12 audiobooks · Comparison
An Audible alternative for classics
One price for the whole library, with the text built in.
Audible is the bigger store, and for new releases it's the better choice. If you mostly want the classics, Compendium costs less and shows the full text as you listen. Here's how they compare.
Side by side
| Compendium | Audible | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price (US) | $4.99 or $44.99 a year | Standard $8.99, Premium $14.95 |
| What it includes | Every book in the library | Standard: 1 pick a month. Premium: 1 credit a month plus the Plus Catalog |
| Long books | No limit on how much you listen | A credit covers one title of any length |
| Text while you listen | Built into every book | Needs the Kindle book and the audiobook, on eligible titles |
| Selection | 1,100+ classics | A far larger store, with new releases |
| After you cancel | Premium access ends | Titles bought with credits or cash stay yours |
Prices and plan details checked on November 3, 2026, and can change. Compendium isn't affiliated with Audible, Inc.
When Audible is the better choice
- You want this year's new releases or a memoir read by its author.
- You want to own each title and keep it after you stop paying.
- You're after one particular performance of a book.
When Compendium is the better choice
- You read mostly classics and want more than one book a month.
- You want to follow the text as you listen without buying it separately.
- You're taking on long books like War and Peace, where one price for everything helps.
Sources
Popular classics to try
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The Odyssey: Rendered into English Prose for the Use of Those Who Cannot Read Th
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The Iliad
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Sense and Sensibility
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Wuthering Heights
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The Count of Monte Cristo
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Pride and Prejudice
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Don Quixote
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Free pick
Dracula
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Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus
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Hamlet
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The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated From the Sanscrit in Seven Parts With P
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Moby Dick; Or, The Whale
Good to know
Can I try Compendium before paying?
Yes. The first chapter of every book is free with no account.
Does Compendium have new releases?
No. It's a library of classics only.
Can I listen for free?
The first chapter of every book plays free with no account. A free account adds the opening chapters of every book, plus one whole book of your choice from a shelf of five classics.
