Scribd Review – Everything You Need to Know + 30 Day Free Trial

Scribd is an awesome digital book streaming service that costs just $8.99 a month – here is everything you need to know PLUS a 30 day free trial, as well as a comparison to other streaming services.

Which Book Streaming Service is the Best?

For a while, I tried to ‘revolt’ against digital books.

I felt (and still feel) there’s nothing that can quite replace having a physical copy of a book in your hand…being able to turn the pages, keep it on your shelf, and even smell that paper-y smell that is distinct to books.

However, as life has gotten busier, the time I have to read books has gotten drastically smaller.

And I feel like with each pregnancy and subsequent birth, my ability to remember to return books to the library has gotten worse as well.

So I finally gave in to eBooks, and even though I still prefer a hard copy of a book, I’m glad – because I am able to find more time to read.

I’ve even started listening to audiobooks more – which is something I never liked in the past – because it’s easier to do while I’m doing dishes, going on walks, or even while I’m working – which seems to be about the only time I have to read nowadays!

As I’ve searched for the most cost-effective way to access eBooks and audiobooks, I feel like I’ve been confronted with a bounty of options:

• Local Library – Most libraries participate in some kind of eBook and audiobook program. Our library has an app – and you can request books through it. It’s nice because they automatically get returned (no late fees), but I’ve found more and more books having a long wait list. We also are able to use Hoopla for audiobooks, but they haven’t had a lot of the books I’ve looked for.
• Audible – This is a popular option for audiobooks – it really is the mecca for them! However, I find it to be rather pricey! They have a free trial you can use – and I do believe they have some free titles. But overall, I didn’t find it worth the monthly subscription. You can get a free 30-day trial, as well as two free audiobooks through this link. 
• Kindle Unlimited – Up until now, this has been one of the better options I’ve seen. It’s $9.99 a month, and it gives you access to over 1 million digital books, thousands of audiobooks, and even magazines. Last I heard you can borrow up to 10 books at a time, though that may have changed. You can get a free 30 day trial.

• Deseret Book Bookshelf – This is an LDS-based eBook and audiobook service, so it won’t appeal to everyone. However, I really like it because it has a lot of books that I haven’t found any other service to have. You can get a free trial here. 

If you are buying at least one popular new book each month, you will more than pay for your subscription. And even if you just find yourself buying a few $4.99 eBooks a month, you will definitely see value in doing this. The library is obviously the most cost-effective option, but it does have it’s limitations like I mentioned above.

But then I was introduced to Scribd a few weeks ago, and I think I’ve found the program I’m going to stick with for a while. So I wanted to share why I’m loving it, as well as share a 60-day free trial. 

I do want to be clear – although I am a part of their affiliate program, I am not being paid to write this post. I simply think it’s a really cool option that more people should know about!

So, let’s get started!

All About Scribd

What is Scribd?

Scribd is an eBook and audiobook streaming service – Netflix for Books, might be a good way of describing it.

With your subscription, you get unlimited access to their collection of not only eBooks and audiobooks, but periodicals, sheet music, and more. They have hundreds of thousands of options and are constantly adding more. Apparently, if they don’t have what you are looking for, they are open to suggestions and love for people to email them about what they want to see next.

Each month, their editorial team makes a list of recommended books for that month which is kind of cool – you can check out this month’s recommendations PLUS all of the past months here.

How Much Does Scribd Cost?

Currently, Scribd costs $8.99 a month.

What Devices Can You Use Scribd on?

Scribd can be accessed a variety of ways. First of all, you can access all of their features directly from their website on any laptop or desktop computer. I’ve found that helpful, especially as I’ve been browsing for new books.

Beyond the desktop, you can use:

• Any Apple device with iOS 9 or newer can use the Scribd mobile app
• You can pair your Apple Watch with the Scribd mobile app to have it play through your watch – pretty cool!
• There is an Android app and just requires Android 4.4 or higher on any tablet or smartphone.
• The device model for the Kindle will vary on how to use Scribd. If you have Fire OS 4 or higher, you can use the Kindle Fire app. Here are the instructions for downloading it. 

You can only access your Scribd account on three different devices in a 24 hour period.

How Does Scribd Work?

With Scribd, you can access their library through any of the devices listed above. When you go to login, you can search for different books or magazines, and when you find one that you like, you can press the save button, and it will be added to your own personal library.

It’s a very simple app to navigate, but here are a few screenshots from my own phone so you can get an idea of what it looks like.

It saves your spot from device to device, which is pretty nice. You can customize your reading experience with a variety of features.

Is Scribd available worldwide?

Yes! Although some of their agreements with publishers and authors will limit some of the books – for the most part, people around the world can access and enjoy Scribd. 

Unique Features of Scribd

Scribd comes with some fun and unique features. One of the ones that stood out to me was that you (and everyone else) can upload documents. This allows people to upload their own books and short stories for other people to read. I’ve actually found some really interesting items that other people have uploaded. And if you don’t want people to read what you upload – no problem. Just select in settings to remove from premium content.

With your subscription to Scribd, you also get access to some other subscription services, including:

• Farfaria – we LOVE this! It’s basically a book streaming service for children. It has thousands of book choices for children ages 2-9, and our boys love it. You can have it autoplay, read when they turn the page, or you can just choose to read it yourself with no audio (that’s what we always do). I’ve had a lot of fun with this for my boys.
• Blinkist – Get key ideas from books in just 15 minutes.
• MUBI – Stream a selection of movies from around the world.
• Audm – Listen to a variety of articles from different magazines.
• Pocket – This allows you to save anything online to read offline later.

You can also download content on Scribd to be able to be accessed offline. This can be really helpful for when you are on the airplane or driving somewhere that has spotty service.

What I love About Scribd

Overall, I really do love this book streaming service. It has almost all the books I’ve looked for (with the exception of most LDS authored books), the app is very simple, and I love that I can access it in a variety of ways.

The price is reasonable for what they offer – $8.99. Most eBooks for popular books are going to cost you at least that much.

I love having a bunch of different books open at once. I’m not someone that can just sit and read a book straight through, and I like jumping around. I love that it allows me to do this pretty easily.

I like that I don’t have to wait for someone else to “return” the book, there are no late fees, and I can access it pretty much anywhere I am. I love that it is a one-stop shop for eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and even sheet music.

Honestly, I haven’t found anything I don’t like about it yet. I’ve only been using it for a little bit now, but I have had so much fun adding books to my library and reading them on the go whenever I have a chance. Here are a few books in my library right now:

• How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen and Listen So Little Kids Will Talk
• Gifts of Imperfection
• How to Win Friends and Influence People
• Think and Grow Rich

I need some good historical fiction books – any recommendations?

Scribd Free Trial

By signing up through our link, you can get a 30-day FREE trial. You do have to put in your credit card information, but you can cancel at ANY time. They no longer offer a 60-day free trial due to the code being hacked.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR 30 DAY FREE TRIAL