There is nothing like curling up with a good book. Nowadays, reading comes in different forms: Ebooks, audiobooks, and of course, an actual printed book in your hands. Whatever way you like to read, there is a book subscription for you.
Kindle readers are a great way to take your bookshelf with you while you travel for vacation or on your morning commute. There are several models, however, so it becomes complicated choosing one. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is our top choice due to its glare-free screen, waterproof chassis, Bluetooth support, and battery life. But let's compare it to other Kindle readers available.
Read nowBook subscriptions offer paid memberships that deliver a new book to your hands each month.
They are great for those looking to add to their home library and readers looking to expand beyond their common interests and genres.
I've rounded up the best book subscription services available so you can start checking books off of your reading list.
Also: We found the best book lights to gift the reader in your life
Book of the Monthfeatures:Skip and add-on options Hardcover books 5books to choose from
You may have heard of the Book of the Month, and that's because it has been around since 1926. The subscription service lets you choose one of five fiction/nonfiction books per month, so that you can add to your growing home library. The service has an emphasis on early releases and debut authors. Some notable books featured in the Book of the Monthinclude It Ends with Us by Coleen Hoover, Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford, and The People We Keep by Allison Larkin.
The first month's book is just$9.99, and after that, you'll pay$15.99 per month to get a new hardcover to read. Of course, you can always skip a month if you're not intrigued by any of the titles, and, if you want more than one of the five titles, you have the option to add up to two books to your monthly selection for an extra cost.
View now at Book of the MonthPage 1features:3, 6, or 12-month subscription options Large-print options Mix of hardcover and paperback
If you'd rather get more personalized book recommendations, Page 1offers a customized subscription option strictly based on your tastes. When signing up, you'll tell the service what books and authors you love and what ones you don't, and they will curate books for you each month -- you can even link to your Goodreads account.
You'll receive a mix of hardcover and paperback titles, and if you receive a book you've already read, Page 1will ship you a new title, free of charge.
It's important to note that Page 1does not accept cancellations of whichever subscription you purchased. But it does not auto-renew subscriptions and does offer free book replacements.
View now at Page 1 BooksAmazon Kindle Unlimitedfeatures:Free 30-day trial 2million digital titles Up to three magazine subscriptions included in membership
Of course, if you're an ebook reader, there's always Amazon Kindle Unlimited, which offers around 2 million digital titles. The service works much like a library: For$9.99 a month, you can borrow up to 10 books at a time, including up to three magazines. In addition, Kindle Unlimited's catalog is updated regularly, so there are always new titles to discover.
You don't need an Amazon Kindle device to enjoy the service. You can download the Kindle app to any device and read your ebooks on your smartphone or tablet. You can swap between different devices, and the app will save your reading place across every device.
View now at AmazonOwlCratefeatures: Two box options Skip option Hardcover books
Young Adult readers will appreciate the OwlCratesubscription, which specifically caters to the YA genre. The service offers two different subscriptions: OwlCrate Jr. ($29.99 per month) for kids aged 8-12 and OwlCrate ($32.99 per month) for fourteen and older. Each box comes with extras like a letter from the author, a monthly magazine, an activity, or unique book-related goodies, and more.
OwlCrate also frequently offers limited edition boxes packed with special edition titles and even more goodies.
View now at OwlCrateAudibleFeatures:Audible Originals Five membership plans More than 200,000 titles
Those who prefer to listen to books on the go should look no further than Audible's audiobook selection. It offers more than 200,000 titles, and plans start at$7.95 per month and go up to$22.95 per month. With each plan, you get a different amount of credits, which can be used to purchase any audiobook, regardless of price.
During your free 30-day trial, you receive two credits, worth one title each, toward the premium library. Once the trial ends, you revert to the standard one credit per month.
The service also features Audible originals, which are exclusive audio titles created by celebrated authors, journalists, playwrights, and other storytellers, and produced by Audible Studios. In addition, Audible offers a sleep collection that includes bedtime stories, soundscapes, and ASMR.
View now at AudibleWe chose the Book of the Month club as the best book subscription based on price, book selection, and reviews.
Book subscription | Price | Plan options | #of titles to choose from |
Book of the Month | $15.99/month | 1 | Five books per month, but you also can choose books from previous months |
Page 1 | $99 for three months | 3 | N/A |
Kindle Unlimited | $9.99/month | 1 | 2 million digital titles |
OwlCrate | Starts at$29.99/month | 2 | N/A |
Audible | Starts at$7.95/month | 5 | More than 200,000 titles |
While all of these book subscriptions are great options, it ultimately comes down to what types of books you like to read, if you prefer an actual printed book, an audiobook, or an ebook, and what amount you're willing to spend.
Choose this book subscription... | If you want... |
Book of the Month | The best overall option. You'll get five books to choose from as your book of the month. |
Page 1 | A book subscription that's customized to your interests. It also has large-print book options. |
Kindle Unlimited | A book subscription for e-readers. You can borrow up to 10 books at a time. |
OwlCrate | A kid/young-adult-friendly book subscription. Each box is built around the book's theme. |
Audible | A subscription to audiobooks and podcasts. You'll get access to more than 200,000 titles. |
I chose these book subscriptions after extensive research into the product category. I compared factors like pricing, reviews (both good and bad), different reading methods, and the number of book titles offered. All of the book subscription services were compared at their lowest price point offered.
It really depends -- if you want to buy a new book online or at a bookstore, that can cost you anywhere between$14 and$20, so if you're a brand new hardcover book lover, it might be cheaper to opt for a book subscription service.
Used books will cost less, but you might not find those new and best-selling titles in a used bookstore.
There are other book subscription services for all kinds of readers. Here are a few other options worth looking into:
This book subscription service is personalized to each reader's likes and interests.
View at LiteratiChoose from a wide variety of themed subscription boxes, including used books, personal growth books, and adult fiction books.
View at Cratejoy