Blinkist Vs Reading: Is there really no true alternative to a good book?

They say that there is no true alternative to curling up on the couch with a good book.

I’m not too sure who the editorial ‘they’ are, but their views have become gospel over the years.

But are they right? These days there are so many new ways to ‘read’ a book. Apps like Blinkist are making it more accessible to read nonfiction summaries.

So, consider this article a battle between the old school and the new school. Blinkist vs reading, which one is better.

To compare Blinkist and reading, we are going to look at a few different aspects

• Ease of use
• Efficiency
• Reader enjoyment
• Overall learning
• Price

Comparing Blinkist and Reading

So here below you’ll see our criteria for comparing Blinkist and reading. For this experiment, I am assuming that you’re reading a physical book and not a Kindle or eBook.

Ease of use

When I look at how easy something is to do, there are a few things I think about.

For starters, how accessible something is. Now, twenty years ago, you would have said that a book is more accessible than a computer program.

However, now, things are a little different. While books are equally as accessible as they once were, tech is now engraved as a mainstay.

With my Blinkist app, I can read in those spare pockets of time throughout my day, along with listening to the audio while I’m driving or at the gym.

With my Blinkist account, I also have a library of thousands of books to choose from at any given moment, rather than whatever I can find at the local library or book store.

For me, this one is obvious.

Winner: Blinkist

Best for efficiency

When discussing efficiency, we almost cover a lot from the last section.

The fact that a Blinkist summary can be read in under fifteen-minutes means that you can read at least one book a day without adding too much to your regular routine.

I hate reading a nonfiction book for hours, only to take a few key points.

A Blinkist summary is supposed to be a more efficient way to read – that’s why the platform exists.

Winner: Blinkist

Best for enjoyment

Okay, so I am a huge fan of Blinkist and the app. However, I have never curled up in front of the fire on a cold winter night and read a 15-minute Blinkist summary.

Call me old fashioned, but a book is a far more enjoyable choice.

That is why Blinkist only offers nonfiction books. They’re not meant to be a sole form of enjoyment, they’re books to help you grow.

So, if you’re reading a particular book for entertainment (and have the time to do it), then there is no comparison for me – reading is far superior.

Winner: Reading

Best for overall learning

If you’re looking to read nonfiction and wondering if a full book or a Blinkist summary is the way to go, you need to think about the bigger picture.

To fully understand an author’s point of view, a book summary usually isn’t enough. To truly deep dive, you need to read the entire book. The anecdotes and examples in books are often left out of summaries.

However, if you want to form your own opinions on a topic and truly understand it, you need to read more than one point of view.

That is where apps like Blinkist are worth their weight in gold.

In a few hours, you can read the opinions and views of all the leading authors on a topic. From there, you can choose the books you want to read in full and create your own informed opinion.

Winner: Tie

Best on price

I’m not sure how much money I’ve spent on books in my life.

One thing I do know is that I won’t be calculating it anytime soon.

If you’re looking at buying the best nonfiction books, then you’re looking at up to $30 each.

And that’s not even including the books you read for an hour and decide isn’t for you.

Even if I only use my Blinkist account to decide what books to buy in full, I’m saving a bunch of money.

Winner: Blinkist

Blinkist Vs Reading: Overall

Overall, Blinkist and reading are meant to co-exist. Apps like Blinkist are great for reading short summaries to get a rundown of an author’s viewpoints. However, to fully deep dive into the author, you need to read the entire book. Blinkist summaries are great when studying a topic though because you can read a range of opinions in a short amount of time.