After using Audible for six months and Kindle Unlimited for most of a year, I made the choice to switch to Everand, formerly Scribd, for audiobooks and ebooks. It might not be the best option for everyone, but for me, I couldn’t be happier.
Everand Is Cheaper Than Audible
If you want audiobooks and ebooks, Everand is a much better deal than Audible. While Audible gives you unlimited listening to thousands of titles for $7.95/month, Everand gives you unlimited listening and reading for thousands of titles for $11.99/month. This pricing is on par with Kindle Unlimited.
Plus, Everand started a premium titles service where you can unlock and read 1-3 premium bestseller titles each month. With Audible, this costs $14.95/month. The only downside is Everand doesn’t let you keep titles after ending your subscription.
Great Variety of Both Bestsellers and Indie Authors
While many of the latest bestsellers are locked behind the premium titles section of Everand, I still find thousands of great bestsellers each month. Plus, there are even more indie authors and small publishers to keep me reading and listening all month long.
I actually found the variety to be better than Audible, but similar to Kindle Unlimited. The best part is I never have to worry about accidentally hitting the wrong button and purchasing a title versus just adding it to my reading list like I do with Kindle titles.
Amazing Selection of Sheet Music
I realize this might not be a huge perk for those who don’t play an instrument, but sheet music is expensive! Now, for less than the cost of one sheet music book, I get unlimited access to over 70,000 pieces of sheet music every month. This includes numerous Hal Leonard titles. So far, I’ve saved several dozen books and love viewing them on my tablet as I play.
I’d highly recommend subscribing if you’re learning an instrument. There are numerous tutorials available in ebook, audiobook, and sheet music formats. Or, if you’re like me, it’s fun finding new styles to practice and expand your skills.
Includes Everand Originals
One thing I loved about both Audible and Kindle Unlimited was the originals. But, Everand has their own original titles. I’ve found titles in almost every genre and they’re just as engaging as the other two platforms.
So far, I haven’t missed the other two platforms at all when it comes to original content. Of course, if you’re hooked on a specific series or author that’s exclusive to Audible or Kindle Unlimited, you might be disappointed.
Create Lists to Organize My TBR Pile
Does your read pile get out of hand easily? Mine too. Everand lets me create as many lists as I want to keep things organized. As I find new titles, I just save them to a list and they’re waiting for me when I’m finished with my latest title. There are even filters to find titles in longer lists.
I can even mark a title as finished without removing it from my lists. This is ideal if I want to go back and read something again.
Track All Bookmarks and Notes In One Place
A handle little feature I love about Everand is the Notebook. Kindle offers something similar, but Audible’s notes are far more complicated to use and access.
The Notebook shows me all my notes, highlights, and bookmarks in one location. Of course, I can also access title-specific notes directly from a title when I open it. But, if I want to see notes from multiple titles at once, I just open the Notebook and enjoy.
Similar Reading and Listening App
Admittedly, I was nervous making the switch to Everand. But, the Everand app is similar to both Audible and Kindle Unlimited. The player functions almost identically to Audible and the reader works much like Kindle. So, if you’ve used either app before, Everand isn’t a difficult adjustment at all.
A Few Things I Missed After Switching To Everand
I’ll be honest. No ebook and audiobook is all rainbows and unicorns. It’s more like roses. You’re going to have to deal with a few thorns, no matter what platform you choose. That’s how I feel about Everand. Overall, I love it. But, there are a few things I wish I could change.
The biggest complaint is the vague limits. Supposedly, I can read and listen to unlimited titles in the Unlimited collection. But, the fine print points out that some publishers may limit how much a user can read or listen to in a month. However, there aren’t any details on what publishers or what the limits might be. I’ve never encountered a limit yet and I tend to read 3-4 ebooks, listen to 3-5 audiobooks, and open several sheet music titles per month.
Also, it’s extremely difficult to determine what number a title is in a series. On Audible and Kindle Unlimited, if a book is part of a series, it’s listed as “book 1 of 5” or something like that. Nope, not on Everand. I have to track that info down all on my own.
The overall library is smaller than Audible and Kindle Unlimited. However, Audible’s library is larger mainly because of the bestsellers offered. I’m not that interested in most bestsellers, so this isn’t an issue for me. If you just want free public domain titles and use iOS, check out Apple Books.
One final negative is I can’t buy anything through Everand. With Audible and Kindle Unlimited, I can purchase titles to keep. Now, if I find something on Everand I want to keep, I have to go to Amazon or Audiobooks.com to purchase it.
Generous Free Trial Before Switching
Audible and Everand both offer a 30-day free trial. I love having a full month to see if I like a new service. With Kindle Unlimited, sometimes you might get a week or a month or just a discounted price.
But, when I chose to switch, the 30-day trial of Everand did make it easier for me to try before I subscribed. And, it gave me ample time to explore titles, test out the platform, and feel comfortable ditching the other services.
So, if you’re curious, give the free trial a try and see how Everand compares. You might just find a new favorite ebook and audiobook service. Of course, Everand isn’t the only option. Try out these Audible and Kindle Unlimited alternatives to see what works best for you.
Image credit: Pexels, All screenshots by Crystal Crowder
