In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to read can be challenging. That’s where book summary apps like Blinkist and Headway come into play. These apps provide condensed versions of nonfiction books, making it easier for users to absorb key insights quickly. Blinkist, founded in 2012, has built a reputation for its extensive library and high-quality summaries. Headway, on the other hand, is a newer player that emphasizes visual appeal and interactive elements to enhance learning.

Blinkist offers a wide array of nonfiction book summaries, covering topics such as self-improvement, business, and science. The app’s primary goal is to help users acquire knowledge efficiently, making it ideal for busy professionals and lifelong learners. Headway, while also focusing on nonfiction, stands out with its gamified approach to reading. It aims to make learning fun and engaging by incorporating elements like quizzes and daily challenges.

Both apps cater to individuals seeking to expand their knowledge without committing to reading full-length books. However, their methods and features differ, providing users with distinct experiences.

Blinkist vs Headway: Comparison Table

To give you a clear picture of how Blinkist and Headway stack up against each other, here’s a comparison table highlighting their main features:

Features	Blinkist	Headway
Number of Books	Over 6,500	Over 1,200
Price	$15.99/month or $99.99/year	$14.99/month or $89.99/year
Support	Email, Ticket System	Email and Chat
Audio versions	Yes	Yes
Refund policy	14-day money-back guarantee	N/A
Unique Features	Curation, Sharing and Podcast Summaries	Gamification, Challenges and Remembering
Available on These Devices	Smartphones (iOS and Android), Desktop, Kindle	Smartphones (iOS and Android) and web interface
Possibility to Use It Offline	Yes	Yes

Selection: Blinkist’s Library Is 4x Bigger Than Headway’s

When it comes to the size of the library, Blinkist clearly has an edge over Headway. With over 6500 book summaries, Blinkist offers a vast selection of titles across various genres. This extensive library ensures that users can find summaries on almost any topic of interest. Whether you’re looking to improve your leadership skills, understand complex scientific concepts, or explore personal development, Blinkist has you covered.

Headway, while more limited in its offerings, still provides around 1,200 book summaries. Although its library is smaller, Headway focuses on curating high-quality content that appeals to its user base. The app’s emphasis on visual and interactive elements makes the reading experience more engaging, compensating for the smaller selection.

Quality: Blinkist Is Strong on Fundamentals & Polish, Headway Wins on Visuals

When comparing the quality of content, Blinkist excels in delivering polished and well-written summaries. The app’s summaries are concise, informative, and easy to understand, making it a reliable source of knowledge. Blinkist’s strength lies in its focus on fundamentals, ensuring that each summary provides a comprehensive overview of the book’s key insights.

Headway, however, shines in its visual presentation. The app incorporates engaging graphics and interactive features to enhance the learning experience. These visual elements make the summaries more appealing and help users retain information more effectively. Headway’s approach to gamifying the reading process adds an extra layer of enjoyment, making it a great choice for those who prefer a more dynamic learning experience.

Key Differences: Blinkist’s Curation & Sharing vs. Headway’s Gamification & Remembering

Blinkist and Headway offer unique features that cater to different user preferences. Blinkist emphasizes curation and sharing, allowing users to create personal libraries and share their favorite summaries with friends. This feature fosters a sense of community and encourages users to engage with the content on a deeper level.

Headway, on the other hand, focuses on gamification and memory retention. The app incorporates quizzes, challenges, and rewards to make learning fun and interactive. These elements not only keep users motivated but also help reinforce the material, making it easier to remember key insights.

Blinkist’s Unique Features

Blinkist stands out with its audio versions of book summaries. This feature allows users to listen to summaries on the go, making it convenient for busy individuals. Additionally, Blinkist offers curated reading lists, helping users discover new books based on their interests. The app’s seamless integration with social media platforms also makes it easy to share summaries and engage with other readers.

Headway’s Unique Features

Headway’s unique selling point is its gamified learning approach. The app includes interactive quizzes and daily challenges that test users’ knowledge and keep them engaged. Headway also offers personalized learning paths, guiding users through a series of summaries based on their goals. The app’s visually appealing interface and use of graphics make the reading experience more enjoyable and memorable.

How Does Blinkist and Headway Work?

How Does Blinkist Work?

Blinkist operates on a straightforward premise: it condenses nonfiction books into 15-minute summaries. Users can either read or listen to these summaries, making it easy to fit learning into their busy schedules. The app offers a clean and intuitive interface, allowing users to browse through various categories and discover new books. Blinkist’s curated reading lists and personalized recommendations enhance the user experience, ensuring that users always have access to relevant content.

How Does Headway Work?

Headway follows a similar model but adds a layer of interactivity to the learning process. The app provides visually appealing summaries that incorporate graphics and interactive elements. Users can participate in quizzes and challenges to test their knowledge and reinforce learning. Headway’s personalized learning paths guide users through a series of summaries based on their interests and goals. The app’s gamified approach makes learning fun and engaging, encouraging users to continue exploring new content.

Usability: Two Simple Apps With Slightly Different Intentions

Both Blinkist and Headway offer user-friendly interfaces that make navigation a breeze. Blinkist’s design is clean and minimalist, focusing on delivering high-quality content without distractions. The app’s straightforward layout ensures that users can easily find and access summaries, whether they prefer reading or listening.

Headway, while also user-friendly, adds a touch of playfulness to its design. The app’s visually appealing interface and interactive elements create an engaging experience for users. Headway’s gamified features, such as quizzes and challenges, add a layer of fun to the learning process, making it more enjoyable for users who prefer a dynamic approach.

Book Selection

When it comes to book selection, Blinkist takes the lead with its extensive library. With over 6,500 summaries, Blinkist covers a wide range of topics, ensuring that users can find content that matches their interests. The app’s curated reading lists and personalized recommendations further enhance the user experience, making it easy to discover new books.

Headway, while more limited in its offerings, focuses on quality over quantity. The app’s library of around 1,200 summaries is carefully curated to provide high-quality content that appeals to its user base. Headway’s emphasis on visual and interactive elements makes the reading experience more engaging, compensating for the smaller selection.

User Interaction

Blinkist and Headway offer different approaches to user interaction. Blinkist emphasizes curation and sharing, allowing users to create personal libraries and share their favorite summaries with friends. This feature fosters a sense of community and encourages users to engage with the content on a deeper level.

Is Headway Easier to Use Than Blinkist?

Both Blinkist and Headway offer user-friendly interfaces, but their designs cater to different user preferences. Blinkist’s clean and minimalist layout makes it easy to navigate and find summaries quickly. The app’s straightforward design ensures that users can focus on the content without distractions.

Headway’s interface, while also user-friendly, adds a touch of playfulness to the design. The app’s visually appealing graphics and interactive elements create an engaging experience for users. Headway’s gamified features, such as quizzes and challenges, add a layer of fun to the learning process, making it more enjoyable for users who prefer a dynamic approach.

Does Headway Have Better Summaries Than Blinkist?

When comparing the quality of summaries, Blinkist excels in delivering well-written, concise, and informative content. The app’s summaries provide a comprehensive overview of the book’s key insights, making it a reliable source of knowledge. Blinkist’s focus on fundamentals ensures that users receive high-quality content that is easy to understand.

Headway, while also providing high-quality summaries, stands out with its visual presentation. The app’s use of graphics and interactive elements enhances the learning experience, making the summaries more engaging and memorable. Headway’s gamified approach to learning adds an extra layer of enjoyment, making it a great choice for those who prefer a more dynamic reading experience.

How Much Is Headway Cost?

Headway offers a subscription plan priced at $14.99/month or $89.99/year. This plan provides access to the app’s library and features, including interactive elements and visual summaries. For those who want to try before they buy, Headway provides a 7-day free trial. This trial allows users to explore the app’s offerings and determine if it suits their learning preferences.

Headway Discounted price: $59 (40% off).

How Much Does Blinkist Cost?

Blinkist’s subscription plan costs $15.99/month or $99.99/year. This plan gives users access to Blinkist’s extensive library of book summaries and additional features such as audio versions of summaries. Like Headway, Blinkist also offers a 7-day free trial. This free trial period lets potential subscribers experience the app’s features and content before committing to a subscription.

Are Free Trials Available for Blinkist and Headway?

Both Blinkist and Headway offer free trials to allow users to evaluate their services before making a financial commitment. These trials provide a risk-free way to explore each app’s features and see which one best meets your needs.

Blinkist Free Trial

Blinkist provides a 7-day free trial for new users. During this trial, you can access the full range of Blinkist’s book summaries, both in text and audio formats. This allows you to experience the quality of the summaries and the usability of the app before deciding whether to subscribe.

Headway Free Trial

Similarly, Headway offers a 7-day free trial. This trial period gives you full access to Headway’s visually engaging summaries and interactive features. You can explore how the app’s gamified elements and personalized learning paths fit with your preferences before committing to a subscription.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Blinkist vs. Headway?

Blinkist Pros

Blinkist has several advantages, starting with its extensive library, which boasts over 6,500 book summaries. This large selection covers a wide range of topics, ensuring that users can find content relevant to their interests. The summaries are high-quality and well-polished, providing clear and concise overviews of key concepts. Additionally, Blinkist offers audio versions of its summaries, making it convenient to learn on the go.

Blinkist Cons

However, Blinkist does have some drawbacks. The cost of its subscription is higher compared to some other options, which might be a consideration for budget-conscious users. Additionally, Blinkist’s interactive features are relatively limited, focusing primarily on text and audio summaries.

Headway Pros

Headway offers a visually appealing interface with interactive elements that make learning more engaging. The app’s gamified approach, including quizzes and challenges, adds an enjoyable dimension to the learning experience. Headway also provides personalized learning paths, helping users focus on their specific goals and interests.

Headway Cons

On the downside, Headway’s library is smaller compared to Blinkist, with around 1,200 summaries. While the content is high-quality, the smaller selection may limit your options. Additionally, the app’s dynamic features might not appeal to users who prefer a more traditional approach to reading.

Blinkist vs Headway: Which One Is Best For You? (Conclusion & Recommendation)

When deciding between Blinkist and Headway, consider what matters most to you in a book summary app. If you prioritize a vast library and high-quality summaries, Blinkist may be the better choice. Its extensive collection and polished content are ideal for users who want a broad range of summaries and reliable information. The availability of audio summaries also makes it convenient for those who prefer listening to reading.

Conversely, if you value a more interactive and engaging learning experience, Headway could be the right fit. Its visually appealing design and gamified elements create a fun and motivating environment for learning. Headway’s personalized learning paths can help you focus on specific goals and make the most of your reading time.

Both apps offer free trials, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of these to explore each app’s features and see which one aligns with your preferences. Whether you choose Blinkist or Headway, both provide valuable resources for expanding your knowledge and staying informed.

Blinkist vs Headway App Review Summary (FAQ)

Is using book summary apps a less effective way of taking in knowledge?

Book summary apps are a convenient way to quickly grasp key insights from nonfiction books, but they may not offer the depth and detail found in full-length books. They are useful for getting an overview and understanding core concepts but might not replace the comprehensive exploration provided by reading the entire book.

Why would I read a full book when I can read a book summary?

Reading a full book provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the author’s ideas, arguments, and context. Book summaries offer a condensed version of the main points, which can be helpful for a quick overview but may miss out on detailed explanations and supporting information.

Is Blinkist worth it?

Blinkist is worth it if you value access to a vast library of high-quality summaries and appreciate the convenience of audio versions for learning on the go. Its extensive collection and polished content make it a valuable tool for quickly gaining insights from nonfiction books.

How much is Blinkist app?

Blinkist’s subscription costs $15.99/month or $99.99/year. This subscription gives you access to Blinkist’s full library and features.

Is Blinkist free?

Blinkist offers a 7-day free trial, allowing you to explore its features and content before deciding to subscribe. However, continued access requires a paid subscription.

How much is Blinkist per year?

Blinkist’s annual subscription is priced at $99.99, providing access to its full range of summaries and features for a year.

Does Blinkist cost money?

Yes, Blinkist requires a subscription for full access to its library of book summaries. A free trial is available to test the service before committing to a subscription.

Blinkist lifetime subscription

As of now, Blinkist does not offer a lifetime subscription plan. The service is available through monthly or annual subscription options.

Is Headway a good app?

Yes, Headway is a good app for those who want to absorb key ideas from popular nonfiction books quickly. Its user-friendly design, competitive pricing, and personalized recommendations make it an attractive option.

Do you have to pay for the Headway app?

While Headway offers a limited free version that provides one free summary per day, a premium subscription is required for full access to the entire library.

What is Headway app all about?

The Headway app is a book summary app designed to provide users with the essential takeaways from popular nonfiction books. It offers summaries in both text and audio formats and includes features like personalized recommendations and spaced repetition.

Does Headway have an app?

Yes, Headway is available as a mobile app on both iOS and Android devices.

How do I cancel the Headway app?

You can cancel your Headway subscription at any point through the app’s settings or the app store where you purchased the subscription.

Are there any book summary free apps like Headway?

While Headway offers a limited free version, other free book summary apps include Instaread and 12 min. However, these apps may also have limitations compared to premium services.

How much does Headway cost?

Headway’s premium membership costs range from approximately $11 to $20 monthly or around $85 annually.

How is the app experience and interface of Headway?

The Headway app offers an elegant and user-friendly design with a straightforward and uncluttered interface that enhances navigability and readability.

What platforms is Headway available on?

Headway is available on iOS and Android devices.

What are some alternatives to Headway?

Some alternatives to Headway include Blinkist and getAbstract, which offer more extensive libraries and slightly higher-quality summaries.

What are the pros and cons of Headway?

Pros of Headway include its user-friendly design, competitive pricing, and personalized recommendations. Cons include its limited title range compared to competitors and the relatively higher monthly subscription cost.