Road MBA › Compare
Road MBA compared with Blinkist, Headway, Shortform, getAbstract and AudioMBA
A plain side-by-side. Every fact about the other products comes from that company's own public page, and each card links to it. Prices change and can vary by region and promotion, so check the linked page before you decide.
Checked on October 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Write to info@roadmba.com.
Road MBA
- Format
- One audio episode per book, plus a printable toolkit (the method on one page and practice worksheets), the transcript and its sources.
- Library
- 30 classic business books, in a set order on 8 shelves.
- Length
- About 8 to 12 minutes per episode, built for the commute.
- Price
- One payment for all 30 books. No monthly fee, nothing recurring.
- Free option
- Your first day is free, in full, no card.
Source: roadmba.com/about
Blinkist
- Format
- Text and audio book summaries ("read and listen in 15 min").
- Library
- 9,000+ book and podcast summaries.
- Length
- About 15 minutes per summary.
- Price
- Premium, 12 months: $99.99 (first year shown at $79.99 with an intro discount). PRO, 12 months: $174.99 (intro $139.99). Renews every 12 months.
- Free option
- Free trial when available; Blinkist says eligibility varies by account.
Source: blinkist.com/pricing · Blinkist help: plans
Headway
- Format
- Book summaries to read or listen to, with guided plans, quizzes and spaced repetition.
- Library
- Not stated on the price page.
- Length
- 15-minute book summaries.
- Price
- 4 weeks: $19.99 first, then $39.98 every 4 weeks. 12 weeks: $39.99 first, then $79.98 every 12 weeks. 24 weeks: $59.99 first, then $119.98 every 24 weeks. Headway notes prices vary by region and promotion.
- Free option
- Free plan: 1 summary per day.
Source: makeheadway.com/headway-app-price
Shortform
- Format
- In-depth book guides, with audio narrations, highlights and PDF downloads.
- Library
- 12,000+ books covered, 1,000+ article and topic guides.
- Length
- Not stated on the pricing page.
- Price
- $24.00 a month billed monthly, or $16.42 a month billed annually.
- Free option
- Free sign-up offered on the pricing page.
Source: shortform.com/pricing
getAbstract
- Format
- Text summaries, with audio summaries and PDF, ePub and MP3 downloads.
- Library
- 27,000+ summaries on the Pro plan.
- Length
- Not stated on the pricing page.
- Price
- Pro Monthly: $29.90 a month. Pro Yearly: $299 a year. A student plan is listed separately.
- Free option
- 3-day free trial, no card required.
Source: getabstract.com, plans for individuals
AudioMBA
- Format
- An MBA-style audio program: 8 core modules, 48 audio lessons and assignments per module.
- Library
- 48 lessons in 8 modules (Essential).
- Length
- 24 hours of audio in total (Essential).
- Price
- Essential: €595 one time. Professional, with feedback and certification: €995 one time. AudioMBA Plus: €49 a month or €500 a year.
- Free option
- Free account with 1 free lesson.
Source: theaudiomba.com pricing
When Road MBA fits
- You drive or ride to work and want one business book a day, in one short episode.
- You want a short list of 30 classics in a set order, not a library to search.
- You want to use the idea at work this week: each book comes with a printable toolkit.
When another option fits better
- You want thousands of titles across many topics: Blinkist, Headway, Shortform and getAbstract have far larger libraries.
- You want long, in-depth guides to read: Shortform focuses on that.
- You want a full MBA-style course with assignments and a certificate: AudioMBA offers that.
Your first day is free
Road MBA team
