Book subscription services are a type of subscription service created especially for college textbooks.
Flickr user Logan Ingalls
If you have a Netflix subscription, or maybe a Hulu or Disney+ subscription, you have an idea of how these services work. Book services work in a similar manner but instead of entertainment, these services revolve around digital textbooks for college students.
Textbooks can add up to over $1,200 a year! The cost of textbooks in addition to tuition and fees can make affording college tough. Enter book subscription services, which act as an effective cost-cutting measure.
How Book Subscription Services Work
There are several book subscription servicers. While each one has its own specific features and terms and conditions, they all work in a similar manner.
The most important thing to know about book subscription services is that they you will receive only digital versions of college textbooks. You will not receive a physical copy.
To make use of these services, you choose a servicer, pay the fees, and download the app. As a subscriber, you generally have access to the entire library and can search for any textbook by title, author, or ISBN (International Standard Book Number’. Once you’ve found the book you’re looking for, download it and start reading it right away. Because it’s a digital textbook, you can study wherever and whenever you want, with instant online and office mobile access to your digital textbook.
The number of books you can download within a specific period may vary among providers depending on the type of subscriptions services they offer.
Types of Book Subscription Services
Every book subscription service provider has its own subscription model. These are just a few of the many different types of book subscription models that are available.
Some providers such as Perlego offer monthly plans and annual plans. You get access to the entire library and all of the features with both plans. And as long as you have an active subscription, you can read as many books as you like, as often as you like without having to pay anything extra. The difference between the two plans is that you save as much as 30% if you pay upfront for the annual plan as compared to paying monthly for 12 months.
Other providers such as Pearson offer two or more subscription tiers. With the lowest tier, you pay a minimum recurring fee per month and access only one textbook at a time. With the next tier you pay a slightly higher fee per month and can access the entire library of e-books, which include over 1,000 books.
Most subscriptions are set renew automatically monthly or annually, depending on the plan you’ve chosen. But, regardless of service provider or subscription model, you can cancel at any time by going to your profile and stopping the next payment. If you cancel before your paid time ends, your membership continues to reman active for the remainder of the time that you’ve already paid for.
Benefits Of Book Subscription Services
Book subscription services offer several compelling benefits over buying brand new physical textbooks from your university bookstore.
- Savings of hundreds of dollars every semester. No matter what the subscription model, you can get access to all the books you need for your course at a lower cost than buying brand new physical text books.
- The ability to study anytime, anywhere. Every book subscription service provider has its own app that you can download and install on your laptop or phone. This allows you access to your books anywhere and at any time without having to lug around heavy textbooks and a book bag.
- Access to a wide range of books. Physical books are typically printed in limited quantities and book sellers don’t always have them in stock. Digital book providers never run out of copies, this means the textbook you need will be available for you when you need it.
- Instant access to any textbook you need. With an active subscription you can just click on the book you need and access it through your app instantly. You don’t have to wait days for delivery or leave your dorm room to shop at a store.
- Cut down your search time. Finding specific information in a huge tome can be time-consuming. With a digital textbook, you can just enter the keyword or phrase in the search tool and you’ll be taken directly to the information you’re looking for. This can drastically cut down your study time and frustration levels.
Loads of Other useful features you didn’t know you needed
One of the most exciting and unexpected advantages of book subscription services is the features that made reading and studying so much easier and fun. Features include:
-
- The ‘Read Aloud’ feature lets you ‘listen’ to the book instead of reading it yourself. This is incredibly useful for students who learn better by listening. You can also adjust the speed to suit your listening and learning style.
- The customizable fonts feature allows you to choose your favorite font style and set it at a size that works best for you. The color-changing font takes this feature to the next level by allowing you to highlight important sections and pulling your eyes through the text. Think of it as enabling speed reading.
- Other advanced study tools include the ability to easily add notes, quotes, and citations in your notebook. Perlego is one of a few book subscription services that makes this even easier by generally fully formatted citations for your reference list or bibliography with just one click from directly within the book.
Drawbacks Of Book Subscription Services
Book subscription services have a couple of drawbacks to consider.
- You may be able to buy used textbooks at a lower price. Digital textbook subscriptions are cheaper than buying brand new physical textbooks. However, you may be able to score used textbooks at even lower prices. Additionally, you can then resell your textbooks when you’re done with them and recover some of the cost. You can’t do this with a digital textbook you’ve obtained through a subscription service. Make sure you look for used textbooks and compare prices before subscribing.
- Digital textbooks are not for everyone. Not everyone likes reading ebooks on a screen. If you prefer flipping through the pages of a physical book, book subscription services may not be the right choice for you.
A Few Book Subscription Service Providers
- Perlego. Perlego is one of the biggest names among book subscription service providers. They offer an affordable subscription service and a vast digital library that carries more than 1,000,000 professional and academic titles covering over 900 different topics and subtopics. A search filter makes it easy to find books in your choice of topic.
- Pearson. Pearson is another top name in book subscription services. Their library includes over 1,500 titles covering major course offerings at U.S. colleges and universities. Pearson offers two subscription services. Students who want to access only one textbook at a time can subscribe to the lower tier. Those who want unlimited access to the entire library can subscribe to the higher, but still surprisingly affordable, tier. This allows students to customize their subscription and pay only for what they need.
Don’t let the high cost of college act as a barrier to pursuing your higher education goals. While scholarships and grants can help lower the cost of tuition, book subscription services help to lower the cost of college textbooks.
If you need additional money to help fund the gap, College Raptor’s FREE Scholarship Search tool makes it easy for you to find and apply to scholarships that you have a good chance of winning.
