As the years go on, technology continues to change – from cassettes to MP3 players to VHS tapes to blue ray DVDs – we’re always surprised with something new!
This is the same for the book industry as the debate today is paper books vs ebooks. As you may already know, you don’t even need to read a book anymore; you can listen to it instead. You can also “download” books, hundreds of them if you like, to your Kindle ebook reader and not even need a bookshelf to store them all.
Although everyone has their own preference when it comes to books, here are the prices differences and the pros and cons of paper books vs ebooks.
How much do paper books cost?
You can buy paper books, whether soft cover or hardcover, for about any price! You can find used ones at a garage sale for a penny, yet the hardcovers on the market may be $30 or more. Again, it all depends on the books.
How much do eBooks typically cost?
eBooks can range in price quite a bit. You can find some of the not so popular books for .99 but most are between $10-$20. It of course depends on how popular the book is, who wrote it, and how new it is.
Pros of eBooks:
- These are great because you can take your whole library of books with you at any time.
- You don’t need a bookshelf to store your books.
- Your books won’t clutter your home.
- They can be easily organized and accessible.
- More and more books are being offered as an eBook.
Cons of eBooks:
- You can’t actually hold an ebook.
- You can’t touch it, or write on it if you’d like.
- There aren’t pictures like a paper book has.
- They aren’t the best for children as they like colorful pictures and books they can hold and touch.
- You can’t buy them “used” like paper books.
Reading is a great hobby to pick up. It keeps your mind working, thinking, and learning. Your vocabulary becomes better and even your grammar can improve when you read. It doesn’t matter whether you read an old paper book or you invest in a “fancy” ebook reader like the Kindle just as long as you are reading!
If you are one that likes to keep up with technology, I’m sure you’d love eBooks, but if you’re old fashioned and like to read paper books and actually physically hold them, a paper book may be a better option.
This is a guest post written by the author of HowMuchIsIt.org, a website that is designed to help you find the cost of just about anything with a price.