It's different. I think if you are interested in the subject, then you retain it. Also because you can do other things at the same time, you can listen to say three different books on one subject rather than read one book on that subject - that way you get differing viewpoints, which also aid retention.

When I first started listening to audiobooks I did find that my mind would wander, but I've discovered that if I play the audiobooks at a slightly faster speed, I have to pay attention more and so my mind doesn't wander so easily.

That has been my problem with both podcasts and audiobooks. I can't multitask and have the content be much more than white noise.

The first audiobooks I tried listening to were books I had already read myself. Just to see how it would be if someone else narrated them. Despite having a feel for what the story was already. I'd lose track of it constantly. Akin to reading the same line over and over when tired. Which is arguably harder to rewind in audio form than in text.

Watching shortish videos on youtube or some livestream is fine for background noise. But to retain much from what was originally a 300 page novel or whatever. Having large parts of just be remembered as static feels really bad.

I usually do chores while I do audiobooks. I am very imaginative and get so immersed that I feel like I’ve been watching a movie.