Bookmate

Bookmate is a subscription service for e-books and audiobooks, with room for readers’ own files and social reading. It suits people who want books and listening together across languages, especially those who value offline audiobook playback. Its range is appealing, but the single-person account and unclear subscription pricing narrow its appeal.

Overview

Bookmate combines a large reading and listening catalog with a free collection of 50,000 books. A subscription adds books, comic books, audiobooks, and podcasts, while personal uploads let readers bring some of their existing library into the service. The result is a flexible option for moving between formats, though it is less suited to households looking to share one account.

Key features

Catalog and personal books

The catalog spans 1,800,000 books and 100,000 audiobooks in 16 languages, a strong range for readers who switch between text and audio or read in more than one language. The free collection is smaller but substantial. Users can upload FB2 and EPUB files for use on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, so Bookmate can accommodate personal books alongside its own catalog.

Reading, listening, and social features

Brightness, font, and background color controls let readers adjust the display to their preferences. Audiobooks can be saved for offline listening and synchronized across devices, making the service practical for listening without a connection and picking up where you left off. Readers can follow friends’ activity, share books and quotes, and create or subscribe to themed bookshelves; that social layer will matter more to readers who enjoy exchanging recommendations than to those who want a purely private library.

Pricing

Bookmate uses a freemium model, with a free plan and a 7-day trial. The Premium offer is free for 7 days and includes books, comic books, audiobooks, podcasts, personal uploads, and offline reading and listening; it can be canceled anytime. The trial gives readers a way to explore the broader mix before deciding whether to continue.

Bookmate also describes monthly and annual subscriptions, but the monthly and annual prices are custom pricing. Readers who need to budget for ongoing access should confirm the applicable subscription price before committing.

Platforms

Bookmate is available on Android, iOS, and the web. An account is limited to one person and no more than three devices, which allows some device flexibility but rules out sharing a login across a household. Books are protected by copyright and cannot be downloaded and distributed outside Bookmate. The terms also say the service does not warrant the security of its website or services, a consideration for users cautious about account and service security.

Who it's for

Bookmate is a good fit for readers who want one subscription service for books and audiobooks, value a multilingual catalog, or want to add personal FB2 and EPUB files. It also suits listeners who need offline audiobook access and readers who enjoy following friends or building themed shelves. It is a weaker fit for families expecting shared access, or for anyone who needs clear monthly or annual pricing before choosing a service.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A catalog of 1,800,000 books and 100,000 audiobooks across 16 languages gives readers a broad choice of formats and languages.
• Pros: Uploading FB2 and EPUB files adds a personal-library option across phones, tablets, and desktop devices.
• Pros: Offline audiobook listening and synchronization support listening away from a connection and resuming across devices.
• Cons: One-person access and a three-device cap make Bookmate unsuitable for sharing an account among household members.
• Cons: Monthly and annual subscription prices are custom pricing, so ongoing costs are harder to weigh in advance.
• Cons: Copyright rules prevent distributing books outside Bookmate, limiting how users can share catalog content.

Alternatives

For a broader set of audiobook options, browse Audiobook Apps. Consider Playary instead if you want a free service spanning songs, podcasts, movies, audiobooks, and TV shows, with ad-free listening in its Premium plan. Audiobookshelf is the alternative for users who want a free, self-hosted audiobook and podcast server rather than a subscription catalog.

Hoopla may suit readers who have a valid card from a participating public library and want free patron access; available titles vary by library. Choose Libby for a free app centered on library borrowing, with access dependent on a library card and the library’s collection. Libro.fm is another paid audiobook option with one monthly credit, a 30% discount on additional audiobooks, and member-exclusive sales; its current price is custom pricing.

Audible may be a better fit for someone seeking a paid audiobook plan with a stated price: Standard is $8.99 a month after a 30-day free trial and includes one audiobook per month from its collection. Google Play Books Auto-narrated Audiobooks serves a different purpose, offering no-charge creation, publishing, and downloading for a limited time, provided the publisher has an EPUB ebook offered on Google Play and owns the rights. AudiobooksNow suits readers who want a paid club plan with discounts: it costs $4.99 a month after a 30-day free trial, with 50% off the first audiobook each month and 35–40% off other eligible titles.

Verdict

Choose Bookmate if you want books and audiobooks together, need personal EPUB or FB2 uploads, and value offline listening and social reading. The large multilingual catalog and broad mix of formats are its strongest reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if you need household sharing or want a clear ongoing subscription price before signing up.