Are you in the business of being smart, rich, and successful AND want to get there the fastest way possible? We’re talking “taking a jet to work” fast. Well then, this Blinkist review is for you!
Successful people LOVE to read. Successful people also HATE giving up their spare time. So how do they combine those two passions? They use apps like Blinkist. Seriously, I don’t like having to commit 2 hrs of my day to reading like Warren Buffet does. Ten minutes while I’m driving, that’s a different story.
In this Blinkist review, I’ll tell you why I love the app and why it’s more than worth what you pay for it! (Or you could just go sign up for the 7-day free trial and come back here to tell me you love it!)
But first…
Why reading LOTS of books is good for you
The fastest way to save time (and money) on books is to not read at all, but that’s a terrible proposal. Reading makes you smarter and that’s a fact. What’s also a fact is Buzzfeed and Twitter don’t count as reading, so don’t call yourself a reader if that’s all your eyes fall into.
In case you need a list, here’s why reading is good for you:
- Learning is a key habit to success. Just by building the habit of learning new things, you become more adaptable and make faster decisions. Plus, there are so many great minds distilling all their knowledge into books on topics from management to astrophysics.
- It’s a soothing way to end your day. Would you rather… A stressful dopamine hit that is news on your phone, or a relaxing book about trees?
- You’ll sound smarter. The vocabulary and the random factoids rub off on you. (And even make you sound cultured and knowledgeable.) People take notice of how you come off, so aim to make the best impression.
But reading takes a long time!
How much does the complete reading experience cost? I have to buy a book for, like, $20 or whatever. Then spend maybe 15 hrs reading it. If time is worth $50/hr then that’s $750 + $20 for the book.
Sure some books are read for fun and enjoyment. I take my time with those. But for some, you really just need the key lessons extracted like orange juice.
Meet Blinkist!
Blinkist is a book-summarising subscription service that lets you listen to or read the key insights of your favorite non-fiction books in as little as 15 minutes! You can either read a quick abstract or you can listen to an audio summary!
Talk about time efficiency!
If you’re into psychology, personal growth, business stuff (like me), and relationships, you’re not going to run out of options.
Whether you’re looking to explore new subjects or determined to improve existing skills, Blinkist lets you discover anything and everything the non-fiction world has to offer. And because you can listen to “blinks” as you go about your daily routine, there’s always time for you to do other important things like walking your dog, cleaning, or watching Moana for the 70th time with your kids —all while “reading”!
Is Blinkist worth the money?
YES! Beyond the fact that it’s actually cheaper than buying all those books, and that it saves tons of time, there’s a hidden perk!
What’s the worst feeling ever? Getting through ½ a book and deciding you don’t like it. Even worse, knowing you spent your hard-earned money on a lame book.
What’s nice about Blinkist, is that it turns that whole discovery experience around.
They provide the summary and the key takeaways of a book, so you get a good feeling if it’s going to be worth it. It’s the opposite of having to purchase a book and then realizing it’s trash.
What’s more, if you end up liking the blinks, you can buy the full audiobook right through blinkist!
Blinkist Review: Pros and Cons
Blinkist Pros
Blinkist gets rid of the extra fluff
So many authors fill their pages with fluff. Although these side-stories help, I really don’t care! Sometimes, I just want to learn the important stuff, not 6 pages about the author’s backstory. This is exactly why I love Blinkist. No fluff!
It’s great for when you’re on the move
Reading is great, but it’s not an “on the go” kind of activity. Blinkist is.
- Doing your laundry? Listen to a blink.
- Running errands? Listen to a blink.
- Stuck on your everyday commute? Listen to a blink.
It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing. As long as you have a good pair of earphones, you’re good to go!
You get more time for more good books
Something extra special about Blinkist is it introduces me to more books, therefore allowing me to learn more and more. Whereas reading complete books can take days or weeks, Blinkist gives me the chance to grasp the complete message of multiple Feng Shui books while unpacking my new home office. 😉
Even better. If a book really grabs me. Then I read it for real! When you read non-fiction, there are no plot twists to ruin. I know it’s good, then I dive deep!
Blinkist Cons
It takes away the complete reading experience
A summary will never be as great as the book itself. Like asking your best friend to narrate a marvel movie, what you’re getting is the shortened version of a long publication.
It takes away the flavor of books
I’m not trying to be cheesy or anything but a huge part of why people read books is to appreciate how a writer articulates their thoughts. When you take away the context, you’re stuck only with what a writer has to say and not how they share their thoughts.
Although, if I love the message, I’ll just go read it anyway. So… it’s still a super-win.
It presents someone else’s interpretation
With apps like Blinkist, you’re getting someone else’s interpretation of the author’s message, and someone else decides which points are important and which aren’t. I know their readers are professionals, but it might be a problem for more complex stuff. .
Is the app good?
I like me a good app. It’s so I can deal with issues on the toilet, while waiting in lines, or other sources of possible time loss. So I’m very critical of app quality.
Luckily the Blinkist app is awesome. With the premium version you get:
- Unlimited access to every title
- Learn hands-free with audio
- Highlight ideas you love
- Enjoy your library offline
- Sync highlights with Evernote
- Send your reads to Kindle
- Its ease of use make it extra user-friendly too!
And I really like the huge variety of titles and that you can either listen to the Blinks or read them. It gives my ears a break 😉
Do I recommend Blinkist?
Hell yes!. First of all, if you care at all about being successful, you’re crazy not to have a book summary service! I still love to read, but digesting a whole book in 15 minutes is irresistible!
Actually – I super-recommend you go and start your 7-day free trial right now!
Also, believe it or not, I actually have multiple book summary apps (more on those later) and honestly, for their price point, Blinkist offers a huge variety of titles and an awesome user experience!
My current Blinkist faves
Influence by Robert Cialdini
This one is an awesome book that tackles the process of convincing others. The ability to persuade people doesn’t come easy, but when you’re in business, influencing how others think is pretty important! If you want to learn how to be a better communicator and influence to others, check this out!
The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stainer
This book is great if you’re all about mentorship and finding someone to grow with as a professional. You see, anyone can give advice but not everyone can be a mentor. Don’t learn that the hard way.
Mastery by Robert Greene
This book is a terrific resource if you’re set on improving yourself. Mastery can be a tricky thing, but it’s so much better than being “pretty good.”
How much does Blinkist cost?
Like all cool services, Blinkist hooks you in by being “freemium” meaning you can have the free basic version or the full premium version that costs $90 annually (or you can choose to pay $14.99/month if you’re bad at math.) They also let you try premium FOR FREE for 7 days and trust me you’ll be hooked. (Click here to get the trial.)
Even though I’m a major cheapskate, I wouldn’t recommend the basic version though. They don’t let me choose my books or set up a playlist. What’s the point of that?!?!
Honestly, if you think about how many books you’ll get to basque in, the $90 is totally worth it!
TL;DR – Blinkist Review
- If you value your brain but don’t have Blinkist, you’re crazy.
- Blinkist gives me 15-min book summaries of almost any book. That means you can get through 6 awesome reads during your next virtual thanksgiving dinner!
- I 100% guarantee this will make you smarter and more successful.
- You can actually try the premium version FOR FREE for 7 days too!
Now I’d love to hear from you – what books have you covered recently and is there one that’s been a game-changer for you? Leave me a comment below!
Blinkist FAQ
Does Blinkist really work
Blinkist really does work! It is awesome if you’re looking for a quick way to grab a firm overview of a book you’re interested in. If you need to write a report or you just want to know the main points of a book, then Blinkist is definitely effective too. While it won’t provide the complete reading experience, the summary can guide you to or away from reading the full title later on.
Can you read full books on Blinkist
No. The service is the summaries and you can buy and listen to full audiobooks in the app. They aren’t free but the button is there.
The content you get from Blinkist are blinks—meaning they are summarised versions of the complete book. Designed to be finished in 15 minutes or less, these blinks are carefully handpicked and written by expert writers to make sure readers are treated with all that a book has to offer, minus the hassle of reading it end to end.
Is Blinkist legal?
Absolutely! Blinkist isn’t breaking any copyright laws. The complete rights of the books still belong to the authors and their publishing houses, and all that Blinkist does is summarise these books into bite-sized content. If you’re looking for a way to find out if a book is something you’d enjoy or not, give a blink a chance.
