Comparison · Books & audiobooks
StorytelBot vs Gutenberg
For listeners choosing their next audiobook, Storytel (@StorytelBot) is the stronger pick: it is Storytel's official bot, with mood-based emoji categories, editor-curated picks and a sample plus synopsis right in the chat before you commit. The catch is that full listening needs a paid Storytel subscription. Gutenberg (@Gutenberg_Bot) searches Project Gutenberg's 50,000+ public-domain ebooks by title or author and sends the file in EPUB, MOBI or plain text, free and without an account, though the catalog is mostly older classics in English. Choose Gutenberg if you want to read classics for free rather than pay for audiobooks.
@StorytelBot
FreemiumOfficial
75/ 100
#1 in Books & audiobooksThe official audiobook-discovery bot from Storytel: pick a mood with emoji, browse editor-picked audiobooks, listen to a sample and read the synopsis before you commit. Freemium via the Storytel subscription.
@Gutenberg_Bot
Free
70/ 100
Search Project Gutenberg's library of 50,000+ public-domain ebooks and get the file sent straight to Telegram — completely free and completely legal.
By the numbers
StorytelBot is ahead: 75 against 70 out of 100 for Gutenberg. StorytelBot wins on functionality, reliability & speed, popularity & trust, usability, freshness. Gutenberg wins on price & free tier, no intrusive ads. StorytelBot: Freemium · Free sample excerpts and synopses; full listening requires a paid Storytel subscription. Gutenberg: Free.
At a glance
| StorytelBot | Gutenberg | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing and limits | Freemium · Free sample excerpts and synopses; full listening requires a paid Storytel subscription | Free |
| Languages | EN · RU · MULTI | EN |
| Inline mode | no | no |
| Mini App | no | no |
| Works in groups | no | no |
| Works in channels | no | no |
| Accepts voice | no | no |
| Accepts files | no | no |
| Requires phone number | no | no |
| Requires registration | yes | no |
| Shows ads | no | no |
| Official | yes | no |
| Developer | Storytel | — |
| Last check | November 4, 2026 | November 4, 2026 |
Score by criterion
| Criterion | Weight | StorytelBot | Gutenberg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functionality | 25 | 8 | 7 |
| Reliability & speed | 15 | 8 | 6 |
| Popularity & trust | 15 | 6 | 4 |
| Price & free tier | 10 | 6 | 10 |
| Usability | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Safety & privacy | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Freshness | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Localization | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| No intrusive ads | 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Total | 100 | 75 | 70 |
Pros and cons
StorytelBot
- Official bot from a licensed audiobook service, no rights ambiguity
- Samples and synopses help you decide before committing
- Full listening requires a paid Storytel subscription
- Discovery only for Storytel's own catalog, not a universal audiobook search
Gutenberg
- Unambiguously legal, entirely public-domain content
- Free with no account or subscription needed
- Mostly older classics and historical texts, not recent releases
- Far fewer books in languages other than English
Frequently asked questions
StorytelBot or Gutenberg: which is better?
StorytelBot is ahead: 75 against 70 out of 100 for Gutenberg. StorytelBot wins on functionality, reliability & speed, popularity & trust, usability, freshness. Gutenberg wins on price & free tier, no intrusive ads. StorytelBot: Freemium · Free sample excerpts and synopses; full listening requires a paid Storytel subscription. Gutenberg: Free.
Are StorytelBot and Gutenberg free?
StorytelBot: Freemium · Free sample excerpts and synopses; full listening requires a paid Storytel subscription. Gutenberg: Free.
Do StorytelBot and Gutenberg work in groups?
StorytelBot: no. Gutenberg: no.