What is the best MP3 player for audiobooks out there? We know the correct answer.
MP3s used to be solely for listening to music. However, with considerable improvements to battery life, storage, and portability, they aren’t only perfect for music lovers and audiobook lovers.
You can now store and play all your favorite titles on a tiny device. These portable MP3 players are perfect for the audiobook aficionado!
Top 4 Best MP3 Players for Audiobooks:
| Model | Price |
|
|---|---|---|
| SanDisk Clip Jam (Editor's Choice) | Check Price |
 | Creative Zen | Check Price |
So as you can see, not any old MP3 player is suitable for becoming your portable audiobook library. So with hundreds of choices out there, where do you start your search?
Right here! Because we’ve found 5 of the most suitable audiobook MP3 players on the market and we’re about to tell you why.
SanDisk Clip Jam MP3 Player (Editor’s Choice)
The SanDisk Clip Jam is the best MP3 player for audiobooks and possibly the king of budget MP3 players.
Significantly cheaper than the rest of the MP3 players on this list, the Clip Jam delivers a lower quality product than the iPod Touch, Nano, and Creative Zen. Still, we have to remember that the Clip Jam is competing in a different price range, and that is where it reigns supreme as a favorite among audiobook listeners.
This one is a budget MP3 player for those who don’t have a good relationship with technology or want something cheap that can take a little punishment. It is easy to use and packed full of features for the audiobook addict.
Features
Okay, so it isn’t the most attractive MP3 player out there. But it’s small, ultra-lightweight at only 22 grams, and features a nifty clip to fasten to your pants, belt, or shirt securely. The device is durable enough to handle a few bumps, and thanks to the clip, you can secure it somewhere safe. The screen is an OLED display and is visible from every angle.
Unlike the other MP3 players on this list, the Clip Jam will appeal to those with little experience or interest in the electronic equipment. The menu interface is intuitive and straightforward, and navigation is done through tactile buttons. As a result, it is the most comfortable and most simple MP3 player on this list to use.
There is no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, but the Creative Zen syncing from your PC is hassle-free. In addition, the Clip Jam is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS.
The good news is that if you use Audible, you can transfer all your Audible audiobooks over, and the Clip Jam will play them without a hitch. It’s a 100% Audible-compatible MP3 player. Although there is no bookmarking feature, as with many other MP3s, all you need to do is pause the book, and when you come back, it’ll remember where you were.
8GB internal storage should be plenty for most audiobook listeners, but the Clip Jam has an SD card slot for memory expansion if you fill it up. A minor drawback to the SanDisk Clip Jam is the battery life. Lasting only 18 hours, you will find yourself having to charge it much more often. Let’s be honest, though. 18 hours is still a long time!
Pros
- Very cheap – the best MP3 player in its price range
- The simplest MP3 player to use
- Easy to read screen
- Expandable memory
- Can play Audible audiobooks
Cons
- Battery life is mediocre
- No audiobook bookmarking feature
This MP3 player was initially our second choice (see our review for the Creative Zen player below). However, we got lots of comments from our readers who tried both. So, all in all, the SanDisk Clip Jam player is the best MP3 player for audiobooks, after all.
Creative Zen MP3 Player
Straying away from the world of Apple, we have the Creative Zen. At first glance, it may not look as sleek as the iPod Nano or Touch. Still, the Zen is a solid device and has excellent features that specifically benefit audiobook listeners.
The Zen has been designed with the audiobook listener in mind rather than as an afterthought. While it does not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, syncing is a painless process, and it can easily play all of your audiobook file formats without the need to download any additional apps. We would like to have had the option to listen via wireless headphones, though.
Features
It’s only the size of a credit card and weighs in at 60 grams, making it only slightly heavier than the iPod Nano, the device that you can most closely compare to the Zen. Truly pocket-friendly, the Zen has a surprisingly large and clear non-Touch screen accompanied by some functional old user-friendly buttons. The only thing that seems to be missing from the exterior is dedicated to volume control.
Available with a storage capacity of up to 32GB, the Zen will have more than enough memory to store an impressive library of audiobooks. If you manage to fill up the internal storage, there’s an SD card slot to expand the memory further. In addition, the battery life will let you listen to 25 hours of continuous audio. While not as long as some other products on this list, it is still more than enough for even heavy users.
What we like about Creative Zen is that it supports all the right file types. It works perfectly with audiobooks downloaded from Audible, Overdrive, and NetLibrary. It’s the best MP3 player for Audible audiobooks on our list.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Zen supports unprotected AAC files, meaning that you’ll be able to play songs you’ve downloaded through iTunes (not use iTunes to sync them) as well as MP3, Wav, and protected/unprotected WMA tracks.
Syncing isn’t quite as painful as using iTunes can be. It is done with a simple drag-and-drop through windows explorer. Unfortunately, there is no Wi-Fi connectivity, so you’ll need to sync everything you want to load on it. Also, the Zen doesn’t support the Mac OS, so don’t buy a Creative Zen if you have a Mac.
Another nod to audiobook listeners is that Creative Zen has a bookmarking feature, allowing you to place up to 10 bookmakers to continue your audiobooks later. It’s the best MP3 player with bookmarking.
Pros
- Compatible with a wide range of file formats
- Syncing is easy
- Good battery life
- Expandable memory
- Lightweight and portable
- Audiobook bookmarking supported
- Overdrive-compatible
- Audible-compatible
Cons
- No Wi-Fi connectivity
- No Bluetooth connectivity
Apple iPod Touch
I don’t think any MP3 player list is a list unless there’s an Apple product in there somewhere. For example, the iPod Touch was a revolutionary MP3 player and one of the first to incorporate a Touch screen into their devices.
It’s no secret that Apple makes some sleek, good-looking devices and is generally user-friendly. But with the name and the design comes a higher price tag than other models with similar specs.
Features
The iPod Touch series of MP3 players come with up to 128GB of storage, which is plenty for even the most hardcore audiobook listener. It’s also lightweight. At 88 grams, it will probably be significantly lighter than your phone, so you can keep it in your pocket without being too noticeable.
It boasts a giant Touchscreen and a clear display, making managing your audiobooks easy and the newer generations do not get as severely affected by glare from the sun. In addition, the iPod Touch has many features that other MP3 players don’t have. Features that may be unnecessary for somebody just looking for something to play audiobooks without the added extras.
If you and Touch screens don’t get on well, you might want to check out other models on this list that use physical buttons.
Full Wi-Fi connectivity grants you access to the App Store. You can download and access popular audiobook apps such as Audible and Overdrive and download audiobooks straight to your device without needing a PC. Bluetooth lets you listen through wireless headphones.
I would recommend you download an audio bookmarking app like Audiolio or SayAgain. The iPod Touch does come with a “remember playback position” feature, but it is not a simple bookmarking tool.
The iPod Touch has up to 40 hours of audio playback. Plenty of time to cover a commute, plane journey, or even a camping trip where you’d be off-grid for several days. The iPod Touch is a great standalone audiobook MP3 player with high storage, a long battery life, Wi-Fi connectivity, and various other features that make this more than just a portable audiobook player. If I had to pick, this one would be the best iPod for audiobooks between the two mentioned in our list.
Pros
- The well made and reliable device from a reputable manufacturer
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Access to most popular audiobook apps
- Many additional features other MP3 players don’t have
- Good battery life
- High storage capacity
Cons
- It costs more than MP3 players with similar specs
Apple iPod Nano
The iPod Nano is a down-sized version of the iPod Touch. Not just in size, but in every way. However, that isn’t always a bad thing as this makes the iPod Touch more affordable and portable while still providing more than enough storage to pack in plenty of audiobooks.
The small and sleek design will appeal to those of you who want something a little less bulky. It’s super light, weighing just 31 grams, so you won’t even notice it’s in your pocket. The iPod Nano still has a Touchscreen, albeit a much smaller one. The simplified user interface will better serve those who find the iPod Touch a little too complex to use.
If you usually download audiobooks on your PC first anyway, don’t mind the syncing process, and can handle navigating using a small Touch screen, then the iPod Nano will do just fine. However, if you would instead download books straight from the Internet or an app, this isn’t the MP3 player for you.
Features
The iPod Nano, in our opinion, should’ve kept the classic click wheel. The Touch screen size makes it more challenging to use, especially if your vision isn’t perfect, to begin with.
For a small device, the memory is impressive. With an ample 16GB of storage, you’ll be able to store more books than you can read in a month on there. When it comes to adding new books, however, this is where the iPod Touch shows its downfalls.
There is no Wi-Fi connectivity, which means no App Store and no using the popular audiobook services such as Audible and Overdrive straight from the device. Instead, you’ll need to load up your iPod Nano the old-fashioned way – by syncing everything from your laptop.
That isn’t a deal-breaker, but the iPod Nano comes at a premium like other Apple devices. Considering the price tag of the Nano, we feel as though the manufacturer should have included Wi-Fi connectivity. When you have loaded your favorite audiobooks onto the Nano, you’ll be able to enjoy them through wireless headphones or speakers thanks to Bluetooth connectivity.
Advertised with 30-hour battery life, you don’t have to worry about not having enough juice to finish your books. Unfortunately, the Nano doesn’t feature audiobook bookmarking either. Online users say one way around this issue is to pause the book and turn the device off. When you turn it back on, it will resume from the same place. Or you can make a note on your phone of where you were.
Is it the best audio player for listening to audiobooks? I don’t think so, but it’s one of the best.
Pros
- Small, ultra-lightweight
- Long battery life
- Large storage capacity for a tiny device
- Bluetooth connectivity
Cons
- Expensive considering features
- No Wi-Fi connectivity
- No audiobook bookmarking
How to Pick a Good MP3 Player for Audiobooks
Not all MP3 players are created equal. You need to look out for some specific features to make sure you’re buying the best MP3 player to play audiobooks, not just regular music. We’ve got them all covered!
Battery Life
While the average music track is about 4 minutes, an audiobook’s average length is a whopping 11 hours. If you’ve ever sat down on your laptop to watch a film, you’ll notice the battery draining much faster when it’s under continuous usage.
It’s the same with an MP3 player. You want a device that will let you listen to the entire audiobook without dying in the middle of a knuckle-biting chapter.
Let’s face it. If your MP3 player dies in the middle of a song, it isn’t the end of the world (and most of us have our phones as a backup). But if it dies in the middle of the book just as you’re about to get to the big twist, you may well end up throwing it at a wall out of rage and then wish you had a good old-fashioned hard copy instead.
Storage Capacity
One of the most significant advantages of audiobooks is that they only take up as much physical space as the device you’re storing them on. As a result, we no longer need to carry heavy books around with us and have our favorite books on demand. Well, that is if you’ve got an MP3 player that can store all of your favorite books.
The average audiobook file size can range from 14MB to 29MB per hour, depending on the sound quality. Typically if you’re downloading from a quality audiobook website, like Audible, the file size will be towards the larger end of the spectrum.
That means your average 11-hour audiobook will be approximately 319MB. You can get MP3 players with less than 1GB of storage, so you may only be able to hold a few books. That’s not useful at all if you’re going on holiday and need a big collection of reading material.
Size & Weight
Choosing audiobooks over traditional hard copies will let you carry around numerous books at a tiny fraction of the size and weight. Maybe not a massive advantage to somebody who religiously reads one book at a time, but even then, you’ll be taking up valuable space in your home when all those books could fit on something the size of a smartphone or smaller.
Most of your audiobook MP3 players will be kept in your pocket while in use, so weight is an essential factor to consider. While even the bulkiest MP3 players aren’t outlandishly heavy, you want something that doesn’t feel as heavy as a pocket full of change.
Connectivity
For complete MP3 player autonomy, you will want Wi-FI connectivity. It isn’t essential, but if your MP3 player does not have Wi-Fi, you’ll need to download the book on your computer, plug in your MP3 player and transfer the file over every time you want to read something new. If you’ve got Wi-FI, connect to the Internet on your device, and poof, audiobook downloaded.
Bluetooth is something else to look for, allowing you to share audiobooks with friends and enjoy a hands-free listening experience by connecting some wireless headphones.
Screen Size – Touchscreen or Not?
Screen size is one of the main driving factors, along with the storage capacity, of an MP3 player’s price. A large screen will be heavier and more expensive, but generally, be much more user-friendly.
Suppose you decide to head down the Apple route and get yourself an iPod. In that case, the larger Touch screen devices will also offer access to the App Store, giving you access to a range of different apps and games, adding a new dimension of usability to your device.
Devices with smaller screens are, you guessed it, generally cheaper and lighter, although it doesn’t mean they are inferior in terms of quality. On the contrary, many people prefer the physical feel of buttons and how simple to use they are in comparison.
Bookmarking Capability
This one is a stand-out feature in MP3 players that are well-suited for audiobooks. MP3 players with bookmarks let you drop a virtual bookmark on a page and come back later to continue where you left off.
Since many MP3 players are marketed as music listeners, they don’t all have this feature and will require you to pause the audiobook where you want to pick it up later before switching it off or making a physical note of the exact point you stopped reading.
That is generally okay if you only listen to one book at a time, but if you’d like to read part of one book, then part of another or listen to some music, you’ll need to get an MP3 player with bookmarking or make a note of exactly where you stopped on each book.
If your MP3 player has access to the App Store, then there are several apps out there that let you bookmark audiobooks if the device doesn’t come with the feature included.
File Compatibility
A regular MP3 player will support standard audio formats such as MP3, AAC, WMV, etc. But there are some audiobooks (namely those downloaded from iTunes and Audible) encrypted by DRM. To listen to these files, you need to have an MP3 player that supports them. Without one, you’ll need to stick to standard format audiobooks or download a DRM removal tool.
The Best MP3 Player for Audiobooks: Our Verdict
So, what is the best portable device for audiobooks? We think the Creative Zen MP3 Player might be the best MP3 player for audiobooks. While the iPod Touch has the connectivity and access to the App Store, the SanDisk Clip Jam doesn’t need that as everything you need is already included in the device.
It is free of unnecessary features, very simple to use, and is the only MP3 player on the list to offer good audiobook bookmarking. Not only that, but you can play audiobooks from every source you can think of without a problem!
However, if you need an affordable device that gets its job done and cost cheaper, you can go for the SanDisk Clip Jam. It just gets the job done, and for most people is more than enough if they need only a portable audio book player.
Overall, I would vote for the SanDisk Clip Jam. In my opinion, it’s the best device for audiobooks you can find on the market at the moment.