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Saturday, 28 October 2023

Amazon Audible lets you stream its expansive library of audiobooks, podcasts, and more. How it works.

A person wearing headphones holds a tablet — Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images

Amazon bought Audible in 2008, and now it's a major player in audiobooks.
The subscription service provides a library of audio content at different price tiers.
Users who want "premium" content must pay more for their Audible subscription.

Audible, which began as a standalone portable media player in 1995, came underneath the Amazon umbrella when the company purchased it in 2008. Since the acquisition, Amazon has propelled it to domination of the US audiobooks market.

Is Amazon Audible free with Prime?

While Amazon is well known for amalgamating its acquired services into its Prime ecosystem and the Amazon umbrella, Audible stands out as an exception. It has managed to preserve its unique identity and subscription, setting itself apart from the bundled services available to Prime members at no extra charge.

Prime members don't get a complimentary subscription nor preferential rates on Audible subscriptions. However, being a Prime member is not entirely devoid of its perks: they're eligible for a 30-day free trial with two bonus "premium" audiobooks.

How much does Amazon Audible cost?

Like most services out there, Audible's subscription model is tiered to cater to different audiences. By merely logging into your Amazon account, you can access hundreds of free podcasts and audiobooks without a subscription, such as Elizabeth Banks' "My Body, My Podcast" or Wondery's "Dr. Death."

The entry-level membership, called Audible Plus and priced at $7.95 per month, opens the doors even further to an expansive library of audiobooks, podcasts, and other original content. This tier gives access to audiobooks such as the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. However, this tier does not get access to the crème de la crème – the "premium" titles, such as Rich Cohen's The Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones and Britney Spears' book The Woman in Me. For those, you'll need to subscribe to a higher priced plan.

Listeners who want access to additional premium titles can upgrade to a $14.95 per month plan to receive one new premium title per month. The annual alternative to this plan costs $149.50 per year and comes with 12 premium access credits; this annual plan works out to roughly $12.46 per month.

For those who find that they need access to more premium audiobooks, Audible does have another tier for voracious consumers: $22.95 for access to two premium titles per month. Its annual equivalent, costing $229.50, offers some savings over its monthly counterpart, equating to approximately $19.13 per month, and gives 24 access credits over 12 months.

How do I get the Audible app on Amazon?

Amazon has ensured cross-platform ubiquitous access to Audible. Users can stream content via audible.com or choose to use the "Audible Audio Books & Podcasts" app available on the Apple App Store and the "Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts" app on Google Play.

How do you cancel Audible on Amazon?

For subscribers contemplating taking a break from the world of audiobooks and audio content on offer on Audible, the cancellation process is straightforward.

1. To cancel your membership, hover over your name and click Account details.