Audible is the best audiobook service for most people thanks to its free app, book credits, and gigantic library
Audible is the best audiobook service for most people thanks to its free app, book credits, and gigantic library
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- Audible is an audiobook and podcast platform owned by Amazon with tons of titles available to buy.
- An Audible Plus subscription adds thousands of audiobooks and original series for $8 a month.
- Audible Premium Plus costs $15 a month, and gives you a free credit for an audiobook every month.
Audible is an audiobook and podcast platform that boasts a massive catalog of more than 500,000 titles, including exclusive releases. You can buy specific audiobooks via Audible and listen with a free account, or subscribe to Audible Plus or Audible Premium Plus to gain access to thousands of titles and Audible original series.
The Audible app offers downloads, streaming
As an Amazon subsidiary with one of the largest available libraries, Audible sets the standard for audiobook apps. However, if you're new to Audible or audiobooks in general, it may not be clear how to get the best value for your time and money.
Whether you're a hardcore podcast and audiobook junkie, or just looking for a new way to experience books, we've broken down how to get the most out of Audible, and if you should sign up for Audible Plus.
Audible devices and requirements
The Audible app is available on Windows and Mac computers, Android and iOS devices, Alexa-enabled devices, Amazon Fire tablets, Kindle devices (2016 or later), the SanDisk Clip Jam mp3 player, Victor Reader Stream, and Milestone 312 Ace.
Audible's basic service is free to use but you need an Amazon account; Amazon Prime is not required.
What is Audible and how does it work?
Audible is an app and storefront that's strictly dedicated to audiobooks and podcasts. Pricing on Audible varies based on the book, and purchased titles are immediately available for streaming or download. Audible offers a selection of free books and podcasts, and allows for returns and exchanges on purchases.
In addition to the free app, Audible also has subscription plans. Audible Plus subscribers get access to thousands of audiobooks and podcasts for a monthly or annual fee, while Audible Premium Plus adds store credits and discounts. Users with shared Amazon accounts will automatically share their Audible purchases, but books featured in the Plus catalog are not included.
While listening, you can skip between chapters, change the playback speed, or bookmark and clip important moments from the book. Progress and bookmarks are stored to your Audible account and will transfer between devices. Kindle readers can also use Amazon's Whispersync feature to swap between the written and audio versions of more than 100,000 books.
Audible audiobook and podcast downloads are stored in a proprietary format, meaning you can't add them to your personal MP3 collection; you'll need to use the Audible app or a third-party converter to access the files.
If you want a complete walkthrough of how to use Audible, Insider has full guides for getting started with the app and buying books.
Audible Plus subscription options
Audible Plus costs $8 a month and provides access to thousands of audiobooks in the Audio Plus catalog. Audible Premium Plus costs $15 a month and gives you one credit each month to spend on a title in the Audible store; these credits can help you save on expensive books that cost way more than the $15 monthly membership.
Audible offers a free 30-day trial of either plan; the Premium Plus trial includes a free credit that you can use to keep a single audiobook.
Audible also offers annual Premium Plus plans with more credits for an even better deal. You can pay $149.50 for one year of Audible Premium Plus with 12 credits, or $229.50 for one year with 24 credits. That's the equivalent of getting two months free.
Amazon Prime members don't receive any free Audible benefits, but they can claim one extra audiobook during the 30-day trial of Audible Premium Plus.
| Subscription Plan | Price | Notes |
| Audible Plus | $7.95 a month | Does not include monthly book credit |
| Audible Premium Plus | $14.95 a month | One credit per month (Prime members get two during trial) |
| Audible Premium Plus (extra credit) | $22.95 a month | Two credits per month |
| Audible Premium Plus annual (12 credits) | $149.50 a year | Credits expire after one year |
| Audible Premium Plus annual (24 credits) | $229.50 a year | Credits expire after one year |
Audible Plus catalog and Audible exclusives
Audible enjoys one of the largest available collections of audiobooks, and subscribing to Audible Plus will give you thousands of audiobooks and Audible originals to choose from. Audible hosts original podcasts and audiobooks that are only available to Audible Plus subscribers, ranging from kids content like "The Sesame Street Podcast" to series with full casts like "Hit Job" starring KeKe Palmer and Pete Davidson.
However, many of the most popular Audible exclusives, like "The Four Agreements" and "Shadow and Bone," aren't featured in the Audible Plus collection and must be purchased directly. It's best to browse the store first to see how many books you want are actually included in the Plus catalog before subscribing.
The overall quality of the Audible Plus library will ultimately depend on the listener, but there's certainly no shortage of new content to enjoy for the monthly fee. If you're curious, I recommend using the 30-day trial of Audible Premium Plus, since you'll get at least one free store credit to use on a specific audiobook you want and you can keep it forever.
Is Audible Plus worth it?
The value of Audible Plus boils down to how much time you spend listening to audiobooks or podcasts. Audible will let you know the expected playtime for your books, which can help you get an idea of how much time you spend listening in a week or month.
If you're spending less than four hours a week listening to podcasts and audiobooks, your subscription money might be better spent on a single book you'll enjoy.
If you want a large listening library but don't have a preference for which books you want to check out, Audible Plus has plenty of content to choose from. However, if you're finishing multiple books a month, investing in Premium Plus is probably a better choice so you can pick up the specific books you're interested in, as well as popular bestsellers.
Again, both Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus offer a 30-day trial, but the Premium Plus trial will let you keep at least one book of your choosing.
What are your alternatives?
Audible is one of the most well-known audiobook platforms, but it's not the only one. The Amazon-owned platform competes with storefronts like Google Play Books, Nook Audiobooks, and Kobo Books. Public libraries also offer a wide selection of audiobooks that can be accessed for free.
Other platforms with subscription options include Audiobooks.com ($15 a month) and Scribd ($10 a month). A Scribd membership also includes ebooks and magazines for a lower monthly price, making it our top subscription choice for online reading.
Other competitors like Libro.fm and Downpour offer audiobooks in a standard MP3 format, allowing you to download them and listen with the app of your choosing, rather than relying on a specific app like Audible.
The bottom line
For most audiobook listeners, Audible will be the best platform to use thanks to its free app, gigantic library, and account sharing with Amazon and Kindle. Avid readers, however, may prefer to use an all-in-one service like Scribd to get a mix of ebooks and audiobooks, or a platform like Libro.fm or Downpour that offers audiobooks in a standard MP3 format without Amazon's copyright protection.
Pros: Free to use for streaming and downloads, unmatched library with tons of exclusives, shared purchases between Amazon households, WhisperSync with Kindle ebooks
Cons: Paid Audible Plus catalog lacks some exclusives, downloads cannot be easily transferred or played without the Audible app, not compatible with older listening devices
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