Audible subscription

If you enjoy listening to books, then it’s likely that you’ve considered an Audible subscription. This audiobook service can be a convenient way to listen to titles you’ve been meaning to check out or discover something new. If you’ve looked into becoming an Audible member, then you might have some questions about the costs and benefits. To help you take a closer look at this service, we’ve put together a guide to Audible subscriptions. Here, you’ll find information about membership plans, options and pricing, and how to download books with Audible.

What Is Audible?

Audible is an Amazon-owned subscription service that allows users to download and listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and original audio content. A subscription is necessary to join Audible and access its library of content. There are several plan types, each with its own pricing and benefits. Users can opt for plans as a monthly subscription or yearly purchase. Before committing to becoming a member, subscribers have the option to take advantage of a free Audible audiobooks trial. That way, they can determine if the service suits their needs and if they would like to join fully.

If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, you might be curious if an Audible membership is included. Like Kindle Unlimited, these membership plans are separate from an Amazon Prime membership. The price for each Audible subscription plan is the same, whether or not you’re already an Amazon Prime member. 

Prime members have access to Prime Reading, allowing them to read some Kindle books for free. With Whispersync, it’s possible to go back and forth between the audiobook and ebook versions of a book. This technology keeps track of your place between both versions. The next time you listen to an audiobook on your iPhone or Alexa, the audio will pick up where you left off reading in the ebook.

Details of an Audible Subscription

When joining Audible, you can choose between two subscription plans: Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus. Each plan comes with its own unique membership structure, pricing plan, and benefits. Once you’ve decided on a plan and signed up as a member, you can listen to content across all Apple, Android, Windows, and Amazon devices through the Audible app. The apps are available for iOS and Android devices, as well as for desktop computers.

Membership Structure & Pricing

The two main subscription plans available to new members are Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus. With an Audible membership, certain books are considered part of the Audible Plus catalog. These books are available for unlimited listening to all Audible Plus and Premium Plus members. All other audiobooks require one credit to purchase, regardless of the listed price. Some examples of books that might require a credit to download are new releases or best sellers. To receive Audible credits, you must have a plus membership. Users can listen to books by using the Audible apps on any device or computer.

Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus both offer unlimited audiobook streaming from the Audible Plus catalog. Premium Plus subscribers have the additional benefit of a monthly credit, which they can use to download any audiobook available for purchase. Audible offers a free trial option for both programs, with no obligation to continue membership past the trial period. Members can cancel any time they like.

Subscription Details

Audible Plus listeners can access an unlimited selection of Audible Originals, audiobooks, sleep tracks, meditation programs, and podcasts. There is no limit to how many books you can listen to in a month, as long as they’re a part of the Audible Plus catalog. New subscribers are offered a 30-day trial period to get oriented with the app, try out listening to some of the content, and decide if the service is the right fit for them. After the trial period, the monthly plan price for Audible Plus is $7.95 per month. 

Audible Premium Plus listeners also have unlimited access to Audible Originals, audiobooks, sleep tracks, meditation programs, and podcasts. They also get one monthly credit, which they can redeem for any Audible books. Rather than paying the listed price for an audiobook, members exchange one credit as payment for the book. Once they’ve used their credit on a title, the audiobook is added to their library. It becomes theirs to keep. Even if they don’t use a credit for a month right away, it remains available in the account for up to a year. A 30-day trial period is also available for Audible Premium Plus. As part of the Premium Plus trial, users get a free audiobooks credit. After the trial period, the price is $14.95 per month.

If subscribers enjoy the benefits of Audible Premium Plus but find they’d like to have more credits each month, a two-credit plan is available for $22.95 per month. Subscribers also have the option to pay yearly for a 12 or 24-credit plan. The 12-credit plan is $149.50 annually and immediately gives subscribers access to 12 credits. A 24-credit annual plan costs $229.50 and comes with 24 credits upon payment.

Cancellation Policy

The process is simple if you’d like to cancel your Audible plan. Just navigate to the Audible website at Audible.com, click on “Account Details,” and log in to your Audible/Amazon account. Next, click “Cancel membership” under the text box that shows your active membership information. After you’ve chosen the reason for canceling your membership, follow the instructions that guide you to complete the process. You’ll receive an email confirmation of your cancellation.