Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of services we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Audiobook Services.

Ratings

Features Set

We graded the audio book service on the number of options and practical tools it offers. Some services rent audio books, some sell audio books and some do both. Common features include audio book downloads, book reviews, audio samples and an all–inclusive search box.

Categories

We considered how many common categories of audio books the service offers. Categorizing books allows users to browse books by topic and gives us an idea of how diverse and extensive the service’s inventory is.

Value

When you purchase any service or product, value is important. We took into consideration cost versus product or membership inclusion, the total number of audiobook titles the service offers as well as any other membership perks or discounts.

Ease of Setup/Use

We reviewed the service on the appearance and navigation of their website. The best sites are uncluttered and easy to navigate. We also considered the membership registration process, software download process (if applicable) and how easy it is to find and acquire a chosen audiobook.

Help/Support

Audio book services should provide adequate help and support so their patrons feel confident while on the website and purchasing or renting audiobooks and club memberships.

RENT AUDIOBOOKS

The service rents audiobooks. They will ship you an audiobook. When you are done listening to it, you ship it back and they will send you the next audiobook on your list. Most services offer different plans with different benefits. For example, one plan may allow you to have one audiobook at a time, whereas another plan allows you to have three audiobooks at a time.

Free Rental Shipping

The service ships the rented audio books to your home or office free and provides a pre–paid envelope so you can return the audio book free of charge.

BUY AUDIOBOOKS

You can purchase audiobooks through the service.

Downloads

You can purchase and instantly download an audio book. Some services offer pre–paid plans that allow you to download and keep a set number of audio books each month.

CDs

You can purchase an audio book on CD. A few services still offer audio books on tape.

OTHER FEATURES

Search by Keyword

You are able to search the inventory of audiobooks by keyword. This is a practical feature if you don't know the author or title of a particular audiobook.

Search by Author

You can search the catalog of audiobooks by author.

Search by Title

You can search the inventory of audiobooks by book title.

Browse by Category

You are able to look through the inventory of audio books by category so you can see all of the books related to a certain topic. This is practical if you don't have a particular book for which you're looking. Some services also list New York Times Bestsellers, Oprah's book club or editors' picks.

Critic Reviews

The service provides professionally written reviews on each audiobook.

Customer Reviews

You can read reviews by other customers and write a review on an audiobook you have listened to. Customer reviews provide some direction when choosing an audiobook to rent or buy.

Customer Rating

The service lists an averaged rating of an audiobook given by customers. You can also rate an audiobook you have listened to.

Publisher’s Summary

For each audio book, the service provides a plot or topic summary submitted by the publisher. This gives a general idea of what the audio book is about.

Purchase w/o Membership

The service allows you to purchase an audiobook without creating a membership. In other words, you can purchase one audiobook at a time with no obligation.

Download Multiple Formats

The service provides the audiobooks in multiple formats. Common formats include WMV and MP3. Some services offer formats in different sizes and quality.

Listen to Sample

You can listen to a sample of the audiobook before purchasing or renting the book. This gives you an idea of the tone of the book and lets you hear the reader's voice. Most samples are three to five minutes in length.

Gift Certificates

The service sells gift certificates so you can give an audiobook or a membership as a gift and let the recipient choose the title.

VALUE

Total Number of Titles

The total number of titles the audiobook service has in their inventory.

Book Downloads Per Month/Basic Plan

The number of audiobooks you can download per month with a subscription to the service’s basic plan. Higher plans allow you to download more audiobooks per month.

Titles Out at a Time/Basic Plan

The number of audiobooks you can rent at a time with the service's basic membership. Higher memberships allow you to have more audiobooks rented at one time.

Discount on Audiobooks for Members

Some services sell audiobooks to everyone regardless of whether they have a membership or not. However, with a membership, you can get a considerable discount off the regular price of audiobooks.

Other Membership Benefits

Some services offer other perks with a membership. For example, they may offer free audiobook downloads or subscriptions to audio newspapers or magazines.

HELP/SUPPORT

Telephone Support

The service provides a phone number so you can contact customer support with questions or concerns.

Email Support

The audiobook service provides an email address so you can contact customer support.

User Guide

An online user guide teaches consumers how to use the audiobook service.

FAQ

The Frequently Asked Questions page posts answers to common questions.

User Forums

The service provides an area where subscribers can post questions, answers and discuss audiobook related topics.

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