Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
BookBeat vs Epic
What sets them apart
| Compare | BookBeat ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |  Epic |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month | €9.99 | $9.99 |
| Price from | €9.99 | $4.99 |
| Free trial length | 60 daysHigher | 7 days |
| Access model | Hour cap | Unlimited |
| Titles in the catalogue | 1,000,000Higher | 40,000 |
| Monthly listening cap (hours) | 20 to 100 | Not confirmed |
| Catalogue languages | Not confirmed | English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Gaelic |
| Student discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Markets | AT | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Family profiles (Yes), Offline use (Yes).
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Key differences
- Free trial length is higher at BookBeat: 60 days vs 7 days.
- Titles in the catalogue is higher at BookBeat: 1,000,000 vs 40,000.
- Support channels: only BookBeat offers Chat, Help centre.
- Support channels: only Epic offers Email.
Our verdict on each
BookBeat
BookBeat suits readers in AT who want audiobooks and ebooks on a single subscription and a set monthly budget. The trade-off is the hour cap: 1,000,000 titles sit behind 20 to 100 hours of listening a month, so heavy readers should measure their habit before signing up.
Epic
Epic suits households that want children's audiobooks and ebooks in a single family subscription rather than a single-reader plan. The monthly plan runs at $9.99 against $19.99 for Readability, and a free trial of 7 days lets a family test it before paying.
Score breakdown
| Area | BookBeat | Epic |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Monthly plan of €9.99 and entry price of €9.99, under the category median monthly price of €11.43. | 9.6Higher$9.99 monthly with entry at $4.99 ranks 5 of 22, a stronger cost showing than most of the field. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherTrial of 60 days, 1,000,000 titles, family profiles, offline listening and a student discount. | 8.7unlimited access, family profiles, offline downloads and a 7 day trial sit on top of 40,000 titles. |
| Trust | 8.7Run by BookBeat GmbH, founded in 2015, with support running on chat and help centre. | Not confirmed |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | BookBeat | Epic |
|---|---|---|
| Audiobook, ebook and book-summary apps | 6 of 24 | 7 of 24 |
What we checked
BookBeat
- bookbeat.com: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- bookbeat.at: 2 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Epic
- apps.apple.com: 6 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- play.google.com: 4 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- getepic.com: 2 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | BookBeat | Epic |
|---|---|---|
| Content types | Audiobooks, Ebooks | Audiobooks, Ebooks |
| Legal entity | BookBeat GmbH | Epic Creations, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
| Founded | 2015 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | BookBeat | Epic | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free trial length | 60 dayshighest quarter | 7 daysbelow the median | 30 days |
| Monthly listening cap (hours) | 20 to 100at the median | Not confirmed | 100 |
| Titles in the catalogue | 1,000,000highest quarter | 40,000below the median | 240,000 |
Median across 19 listed providers.
Pros and cons
BookBeat
Pros
- The free trial lasts 60 days, and BookBeat ranks 1 of 16 brands compared on trial length.
- The catalogue holds 1,000,000 titles, against a category median of 240,000.
- Family profiles are included, so a household can share a single subscription instead of opening separate ones.
Cons
- Support runs on chat and help centre only, with no phone line in the listed channels for anyone who prefers to talk the problem through.
- Access is metered by the hour, hour cap, with 20 to 100 hours a month, so long listening sessions have to be spread across the month.
- The plan is listed for AT only, so readers in other markets see no local price from BookBeat.
Epic
Pros
- Access is unlimited and family profiles give each reader a separate space inside the same subscription.
- Offline downloads are supported, so a child's saved titles travel on a device without a connection.
- The monthly plan at $9.99 sits well below Readability at $19.99 while still covering audiobooks and ebooks.
Cons
- Support runs on email only, so a billing question waits on a written reply.
- At 40,000 titles the catalogue sits below the 240,000 median in this category, so adults hunting general fiction will find it narrow.
- The trial of 7 days ranks 12 of 16 on trial length, a shorter window than most rivals.
Who each suits
BookBeat
Who it suits
- Readers in AT who want audiobooks and ebooks covered by the same subscription.
- Households planning to share through family profiles and to download titles for offline listening.
- Students with a discount, who can test the service over 60 days before paying.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who would rather not count hours: BookBeat caps listening at 20 to 100 a month, and AfriKDP at $3 a month costs less for light use.
- Anyone outside AT, where Audible at CAD 8.99 a month and Readability at $19.99 a month are the listed comparisons instead.
Epic
Who it suits
- Parents who want a single payment covering several children's profiles under family profiles.
- Households that read on trips and want saved titles available through offline downloads.
- Readers who want audiobooks and ebooks in a single catalogue, both named in audiobooks and ebooks.
Who should look elsewhere
- AfriKDP, at $3 monthly, is the cheaper pick for a reader who wants the lowest monthly figure and has no use for family profiles.
- Readability, at $19.99 monthly, is the alternative for anyone who wants to put a larger monthly sum into reading than Epic's $9.99.
- Audible, at CAD 8.99 monthly, suits a single reader budgeting in a different currency and paying only for their own listening.
Current offers
BookBeat
Current offer
Free trial
60 days free trial: 60 days
30 listening and reading hours included
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Questions about each
BookBeat
What does BookBeat cost each month?+
The standard BookBeat monthly plan is €9.99, and the starting price quoted for the subscription is €9.99. They are published as separate figures, so the amount at entry and the amount that recurs each month can be weighed on their own terms.
How long is the BookBeat free trial?+
The free trial runs 60 days, and BookBeat ranks 1 of 16 brands compared on trial length. For scale, the median trial in this category runs 30 days.
Epic
What does Epic cost to join?+
Epic's entry price is $4.99, and the monthly Epic plan is $9.99. The entry figure is the cheapest way into the service, while the monthly plan figure is what a household carries for as long as it stays subscribed. Both figures are quoted in the same currency.
Is there a free trial on Epic?+
A free trial of 7 days comes with the subscription, so a family can test the catalogue and the family profiles before paying anything. On trial length Epic ranks 12 of 16 here, shorter than the category median of 30 days.