/A
Premium Subscription
  • Unlimited access to the entire library
  • Exclusive expert guides, collections, and shortcasts
  • Download titles for offline access
  • Send reads to Kindle
  • 2 for 1, share premium account for free
  • Unlimited access to books, magazines, and audiobooks
  • Snapshots (short summaries)
  • Download titles for offline access
Unique Features
  • Blinkist Spaces:  share, recommend and discuss titles with anyone
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Guides with activities and infographics
  • Ability to highlight and save key insights
  • Top Charts in the app
  • Full books
  • Podcasts
  • Snapshots (short book summaries)
  • Sheet music
  • Documents as pdf
  • Magazines
Availability
  • IOS and Android mobile devices
  • Desktop
  • Kindle integration
  • Offline access (premium users)
  • IOS and Android mobile devices
  • Desktop
  • Offline access (premium users)
Pricing
  • The annual plan costs $99.99 per year
  • The monthly plan is $15.99
The monthly plan starts at $11.99
Refund Policy 14-day money-back guarantee N/A
Language
  • English
  • German
  • Spanish
  • English
  • French 
  • German 
  • Indonesian 
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Spanish
Ratings
  • App Store 4.8 (108.8K reviews).
  • Google Play 4.5 (100K reviews)
  • App Store 4.7 (76.5K reviews).
  • Google Play 3.9 (52K reviews)

 

The Content Selection: Blinkist vs Scribd

One of the most significant differences between Blinkist and Scribd is the services they offer. While Scribd offers full books (like Kindle), Blinkist has created short summaries of more than 6,500 famous books and masterpieces, so you can get the key ideas of those books in just 15 minutes.

Scribd has a library of millions of content pieces, like books, PDFs, or music sheets. This platform is more like Kindle or Amazon.
 

The Quality of the Content: Blinkist offers curated content.

Blinkist and Scribd both guarantee top-notch content. While Blinkist’s editors curate high-quality summaries of the best books around, Scribd takes you into a virtual library with thousands of books to go through.

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.
 

The App Interface and Ease of Use of Blinkist and Scribd

Nobody likes complicated things, right? Blinkist and Scribd know this. Their apps are a breeze to use. Neat designs, easy search, and friendly interfaces make your reading journey smoother than a piece of cake.

With Blinkist, users can also effortlessly add titles to their library, allowing Blinkist to generate personalized recommendations based on their preferences. This feature makes discovering new titles to learn from and enjoy a breeze.

The Blinkist app boasts an intuitive design, with a home bar and only three tabs to navigate: Discover, Library, and You. Its library tab is particularly remarkable; it includes the possibility to create collections and organize their favorite titles.

On the other hand, Scribd offers users access to their continuously changing library, which means there’s a chance your favorite books might suddenly be offline.
 

And Now the Key Differences Between Blinkist and Scribd

Blinkist’s Unique Features

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVpCm6EnwRQ 

Blinkist Spaces: Your Virtual Book Clubs

As a Blinkist Premium user, you can create Blinkist Spaces—think of them as cozy virtual book clubs. You can add books, share favorites with your friends, and recommend special findings within the app.

Whether with family, friends, or colleagues, it’s an oasis for book lovers to connect and share knowledge.

Blinkist Guides: Learn, Apply, Excel

Blinkist has recently introduced a new content format, Guides, designed to provide practical insights and actionable tips on specific topics: your one-stop shop for practical wisdom. These guides are packed with audio content, Blinks, Shortcasts, exercises, and more.

Expert-led and curated, they guide you in applying what you learn. You get flexibility in choosing chapters, a quick recap of the key ideas, and a summary at the end.

With Blinkist Spaces and Blinkist Guides, you’re all set to elevate your reading and learning. Connect, share, and grow with Blinkist – the app that puts a world of knowledge at your fingertips!

Scribd’s Unique Features

A Big Library

One of Scribd’s key features is its diverse content library. Not only does it offer books and audiobooks, but it also has magazines, documents, and sheet music, making it a comprehensive platform for various content types.

Virtual Books

Gone are the days when you needed to carry around heavy books. Scribd is your virtual library that fits right in your pocket. You can read all the available books right on your phone screen.

In summary, Blinkist is ideal for individuals seeking to consume content summaries of famous books in a quick and efficient manner, while Scribd is better suited for those who take the time to read through the whole book.
 

Blinkist vs Scribd: Which App is Worth the Most?

Both apps have similar pricing structures, with free and paid versions available. The free plan at Blinkist gives you access to one book per day, and you can enjoy a free 7-day-trial.

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. 

Scribd’s monthly plan starts at $11.99 a month.

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 your Kindle. 

And there’s more! Blinkist believes in doubling the joy. Premium users can invite a friend or family member to share their Premium plan at zero extra cost. It’s a reading fiesta with Blinkist’s 2-for-1 offer! Sharing is caring! 
 

Blinkist vs. Scribd: The Final Conclusion

Ultimately, as always, it’s all about you: do you prefer to start reading a book and decide after 40 pages that that is not your vibe? Or do you like to read quick but smart 15-minute breakdowns of the key ideas of a book before you decide to dive into it?

While Scribd offers access to full books, like Kindle or Amazon, Blinkist focuses on book summaries you can read or listen to. Blinkist’s library offers a diverse range of topics, exclusive features like shortcasts and guides, and the option to share a Premium plan with another person. 

This makes it a strong contender for many users. If you’re looking for a comprehensive and versatile book summary experience, Blinkist is the one for you.

But why not make your own choices? Blinkist welcomes you with open arms and a 7-day free trial. Experience the wonders of Blinkist firsthand without spending a dime. Head over to the website, subscribe, and get on an enlightening journey. Don’t keep knowledge waiting – sign up today!

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