Is Google Audio books free?
Google Audio Books is a service provided by Google to let you listen to audiobooks on multiple devices. It leverages Google’s massive catalog of digital books so you can access thousands of audiobooks on smartphones, tablets, and smart speakers. Some key features of Google Audio Books include:
– Massive library of audiobooks from leading publishers like Penguin Random House and Macmillan.
– Ability to listen across multiple devices like Android, iOS, and Google Home speakers.
– Features like bookmarks and sleep timer to optimize audiobook listening.
– Support for offline listening by downloading audiobooks.
– Integration with Google Assistant to play/pause audiobooks by voice commands.
This section provides a high-level overview of Google Audio Books and what it offers to users looking to enjoy audiobooks digitally.
Accessing Google Audio Books
To access Google’s audiobook selection, you’ll need to open the Google Play Books app or visit the Google Play Books website. You can download the app for free on Android and iOS devices. On desktop, go to play.google.com/books and select the “Audiobooks” category.
If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll need to create one to access Google Play Books. This gives you access to the Google ecosystem, including Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and more. When setting up your account, you’ll need to provide your name, email address, date of birth, and gender. You can also choose to provide a phone number for account security.
Once your Google account is set up, you can browse and purchase audiobooks directly within the Play Books app or website. Your audiobook library and progress will be synced across any device where you’re logged into your Google account.
Free Books Available
Google Play Books offers thousands of free classic audiobooks available to anyone with a Google account (source). These free audiobooks are public domain books that Google has auto-narrated using text-to-speech technology. According to Google Play Books, there are over 100,000 public domain ebooks and over 14,000 public domain audiobooks available for free listening (source).
The selection includes fiction classics like Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as well as influential nonfiction works like The Wealth of Nations, The Communist Manifesto, and The Origin of Species. Google Play Books also offers free audiobook samples from newer books to give you a preview before purchasing the full audiobook.
Overall, Google Play Books provides an extensive library of free classic literature and nonfiction books narrated in a computerized voice. The free audiobooks allow you to access timeless literature at no cost on any device with the Google Play Books app.
Paid Books
While Google Play Books does offer some free audiobooks, many of the titles require payment to access. Audiobook prices on Google Play Books are comparable to other major audiobook sellers like Amazon’s Audible. According to Forbes, most audiobooks cost between $10-$20 on Google Play. Some popular bestsellers and new releases may cost even more.
Unlike platforms like Audible that use a credit system, Google Play Books charges a one-time fee per audiobook. This means you pay for each book individually without credits or subscriptions. According to Epubor, this can make Google Play Books more affordable if you don’t listen to audiobooks frequently. However, frequent listeners may save more money with a subscription service like Audible.
Subscription Options
Google offers audiobooks for purchase individually or through a subscription service called Google Play Pass. Here are the subscription options:
Individual audiobooks can be purchased à la carte, with prices ranging from $1.99 to $40 per title. You own these audiobooks indefinitely.
Google Play Pass costs $4.99/month in the United States and provides access to hundreds of apps, games, and books, including a full audiobook catalog. With this subscription, you can listen to any available audiobook but don’t own them if you cancel.
There is also a 30-day free trial available for Google Play Pass. After the trial ends, the membership auto-renews at $4.99/month unless canceled.
Google Play Pass can be shared with up to 5 family members at no extra charge via Family Library. All family members get full access to the apps, games, and books.
Compared to top competitor Audible, Google Play Pass offers audiobooks as part of an extensive content library, while Audible focuses solely on audiobooks. Audible’s Silver plan is $14.95/month for 1 credit per month, and their Gold plan is $22.95/month for 2 credits per month.
Sources:
https://www.epubor.com/google-play-audiobooks-vs-audible-audiobooks.html
https://sites.google.com/site/videoblocksreview/best-audiobook-service
Free Trials
Many audiobook services offer free trials for first-time subscribers. This allows you to sample the service and listen to audiobooks before committing to a paid membership. Some popular options include:
Audiobooks.com offers new users a 30-day free trial. You can get your first 3 audiobooks for free with this trial. After the trial ends, membership costs $14.95 per month.
Audible also provides a 30-day free trial. New members can download 2 audiobooks and keep them forever, even if you cancel the trial. An Audible membership costs $14.95 per month after the trial period.
The Google Play Books app offers many free audiobooks in the public domain. While they don’t have a free trial for the full catalog, you can download free audiobook samples to test them out.
Taking advantage of a free trial allows you to experience an audiobook service first-hand before subscribing. Just be sure to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t want to be charged.
Listening Across Devices
Google Play Books allows you to listen to audiobooks across a variety of devices, making it easy to pick up where you left off no matter where you are. The Google Play Books app is available on both Android and iOS, so you can download the app on your phone or tablet and listen on the go. There is also a web version that can be accessed from any computer browser at books.google.com.
The Google Play Books app syncs your library, bookmarks, and listening position across all your devices automatically. So you can start listening to an audiobook on your phone on your commute home, and pick up right where you left off on your tablet at home. This seamless listening experience makes it easy to enjoy audiobooks anytime, anywhere.
Audio Quality
Google audiobooks are available in high quality audio formats, including MP3 and M4B files (according to https://support.google.com/books/partner/answer/9550388?hl=en). The audio quality can vary depending on the narrator and production standards, but Google checks all audiobooks for quality issues like skips or scratches before publishing them.
In comparisons between Google Play audiobooks and Audible, Reddit users have noted that Audible’s quality seems higher, with better mastering leading to a fuller, warmer sound (https://www.reddit.com/r/audiobooks/comments/81d61l/google_play_vs_audible_quality/). However, Google’s audio quality is still good enough for enjoyable listening.
For authors and publishers creating auto-narrated audiobooks through Google Play, the audio files can be downloaded in MP3 format at 192 kbps according to https://play.google.com/books/publish/autonarrated/. So auto-narrated books meet a baseline quality standard.
Compatibility
Google Audio books purchased through Google Play Books are compatible across a range of devices and platforms.[1] You can listen to audio books on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets using the Google Play Books app. On desktop, audio books can be accessed through play.google.com.
Google Audio books are also compatible with Google Assistant enabled devices like Google Home smart speakers, Nest smart displays, and Android Auto. Just say “Hey Google, read my book” to any of these devices and the audio book will begin playing from where you left off.[2]
The audio books are available in standard formats like MP3 so they can be listened to on most devices. However, the listening progress and bookmarks may not sync across non-Google platforms.[3]
So in summary, Google Audio books offer broad compatibility but the full syncing features work best within the Google ecosystem.
[1] https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7572879?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
[2] https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/how-to-listen-to-audiobooks-on-google-home/
[3] https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7573974?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
Summary
Google offers both free and paid audiobooks through Google Play Books. There are thousands of classic books available for free, while newer releases and bestsellers require purchase. Google Play Books subscriptions like Audiobooks.com provide unlimited access to audiobooks for a monthly fee.
Free audiobooks can be downloaded directly through the Google Play Books app without any payment information required. Paid books range in price from around $10-$40 depending on length and can be purchased individually or with credits through a subscription.
Google Play Books allow audiobooks to be listened to across devices, picking up where you left off when switching between smartphone, tablet, or computer. Audio quality is generally high with clear narration. Audiobooks can be played through the Google Play Books app or compatible third-party apps like Spotify.
Overall, Google Play Books provide a user-friendly audiobook experience with both free and paid options available. Subscriptions give unlimited access for avid listeners while à la carte purchases work for occasional use.
