{"id":22435,"date":"2018-12-14T10:30:29","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T02:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shopee.sg\/blog\/?p=22435"},"modified":"2018-12-14T10:30:29","modified_gmt":"2018-12-14T02:30:29","slug":"best-audiobook-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shopee.sg\/blog\/best-audiobook-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best Audiobook Platforms To Listen To Your Favourite Authors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to read books but find it cumbersome to carry a copy along all the time? Why not get onto the audiobook bandwagon instead? Audiobooks are great alternatives to reading a physical book. They\u2019re easy to plug into even when you\u2019re doing household chores. You can even introduce your kids to an audiobook platform. In fact, kids who listen to audiobooks often see an improvement in their vocabulary and pronunciation!<\/p>\n

Audiobooks Vs E-Books<\/h2>\n

Now it\u2019s easy to confuse an audiobook with an e-book but they\u2019re two different things. Though both are available as digital files, you\u2019ll still need to read an e-book whereas all you\u2019ve to do for audiobooks is just listen to them.<\/p>\n

Why should we listen to an audiobook then? Well for one, with several narrators\u2019 voices in audiobooks, you get to better visualise the full story in your head! Shakespeare\u2019s plays, for example, are often read by various voices, helping you to visualise the play even better!<\/p>\n

How do audiobooks work?<\/h2>\n

After checking out your title on the audiobook platform, simply download it as a digital file and listen to it offline. Do take note however that audio books take up more space than e-books — from as much as 100MB to 500MB of space. This is mainly because they take several hours to get through. Plus point is that you can pause, fast forward and even adjust the reading speed to what you desire.<\/p>\n

Who records them?<\/h2>\n

Some of them are read by celebrities. For example, The Great Gatsby<\/em><\/a> is read by Jake Gyllenhaal, who brings a modern twist to this American classic. While other books are read by the authors themselves like The Audacity of Hope<\/em> by Barack Obama. Listening to audiobooks read by the authors themselves tend to be more captivating and compelling.<\/p>\n

Best Audiobook Platforms: Free<\/h2>\n

1. OverDrive at NLB<\/h3>\n
\"nlb
(Credit: National Library Board Singapore<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since the majority of us are already members of the National Library Board (NLB), OverDrive would be our best bet into the world of audiobooks. Install OverDrive and borrow audiobooks from any library in Singapore, free of charge! OverDrive was designed for the purpose of borrowing e-books, audiobooks and other digital content from your local library. With just one app download, you can read and listen to all the books you want to with ease!<\/p>\n

NLB even has a guide<\/a> on how to download OverDrive and borrow books on it! If you\u2019ve never listened to an audiobook ever, this is the best audiobook platform to start off with!<\/p>\n

Best Audiobook Platform: Subscription based<\/h2>\n

2. Audible<\/h3>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Bqn26i3C16S\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Amazon\u2019s Audible is a name synonymous with audiobooks and is considered to be one of the best audiobook platforms in the world. It houses the largest collection of audiobooks on a single platform — over 200,000 fiction and non-fiction titles to buy, rent, stream and listen to offline. Whether you\u2019re looking for a new fiction release, classics, or even kids\u2019 books<\/a>, chances are you can find the title on Audible. It\u2019s pretty much the Netflix<\/a> of audiobooks!<\/p>\n

With a 30-day free trial period (including a free book), you can continue the membership at about SGD$20\/month or choose to terminate after that. Even if you terminate your membership, the book you purchased in your first month is yours to keep for life.<\/p>\n

Additionally, if you\u2019re a member of Amazon Prime, you\u2019ll be granted access to Audible Channels – an in-app selection of short-form programs and podcasts. The Audible app itself is free and ad-free. It syncs audiobooks in your account between all connected devices and allows you to easily pick off where you paused.<\/p>\n

Audible also caters for non-English readers. Find German, Italian and Chinese audiobooks among others on this platform! Yay to inclusion!<\/p>\n

3. Scribd<\/h3>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Bqc1mCMl4jK\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Enjoy an unlimited number of e-books and audiobooks all for about SGD$13\/month with Scribd. They\u2019ve recently done away with their credit system on which users were only allowed to check out books based on the number of credits they had. Readers can now enjoy an unlimited number of checkouts each month — yes, you heard us right, unlimited!<\/p>\n

This is the best audiobook platform for readers who\u2019re looking for various kind of digital publications apart from just fiction and non-fiction books. You\u2019ll have access to the digital versions of established fashion, business and news magazines like Maxim, Fortune and New York Times. Music junkies can also look forward to sheet music! How neat is that?<\/p>\n

4. Blinkist<\/h3>\n