Jan 22, 2022 7:00 AM

The Best Ebook Subscription Services for Every Kind of Reader

You can read countless ebooks, listen to audiobooks, or browse comics with one of these WIRED-tested digital reading subscriptions.

Ebooks have not swept away traditional tomes the way streaming services for music, movies, and TV shows have slashed sales of discs. Physical book sales are booming, but ebooks and audiobooks have a dedicated, appreciative audience. If you love to read, an ebook subscription service is a great way to discover new titles, find recommendations, and read more indie books. We tried out several of the most popular options, delving into their available libraries, apps, and features to determine the best ebook subscription services and audiobook subscriptions for different people.

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Photgraph: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images
What to Consider
How to Choose an Ebook Service
While an ebook subscription might sound ideal, you should take some time to consider the pros and cons of each one. These digital reading services are often billed as the equivalent of Netflix or Spotify for books, and there are similarities, but ebook subscriptions also have some unexpected restrictions.
Content: All ebook subscription services offer limited libraries of ebooks. (This is where the Netflix comparison is useful.) They may boast more than a million titles, but that total doesn’t necessarily include any works by your favorite authors; none of the services we tested had a single title by Cormac McCarthy, for example, though some had audiobooks of his works.
The big five publishers (Penguin Random House, Hachette, Macmillan, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster) dominate the bestseller charts in the US but have had limited dealings with ebook subscription services so far. Current best-seller lists are not well represented, and the modest list of mainstream hits that appears mostly comprises older titles. Whatever service you are considering, we advise browsing the available library of ebooks and audiobooks before you commit.
Reading Habits: If you only read one or two books a month, you might be better off buying popular titles, recommendations from trusted friends, or works by your favorite authors. That way, you get to choose the best ebooks and keep them. With ebook subscriptions, you lose access the moment you stop subscribing, and the library of available books can change at any time without notice.
Voracious readers who are happy to try new and unfamiliar authors will likely get the most value from ebook subscriptions. But while these services are typically described as unlimited, they often do have hidden limits. This is where they differ from services like Spotify and Netflix. With Scribd, for example, the available library is reduced when you hit opaque limits.
Support: Make sure the devices you like to read on are supported. Most ebook subscription services offer apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, at a minimum. Languages, accessibility, and extra features like search vary, so do your research to make sure the app supports your needs. Sadly, many ebook readers, like Kindles, are not compatible with ebook subscription services other than their manufacturer’s offering.
Audiobooks: Unlike ebook subscription services, some audiobook services offer a monthly credit system that allows you to buy audiobooks you can keep, even if you stop subscribing. Others offer apparently unlimited access to a streaming library, but there are often hidden limits that narrow your choice for that month after you’ve listened to an audiobook or two. Consider also the maximum bitrate for audio streams, as this differs from service to service and can impact the quality of your audiobook.
Photograph: Scribd
Best Overall
Scribd
With an enormous, varied library, Scribd is the best ebook subscription service for most people. You can read or listen via your browser on any device or use the Android or iOS apps, which are clearly laid out, fully configurable, and make for a pleasant reading experience. I had no trouble finding intriguing titles, and there’s a solid mix of classics, best sellers, indie books, and even some Scribd Originals. Progress syncs across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. You can download ebooks to read offline. Scribd also includes podcasts, magazines, and a document section enabling people to upload whatever they like. Even after a recent price hike, Scribd is an attractive package that comes bundled with perks, which currently include TuneIn Premium and MUBI subscriptions.
On the downside, there are limits to your monthly reading. Frustratingly, the rules are not clear. If you hit the limit, access is restricted to a smaller subset until the next month begins, and some titles are labeled Available Soon. While the formatting for ebooks is generally good, some magazine formatting is poor.
Cost: 30-day free trial, then $10 per month
★ Another Alternative: Bookmate boasts a large library of ebooks, audiobooks, and comics for $10 per month and is easy to use, but the choice and extras aren’t as varied as with Scribd.
$10 at Scribd
Courtesy of Audible
Best for Audiobooks
Audible
This slick audiobook subscription service boasts countless titles covering modern best sellers, classics, and much more. There’s also a sizable collection of exclusive Audible Originals and podcasts. With an Audible subscription, you get one credit per month to spend on an audiobook of your choice, but you get to keep whatever you buy even after your subscription ends. Audible works on Amazon’s Kindle ereaders, Fire tablets, and Alexa devices, but there’s also an app for Android, iOS, and Windows, and you can use the Cloud Player on Macs. The audiobook quality is the best I have tested (up to 64 kbps), the service is easy to configure, and progress syncs across devices.
The high cost is a definite downside. A subscription for a single monthly credit costs more than a Scribd membership (which doesn’t have as many audiobooks but includes ebooks for $10 a month). Want more than one audiobook each month? You will need to spend more, but you can take advantage of frequent 2-for-1 offers and discounts for members.
Cost: 30-day free trial, then $15 per month
$15 at Audible

Photograph: OverDrive
Best Free Service
Libby by OverDrive
Many public libraries support OverDrive’s Libby app, enabling you to use your library card to check out ebooks or audiobooks. Borrowing is on the rise, thanks to Libby's wide selection, easy-to-use service, and, of course, the fact that it doesn't cost a penny. We have a guide on how to get free ebooks with your library card to help you get started. Some libraries also offer magazines and comic books, though the formatting isn’t always great. The Libby app is quite basic, but it has a solid feature set and you can configure it to suit your needs.
Unfortunately, the titles you want are not always available. The choice depends on what your library offers and how popular things are with other readers. You also borrow titles for a limited period, just like a regular library book, and other people can request titles, which means you can’t always renew them.
Cost: Free
★ Alternatives: Project Gutenberg is a great place to find free classic ebooks, and Librivox offers many audiobooks in the public domain, although the quality on these websites can vary wildly.
Buy at OverDrive
Photograph: Amazon
Best for Kindles
Kindle Unlimited
If you prefer to read on one of Amazon’s Kindles, Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription offers seamless access to countless ebooks. While there are some popular titles and classics on offer, the bulk of the library is self-published and indie titles; best-selling authors generally only offer their back catalogs. Kindle Unlimited also includes some popular magazines, and many of the ebooks support Audible Narration. The service works beautifully on Amazon’s Kindle or Fire devices, and the Kindle app for iOS, Android, Mac, or PC is fully configurable, easy to use, and syncs across devices. You can borrow up to 10 titles at a time and simply return one to check another out.
Although there’s a wide choice of ebooks on Kindle Unlimited, I often struggled to find something I wanted to read. The collection is frustratingly difficult to browse and lacks a good recommendation system. Best-selling authors and big publishers are largely absent from the platform, so you may have to take a chance on new and unfamiliar writers (though that can be a good thing). If you’re already a Prime subscriber, check out Prime Reading for a curated list of around 1,000 free titles (sadly, the Kindle Lending Library has been discontinued).
Cost: 30-day free trial, then $10 per month
★ For Kobo Owners: Kobo Plus is not available in the US yet, but if you’re in Canada or one of the other supported countries and use a Kobo device, it’s worth checking out.
$10 at Amazon
Courtesy of Epic!
Best for Kids
Epic!
Perhaps the largest platform dedicated to kids aged 12 and under, Epic has an interesting mix of content that includes more than 40,000 ebooks. There are some classics, a few entries from popular series, and books from big publishers like HarperCollins and Macmillan, including many educational books. There’s also a decent selection of comics and a few videos and audiobooks. We particularly liked the “read to me” option on some ebooks with voice acting, sound effects, and text that highlights as you read. Both the web interface and the mobile apps are slick and offer reward badges to encourage kids to read more. Parents can easily track their child’s progress and browse by topic. We also appreciate the free access for elementary schools in the US.
While there are well-known titles, many classics are absent. Popular series, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, are incomplete (Epic only has the first two books in this long series). Some of the titles are of dubious quality, so while it’s safe to let your kids browse, you may find they spend a lot of time reading cartoon and video game tie-ins. The bite-sized videos, covering things like animal facts and recipes, could be a double-edged sword if you’re trying to encourage reading.
Cost: Epic Basic offers free access to one book a day. Epic Unlimited is $10 per month or $80 per year and provides access to everything
$10 at Epic!

Photograph: 24symbols
Best for Recommendations
24symbols
Finding ebooks you want to read is an issue for every subscription service we tested. They tend to promote a small subset of their content, making it tricky to find titles that satisfy specific tastes. If you don’t want to spend ages browsing, recommendations are vital. That's what makes 24symbols worth a look. You can read as many ebooks as you like each month, but you only get access to one audiobook. The choice is quite good, with plenty of classics, some older books from big-name authors, and some indies. What elevates 24symbols is the social aspect. You can create bookshelves and follow other readers to find curated lists of suggestions, much like Spotify playlists.
Ebooks are the focus, and I found the audiobooks section quite limited. There are no magazines or other kinds of content. I also found that some of my searches, such as “Irvine Welsh,” only returned foreign language versions of his works, which was disappointing. Compared to some of our other recommendations, the 24symbols web interface and mobile apps are clunky.
Cost: $9 per month
★ Another Alternative: With TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, you can pay $16, fill out your interests and recent books you enjoyed, and get an email with three recommendations tailored just for you from an expert bibliologist.
$9 at 24symbols
Photograph: ComiXology
Best for Comic Books
ComiXology Unlimited
While there are a few graphic novels on some ebook subscription services, the choice tends to be limited. By far the best option for comic book fans, ComiXology Unlimited gives you access to thousands of comics and graphic novels from all of the major publishers, including DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse. The website and mobile apps are straightforward and sync progress across devices. While you can read on a smartphone, you are better off with a good tablet, laptop, or desktop to enjoy the high-resolution art. The Unlimited service is a great way to discover new comics, and the app recommends titles the more you use it.
Sadly, while ComiXology Unlimited has a wide range, it lacks depth in places. Many series are incomplete, which can be hugely frustrating and leave you with little choice but to buy specific titles to fill the gaps, though they are, at least, discounted. The iOS app doesn’t include the store, so you have to go through the browser to buy titles there. Because Unlimited is within the larger ComiXology website, it can be tricky to navigate and find titles that are included in your subscription.
Cost: 30-day free trial, then $6 per month
★ Alternatives: Marvel Unlimited ($10 per month or $69 per year) carries thousands of Marvel titles with new issues landing three months after release, while DC Universe Infinite ($8 per month or $75 per year) is a similar service for DC fans.
$6 at ComiXology

Simon Hill has been writing about tech for more than a decade. He is a regular contributor for WIRED, but you can also find his work at Business Insider, Reviewed, TechRadar, Android Authority, USA Today, Digital Trends, and many other places. Before writing, he worked in games development. He lives... Read more

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