Is Shortform Value For Money – [Aug 2023]
Why Shortform?
- Detailed summaries (45+ minutes) covering all the main points from the books
- Additional coverage of top content from major media sites (like Economist & more)
Why Not?
- Smaller title collection (1000+) compared to competition
- Expensive plans compared to other apps
Best Alternative to Shortform
In my opinion, when it comes to the best value for your money, Blinkist takes the lead with its impressive title collection, exceptional quality, and competitive pricing.
Price: $8 per month, paid annually (+2 for 1 offer)
Why? Best value for money, 6500+ titles, excellent book summary quality, Podcasts, short form content, infographics and more
Why not? Not as big library as getAbstract (25000+ titles at over $20/month)
More about Book Summary Apps
- Honest Headway app review (gets over 7K clicks/month)
- The best book summary apps
- Shortform vs Blinkist
- getAbstract vs Blinkist
- Blinkist vs Headway App
- Honest Blinkist Review
- Complete Instaread review
Frequently Asked Questions about Shortform
What is included in a Shortform subscription?
A Shortform subscription provides full access to all book summaries, smart analysis of key points, and practical exercises in their library. Subscribers can read summaries of top-rated books that foster learning and personal development.
How often does Shortform add new book summaries?
Shortform adds 5+ new book summaries to its library every week, ensuring subscribers can continuously explore fresh, relevant content. These additions often include #1 bestsellers, providing access to the most influential works across various genres.
Can I cancel my Shortform subscription at any time?
Yes, you can! Shortform prides itself on transparency and ease-of-use. You can cancel your subscription at any time without any hidden obligations.
Is there a Shortform mobile app?
Indeed, there is. Shortform offers apps for both iOS and Android, where subscribers can access content anywhere, anytime, even offline. This ensures a seamless app experience, perfect for productive learning on the go.
Does Shortform offer content other than book summaries?
Absolutely! In addition to comprehensive book guides, Shortform also covers key ideas from prestigious publications like The New Yorker and The Economist, offering a well-rounded learning experience.
What additional features does Shortform offer?
Shortform enhances the learning experience with various features, including PDF downloads for offline reading, interactive exercises to reinforce learning, and discussion communities for engaging with fellow subscribers. It also provides audio narrations for some titles.
How does Shortform compare to other platforms like Blinkist?
While Blinkist boasts a larger title collection, Shortform stands out for its in-depth analysis and wide range of articles. Shortform’s monthly subscription costs $20, slightly more than Blinkist’s $14.99. But Blinkist’s cost is substantially reduced when paying annually ($8/month – $99 annually).
However, both platforms cater to different user preferences and have unique strengths, such as Shortform’s detailed book summaries and Blinkist’s extensive title collection. If you want the best value for money, Blinkist is a better choice.
Why is Shortform considered a top summary provider?
Shortform is renowned for its detailed, comprehensive book summaries that cover more ideas while maintaining conciseness. Each Shortform summary comes with interactive exercises and emphasizes actionable insights, making it stand out among other summary providers. So instead of the traditional 12-15 minutes, you get 45+ minutes summary on Shortform.
What genres are covered by Shortform?
Shortform covers over 30 genres, including self-improvement, business, technology, spirituality, history, and politics. Their mission is to spread the world’s best ideas, necessitating a diverse range of coverage.
Can I suggest materials for Shortform to summarize?
Yes, you can! Shortform welcomes book suggestions from subscribers. Requested books are added to a shortlist, and the more frequently a book is requested, the sooner its summary gets published.
Does Shortform offer an annual subscription?
Yes, Shortform offers an annual subscription option, which is often more cost-effective than the monthly plan. This allows subscribers to commit to a year of continuous learning and knowledge expansion.
Does Shortform offer affiliate links?
Yes, Shortform provides affiliate links. If you love Shortform and want to share it with others, you can earn a commission for every new subscriber who joins through your affiliate link.
Can I take notes while reading Shortform summaries?
Absolutely! Taking notes is a great way to remember the key points and great ideas from the book summaries. Shortform encourages active learning and engagement with the material.
Are there summaries of books by popular authors like Robert Greene and Dale Carnegie?
Yes, Shortform’s library includes summaries of popular books like “The 48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene and “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.
Shortform vs Blinkist – What is better value for money?
When it comes to book summary apps, Blinkist is the app to beat. Let’s see how Shortform performs against Blinkist.
Summary Quality – It’s a TIE!
- Shortform: The summaries are not to be read/listened in a hurry. They tend to be 45+ mins long and cover most of the points in the book. However this may disengage audience who just want a quick summary of the book.
- Blinkist: The summaries are sharp and remove all the fluff. While this is quite productive if you want the juice without eating the entire apple, some may find it annoying if the ‘story telling’ is removed from the process.
This is not a fair comparison – Blinkist and Shortform have different philosophies in extracting a summary out of book. It is a strictly personal preference.
Pricing – Blinkist wins
- Shortform: This platform has a higher price point with its monthly subscription costing $24/month paid monthly or $16.4/month (paid annually).
- Blinkist: Blinkist is much cheaper than Shortform, with its monthly subscription costing around $8/month (paid annually) or $15/month (paid monthly).
Title Collection – Blinkist wins BIG!!
- Shortform: Although relatively new to the market, Shortform already has a decent catalog of 1000+ book summaries including many popular bestsellers.
- Blinkist: Blinkist has an extensive collection of over 6,500+ book summaries and is often considered the app to beat when it comes to book summaries.
Additional Features – Blinkist wins
- Shortform: Apart from book summaries, Shortform offers a wide range of articles and summaries to help users stay informed on the latest news and trends.
- Blinkist: Blinkist provides additional resources beyond book summaries, including shortcasts and podcasts.
Both platforms have their unique strengths and cater to different user preferences. While Shortform is known for its in-depth analyses and wide range of articles, Blinkist stands out for its extensive title collection and additional resources.
Shortform vs Blinkist – What is better value for money?
Blinkist offers better value for money given the larger title collection, cheaper pricing and the additional features. However, if you are happy to spend 45+ mins on a summary, and if you find all the titles you want on Shortform and don’t mind paying a higher price – Shortform it is!
Diving into the Wealth of Knowledge with Shortform’s Popular Books
Shortform offers a vast collection of book summaries, allowing readers to quickly absorb the key insights from renowned books. Here are some popular titles that have made their mark:
Atomic Habits by James Clear: This book provides evidence-based strategies to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results1.
How To Talk To Anyone by Leil Lowndes: An insightful guide that offers 92 little tricks for big success in relationships.
Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss: A former international hostage negotiator for the FBI offers a new, field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations.
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker: This book explores the purpose and benefits of sleep, addressing its impact on health, mind, and lifespan.
Influence by Robert B. Cialdini: Learn about the psychology of why people say “yes”—and how to apply these understandings in daily life.
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari: A thought-provoking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us.
Start With Why by Simon Sinek: Sinek explores the idea that successful leaders can inspire cooperation, trust, and change when they begin just by asking the question “Why?”
Good To Great by Jim Collins: Collins addresses the question of why some companies make the leap to superior results, and others do not.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson: A guide to wealth and happiness as understood by Naval Ravikant, the founder of AngelList.
Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy: Tracy provides practical advice and tips for time management, including a 21-point exercise to help you stop procrastinating.
These titles represent just a fraction of Shortform’s comprehensive library. Subscribers get full access to this growing library of the world’s best book summaries.
If you are into productivity apps , you might be interested in AI writers like CopyAI, Peppertype, Quillbot or Writecream. Read more about the best AI writers here. I also write at Medium.