Understanding E-Book & Audiobook Streaming Platforms Through Customer Feedback Analysis
Once upon a time, discovering a new book was a ritual—wandering through the aisles of bookstores, breathing in the scent of printed pages, and feeling their texture between our fingers. It was an experience as immersive as the stories themselves. But the digital age has transformed the way we read. Now, with a single tap, thousands of e-books, audiobooks, and articles are instantly accessible, fitting neatly into our pockets. Whether sipping coffee at a café or unwinding at home, digital platforms have made reading more convenient than ever.
But is this convenience enough? Does the digital reading experience truly meet readers' expectations? With so many platforms offering endless content, choosing the right one has become its own challenge. What makes an e-book & audiobook streaming platform stand out? What do readers love, and where do they struggle?
To understand the landscape, we'll take a closer look at three major e-book & audiobook streaming platforms—Storytel, Kobo, and Scribd. What do users say about them? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Let's explore the digital reading experience through the eyes of those who use it every day.
Methodology
To truly understand what readers experience with e-book & audiobook streaming platforms, there's no better place to look than their own words. Customer feedback is a rich source of insights—it reveals not just what works but also where users struggle, what they expect, and what keeps them coming back (or drives them away). Instead of relying on assumptions or surface-level comparisons, we turned directly to real users and their experiences.
For this analysis, we built a dataset of 1,500 recent customer reviews—250 from each platform (Storytel, Kobo, and Scribd), collected from both Google Play and the App Store. We processed this dataset using Kimola's analysis tool, classifying each review with multiple labels to capture different aspects of user experience, along with a sentiment score for each label. This allowed us to identify common themes, recurring pain points, and standout features across the platforms.
Beyond individual feedback, we also took a broader approach—analyzing the dataset to generate Buyer Personas based on user experiences. By grouping users with similar behaviors, expectations, and frustrations, we gained deeper insights into what different types of readers seek in an e-book & audiobook streaming platform.
The beauty of this approach? It goes beyond technical specs and marketing promises—it reflects the actual experiences of real users. By focusing on their voices, we gain an unfiltered look into what makes an e-book & audiobook streaming platform truly great and what still needs improvement.
User Motivations: Why Readers Turn to Digital Platforms
Customer feedback reveals that users turn to e-book & audiobook streaming platforms for a mix of convenience, accessibility, and learning opportunities. However, their experiences are shaped not only by the features they enjoy but also by the challenges they encounter. Here are the key motivations driving their usage:
A Blend of Reading, Listening, and Learning
Users appreciate the flexibility of switching between e-books and audiobooks, allowing them to read when they have time and listen while commuting, running errands, or relaxing. Many also use these platforms as a tool for language learning, particularly by combining reading and listening to improve comprehension. The availability of books in multiple languages, including English, Arabic, Turkish, and Bulgarian, is a major draw—though some users express the need for a wider selection in their preferred language.
Convenience and Offline Access
One of the biggest appeals of e-book & audiobook streaming platforms is the ability to access books instantly, without needing to visit a store or library. This makes it easier for users to fit reading into their busy schedules. Additionally, offline access is a highly valued feature, allowing users to download books and audiobooks for uninterrupted reading and listening. However, some reviews mention technical difficulties with downloads, highlighting a key area for improvement.
Subscription Benefits and Account Management
For many, the subscription model offers a cost-effective way to access a large library of books without purchasing titles individually. However, users frequently mention frustrations with payment issues, unexpected renewals, and difficulties in managing their subscriptions. Login and account access problems also surface as common concerns, affecting overall user satisfaction.
Discoverability and Customer Support
Readers use these platforms not just to access books but to discover new ones. While recommendations and curated lists help, many users find the search and navigation experience lacking, making it harder to find specific titles or authors. When issues arise, users turn to customer support—some report positive interactions, while others express frustration with slow or unhelpful responses.
These motivations highlight why users embrace digital reading platforms while also pointing to areas that impact their experience. In the next section, we'll explore the biggest pain points that hold these platforms back from delivering the perfect reading experience.
Breaking Down the Big Three: Storytel, Kobo, and Scribd
Each platform brings something different to the table—some shine with their content selection, while others struggle with technical performance and user experience. Based on our analysis, here's how readers feel about Storytel, Kobo, and Scribd.
Storytel: A Treasure Trove of Content, Held Back by User Experience
Storytel earns praise for its extensive e-book and audiobook library, making it a favorite among readers who love variety. In fact, 58% of users highlight its content richness as a major plus. However, while the platform offers plenty to read and listen to, actually using the app is another story.
A significant 93% of users report major functionality issues, with common complaints including the app crashing, losing the last listening position, and an overall clunky experience. These technical glitches make it difficult for users to enjoy audiobooks without constant interruptions.
Another recurring frustration is the lack of language support. Readers struggle to find popular books in their region, and the recommendation system often misses the mark, failing to suggest content that aligns with their interests. Users want more personalized recommendations and a better search experience to help them discover books they'll actually love.
Kobo: A Frustrating Experience Overshadowing a Good Platform
Kobo has a solid reputation as a digital reading platform, but users seem to spend more time dealing with technical issues than actually reading. A staggering 98% of users express frustration over performance problems, frequently mentioning page-turning delays, syncing failures, and offline access issues.
Many users also report struggles with downloading books and accessing content they've already purchased. Instead of a smooth, uninterrupted reading experience, they face constant technical setbacks that make the app feel unreliable. Beyond that, readers find the interface difficult to navigate and want better filtering tools to organize their book collections more easily.
Scribd: A Rich Library With Subscription Headaches
Scribd is known for its vast collection of books, articles, and audiobooks, but its biggest issue isn't the content—it's how the platform handles subscriptions. An overwhelming 92% of users express frustration with managing their accounts, particularly with canceling subscriptions. Many feel misled, reporting unexpected charges after free trials and difficulties in stopping payments, which has caused trust issues with the platform.
Another major concern is content availability. Users frequently complain that books and audiobooks disappear over time, making it hard to rely on Scribd for long-term reading. The recent merger with Everand has only added to the confusion, as users now need to navigate multiple apps to access the same content.
Each of these platforms has its strengths, but as user feedback shows, even the best content library can't make up for poor usability, technical issues, or frustrating policies. In the next section, we'll take a closer look at the most common frustrations that hold these platforms back from delivering the ideal reading experience.
Who Are the Users of E-Book & Audiobook Streaming Services?
Every reader comes to e-book & audiobook streaming platform with different expectations—some seek a seamless audiobook experience, while others prioritize affordability, multilingual content, or cutting-edge technology. By analyzing a dataset of 1,500 customer reviews from the App Store and Google Play, Kimola has identified eight distinct user personas, each with unique needs, frustrations, and behaviors.
1. The Frustrated Subscriber (24%) – Paying for Problems
This persona subscribes with high expectations but often feels shortchanged. Technical glitches, poor customer support, and regional content restrictions make them question the value of their subscription. A striking 43% of their feedback is about app performance issues, while 33% express frustration with subscription management. Many also struggle with an unintuitive interface and unreliable audiobook features.
2. The Avid Reader (14%) – Passionate About Books
For those who genuinely love reading, an extensive and well-organized content library is key. Audiobooks are particularly important to this group, with 51% mentioning audiobook-related experiences—most of them positive. However, content availability is a common concern (40%), and some users feel the app could improve in surfacing better recommendations and refining the reading experience.
3. The Tech-Savvy User (14%) – Innovation Enthusiast
Early adopters and tech-forward users expect a seamless and customizable experience. However, 59% of their feedback highlights dissatisfaction with user interface design, and 47% point to performance issues that disrupt their experience. They enjoy exploring new features but are critical of apps that feel outdated or lack personalization options like audiobook speed control and interface customization.
4. The Multilingual Learner (10%) – Expanding Horizons
This persona seeks content in multiple languages, often using e-books and audiobooks to improve their language skills. More than 62% of their feedback revolves around content availability, particularly their difficulty in finding books in their preferred languages. Localization issues (46%) and customer support frustrations (17%) also surface, as they struggle to access a truly multilingual experience.
5. The Budget-Conscious User (9%) – Seeking Value for Money
Price-sensitive users focus on whether the app is worth the cost. Subscription problems make up 52% of their feedback, often related to unexpected renewals or unclear pricing. While they appreciate discounts and free trials, limited free content and perceived high costs lead to negative experiences. Customer support (17%) and UI concerns (17%) further add to their dissatisfaction.
6. The Casual Listener (9%) – Occasional Audiobook Enjoyer
These users engage with the platform casually, often listening to audiobooks while multitasking. Audiobook features account for 52% of their feedback, with a mix of positive and negative comments. Some enjoy the experience, while others find the interface unnecessarily complicated or cluttered. Content availability (30%) is also a recurring theme, as they prefer an easy-to-browse selection of bestsellers and light reads.
7. The Busy Professional (5%) – Maximizing Time
With packed schedules, this persona values efficiency above all. They engage with audiobooks during commutes or short breaks, and 46% of their feedback is about the listening experience—most of it positive. However, app performance issues (23%) and UI concerns (31%) can be dealbreakers, as even small delays disrupt their routine.
8. The Family-Oriented User (5%) – Finding Content for Everyone
For those looking for family-friendly content, a well-curated selection of children's books is a must. Audiobook features dominate their feedback (67%), with many users appreciating child-friendly content. However, they often encounter navigation difficulties (25%) and performance issues (25%), making it harder to share the experience with younger readers.
What Should an Ideal E-Book & Audiobook Streaming Platform Be Like?
Imagine an e-book app that truly caters to every reader's needs—a platform where your favorite stories and audiobooks are always at your fingertips without any of the usual hassles. Based on our analysis of 1,500 customer reviews, here's what such an ideal app would look like:
1. A Library Without Borders
At its core, the app would boast an extensive and diverse library of e-books and audiobooks available in multiple languages. No longer would you see messages like “title not available in your region.” Instead, users could select their preferred languages—be it Arabic, English, or even less commonly supported dialects—and enjoy content regardless of geographic restrictions. The catalog would be stable, with no sudden disappearances, ensuring that beloved series and titles are always accessible.
2. Smooth, Reliable Performance
Gone are the days of slow loading times and frustrating lags. The ideal app would offer lightning-fast page turns and smooth audio playback, with robust syncing across all devices—from smartphones and tablets to smartwatches and CarPlay. Whether you're reading an ebook or listening to an audiobook, the experience would be stable and responsive, with seamless transitions even during interruptions. Customization options such as font adjustments, brightness control, and highlighting would be intuitive and readily available, tailoring the experience to your personal preferences.
3. An Intuitive, User-Friendly Interface
Navigating your digital library should feel natural. The app's interface would be thoughtfully designed to eliminate clunky controls and unintuitive menus. Features like chapter navigation, effective bookmarking, and progress tracking would work flawlessly, allowing you to pick up exactly where you left off. Enhanced search and filtering tools would make discovering new titles effortless, while the ability to sort collections or save items to external storage (like SD cards or cloud) would add another layer of convenience.
4. Transparent and Hassle-Free Subscription Management
An ideal e-book & audiobook streaming platform would treat subscriptions with the same care as its content. Users would benefit from a transparent pricing model with no hidden charges. Managing your subscription—whether signing up, renewing, or canceling—would be straightforward and supported by a responsive, helpful customer service team. Payment and billing issues would be a thing of the past, ensuring that you always feel valued and in control.
5. Enhanced Audiobook Features for an Immersive Experience
For audiobook enthusiasts, the ideal platform would offer robust features: reliable bookmarking that never loses your place, adjustable playback speed, and a stable audio connection free from Bluetooth or interruption glitches. An organized library with intuitive categorization would let you easily filter and search for the perfect listening experience. Whether you're commuting or relaxing at home, the app would ensure your audiobooks play seamlessly.
6. Consistent Updates That Improve, Not Disrupt
While updates are essential for innovation, they shouldn't come at the cost of functionality. The perfect app would deliver regular improvements without sacrificing features that users love. Updates would enhance performance, fix bugs, and introduce thoughtful new features—without causing confusion or forcing you to relearn your digital space.
7. Broad Device Compatibility and Localization
Recognizing that readers use a variety of devices, the app would be fully optimized for all platforms—from Android and iOS devices to larger tablets and integrated systems like CarPlay. Localization would go beyond language selection; the app would adapt its interface to suit regional preferences and cultural nuances, ensuring a comfortable, personalized experience for everyone.
The ideal e-book & audiobook streaming platform app would bridge the gap between content richness and flawless performance. By addressing technical glitches, enhancing navigation, offering true cross-platform accessibility, and providing user-friendly customization and subscription management, it would transform digital reading into a consistently enjoyable and accessible experience. This vision isn't just about fixing problems—it's about creating an ecosystem where every reader feels understood and every story is within reach.
Conclusion & What's Next?
Digital book platforms have revolutionized our reading habits, putting a vast world of literature and audio content right at our fingertips. Yet, as our analysis of 1,500 customer reviews shows, there's still ample room for improvement. Users long for personalized recommendations, seamless subscription management, and truly responsive customer support. Platforms like Storytel, Kobo, and Scribd have laid a solid foundation, but to truly elevate the digital reading experience, they must listen closely to their users' needs and integrate the latest technological innovations.
Kimola automatically collects customer feedback from major platforms such as the App Store, Google Play, X, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor, Amazon, and Google Business—transforming it into qualitative research reports with thematic analysis, sentiment breakdowns, buyer personas, usage motivations, and key insights.
If you're ready to take your business to the next level—making it more intuitive, accessible, and aligned with your users' expectations—create a free account on Kimola and start analyzing customer feedback instantly. Want a deeper dive? Request a demo with one of our professionals to explore how Kimola's powerful analytics can help you turn user insights into smarter business decisions.
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