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E-books VS Audiobooks

Reading books is a habit people still practice today. However, due to technological developments, book formats have expanded. Now readers have the option of listening to a book or simply downloading it as an e-book. With this advancement, the debate over which format is better has emerged.

This blog explores the pros and cons of both audiobooks and e-books.

First, let's briefly explain what each one means. An e-book is a digital form of the physical book. It can come in different formats like PDF, EPUB, and MOBI, while an audiobook is a recording of a book read out loud. It also has several formats like MP3, WMA, and AAC.

The comparison between the two formats will be based on availability, price, reading experience, customization, storage space, and convenience.

1- Availability:

Since e-books are easier and cheaper to produce and they have been around for decades, readers are much more likely to find the e-book version of a physical book. In contrast, audiobooks are relatively newer and their production requires more time and higher costs, which is why the number of books available in an audio format is much lower. While it's worth mentioning that the number of audiobook listeners has been increasing lately, which means that more books will be converted to an audio version. For example, in 2021 the number of audiobook published has increased by 4% compared to the previous year [Source: Wordsrated]

2- Price:

While the production costs of e-books vary according to word count, writing, and proofreading, it still costs less to purchase an e-book than an audiobook. - Recording a book requires a studio, sound equipment, a narrator, and sometimes more than one narrator. In a 10 hour audiobook a narrator charges around $20,000 and a studio costs around $6000 [Source: Wordsrated]. These costs add to the final price of the audiobook being purchased.

3- Reading experience:

Listening and reading are completely different experiences. Reading a book allows you to pause and reread easily. If you prefer to sit and give 100% of your focus and concentration on reading, then e-books are a better option for you. On the other hand, voice actors add emotion and depth to the book. Some audiobooks include background music and sounds, which add to the overall experience.

4- Customization:

Most e-book platforms provide customization features like highlighting, annotating, changing font size, and changing background colour. In contrast, readers are not able to do these things in an audiobook. However, some audiobook platforms include helpful additions like a bookmark, skip to a new chapter, and back to a previous section. Also, some platforms allow readers to sync an audiobook with its e-book version.

5- Storage space:

The size of an e-book depends on the format it comes in and the content it includes. Text-only e-books have a smaller size compared to the ones that include images or audio. Text-only e-books size ranges from a few kilobytes to a few megabytes. Similarly, the format of an audiobook affects its size. An audiobook in MP3 format takes about 500 megabytes. A 10 hour audiobook takes around 300 to 400 megabytes in AAX version.

6- Convenience:

Reading an e-book requires full attention. So, for busy people or during packed days, it might be hard to read the desired amount. However, audiobooks allow readers to multitask. You can make use of idle time like driving, cooking, or cleaning with a productive habit like listening to an audiobook.

Conclusion:

There is no right or wrong way to consume literature. Each person has different purposes for reading and a different lifestyle. Even at an individual level, each day could be different. Also, the type of book might affect which format readers choose. So, on busy days you might choose to listen to an audiobook, or if you're reading a complex nonfiction book, you may prefer to read an e-book.