Skoobe
German reading and listening flatrate that lends audiobooks without an hour cap
Quick Overview
| Company | Skoobe GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Audiobook Apps |
| Headquarters | Hagen (registered seat), Munich (office), Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages checked |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Audiobook and eBook lending, title returns, audiobook plan without hour limits, offline listening, up to 3 synced devices, 10 simultaneous loans, children's and young-adult sections, English and Spanish audiobooks |
| Pricing | Audiobook plan 17.99 EUR per 30 days after a 30-day trial; reading and listening subscription advertised from 12.99 EUR per month |
| Best For | German-speaking listeners who want unlimited audiobook hours at a flat fee |
| Replaces | Audible |
Detailed Review
Skoobe treats an audiobook as a loan. A subscriber borrows a title, listens, gives it back when it disappoints and takes the next, which is how the vendor explains the value of its flatrate. Under the audiobook plan there is no counter of hours running down.
The imprint names Skoobe GmbH, with the company seat on Batheyer Straße in Hagen (HRB 12467 at the Hagen register) and an office in Munich. The managing directors are listed by name, and the site is in German.
Hours Do Not Run Out
The audiobook offer page promises 100,000 audiobooks to listen to without hour limits, on up to three synchronised devices, with 10 titles on loan at the same time. Titles can be streamed or played offline.
After the 30-day trial the plan costs 17.99 EUR per 30 days, and the page states a cancellation during the trial ends the subscription at once.
A Bigger Reading Catalogue Behind It
The main page talks about more than 600,000 titles from over 5,000 publishers and a reading and listening subscription from 12.99 EUR a month. The page does not spell out which tier covers which part of that catalogue, so confirm it in the checkout.
Genre pages list audiobooks for children and teenagers, radio plays, and English and Spanish audiobooks next to the German core.
Devices
Apps exist for smartphones and tablets, and the vendor states the reading side also works on open eReaders. The site claims more than 1.5 million downloads, which is the vendor's own count.
Listening to a downloaded title offline is part of the audiobook plan.
Limitations to Consider
Skoobe is a German-language service, with a catalogue and customer support to match, and the 100,000-title audiobook count is smaller than the libraries at Storytel or Nextory. The 17.99 EUR audiobook plan is priced above the 6.99 EUR that Nextory quotes on its Dutch page, though the two plans are not equivalent. Prices on the main page and the audiobook page differ, so the right tier needs checking before signing up.
Who Should Use Skoobe
German speakers who listen heavily and prefer a fixed monthly price over an hour allowance.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Audiobook plan without hour limits
- 30-day free trial
- Three synchronised devices and 10 simultaneous loans
- Publisher base of more than 5,000 houses
- German company with named managing directors in its imprint
Cons
- 17.99 EUR per 30 days for the audiobook plan
- German-language service
- Smaller audiobook count than the Nordic libraries
- Tier boundaries between the 12.99 EUR and 17.99 EUR offers are unclear on the pages
Alternatives to Skoobe
Other European audiobook apps worth comparing before you decide:
Audiolibrix
Czech Republic · Credit-based audiobook club from Prague
Nextory
Sweden · Low entry price with 30 trial hours
BookBeat
Sweden · Hour-based plans after a 45-day trial
Storytel
Sweden · Unlimited tier plus Synced Listening
See all European audiobook apps or compare them directly against Audible on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The audiobook plan page states audiobooks can be heard without hour limits, on three synchronised devices.
The audiobook page lists 17.99 EUR per 30 days after a 30-day trial, and the main page advertises a reading and listening subscription from 12.99 EUR a month.
Skoobe GmbH, entered at the Hagen register under HRB 12467, with an office in Munich.