Are Audiobooks as Good for You as Reading? Here’s What Experts Say (2018)

I think it's mostly to do with whether you actually focus on the material.

At least for me, it's possible to read written material for pages and pages, producing the sounds in my head but not really listening to a single word said. Daydreaming while reading, perhaps. Happens most often when I'm falling asleep. I suspect that is pretty close to the state of listening to an audiobook while not paying attention.

That is pretty rare with reading a book and is self-limiting. Within a minute you realize you have no idea what you have read and backtrack. But it can go on for potentially hours at a time with an audiobook, and backtracking is rarely done.

Audiobooks still win out for me though; I can't go for a brisk walk while reading a book.

Attending to the story is best for me since I care about learning and remembering. I can do something else while listening, but it has to be something that requires minimal attention, like moving myself around (I pause as needed, and when driving I am prepared to let myself ignore the audio and rewind later). Best is while walking, because I anchor events/facts in the story to my location.

Audiobooks are great when doing mindless stuff - like when you are walking or driving and you are not relying on your ears for other detailed inputs.

Not so good at other times when videos or actual books can be more suitable because your ears are being used for other things.

TL;DR

Yes, as good as reading on a screen. But maybe not as good as reading on paper (Easier to gauge where you are in a book on paper).