Frequently asked questions

The first chapter of every audiobook plays free, with no account required. A free account adds the opening chapters of every book, plus one whole book of your choice from a shelf of five classics. A 7-day free trial unlocks the full library; after the trial, full access is $4.99 per month or $49 per year, and you can cancel anytime.

Compendium's catalog is built around enduring literature: classic fiction, philosophy, history, mystery, and science fiction, from authors such as Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Plato, Mary Shelley, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Compendium's library is built around enduring works, the kind of writing that shaped everything that came after, rather than new releases. These are older titles with no per-title licensing cost, which is what lets us offer the whole library at one flat price.

Compendium is available on iOS, Android, and the web at compendium.audio.

Yes. Your listening progress is tied to your account, not your device, so you can start a chapter on iOS and pick up where you left off on Android or the web. A Premium account plays on one device at a time: press play on another device and listening moves there, and the first one pauses. Books you've downloaded for offline listening aren't affected.

No. The first chapter of any audiobook plays with no account. A free account (no card) adds the opening chapters of every book and one whole book of your choice; the full library needs a subscription or the 7-day free trial.

Compendium is a small, focused library of enduring literature rather than a large catalog of new releases, for a flat $4.99 per month instead of a per-title credit system. That price covers full access to the whole library rather than one book at a time, there are no ads, and the full chapter text stays on screen while you listen.