| Feature | Kindle | Paperback |
|---|---|---|
| Portability | Very portable, can store thousands of books in one device | Bulkier and can only carry a limited number of books |
| Screen | E-ink display reduces eye strain, readable in sunlight | Paper pages, may cause eye strain and glare in sunlight |
| Variety of Titles | Vast digital library with access to a wide range of books | Limited to physical copies available in stores or libraries |
| Cost | Initial investment in the device, but e-books are often cheaper | Lower upfront cost, but individual book prices vary |
| Environmental Impact | Requires electronic components and electricity | Made from paper, can be recycled |
| Annotation and Search | Easy to highlight, make notes, and search for text | Limited annotation options, no text search |
| Battery Life | Weeks on a single charge | Unlimited, no need for recharging |
| Customization | Adjustable font size, font type, and lighting | Fixed font size and limited customization |
| Collectibility | No physical presence, no bookshelf display | Physical presence, collectible and displayable |
| Access to Out-of-Print | Possible for some out-of-print books in digital form | Limited access to out-of-print books |
| Fragility | Vulnerable to electronic malfunctions | Resilient to electronic malfunctions |
| Aesthetic Appeal | Lacks the tactile feel and book cover artwork | Offers tactile experience and cover art |
| Sharing | Limited sharing options, often tied to Amazon account | Easy sharing with friends or through lending libraries |
Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos as an online bookstore. Amazon has now become the largest internet retailer in the world, selling not only eBooks but also physical books, movies on DVD and Blu-ray, music on CD and MP3, video games on CD and cartridge, and electronics of all kinds (e.g., Kindle eBook readers), apparel of all types (e.g., baby clothes), Amazon Fire TV streaming devices, Amazon Echo smart speakers with Alexa virtual personal assistant, Amazon Dash buttons for buying more of your favorite items with one press, Amazon Appstore which brings over 700k Android apps to purchase or download for free!
As Amazon evolved with time, Amazon started selling eBooks with the Amazon Kindle e-reader in 2007, and Amazon has now become one of the biggest names in eBook sales. Amazon currently sells over 4 million Kindle books, two million+ paperback titles, and 10k+ audiobook titles. Amazon offers various plans for their memberships, such as $10 per month, $99 for six months [$50 off], or $180 per year [$50 out].
Amazon Prime was started in 2005, but Amazon expanded its services significantly over the years. Amazon Prime members can access unlimited streaming of movies, TV shows, books, magazines, music, audiobooks, etc., through Kindle owners’ lending library and Prime instant video. Apart from that, Amazon Prime members are granted early access to lightning deals on Amazon’s website 30 minutes before non-prime members and get free two-day shipping on any purchase with no minimum spending. Amazon Prime members also get free Kindle eBooks, and Kindle Unlimited service allows Kindle owners to access over 1 million titles for only $9.99 per month.
Books and Kindle both have pros and cons, but we don’t think that one is necessarily better than the other! This article delves into the dilemma of Kindle vs. Books to provide clarity on what is best for you!
Price- Kindle vs Paperback
What would be cheaper? Kindle or Books, to answer the question, we have to look at the pricing of books and Kindle. When writing this article, a brand new bestseller from one of the most popular authors in fiction, J K Rowling (Harry Potter Series), costs $15 for paperback and $31 for hardcover. It is even more expensive than the latest & last Harry Potter book, which cost around $20-$25. The eBook version on Amazon’s kindle store costs only $10, which makes it 1/4th of what we would expect to pay for a brand new paperback book! Kindle Unlimited service allows you to read as much as you like, with over 1 million titles available. Kindle Unlimited costs only $10 per month.
Apart from that, a new Kindle eBook reader with special offers & sponsored screensavers currently sells for as low as $49.99, and the price goes up to around $89 depending on the storage size and design you choose.
Here we compare the prices of both products. A paperback costs around $9, whereas a Kindle eBook will cost you anywhere between $0.99-$4.99 (Rs 40-200 approx.). Although hardcover books are slightly higher in price than paperbacks at $20 on Amazon, we feel that they may not be enough to convince people who are already investing in Kindle. In basic comparison, books are expensive when compared to Kindle eBooks! –
Winner: Kindle
Content- Kindle vs Paperback
According to a survey done by Pew Research Center, 41% of Americans read an eBook last year, which is about 133 million people. This number is still on the rise with each passing day! Customers like owning digital content (eBooks) because they can carry it on their phones, tablets, or laptops wherever they go without making any space for these eBooks in their bags.
On the other hand, physical books are also stored in a digital form, but we don’t find that many people carry physical copies of books around with them. It is because printed books need to be packed & moved and it just isn’t practical to do so. On average, eBook readers read over 20+ titles per year, while hardcover and paperback readers only read 2-3 labels per year! While this number can vary from person to person, stated averages give us a good idea about how much customers prefer reading eBooks over printed ones.
Keeping all these factors in mind, content-wise Kindle wins overall! –
Content Winner: Kindle
Design- Kindle vs Paperback
Design plays a significant role in attracting readers. This section compares Kindle to paperback and hardcover books. Kindles are smaller than paperbacks and much lighter when compared to hardcover books. Paperback books have a bigger size when opened up, while Kindle’s e-ink display resembles reading from the actual paper. It makes it a lot easier on the eyes, which can last for longer periods without straining them. Kindle wins Design-wise!
Design Winner: Kindle
Customers can also design their covers for free using Amazon’s ‘covers section in their Kindle store. On the other hand, customers who want a more personalized touch can choose from various book covers and designs in Amazon’s print department and get them printed out in physical form at reasonable prices.
We feel that both ways offer customers a chance to make something for themselves and we can’t choose a winner in this section! –
Customization Winner: Draw
Ease of Use- Kindle vs Paperback
Ease of use is also important when it comes to reading. Both eBooks and printed books come with their inbuilt dictionary, which helps customers look up words they don’t understand while reading the book. By pushing a button, you can immediately view the meaning of words without exiting from your current screen. It is especially helpful when reading an eBook on Kindle because it comes with a built-in dictionary that is easy to access. Books also have dictionaries but opening them every time you want to look up a word you don’t understand isn’t practical! It takes more than just one click!!
Kindle wins Ease of use!
Ease of Use Winner: Kindle
Layout- Kindle vs Paperback
While reading an eBook on Kindle, you can also view the entire book in landscape mode (which is more like looking at a printed page). It helps customers follow ‘line-by-line text which makes it easier on the old eyes. On the other hand, paperbacks and hardcovers are stuck with only the ‘vertical style’ view, which means all content appears the same no matter how much you charge your device’s position. Kindle wins for this section too! –
Layout Winner: Kindle
Customer Loyalty- Kindle vs Paperback
While reading books, it is common to highlight passages that strike us as interesting or important. Once done, we tend to remember them even after finishing the book! On most reading devices like Kindle, you can easily make notes and highlight passages. It is a great way of remembering important things and also comes in handy while preparing for exams, where many students highlight and make notes of stuff they need to study further. Here too, Kindle wins when compared to books! –
Customer Loyalty Winner: Kindle
Verdict- Kindle vs Paperback Books
To summarize all the points mentioned above, we feel that eBooks are better than printed books regarding reading material. This is because they offer customers a much more convenient and cost-effective way of consuming written content. If you want to save money on buying books or invest in something aside from paperbacks/ hardcovers, Kindles are your best bet!
While there’s no doubt that reading is enjoyable, let’s face it-not everyone enjoys reading as much as others do. A survey from Pew Research Center revealed readers of English only read 2-4 books, and 15% of respondents didn’t read a single book in the past 12 months. With such reading habits, it’s important to find other ways to enjoy literature, and one such route is by buying eBooks.
Neither printed books nor eBooks can be called better because both offer very different things. As far as paperbacks are concerned, The Kindle edition prices are lower than hardcover editions, so we feel that they may not be enough to convince people who are already investing in Kindle. However, the comparison will give you a detailed insight.
We have compared Kindle and Book according to different categories. The categorization will help you decide which type to choose and under what circumstances. You can also choose both. The choice depends on your preferences in terms of pricing, design, content, and layout. Now that you have details regarding each category, you can either go for Kindle or Books, depending on the winner in each category.
Conclusion of kindle vs Books:
In conclusion, Kindles make a great investment for those who love reading because they offer a range of benefits over traditional paperback counterparts! They also come with their own set of drawbacks, but if you want to save money on buying books or invest in something aside from paperbacks hardcovers, Kindles are your best bet! So what have you decided now? No matter what option you choose, you can rely on us for more information.