Media & Entertainment · head to head
Plex vs Audible
Audible
Media & Entertainment
Audiobooks as you've never experienced them
- From
- $7.95/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Plex has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Plex plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned; Audible auto renews monthly and must be cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current membership period, per the App Store listing
- They diverge on capability: Plex covers Financial management, Audible covers Audiobooks.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Plex and Audible actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Media & Entertainment).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Plex
- Financial management
- Manufacturing execution
- Supply chain
- Quality management
- Analytics
- IoT platforms
- REST APIs
- Webhooks
Only in Audible
- Audiobooks
- Podcasts
- Originals
- Offline listening
- Amazon Echo
- Kindle
- Apple Watch
- Family library
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Plex
- Industry 4.0not Audible
- Real-time monitoringnot Audible
- IoT integrationnot Audible
- Smart manufacturingnot Audible
Audible
- Audiobook listeningnot Plex
- Podcast consumptionnot Plex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Plex
- Plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned
- Remote streaming quality degrades significantly if Plex cannot establish direct connection and falls back to relay mode
- Upcoming sunsetting of plugins, Cloud Sync, and Watch Later features
Audible
- Auto renews monthly and must be cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current membership period, per the App Store listing
- Renewal is charged at the rate of the selected plan within 24 hours before the end of each membership period, per the App Store listing
Pricing, plan by plan
Plex
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Plex review.
Audible
$7.95/month- Plus$7.95/month
- Plus catalog
- Podcasts
- Premium Plus$14.95/month
- 1 credit/month
- Plus catalog
Which should you pick?
Choose Plex if
- You need financial management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want manufacturing execution.
Choose Audible if
- You need audiobooks.
- You work on Ios, Android, Desktop, Kindle.
- You also want podcasts.
Questions people ask
- Is Plex or Audible better?
- Neither clearly leads. Plex starts at Free and Audible at $7.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Plex or Audible?
- Plex has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Plex and $7.95/month for Audible.
- Does Plex or Audible run on more platforms?
- Plex runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Audible runs on Ios, Android, Desktop, Kindle.
- Can I use Plex for free?
- Yes. Plex has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Audible starts at $7.95/month.
- What is Plex best used for?
- Plex is most often used for industry 4.0, real-time monitoring, iot integration, smart manufacturing. Of those, industry 4.0 and real-time monitoring are not what Audible is typically brought in for.
- What can Plex do that Audible cannot?
- Plex covers Financial management, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain, Quality management. Audible covers Audiobooks, Podcasts, Originals, Offline listening.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Plex: Is Plex Media Server free?
Yes. Plex Media Server and the ad-supported streaming catalog are free. Plex Pass is an optional subscription at 6.99 USD per month or 69.99 USD per year that adds features like hardware transcoding and offline sync.
SourcePlex: Can I access Plex content offline?
Yes, but downloads have limitations. Downloaded content may have an expiration period and is specific to the device where downloaded. Downloads are not available on shared libraries in some cases.
SourcePlex: What devices does Plex support?
Plex apps are available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, iOS, Android, and web browsers. Server software runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, NAS devices, and Docker.
SourcePlex: What is included in the free Plex catalog?
Plex's free ad-supported streaming catalog includes 14,000+ movies and shows from Lionsgate, MGM, Warner Bros, and Crackle Originals.
Source