How much would you pay for a classics subscription?

[vividread]

Hello Mobilereaders!

Newbie, overwhelmed, astonished member here....!

The question is for a reading app on mobile/tablet that has classics (old + popular) ebooks. The feature list is something I can better show than tell, but my question is centered more around content.

What could be an ideal subscription price one would pay?

This does not allow to download desired books, but the subscription obviously delivers pre-curated (popular old classics) 10+ books per month to read.

I am about to release one this month, but I am really clueless about ideal pricing on a monthly / yearly basis.

Thanks for reading,

[JSWolf]

The price I would pay is nothing. I don't want eBooks I can get for free to be read only on my phone/tablet. Also, how do I know that your code is good and your formatting is good?

You would have to post a sample eBook (in ePub) to show off what you are doing. You have to make these eBooks available such that they can be read on a Reader such as Kobo. And what would be different about your copies compared tot he ones already available for free right here at Mobileread?

[Sirtel]

I only read books on eink. Can't install your app on an eink Kindle or Kobo. So, it wouldn't matter to me personally what the price is, no deal.

Speaking generally, the price should not be particularly high. Classics are freely available from Gutenberg and from various public libraries, and most people are more interested in new books. 2€ per month, perhaps?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I only read books on eink. Can't install your app on an eink Kindle or Kobo. So, it wouldn't matter to me personally what the price is, no deal.

Speaking generally, the price should not be particularly high. Classics are freely available from Gutenberg and from various public libraries, and most people are more interested in new books. 2€ per month, perhaps?

If any of his eBooks are available on MR, I'd want my money back. And then how many "classics" are there left that are not on MR and are good enough for 120 a year?

[Dazrin]

What many people hear when you say "classics" is "public domain", is that what you are meaning? I personally would not pay a subscription for public domain works; the MR library has hundreds of well-formatted PD books already that I can do whatever I want with. And I don't think MR's library is anywhere close to the same size as Project Gutenberg. Just not a service I'd be interested in.

That said, my book budget is tiny and my library is excellent so it would take quite a service for me to actually sign up. I'm not exactly the demographic you need.

Originally Posted by vividread

This does not allow to download desired books

I know this isn't the feedback you're looking for, sorry, but the phrase I copied above is a deal killer for me even if you are offering non-PD books. I want to be able to read on my Kindle, or other e-ink device and in locations without an internet connection. An online only, no-download method would not be at all what I'd be interested in.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If any of his eBooks are available on MR, I'd want my money back. And then how many "classics" are there left that are not on MR and are good enough for 120 a year?

120 a year? 24 is my calculation.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I know this isn't the feedback you're looking for, sorry, but the phrase I copied above is a deal killer for me even if you are offering non-PD books. I want to be able to read on my Kindle, or other e-ink device and in locations without an internet connection. An online only, no-download method would not be at all what I'd be interested in.

Yep, that goes for me too.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

120 a year? 24 is my calculation.

The OP said "10+ books per month" So I decided to go with just 10 books per month.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The OP said "10+ books per month" So I decided to go with just 10 books per month.

Ah, you meant books. I meant the price.

[JSWolf]

It sounds like you are adding a form of DRM to these eBooks by having an app for phones/tablets and not being able to download in a format we can use on our Kobo/Kindle/Onyx/Pocketbook/Tolino/Boyue/etc. I cannot see one person on Mobileread thinking your idea is actually a good idea.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Ah, you meant books. I meant the price.

$24 a year is going to be way too much. In fact, it's $24 too much.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The OP said "10+ books per month" So I decided to go with just 10 books per month.

Ummm... I thought @Sirtel meant 2€ per month for the subscription not per book. At 2€ per book, that takes the cost to $3.10 Cdn per book in a world most of the books I buy are $2.99 Cdn or less.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

$24 a year is going to be way too much. In fact, it's $24 too much.

Well, for you and me, yes. But there may be people out there who are more amenable to this sort of subscription. I doubt they hang out on MR, though.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Ummm... I thought @Sirtel meant 2€ per month for the subscription not per book.

Yes, exactly.

[vividread]

Wow! Five responses in barely 30 minutes! This community is quite responsive. Thanks everyone for your inputs (and let them keep coming, they are super helpful!)

1 - The only reasoning for PD books is I am an indie dev with no VC backing that I could buy big-pubs work right out.

Can't rule out if it takes off, though. I do not know how one goes out for such arrangements. There are a few apps (Storytel, Bookbub) that sell eBooks but I don't know of anyone offering bundle of them under subscription.

Contacting the publisher is a logical start, but why would they license their books to me is totally unclear area for me.

2 - Portability - I honestly hadn't thought it was go/no-go for readers. Good that it's brought up. I am using my own custom format that's a hybrid between text and markdown. So no other device.

3 - Choice of books - this is something I can offer, though it would kill the precuration.

4 - Those things out - feature-wise I see a lot of potential unused, especially in iBooks and Google Play Readers.

My first platform is iOS, and I would roll out Android in some time.

My original target was children who have just learned to read, but do not take off because of some inherent barriers in reading habits and reading training.

The app would do read-aloud + word highlight in a sort-of-immersive mode.

That, combined with gamification about the reading stats.

Would anyone provide a revised feedback?