Athena Reading App Review: Is Read Athena Better Than Blinkist?

Athena Reading App Review Featured Image
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In this Athena reading app review, weโ€™ll dig into what the app does, and how it would help you become a better person through nugget-sized chapters.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn commissions if you make a purchase using the links in this post. You donโ€™t have to worry because I donโ€™t recommend something I donโ€™t believe and personally use in my writing journey. 

How much do you know about your business?

If youโ€™re a writer, knowledge determines the future of your business. The amount of information about achieving a certain goal defines the outcomes of your decisions. Thatโ€™s true, isnโ€™t it?

Youโ€™ve probably noticed that a lot of self-made billionaires say, โ€œRead more books to become successful.โ€ And youโ€™ve probably wondered why they keep saying so. Am I right? 

Why do you think? 

Whatโ€™s the relationship between reading books and achieving success? 

If youโ€™re a writer, reading is compulsoryโ€”an important habit to develop as a lifestyle choice.

Without it, I donโ€™t think you can do better in writing and earn something tangible from it i.e. income or influence. 

In todayโ€™s post, weโ€™ll cover Athena Reading App features and how it helps you in your reading habit. 

Table of Contents

Additionally, weโ€™ll go through the subscription plans, other usersโ€™ experiences, and my experience with Athena.

As you probably have expected, this will be a long, long, long discussion but I promise you that itโ€™s going to be awesome.

Are you ready? Letโ€™s dive into it. Shall we? 

Athena Reading App Review vs Blinkist Book Summary Pin min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.
Help me spread the message! Pin this image to your Pinterest account and share this one-of-a-kind lifetime bonus with fellow writers. Thank you so much.

What is Read Athena?

If you havenโ€™t heard about Blinkist, then, read my comprehensive review about it. Read Athena aka Athena reading app features are similar to what Blinkist provides. But there are more interesting features with this one.

Just so you know, Read Athena and Athena reading app are the same. I’m using these terms interchangeably but I’m referring to the same thing.

Anyway, both of them are book summary apps. Hence, theyโ€™re totally different from Kindle or Apple Books. Do you get me? 

What these apps do is turn a lengthy book into nugget-sized chapters consumable through listening to the audio format or reading the summarized chapter.ย 

As a reader, it allows more flexibility as to how you want to learn the lessons packed in a single book depending on your learning style. You donโ€™t have to carry heavy books to keep your reading going.

You can stroll while learning new concepts through its audiobooks. Or, you can read the summarized chapters without compromising your mobility. 

Athena reading app, Read Athena, or simply Athena is developed to cater to just that. As more and more people struggle with their poor reading habits, the company, Sum Lab Inc., developed the app to serve as an alternative solutionโ€ฆ for a cheaper price.

However, itโ€™s only available for all iOS devices. As of now, Sum Lab Inc. hasnโ€™t released a new version for Android.

Athena Reading App Review Problem min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

How Does Read Athena Help Writers?

Like Blinkist, Athena helps you as a writer a lot but it shouldnโ€™t be the only reason for reading. As I mentioned earlier, it is only a book summary app. 

Therefore, it only serves as a guide, giving you an extensive view of the book. So, thereโ€™s no way it can replace book reading at all. 

For example, if youโ€™re curious about โ€œThe Art of Learningโ€ by Josh Waitzkin and you want to find out if itโ€™s worth your money to buy a Kindle copy or not. 

In that case, you might want to check the book descriptions or reviews for that matter.

When you use Read Athena, you get to see synthesized chapters with the important sections you need rather than skimming through unnecessary stories from the author.

Based on my experience, reading the chapters gleans the author’s argument better in comparison to reading Amazon descriptions.ย 

But then again, it doesnโ€™t really replace book reading. Itโ€™s only giving me a preview of what the book can give me. 

As a book reader and author myself, I donโ€™t think people get more value in book summaries to quench their thirst for learning.

Athena Reading App Review Definition min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

How Does Read Athena Work?

Athena is super easy to use. You simply download the app on the App Store and start using it. 

If you want to subscribe and get access to special promos through this site, you can copy the link on Safari browsers and let it direct to your downloaded app.

Do you want to get the code?

Stay towards the end of the post. Trust me. You won’t regret it.

How Much Does Read Athena Cost?

Athena offers 3 different payment options according to their Library Pass Pricing Options list.

It’s either you choose a monthly, annual, or lifetime subscription. That means, you have to pay the following depending on the subscription you choose:

  • $4.99 for the monthly subscription (7 days free trial)
  • $49.99 for the annual subscription
  • $189.99 for the lifetime subscription

As for the lifetime subscription, as the name suggests, it’s a one-time payment to enjoy the whole Athena reading app with unlimited books to read and enjoy. Blinkist, unfortunately, doesnโ€™t have this option. For me, Read Athena’s lifetime subscription is a big plus.

Athena Reading App Review Library Pass Pricing Options min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

How’s My Read Athena Experience?

Initially, I had problems installing the app with the lifetime library pass. However, after all the bugs were fixed, it was okay. 

I have already listened to and read many books on the app and itโ€™s quite a pleasant experience for me. The first book I read was โ€œThe Art of Learningโ€ by Josh Waitzkin.ย 

As I mentioned earlier, Athena reading app, like other book summary apps out there, gave me a gist of what the book was about before I could finally get my hands on the paperback. 

If I am satisfied with the chapter summaries, I could decide to purchase the book later on.ย Isn’t that amazing?

Basically, this is how the app works for you, especially for writers like you, who are on a tight budget and want to make wiser decisions and spend only on quality books.

Overall, I have no problems using the Athena reading app. Plus, the staff whom I contacted to fix the issues was nice. He also listened to my suggestions to improve the app for future users (like you). 

Given that, itโ€™s definitely worth giving it a try.ย 

Blinkist Vs Read Athena: Which Is Better?

If I were to choose between the two, I prefer using Athena reading app because itโ€™s more flexible than Blinkist.

Another thing I liked is that it doesnโ€™t ask for hidden chargesโ€”thatโ€™s guaranteed.

Looking upon the pricing options, it has a one-time payment for a lifetime subscription worth $189.99.

That means you donโ€™t have to pay monthly subscriptions anymore. Just one payment, thatโ€™s it.

Blinkist Review Company Price athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

On the other hand, Blinkist does charge you even before the trial ends. More users complained about the issue but uncertainty prevailed when the company didnโ€™t do anything about it. 

In addition to that, it doesnโ€™t have this option. Aside from that, the pricing goes higher if more than one person uses the app. 

For instance, if youโ€™re a company and you want to use this app for your staffโ€™s reference, the price increases up to 2,999 Euros (approximately $3,500). Thatโ€™s a lot of money, my friend.

As of now, according to Tim Bailey, Athena’s content manager, they’re working on this option.

Blinkist App Review Personal Referral Link min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

Is Read Athena A Good Alternative?

If youโ€™re talking about book reading, no. Athena, just like Blinkist and other book summary apps, will not be considered a good alternative for it. Nothing can replace the value you get from purchasing a Kindle or paperback. 

However, it could serve as a good reference or a quick look at any book you like to buy rather than relying on Amazon descriptions and book samples. 

It may provide you with an illusion that youโ€™re making progress in book reading, but it doesnโ€™t have the depth most book readers enjoy.ย 

For sure, reading summaries saves you a lot of time but the value isnโ€™t tantamount to what books can give you.

Are you getting my point? 

With that being said, spending some bucks for the Athena reading app isnโ€™t a pain in the pocket. Besides, it helps others who have difficulty retaining their attention to a single activity for a long period to continue learning. 

What happens oftentimes is that many of us feel intimidated by books. It doesnโ€™t matter if itโ€™s about writing or reading one. All of us, writers, feel the same way. And itโ€™s completely understandable.ย 

If we choose to read one book, we often survive the first chapter. The next chapter? Maybe tomorrow or the next week? Maybe.

After a year, we realize weโ€™ve not finished anything. When that happens, it sucks. We feel frustrated because we tried. But it doesnโ€™t work. 

This is why apps like Athena exist to help us learn new things in the most creative way possible despite the length.

Can you imagine sitting in front of the blue sea, having fun watching the horizon, and acquiring new knowledge at the same time?

You have a more detailed view of the concepts than just reading whatโ€™s written in descriptions, which often donโ€™t glean the authorโ€™s point. Adding audio formats impresses me more.

Is Read Athena Safe To Use?

Definitely. Thereโ€™s no doubt about that. The Athena reading app doesnโ€™t ask for any hidden charges at all. They make things clear to you from the beginning about what you get for free or not.ย 

When they say itโ€™s free for 7 days, itโ€™s free for 7 days. The same thing when they say they offer you free reading lists if you sign-up using the code I shared earlier. I used it and worked for me without problems.

Itโ€™s up to you to decide whether you want to get into the premium features or not. Itโ€™s all up to your decision, my friend. Neither they nor I will force you to do so.

How Does Read Athena Set Apart From Other Platforms?

What makes the Athena reading app better than the other apps is the fact that it makes selecting, reading, and listening to books easier. 

That means you don’t have to stress yourself more just to spare hours or days to learn something new. 

Contrary to traditional book reading, book summary apps focus on lean meat and synthesize all the concepts in small paragraphs.ย 

According to the Athena reading app overview, there are six (6) types of books read in the last 60 days alone, such as books that tackle the following:

  • Sleep Smarter
  • Dragnet Nation
  • Super Human
  • Just Sit
  • Extreme Ownership
  • 10% Happier
Athena Reading App Review Book Preferences min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

When you take a closer look, you will realize what types of books most people prefer nowadays. 

If you’re a writer and want to publish a nonfiction book one day, Athena reading app can provide you with book ideas that work and whatnot, whatโ€™s popular, and what not.

With that being said, I don’t have qualms about recommending it in comparison to other platforms that exist today.ย 

If you like to try it out, stay until the end to find out how to get access to this one-of-a-kind opportunity.ย 

Does Read Athena Include Both Fiction & Nonfiction?

Hereโ€™s the fun fact. 

Book summaries will not work for fiction because they could create damage to the work if itโ€™s summarized.ย 

In other words, the book will lose its true value when the author canโ€™t retain the emotions conveyed in the chapters simply because a sentence or an important word is missing.

With that being said, Athena reading app will not work for fiction. 

What youโ€™re going to expect from this are summaries of nonfiction booksโ€”easier to summarize without compromising the overall content.

Scott Young pointed out several arguments as to why book summaries won’t give an equal impact on the reader to book reading itself.ย 

In his theory, books provide longer reflection and a larger impact than summaries even if they contain important points that we typically skip in books. He also emphasized the fact that book summaries encourage loss of contentโ€™s depth.ย 

“Knowing a few things to a deeper level might make up for having a greater, broad summary-level knowledge because you can specialize in conversations and intellectual arenas which benefit from that deeper insight,” he wrote. 

Among the reasons he said, what struck me is when he described reading as a prestige activity. In that light, I felt proud of myself for achieving so much in my life. 

I’m a (book) reader. And whenever I finish a book, it gives me a sense of accomplishment as not everyone can attain the same thing unless he or she is a (book) reader, too, like me.

Does Read Athena Offer An Affiliate Program?

Do you think youโ€™ll earn enough when promoting Athena reading app? 

Tim Bailey, the content manager, mentioned that one could earn affiliate commissions when someone clicks on a unique link. The amount youโ€™ll get depends on the subscription plan, as seen below:ย 

  • $1 per month recurring for monthly users
  • $10 per month recurring for yearly users
  • $40 per month recurring for lifetime purchases

Read Athena Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Cheaper than other prominent book summary apps
  • High-quality book summaries both in written and audio formats
  • Top-notch customer service
  • Lots of positive reviews (4.7 out of 5 on the App Store)
  • Gleans author’s points as clearly as possible vs relying on book blurbs and samples
  • Promotes enjoyable reading
  • Provides great and clear key insights per chapter
  • Considered too useful for users
  • Quick and compelling summaries
  • Great selection of books
  • Undoubtedly addictiveย 
  • Exclusive free reading list when you sign-up on my email list!

Cons:

  • Only works for iOS devices; not available for Android OS devices
  • Only for nonfiction books
  • No special price for companies

Read Athena Review – Do Other Book Readers Love It?

Now, youโ€™re thinking about whether the Athena reading app is worth the money or time or not at all.

To answer that question, letโ€™s see what other book readers say about this app. 

On the App Store, 37 people left feedback, sharing their experience with the app. Out of 37 people, only 3 people were displeased. Hence, the Athena reading app got 4.7 out of 5-star ratings. 

Athena Reading App Review - App Store Positive and Negative Reviews From Users

So, what do they have got to say? 

Letโ€™s start with the 3 dissatisfied users first. I wondered about their unpleasant experience in contrast with mine. 

Alezzmae, a user who rated the app with only 1 star, wrote that she failed to get access to the premium features, though she paid the full price. 

Yet, in this case, the developer responded to the case and had no further replies from the complainant. 

Another dissatisfied book reader wrote about their difficulty in using the app, especially at the beginning due to the unfixed bugs. 

But then again, like in the previous case, the company responded to the issue and had no further discussions about the complaint.ย 

On the bright side, others said that the app helped them develop their book reading habit through having fun learning new things from great authors while keeping the balance between the “most useful” and the “enjoyable” part of the reading experience. 

Similar to my experience with the Athena reading app, one of them shared that it helped her to catch up on books albeit with her busy schedule, giving her a sense of accomplishment. Thus, it motivates her to read more.

Nick-SF, another user, agreed with the previous idea by recognizing that the app follows an ideal length to read more books, though he can’t spare a day reading them. 

“I like to think of myself as a reader but I always end up giving up on books halfway through. With these revolvers, I really feel like I understood the core competencies of the books without having to dedicate weeks to ultimately give up on it,” he wrote.ย 

Given these circumstances, the Athena reading app demonstrates how it tremendously helped many book readers to learn new things, especially writers like you.ย 

That also means subscribing to Athena is definitely worth your money despite the bad feedback from a few. 

Although the dissatisfied book readers did, the developer showed enthusiasm to respond to complaints, which proves its sincerity to provide quality service to its users.ย 

Athena Reading App Review Features min athena reading app review uploaded by Mecyll Gaspary on September 25, 2020.

Conclusion – Is Read Athena Worth It?

Based on personal experience, as well as, the feedback from others, thereโ€™s no doubt that the Athena reading app is worth a try.

If you doubt it works for you or not, you can try it without spending a dime for 7 days. 

If you say yes, Iโ€™d like to invite you to enjoy the app with me. I know it wonโ€™t replace the value you get from book reading, but it makes reading more entertaining without compromising the content value per se. 

Given that, I have something extra special for you. And here it is! You can enjoy the pleasant experience with Athena just as I did when I first tried it out.ย 

Follow the instructions below to get free reading lists exclusively crafted for you. Again, this is only available for iPhones. 

  1. Install the app on your iPhone. (only works for iOS)
  2. Copy this link and load it on your Safari browser:ย sumlab-athena://redeemTrackPromoCode?code=490c58ae-7645-4434-a6ee-2fda6716ac9a
  1. Start reading!

Why am I recommending this app to you? 

Itโ€™s because I strongly believe that you can succeed and make money online as a writer through continuous learning.

The best way to achieve that goal is to spare a few minutes per day in learning and expand your knowledge about everything.

If youโ€™ve read my post about the fear of writing, William Zinsser pointed out that writing can actually open many opportunities for you can think of. You can make more money than your 9 to 5 job and leverage yourself as an author later on.ย 

However, that level of success will only be more achievable if youโ€™re a learned person and if youโ€™re willing to accept that you donโ€™t know everything. 

Thatโ€™s hard to do but itโ€™s the truth. Youโ€™ve got to sharpen your weaponโ€”your writingโ€”by reading more.ย 

Just think about it. 

How can you write something interesting and fresh enough for your readers if you donโ€™t even know a single thing about the topic you like to write about? 

Do you get what Iโ€™m saying? 

If you do, itโ€™s time to take action, my friend. You can only guarantee writing success when youโ€™re willing to do the work it requires. Thatโ€™s for sure. Itโ€™s no BS advice. 

Take it from me. Iโ€™m a non-native English speaker. Nobody could expect Iโ€™m not a native speaker because of my published content. On top of that, I managed to earn $5,000 writing in English online. 

And I know you want to do the same. You want to earn a stable income by doing what you have ever wanted to do. Writing. 

Do you want to see tangible results of a writing success or be content with wishing success? Like I always say, itโ€™s up to you to make a firm decision. 

Install Athena reading app now. Iโ€™ll copy the link below for you and paste it on your Safari browser to direct you to the page with unlocked reading lists tailored for you. 

Happy writing!

If you like this post, please share it with your family and friends, especially if theyโ€™re super-busy book readers. 

Sharing this post will be a big help for them as the Athena book reading app saves them time and money for low-quality books.

If you have something more to add or to share apart from what Iโ€™ve written here, feel free to write your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Thank you so much for stopping by! ๐Ÿ™‚


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8 responses

  1. I think this is a real great article. Thanks Again. Keep writing. Cynthea Ivor Fording Aubry Nigel Andrien

    1. Thank you for stopping by and for sharing your thoughts about this post. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. I truly appreciate this article post. Thanks Again. Keep writing. Odele Salim Crotty

    1. Thank you for your thoughts about the post. ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. It is truly a nice and helpful piece of information.
    I am glad that you shared this useful information with us.

    Please keep us up to date like this.
    Thank you for sharing.

    1. Thank you for stopping by, Fleta!

  4. Can I get Athena customer service contact?
    I have error with app.
    Thanks in advance

    1. Hi, Cho! Thank you for stopping by. I did a quick search and found no website of SumLab, Inc., which is the developer behind the Athena Reading App. If you’re having problems with the app, the best thing you could do is report your situation through the App Store. That is if you’re using iOS for this app, I assumed. If so, here’s the link for you: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/book-summaries-read-athena/id1449502803

      I hope this helps and thank you for patiently waiting for me to get back to you. Have a great day! ๐Ÿ™‚

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