1. Define the listening pattern
Monthly catalog hours equal books per month multiplied by normal-speed hours per book. We compare this with hourly allowances. For annual credit plans, we compare twelve months of planned books with the annual credit count.
2. Check the preferences
A plan must cover the entered volume and satisfy the retained-access choice to count as a fit. Annual plans are excluded unless upfront payment is enabled. Library borrowing is a conditional suggestion, never a guaranteed capacity.
3. Compare additional costs
Already-paid subscriptions have zero additional cost within their existing allowance. Music bills remain outside the comparison. Annual costs are divided by twelve for display, but the full upfront payment remains visible.
Individual-purchase costs use the editable per-book input. The initial $20 is a modeling assumption, not a market average or fetched price. No mixed subscription-and-purchase optimization is performed.
4. Rank the fits
The lowest additional cost among fitting options comes first. At equal cost, a non-library fit precedes a conditional library suggestion. Referral income plays no part. A recommendation above your budget carries a warning rather than silently changing your budget.
What we cannot verify
- Live title availability, library queues or personal offer eligibility.
- Every subscription, bundle, top-up and discount in the market.
- Future price changes, refunds or the value of your music subscription.
Corrections and freshness
Each provider fact has a source and verification date on our source register. Provider checkout controls the actual price. Recheck it when making a purchase.
Articles explain the calculations; they do not claim hands-on tests of every service. Editorial illustration is AI-generated and does not depict a specific product.