Scribd ebook and audiobook subscription service launches in Australia

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US-based ebook and audiobook subscription service Scribd has officially launched Down Under, putting it in direct competition with Amazon's Kindle Unlimited and Audible platforms.

For AU$13.99 a month, avid Aussie readers will get unlimited access to over two million ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and podcasts. In fact, Scribd is also home to a vast library of other documents like sheet music that's available to subscribers as well.

To make it a more compelling option for an Australian audience, Scribd has teamed up with local publishers like Fremantle Press, Allen & Unwin, Murdoch Books, and the Australian branches of HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, so readers can access titles from Aussie authors.

Taking on an Amazon

In Australia, a Kindle Unlimited subscription also costs AU$13.99 a month, but you only get access to books that authors have made available through the platform. Admittedly it's a staggering number of books (and Audible versions of those books), but there's no guarantee you'll be able to find your favourite Aussie titles on it.

To compete with Amazon, Scribd has promised to expand its existing library of not just books, but podcasts as well, including exploring options for some original content.

Moreover, Scribd's subscription also gets you access to newspapers, magazines and journal articles as well, not to mention sheet music for several instruments – a huge bonus for musicians – alongside other types of documents, like templates for contracts.

Scribd is already up and running in Australia, and is offering a 30-day free trial for new customers, with no lock-in contracts – you can cancel any time. The Scribd app is also available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store, so you can read anytime and anywhere.

To sign up for a free trial, head to the Scribd website.

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While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, Sharmishta's main priority is being TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, looking after the day-to-day functioning of the Australian, New Zealand and Singapore editions of the site, steering everything from news and reviews to ecommerce content like deals and coupon codes. While she loves reviewing cameras and lenses when she can, she's also an avid reader and has become quite the expert on ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about these underrated devices. Other than her duties at TechRadar, she's also the Managing Editor of the Australian edition of Digital Camera World, and writes for Tom's Guide and T3.