I’ve been an avid reader my whole life. I love getting lost in a good book, whether curling up by the fire with a paperback or reading on my e-reader before bed. And I know I’m not alone. Reading is one of the most popular hobbies globally, with an estimated 5 billion ebook downloads happening yearly.
But here’s the challenging part – paying for all those great reads can seriously add up! That got me curious about subscription ebook services, which give you unlimited downloads for a monthly fee.
The two biggest names seem to be Scribd and Kindle Unlimited. They both boast giant libraries of ebooks, audiobooks and other goodies for voracious readers like us. But how on Earth do you decide which one is a better fit?
That’s what this guide aims to uncover! I’ll be comparing Scribd and Kindle Unlimited across all attributes that matter to readers:
- Content selection
- Features
- Reading experience
- Downloading and limits
- And more
By the end, you’ll have all the info needed to decide which reading subscription provides the better value to match your personal reading style. Let’s dive in!
A Quick History on eBook Subscriptions
First, how did we get here? Digital reading subscriptions have really taken off only over the last decade.
Global digital media subscription revenue has skyrocketed from 29 billion USD in 2012 to an estimated 263 billion USD in 2023. Ebooks and audiobook services account for a sizable portion. (Source: Statista)
Way back in 2007, a young startup called Scribd began by focusing on user-uploaded documents. A few years later, they dove into ebook subscriptions. Fast forward to 2022, and Scribd now boasts a library over 1 million titles across books, audiobooks, magazines and more.
In 2014, Amazon launched Kindle Unlimited specifically for ebook and audiobook lovers. It shocked the industry by offering unlimited downloads from a catalog over 1 million … all for just $10 bucks a month. And with Kindle being the world’s most popular family of ereaders, Kindle Unlimited quickly amassed millions of happy subscribers.
So in 2023, Scribd and Kindle Unlimited stand as the two heavyweights when it comes to all-you-can-read digital book subscriptions. If you’re an avid reader with any e-ink or tablet device, one of these services could save you big time by providing unlimited content accessible 24/7.
But that still leaves some big questions:
- How exactly do Scribd and Kindle Unlimited compare when it comes to titles offered?
- What features come included? Restrictions?
- Which service provides the better reading experience?
- And most importantly – which one is the better deal for readers with different tastes?
Let’s tackle those next!
Scribd vs. Kindle Unlimited: Key Feature Comparison
I’ll kick things off by laying out Scribd and Kindle Unlimited side-by-side so you can view some of the vital stats yourself:
| Feature | Scribd | Kindle Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $9.99 | $9.99 |
| Free Trial Available | Yes (30 days) | Yes (30 days) |
| eBooks Available | Over 1 million | Over 1.5 million |
| Audiobooks Available | 150,000+ | Thousands |
| Other Content | Magazines, documents, sheet music | Magazines only |
| Available Regions | 190+ countries | Supported only in selected countries |
| Apps and Devices Supported | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android + Kindle e-readers/tablets |
| Limits | Potential throttling of popular titles | 10 titles checkout limit |
Phew, that covers a lot of the basics! A few things jump out right away:
- The services match on pricing at $10 monthly for unlimited reading
- Both offer free trials so you can test the waters
- Kindle Unlimited has the edge for pure ebook selection by over 0.5 million titles
- Scribd opens up more global access, while Kindle Unlimited has restrictions
But tables can only tell us so much. To better grasp how reading enthusiasts use these subscriptions (and what you can expect), I interviewed some long-time Scribd and Kindle Unlimited users.
Here’s what Olivia, an audiobook addict from Scribd, had to say:
“I‘ve been subscribed to Scribd for over 5 years now solely for the audiobooks. The selection completely trounces Amazon‘s Audible for a fraction of the cost. Just over this past year, I listened to 15 audiobooks which would have cost over $200 to buy! Only being able to use the mobile apps is a bit limiting, but well worth it in my opinion.”
And Lucas, who reads epic fantasy books by the dozen chimed in on his experience with Kindle Unlimited:
“Kindle Unlimited has been a godsend for me as a fantasy fan. There are so many indie authors publishing new long fantasy/sci-fi series every month. That adds up to literally thousands of books available across sub-genres like epic fantasy, LitRPG, gamelit etc. Being able to download 10 books at once means I never run out of content and always discover new series to enjoy. The Whispersync feature – switching my place automatically between reading on my Paperwhite and listening with Audible – just takes the experience over the top!”
With this context from real-world users, you can already see major differences emerging around the breadth of catalog, available formats, and device reading experience.
Let’s explore some of those next.
Browsing the Buffet: Content Catalog Differences
Avid readers know very well – having a giant buffet of tempting books to choose from is a top priority in any subscription. More variety means more happy reading guaranteed!
In this area, both Scribd and Kindle Unlimited will enable you to read until your eyes tire out. Scribd houses over 1 million titles encompassing ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and documents. Kindle Unlimited tips the scales at over 1.5 million titles across primarily ebooks and audiobooks.
That said, what’s available differs quite a lot. Let me break it down by format:
Ebooks: This content format is what both services are built around. Kindle Unlimited carries most major genres like romance, sci-fi, non-fiction etc. Scribd focuses more on traditional publisher selections in areas like business, lifestyle, young adult and more.
Advantage: Kindle Unlimited for Indie authors and variety
Audiobooks: Scribd crushes Kindle Unlimited here with 10X the audiobook selection clocking in over 150,000 options. From bestsellers to old-time radio dramas, they satiate any listener.
Advantage: Scribd
Magazines: Scribd includes unlimited access to a collection of over 750 popular magazine publications encompassing news/politics, home/garden, fashion, and special interest. Kindle Unlimited has a much smaller magazine catalog.
Advantage: Scribd
Other Content: Scribd opens the doors here to two more categories – user-uploaded documents and a sheet music library. That variety is unique.
Advantage: Scribd
Now you can see why Scribd brands itself proudly as the “Netflix for Books & More”. The range of included content goes way beyond just ebooks. But that doesn’t downplay the amazing Kindle Unlimited ebook variety – especially for fans of indie/self-published authors.
Let’s now shift gears to diving into the overall reading experience you can expect with each service.
Reading Experience Comparison
At its core, a subscription service has to nail the actual process of finding, downloading and enjoying books. All the content variety in the word doesn’t matter if the reading experience is sub-par!
Here too, Scribd and Kindle Unlimited diverge quite a bit. Let me break down what your reading life looks like on both platforms:
Finding Your Next Book
Scribd provides personalized recommendations once you finish setting up your profile. You can further browse editor-curated lists like “What We’re Reading”, “Critically Acclaimed” etc. Search is effective if you know what book or genre interests you. Discoverability favors traditional publishers.
Kindle Unlimited surfaces automatically generated picks based on your prior Kindle/Audible reads and ratings. You can filter top titles by groupings like editor’s picks, most popular, book series collections and more. Kindle Unlimited caters well to genres like sci-fi and romance with deep sub-categories.
Supported Devices/Apps
Scribd apps are available on iOS, Android and directly on the web. But they don’t work on e-ink readers like Kindle. You can only read Scribd titles on backlit mobile device and computer screens.
Kindle Unlimited perfectly syncs across Kindle readers, Fire tablets, mobiles devices as well as reading apps for iOS, Android and on desktop browsers. Whispersync support additionally lets you switch automatically between reading ebooks on Kindle to listening with Audible.
Reading Experience
Scribd offers simple, no-frills apps and reading interfaces. You can adjust text size and font style and track highlights/notes. But some users complain of occasional glitches. One neat exclusive feature is Snapshots – providing short 5 minute previews from books to help discover new ones.
Kindle Unlimited provides that silky smooth, immersive digital reading experience that Kindle devices are known for. Pages turn lightning fast. You can easily lookup definitions, translate passages and adjust text size/fonts to suit your preferences. The user experience is very polished.
Limits and Restrictions
Scribd irks some power users by limiting access to newly released bestsellers once a certain number of users have checked them out. So you could potentially wait days or weeks to read the hottest book. Unlimited really means limited.
Kindle Unlimited only allows you to check out 10 titles at once. Avid readers may hit that cap quickly. You have to return books before you can check out more. But no restrictions otherwise on accessing any title in the entire catalog.
If you couldn’t tell already, my winner here for reading experience by a long shot is Kindle Unlimited. Between the smooth integration with Kindle devices, smarter recommendations, and freedom to read anything without restrictions – Amazon has perfected the user experience.
Scribd vs. Kindle Unlimited: Evaluating the Value
So we’ve now covered quite a lot of ground comparing Scribd and Kindle Unlimited! Let’s bring it all together:
Scribd
- Pros: Diverse content formats beyond ebooks, global availability, ability to publish
- Cons: Limited mobile-only reading experience, restrictions on popular titles
Best for: Bookworms seeking variety, audiobook listeners, magazine junkies
Kindle Unlimited
- Pros: Smoothest digital reading experience, unlimited downloads without restrictions
- Cons: Only 10 checkouts allowed, weaker on audiobooks
Best for: Kindle users, indie author fans, genres like sci-fi and romance
Both services cost the same at a very reasonable $10 monthly. When it comes to value however, your preferred reading style matters greatly:
- Variety seekers who read across formats like audiobooks, magazines and sheet music get tremendous value from Scribd.
- Book purists who live and breathe ebooks thrive with their favorite genres unlocked through Kindle Unlimited.
Ultimately, if you read books for the love of reading, either service will set you up with unlimited downloads to enjoy. New titles are added constantly so you’ll never run out of great content. Pick the one catering best to your personal tastes.
And never forget…both offer 30 day risk-free trials. So download those apps and take ‘em for a spin! Your next book soulmate could be waiting.
Happy Reading!
~-Alex (@BookBinger1234)
