Audiobooks vs Physical Books: Which Is Better?

Audiobooks and physical books offer very different ways to enjoy the same thing: a good story.

Audiobooks let you listen while driving, walking or getting things done. Physical books give you the experience of sitting down, turning the pages and giving your attention to the book in front of you.

Neither is automatically better. The right choice depends on when you read, why you read and what you enjoy most about it.

So, audiobooks vs physical books: what are the pros and cons?

What Are the Advantages of Audiobooks?

The biggest advantage of an audiobook is simple: you don't have to stop everything else to enjoy one.

You can listen while commuting, cooking, exercising, walking the dog or doing jobs around the house. For people who struggle to find dedicated reading time, that can make books much easier to fit into everyday life.

Audiobooks can also be particularly valuable for people who find printed text difficult or inaccessible.

And then there's the narrator.

A brilliant narrator can give characters distinctive voices, bring humour to life and completely change the experience of a story. Memoirs narrated by their authors can be especially interesting because you're hearing the story in the person's own voice.

What Are the Disadvantages of Audiobooks?

Listening isn't ideal in every situation.

It's surprisingly easy to realise you've stopped paying attention and have absolutely no idea what happened during the previous ten minutes.

Finding the right place again can also be less convenient than flicking back a few pages in a physical book.

Narration is subjective too. A voice one listener loves can irritate another, and the narrator's interpretation of a character may be completely different from the voice you would have imagined yourself.

Audiobooks also don't give you a physical copy to lend, keep on a bookshelf or pass on when you've finished.

Why Do People Prefer Physical Books?

For many readers, the physical experience is part of what makes reading enjoyable.

You can see the cover, feel your progress through the pages, flick backwards when you've forgotten something and eventually put the finished book on your shelf.

A physical book can also provide a welcome break from phones, computers and other devices. There are no notifications appearing between chapters and no other apps waiting behind the page.

That makes sitting down with a book a very different experience from consuming something digitally.

What Are the Disadvantages of Physical Books?

Convenience is the obvious one.

Books take up space. They're heavier to travel with, you need enough light to read them and carrying several books on holiday is considerably less convenient than downloading several audiobooks to your phone.

You also need to actually make time to sit down and read.

That's wonderful when you can do it, but an audiobook has a clear advantage during a drive to work or a morning run.

Audiobooks vs Reading: Which Is Better for Concentration?

This depends considerably on the person and the situation.

Some people absorb a story extremely well when listening. Others find their attention wandering unless they're physically reading the words.

The activity you're doing while listening matters too. An audiobook during a quiet walk is very different from trying to follow a complicated novel while simultaneously doing something that requires concentration.

If you frequently find yourself rewinding because you've lost the plot, physical reading may suit you better.

If listening allows you to enjoy books during time when you couldn't otherwise read at all, audiobooks have a considerable advantage.

Which Is Better for Travelling?

Audiobooks win this one for convenience.

Your phone can hold hours of listening without adding anything to your luggage, making audiobooks particularly useful for flights, long drives and train journeys.

A paperback has one advantage, though: no headphones required and no battery to run out.

Plenty of readers take both.

Can Audiobooks Help You Read More?

Absolutely.

If your goal is simply to experience more books and stories, audiobooks can turn time that wasn't previously available for reading into listening time.

But another common problem isn't finding the time — it's deciding what to read next.

Our free Book Resort Online Book Club is a place to swap recommendations and talk about books with other readers.

If you'd rather have someone else choose your next physical book, our Monthly Book Subscription lets you choose your preferred reading genre and leave the title selection to us.

Each month we choose a brand-new book and pair it with Irish chocolate and a gift from an Irish brand before preparing the subscription here in Waterford.

Are Physical Books Better Gifts Than Audiobooks?

Usually, yes.

A physical book gives you something to wrap, write a message with and hand to another person. It can sit on their bookshelf afterwards and be passed on to someone else when they're finished.

For someone who loves reading, our Book Lover Gift Hampers combine a new book with treats and extras for a relaxing night in.

Or, if you'd like the gift to continue beyond one occasion, you can browse our Book Subscription Boxes in Ireland.

Audiobooks or Physical Books: Which Should You Choose?

Choose audiobooks if you want to enjoy books while commuting, exercising or doing other things, or if listening makes reading more accessible or enjoyable for you.

Choose physical books if you enjoy sitting down specifically to read, want a break from devices or love owning, lending and collecting books.

Or don't choose at all.

Listen to an audiobook on the way to work and pick up a physical book when you get home. One format doesn't have to replace the other.

At The Book Resort, we're naturally partial to physical books — we spend a lot of time choosing them for our subscribers — but the best format is ultimately the one that keeps you reading.