3 Must-Try FREE Blinkist Alternatives!
Have you ever felt like Blinkist is cool but not worth the price?
I mean, paying every month just to read book summaries?
That’s where I was too.
So, I went on a mission—hunting for free book summary apps that could give me the same magic without making a dent in my wallet.
And guess what? I found some gems.
If you love learning new things but don’t want to shell out cash for it, you’ll love this list.
Trust me, these FREE Blinkist alternatives might just surprise you.
Let’s jump in.
1. Deepstash
What I Love:
- A social media-like interface that feels familiar and fun.
- Lets you create content, gain views, and build a following.
- A massive library of over 200,000 ideas from books, articles, podcasts, and more.
What I Don’t Love:
- You can’t listen to the content with the free plan.
Deepstash is an app designed for anyone who loves scrolling through social media but wants to use that time more productively.
Here’s why it stands out:
- Social Media Vibes: You can create a profile, write content, and share your ideas with others. Deepstash users can comment, save, and share your posts—and they can follow you too. It’s super motivating when you start gaining followers. I’ve barely created three posts and already got over 8,000 views, 2.4k saves, 23 likes, and 6 followers.
- Endless Knowledge: The app offers a library of over 200,000 ideas pulled from the best books, articles, podcasts, and videos.
- Free Plan Limitations: The app doesn’t let you listen to ideas unless you’re on the premium plan. That might be a bummer for some, but personally, I enjoy reading the content more than listening, so it doesn’t bother me much.
All in all, Deepstash is one of the best free Blinkist alternatives out there.
If you haven’t tried it yet, do yourself a favor and give it a shot.
Here is my full Deepstash review.
You’ll thank me later.
2. Bookey
What I Love:
- Fun, interactive tools to keep you engaged.
- IdeaClips and infographics make learning easy and enjoyable.
- You can donate books, which feels amazing.
- A chance to win the premium plan every month.
What I Don’t Love:
- The library is a bit limited.
- Audio summaries have AI-generated voices that don’t feel natural.
Now, let me tell you why I think Bookey is such an exciting app.
It’s not just about book summaries; it goes way beyond that.
Here’s the best part: you can read or listen to any summary by simply watching a quick ad. No payment is needed.
But what makes it one of the best free alternatives to Blinkist?
Let me break it down:
- Daily Goals and Stats: You can set goals, track your weekly growth, see achievements, and even check personal stats like how much time you’ve spent and how many books you’ve finished.
- IdeaClips: This is a unique feature where books are turned into bite-sized key points. It’s super easy to understand and perfect for when you’re short on time.
- Infographics: Visual learners, you’re going to love this. The app presents key ideas from books as infographics, making everything clear and easy to remember.
- Earn Points to Donate Books: Here’s something I truly admire. For every 100 points you earn on the app, a book is donated to underprivileged children in Africa. And it’s done in your name.
- Chance to Win Premium: Every week, the app asks a question. If you answer it, you might win the premium plan for free.
Now, for the downside: the app has a smaller library—just over 1,000 summaries.
But don’t worry, they’re adding new content all the time, so it’s getting better every day.
I’ve shared just a glimpse of what Bookey offers.
If you want to know more, I’ve written a detailed Bookey review.
Be sure to check it out—I’ve covered everything you’d want to know.
3. StoryShots
What I Love:
- Access to a massive library of 300,000 summaries with StoryShots AI.
- Great audio quality for a smooth listening experience.
- Simple and easy-to-navigate interface.
What I Don’t Love:
- No interactive features to make it more engaging.
Let’s talk about StoryShots, a Blinkist alternative that’s completely free.
Yes, it does offer a lifetime premium plan at a low cost, but honestly? After months of using it, I didn’t find the premium plan worth it.
I always stick to the free version, and here’s why:
- Huge Library: The app boasts over 300,000 book summaries in 30+ categories, so you’ll never run out of content. But here’s the thing: only about 400 books are pre-summarized. The rest come from the StoryShots AI feature, which generates summaries for almost any book you search for. Still, it’s impressive to have access to such a huge library.
- Multi-Language Support: The content is available in 18 languages, which is amazing if you’re multilingual or prefer to read in your native language.
- Extra Formats: If you’re into infographics, mind maps, videos, or animated content, the premium plan offers these. But honestly, most of us are fine with just reading or listening, so I never felt the need for these extras.
- User-Friendly Interface: The app is super easy to navigate. You can sort summaries by categories, topics, or even their length.
- Great for Listeners: If you prefer listening over reading, this app will be your best friend. The podcast-style audio narrations feature two people discussing the book, which makes it easier to grasp the key insights.
- Text Summaries: The text summaries differ between the free and paid plans. Surprisingly, I find the free version better. It doesn’t allow much customization, but it delivers a better overall experience compared to the paid plan.
To sum it up, I’m genuinely impressed with StoryShots.
Sure, the free version has its limitations, but considering all the features, it’s hands down one of the best free Blinkist alternatives.
If you’re curious and want to know more, check out my full StoryShots review, where I break down the free and premium plans side by side.
Here’s What I Think
If you ask me, all these apps are incredible in their own way.
Each one offers something unique, and the best part? They’re free—or at least usable without paying anything.
My advice? Try them out and see which one fits your style.
You’ll be surprised how much knowledge you can gain without spending a penny.
And if you’re still unsure, remember—I’ve written detailed reviews on these apps, so you can check them out for even more insights.
Here are a few more apps you might want to try:
