Is Everand worth it in 2025? I’ve been using this audiobook service (previously known as Scribd) since 2019, and my answer is sadly no, not for new subscribers!
I’ve reviewed this digital library platform through multiple iterations over the years. Sometimes it was excellent, other times frustrating. I think these constant changes reflect a service that never seems to have found a sustainable business model.
Everand used to be one of the audiobook subscriptions I recommended the most, because – despite some issues – I thought it offered a lot of value. But this huge change to a credit-based system pushed me to stop recommending it.
If you have the old unlimited plan: Keep it! Even though I noticed an increase in throttling lately, the classic Everand plan still offers a lot of listening for the monthly fee.
But for new subscribers looking for an audiobook subscription, I believe there are better alternatives.
The Problem with Everand’s new plans
Everand switched to credits, but you don’t own the audiobooks. They’re borrowed and only available while you’re subscribed.
Important clarification: If you cancel and resubscribe later with the same email, your previously unlocked titles will be available again. But you lose access to everything during the time you’re unsubscribed.
Bottom line: Why pay credit prices for temporary access? Every other audiobook credit service lets you keep access permanently, even after canceling.
My six years with Scribd/Everand: A rocky history
Since 2019, I’ve been using and reviewing this audiobook subscription. Sometimes it was fantastic, the almost-unlimited model worked well. The app was always a bit rocky, though. The policies and the resulting throttling could be frustrating. And, a few years ago, Penguin Random House pulled all of its titles from this and all other digital library subscriptions, taking away quite some value from the catalog.
Nevertheless, Everand always offered enough for me, and I felt like, most months, I got more than my money’s worth.
Why so many changes? My speculation: Everand has always struggled with the economics of “unlimited” audiobooks. Publishers charge per listen, and heavy users (like me at 200+ audiobooks yearly) likely cost the company too much. They’ve tried various approaches: They stopped promoting the service as “unlimited”, rotated availability, offered more of their own productions, and now they switched to an entirely new business model.
What’s up with the Latest Changes?
Old model: Almost-unlimited audiobooks with some throttling of new and popular titles for $11.99/month
New model: Tiered credit-based system where books are borrowed, not owned, unlimited access only to the company’s own productions, for $11.99 / $16.99 / $28.99 per month
Every other credit-based audiobook service lets you own your books, so you have access after you cancel. Everand is $3 cheaper, but you only have access while you have an active subscription. And the only membership perk is access to Everand’s own productions, which are fewer and – in my experience – lower quality (yes, there was accidental burping in one!) than Audible Originals.
I genuinely don’t understand how they expect to compete with this new model. This new credit system makes Everand just another audiobook subscription without any real advantages over Audible, Audiobooks.com, or LibroFM, which all offer something that makes them unique.
What makes Everand unique? It’s $3 cheaper, and you don’t keep access to your books when you cancel! I’m not sold on this concept.
As I said earlier, if you have the classic plan, consider keeping it, as long as you feel you still use it and get some value out of it.
For new subscribers, Everand could only work if:
- You primarily want ebooks and magazines (the service still includes these)
- You prefer it over Kindle Unlimited and Kobo
- You’re already familiar with the app and like the interface
- You don’t mind a credit-based system at this price point
Better Alternatives for Audiobook Lovers
Here are the services I recommend instead of the new Everand plan:
Read my full breakdown here: Which Audiobook Service is worth it? (Based on how much you listen)
And here are alternatives to the classic plan if you are looking to move away from it or can’t get it anymore:
Read more here: Free and Paid Options for Unlimited Audiobooks
What I use now instead of Everand
I still have the Everand classic plan, but I’m using it less and less. Instead, whenever possible, I borrow new releases on Hoopla and audiobooks I want to own permanently I get on LibroFM. This combination gives me everything Everand used to provide, plus actual ownership of my favorites.
Additionally, I have an Audible subscription most of the time to have real unlimited access to their Plus catalog.
For most audiobook lovers, starting with Hoopla makes the most sense. See if it meets your needs and is available to you before paying for any subscription!
What they could do to fix this…
The way I see it, if Everand wants to compete in the future, here’s what would make the service attractive again to me and the audiobook fans I have talked to about this:
- Return to being a digital library (borrowing a bigger number of audiobooks works with AnyPlay, Kobo, BookBeat, Spotify… Everand used to do it better than them!)
- Just be transparent about throttling (tell users upfront what to expect and we’ll be fine!)
- Or let credit purchases be permanent (just go the whole way then and match what Audible, Audiobooks.com, and LibroFM offer)
- Or lower the price (if books are borrowed, not owned, $3 difference is just not enough)
Until these changes happen, I don’t see how Everand makes sense for audiobook fans. The alternatives above offer better value for audiobook listeners. And if the main competition is Kindle Unlimited as a combination of ebooks and audiobooks, well, I think Kindle Unlimited still has a lot more to offer for the same price!
Bottom Line: Is Everand Worth It?
For new subscribers: No. The credit model offers worse value than competitors at similar prices.
For classic plan holders: Yes, keep your subscription as long as you aren’t too bothered by the throttling.
My recommendation: Start with free Hoopla, then add a paid service based on your listening habits. Check out the Best Audiobook Apps that I never uninstall!
Eline Blackman (pronouns: she/they) fell in love with books as a child – with being read to and reading herself. 11 years ago, she bought her first Audible book. It was love at first listen! An average of 200 audiobooks per year has become the new normal, and you will rarely see Eline without a wireless earbud. Romance and Fantasy are the go-to genres for this audiobook fan.
Hi! I enjoyed reading your post! I just stumbled upon Everand. I was thinking about buying my sister a year subscription for Christmas. She’s an avid reader and I got her the Book of the Month subscription for last year. Do you think Everand is a good gift? Thanks for your input!
Hi there! Yes, I think that would be a very fun book-ish gift since there are so many books included and she can explore a lot of different things, plus save a ot of money because she won’t have to buy everything individually đ
Here’s my affiliate link to Everand gift subscriptions**
I have overall liked Scribd/everand, but subscribers should be aware that there is a limit to how much you can add to your saved list. If you add too many items, some of your previously saved items will be made unavailable without warning which I have found to be very frustrating.
Was it your experience that titles became unavailable directly after you saved more audiobooks?
I have not seen this myself, only, as I described in the article, that audiobooks become unavailable based on the audiobooks you have listened to. And yes, I agree, I wish that Everand was more transparent with listeners in regard to how many audiobooks you can listen to until you get throttled.
Yes! I found this rather frustrating! I only like to listen to complete series so I take time looking for complete available audio series only for me to be halfway through a series for some of the books to become âunavailableâ until a following date which can be anything up to 3weeks away. I understand they have a quota on how many listens at a time per book however for me it becomes âunavailableâ and for another user itâs still available even though they havenât even started or saved the series. So the Everand / Scribd info that says âitâs due to licensing and number of listens ectâ is rubbish because if that was true, why is it unavailable for me yet for someone else itâs available?
Makes for a very frustrating audio listener đ
Is âdownloadingâ an audiobook truly off line listening????
One thing Iâve found with Everand (same with Scribd) is when you âdownloadâ an audiobook for âoffline listeningâ itâs not true! You have to have internet access of sort to be able to get into the app let alone to listen to the book. Even if you go to saved>downloaded>listen, you still need internet access to do so.
Is there a hidden folder on your phone (iPhone) that the audiobook is saved to so you can actually listen offline? I live in a bad signal area and I use audiobooks for driving around work but as soon as signal drops, Iâm kicked out of the app or book and canât gain listening again until I have signal which defeats the purpose of âdownloadingâ a book.
If someone knows a workaround for TRUE offline listening without going into the app which requires signal or wifi connection, That would be greatly appreciated!
I always put my phone on airplane mode in the evening and listen to audiobooks during the night. It really does work offline! The main screen of the Everand app will say you’re offline but in the bottom menu you can go to the Saved tab and it will show all your audiobooks you have downloaded and you can play them from there.