What’s the Difference Between Podcasts and Audiobooks?

Posted On May 5, 2020 By admin With Comments Off

podcast-audiobook

Podcasts and audiobooks are two of the most popular forms of audio entertainment. Both are readily available on your smartphone or computer, but you might not be familiar with the differences between them.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the differences between podcasts and audiobooks. We’ll look at format, pricing, availability, and how to choose between the two formats.

Podcasts vs. Audiobooks: A General Definition

First, let’s define these two media before moving onto detailed analogies. At their core, podcasts and audiobooks are both digital audio data symbolized for listening, but that’s oversimplifying it.

A podcast is an episodic succession of audio content run by one or more emcees. It can take a variety of formats, from speedy news roundups to round-table discussions and much more. Typically, podcast demonstrates liberation on a regular planned and allow customers to get brand-new incidents right away.

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An audiobook is a professional audio recording of an existing text, typically a record. The content of audiobooks almost always exists in another non-audio format, means that they equip an alternate way to spend the same content. Unlike podcasts, audiobooks exhaust as a single make and are not episodic.

There can be slight overlap with these in the shape of narrative podcasts, where the host tells one storey in segments or speaks various short floors in an bout. Nonetheless, we’ll look at other differences between podcasts and audiobooks that build the importance clear.

Audiobook and Podcast Pricing

If you don’t want to spend money on auditory recreation, podcasts are the way to go. Most podcasts are available at no charge, and with so many available, you’ll never run out of free content to enjoy.

Of course, podcast developers have to make money somehow, so many include sponsorship ads sprinkled here and there. These are a small price to pay for otherwise free content, plus they’re easy to bounce if you don’t want to hear them.

Some podcasters likewise accuse a reward for additional content or bonus occurrences, either as a one-off or through a monthly subscription on something like Patreon.

Audiobooks are a different story in terms of cost. Recording an part book’s worth of the information contained is not a cheap undertaking, so publishers usually accuse more for an audiobook than the Kindle edition or physical copy.

For example, take a popular title like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. At the time of writing, the prices for its various formats on Amazon were 😛 TAGEND

Kindle: $8.99 Hardcover: $11.99 Paperback: $6.89 Audiobook: $29.99

Audiobook Price Difference

This is a drastic divergence, meaning that if you listen to a lot, audiobooks can become expensive.

Saving on Audiobooks

If you’re interested in audiobooks, the opportunities are you’ll look at Amazon’s Audible service first( more on that later ). The base Gold subscription penalties $14.95/ month and gives you one credit each month, which is redeemable for any audiobook on the service.

Those who listen more can look at the Platinum plan, which provides two credits per month for world prices of $22.95. While Audible members also get free Audible Originals each month and a discount on audiobook credits, you should know about other ways to find audiobooks for cheap too. You can find free choices at your local library or even on Spotify.

While these likely aren’t as shiny as paid audiobooks, they can hold you over until your next credit.

Podcasts vs. Audiobooks: Usability

Trying to decide between get into podcasts and audiobooks? You might be able to make a call depending on how practical they are for your workflow.

Podcasts generally have less of a time commitment involved. While their duration can vary quite a bit, numerous podcasts come somewhere in the 30 to 60 minute series. This fixes them readily consumable during a commute or workout session.

Audiobooks are a different story. The first Harry Potter record, which we mentioned earlier, races to about eight hours in audiobook pattern. Longer parts can be multiple times longer than this, expecting 20 or more hours to listen to in full.

Audible Book Length

Whether this is a pro or con depends on your listening practices. Listening to a 20 -hour book in 15 -minute globs will take a long time and will likely be unsatisfying as you struggle to follow the floor. Chapters make for natural stopping points, but you can’t ever stop listening exactly where a new period begins.

However, when you have a big chunk of occasion, burrowing into an audiobook is likely more engaging than listening to a ton of podcast bouts back-to-back.

Audiobooks allow you to experience employments you wouldn’t have read otherwise while you cook, drive, or play-act other tasks. But podcasts are easier to sneak in when you have a few minutes without has undertaken to a entire book.

Podcast or Audiobook? Consider Availability

In general, podcasts are easier to access than audiobooks for a few reasons.

First, countless audiobooks are protected by DRM, or digital freedoms management. This means that you when purchasing a journal on Audible, you have to use the Audible app to listen to it. You can’t export the audio datum and listen to it in another app of your choice.

While DRM-free audiobooks do exist, most popular retailers( which sell the books you probably “ve got to hear”) enforce some elevation of DRM. This isn’t a huge batch if you exclusively buy from one retailer, but it becomes a hassle to manage DRM-protected audiobooks from multiple sources.

Audiobooks can also suffer from regional restrictions. You’re probably familiar with this if you live outside of the US, as many forms of online media for US marketplaces are unavailable in other regions. Thus, you might not be able to access a certain book simply because the publisher doesn’t make it available in your area.

Contrast these limitations to podcasts, which have few barriers to entry. With a podcast app on your phone, computer, or even a web app, you can subscribe to and succeed podcasts from multiple sources.

Google Top Podcasts

Most podcasts don’t suffer from any regional rules, either. Since a lot of proves are independently made, they want to reach the widest audience possible. The likelihoods are that you can easily access any podcast you’re interested in, even if you have to check a few cases services for it.

How to Get Started With Audiobooks or Podcasts

Decided that you want to give one or both of these types of entertainment a try? It’s easy to start like to hear both and be determined whether you like them.

For audiobooks, a great way to get started is by signing up for a free Audible trial. This lets you try the service for 30 daytimes with one free audiobook that’s yours to keep. Have a look at our recommendations for audiobooks to grab during your free Audible trial for some ideas.

If you don’t like the Audible experience or find it too costly, it’s easy to cancel your Audible subscription before it refreshes without compensating anything.

To get started with podcasts, you’ll need a podcast overseer and some shows to try. If you use Spotify, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s home to a ton of podcasts in addition to music. Check out the best podcasts on Spotify for a good starting point.

Don’t want to use Spotify? Have a look at our guide to getting started with podcasts for more ways to listen.

Podcasts and Audiobooks: Friends Forever

We’ve go a dive into what constitutes podcasts and audiobooks different. No affair which you gravitate toward, it’s easy to see that the two are not at odds with each other.

Whether you prefer the easy-to-digest format of podcasts or the longform cost of “reading” audiobooks, you can enjoy a ton of enormous audio material anywhere. Speaking of which, we’ve rounded up the best free audiobooks you need to hear.

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