Audible is the world’s most well-known audiobook service.
For years, their “one new audiobook each month” membership has been many people’s favorite, but they’re now attempting to shake things up and become the ideal audio streaming service all around.
We’ll learn about Audible’s newest subscription options, why its unique features make it such a wonderful choice for audiobooks, and whether it’s truly worth it for you, based on your specific circumstances.
Strap in, and let’s dive straight into it.
Table of Contents
What Is Audible?
Audible is Amazon’s audiobook production and distribution platform.
You can buy them without a membership; alternatively, if you have a subscription, you can borrow them for streaming.
Do you have to pay to listen to books on Audible? In a nutshell, sure. Subscription models have a fixed monthly subscription, but title prices might vary greatly.
For example, the Sherlock Holmes collection as read by Stephen Fry costs an eye-watering $82.77.
Others, on the other hand, are significantly less expensive—and a few are completely free from the start.
Because of its scale and popularity, most audiobooks are available on the platform.
Some are even dedicated to it.
You aren’t restricted to audiobooks; Audible also has podcasts and music that you can listen to while meditating.
How Does Audible Work?
- It is a subscription service with five basic membership plans
- Each credit is redeemable for one item from a large selection of best sellers and new arrivals.
Once the credits for the month or year have been used, members can still get titles at a 30% discount.
- It titles are available for listening via their app, which is available for iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
What Do You Need To Use Audible?
Members must join up with their Amazon account and download the Audible app, which is compatible with a wide range of devices (tablets, cell phones, PCs, Alexa) and operating systems (iOS, Android, Windows).
If you do not already have an Amazon account, you must establish one.
How Do I Sign Up?
The simplest way to sign up is at audible.com.
You can begin with a 30-day free trial.
You can either check in with an existing Amazon account or create a new one here.
Your available credits will be listed in the upper right hand corner once you’ve checked in.
How do I log into my Audible account?
Desktop Site
- Navigate to the Audible desktop site’s Sign In page.
- In the text box, enter the email address or username linked with your Audible account.
- Select Continue.
Please keep in mind that you will receive an email with information on how to access your Audible account.
What is Audible app?
The App allows users to download and play audio books purchased from Audible.com, as well as save multiple titles for playback on mobile devices utilizing the AA file format established by Audible.
How do I get the Audible app?
Using an Android Device
- Open your device’s Play Store and search for “Audible.”
- In the search bar at the top of the Play Store, type “Audible” and press the enter key on your device’s keyboard.
- Select Audible Audiobooks.
- Select Install.
- Once the software has been installed, launch it.
What Perks Do I Get As A Member?
They are so many!
With Premium Plus plans, you have access to the Audible Plus collection at all levels, as well as your monthly or yearly credits and a 30% discount on any titles you want to buy without credits.
Here’s more information on a handful of the features available in the Plus library.
- Audible Originals: These are titles produced exclusively for it by the Audible studios.
They range from theater plays to brain chemistry lectures to romantic books.
- Podcasts: Audible’s podcasts are available for free to members and provide content for people of all ages.
Topics range from thrilling original fiction and belly-achingly funny humor to corporate management and history.
- Sleep: These stories, soundscapes, guided meditations, and other materials are specifically meant to help listeners fall and remain asleep, as well as wake up feeling refreshed.
- Audible Latino: Audible also has hundreds of Spanish-narrated titles.
Is Audible Free With Amazon Prime?
No, it does not; subscriptions in Audible Plus and Audible Premium Plus are distinct from Prime memberships.
However, Prime members enjoy an additional benefit with the free trial: if you have never had an Audible Premium Plus subscription, Prime users can sign up for the 30 Day Free Trial and earn two free credits (non-Prime members receive one credit), as well as access to the Plus Catalog.
This credit is redeemable for any title from Audible’s complete premium catalog and can be used indefinitely.
How Do You Cancel An Audible Membership?
If you’ve purchased a monthly membership, canceling is simple.
Navigate to the Audible website and select “Account Details” from the dropdown menu next to your name.
Select “Cancel Membership” under “Your Membership.”
Pros and Cons of Audible
Audible is without a doubt the most popular audiobook service available.
And with good reason! We’ve had a lot of fun with it!
Let’s look at why it’s so fantastic, as well as the disadvantages of Audible.
The majority of these only applies to Audible subscriptions and do not apply to free trials or non-subscription use.
Pros of using Audible:
- No matter which membership you purchase, you can listen to any audiobook in the “included” collection.
- The collection on Audible is simply unrivaled.
- Using the app is a near-perfect experience.
- You receive a 30% discount on the full price of any audiobook for the duration of your membership.
- It is quite inexpensive.
Cons of using Audible:
- If you subscribe to Audible Plus (the streaming service), you don’t get to keep the books.
- Because it is owned by Amazon, its efficacy as an audiobook service may be hampered by Amazon’s ambitions.
How to Get Audible Books for Free
- Open a browser on a PC or Mac and navigate to audible.com/ep/FreeListens.
- Scroll down until you locate an audiobook you’d like to download.
Simply click on the title.
- Select “Buy for $0.00” from the drop-down menu.
- Sign in to your Amazon or Audible account if requested.
- After you’ve chosen all of the audiobooks you want to download, click “Proceed to Checkout.”
- Review your order details and then click “Complete transaction.”
- Before you can listen to the audiobook, you must first download it.
Click on “Library” near the top of the page, next to the Audible logo.
- Click the “Download” button.
You may now listen to your free Audible audiobook on any computer or mobile device.
What is Audible Membership?
Audible Plus is a monthly subscription that provides unrestricted streaming and listening from the Audible Plus Catalog. Look for the “included” tag and press “play now” to start streaming from the app right away. You can also add these titles to your Library or download them to listen to them offline.
How Much Does Audible Cost?
Audible offers five different subscription plans:
- Audible Plus costs $7.99 per month. This includes unlimited access to the full collection, which allows you to listen to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, sleep tracks, and meditation programs.
- Audible Premium Plus cost $15.99 per month. This provides access to the entire catalog as indicated above, as well as one title of your choice each month that you may keep in your library indefinitely, even if you cancel.
- Audible Premium Plus (2 Credits) – $22.95 a month. The same as Premium Plus, but you get two audiobooks every month to keep in your library indefinitely.
- Audible Premium Plus Annual (12 Credits) – $149.50 a year. This option is the same as Premium Plus, but it is less expensive because you pay for a year at a time.
On this plan, each credit is worth roughly $12.50.
- Audible Premium Plus Annual (24 Credits) – $229.50 a year. The Annual plan is the same as explained before, but you get 24 credits instead of just 12.
This is significantly less expensive, as each audiobook costs about $9.56 with this plan.
All choices come with a 30-day free trial. If you subscribe to Premium Plus, you will receive one free audiobook as well as access to all of the Audible Originals and more. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can even obtain two premium titles as part of a free Premium Plus trial!
Benefits of Using Audible
So far, we’ve discussed features and pricing. In other words, you know what you’re getting and how much you’re paying for it. But what are the advantages of listening to audiobooks on Audible? What effects or results may you expect if you buy an Audible subscription?
Let’s take a look at the two primary genres of books—fiction and nonfiction—to see what you get from each.
To name a few advantages of fictional books:
- Stress reduction. Reading is one of the best methods to unwind from the stresses of everyday life. Fiction is very effective in taking your mind off work. It truly relaxes you as all your troubles go away as you become immersed in the story.
I’ve recently been using fictional books for this, and it’s been incredibly successful in helping me relax.
It’s significantly more effective than most other ways I can relax!
- Improved sleep. How often do you lay down to sleep just to have your mind start racing?
All of your previous embarrassments, fears about the future, and whatever else is worrying you appear to manifest itself shortly before night.
This stinks, but you can avoid it by reading a fictional book before bed.
It will relax your thoughts, allowing you to fall asleep sooner and sleep more soundly.
This has recently improved my sleep and I definitely recommend it!
- Better relationships. Fictional books have been shown to increase empathy, which leads to better treatment of others.
This is because they naturally let you put yourself in the shoes of others, which directly translates to the actual world when you finish your book.
It even activates areas of the brain that aid in understanding the world and other people.
In other words, reading fiction will help you become a better person.
- Memory improvement. It’s no surprise that your mental and physical faculties deteriorate as you age.
This cannot be stopped, but it can be considerably slowed by reading fiction.
According to research, those who read have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who do not.
You will notice the following good improvements in your life if you listen to or read nonfiction books:
- You begin to resemble the authors you read the most. It has been claimed that you are the average of the five individuals with whom you spend the most time.
I suppose you are also the average of the five authors you most frequently read.
Reading non-fiction allows you to receive mentoring from anyone, including people you would never meet otherwise.
- You will become smarter as you learn numerous life lessons. I can’t tell you how many excellent insights I’ve received from various types of nonfiction.
From biographies to business books, each one imparts skills that, when implemented, will make you smarter.
- It improves your life. All of the principles taught in nonfiction literature show you how to enhance your life. The more you listen, the more you’ll learn about living life to the fullest.
- Nonfiction books inspire you to be your best. Even if I don’t always recall everything, I enjoy listening to nonfiction. Hearing the ideas in each book inspires me to be a better person. I’ve even had instances were something I learned from a nonfiction book come back to me just when I needed it!
- You’ll become happier and more successful as a result. I could go on and on about this one. I’ve summarized over 400 nonfiction books and read the finest of them several times.
Is Audible Worth it?
Now that you’re aware of all of the advantages of an Audible subscription, the only question is whether they’re all worth $7.99 or $15.99 a month.
That’s a tiny investment to pay for improved sleep, stress reduction, happiness, and success.
So, just considering all of the perks we’ve covered, it is completely worth it.
However, do you really need to include that monthly price in your budget?
Perhaps not, if you examine what expenses you could cut to meet the cost of a subscription.
Consider what you’re already spending your money on.
You might subscribe to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, or another service.
You most likely have several of them.
Most of these are comparable to, if not more expensive than, an Audible subscription.
So, what if you just cancelled one of them and used the money and time saved to pay for and listen to audiobooks?
Too much television has been shown to make your life worse.
To mention a few consequences, it can cause weight gain, devastate your mental health, diminish the effectiveness and amount of sleep and rest you get, increase your chance of Alzheimer’s, and even cause brain damage.
Consider the cost of all of this. Consider not only monetary costs, but also intangible costs such as your health and happiness. If watching too much TV is causing you to miss out on the good life, isn’t the expense of an Audible subscription worth regaining that and more?
FAQs
How many books do you get from Audible each month?
Audible offers two membership levels.
The traditional one-credit-per-month option, marketed as Audible Premium Plus, allows you to store and listen to any title in their catalog.
They also have a new cheaper option called Audible Plus, which is similar to a streaming service for audiobooks in that you can listen to as many as you want for a month at a time.
How much does Audible really cost?
Audible Plus costs $7.95 a month and allows you to listen to any book in the library (but not keep it).
Audible Premium Plus costs $14.95 a month and includes everything that Audible Plus does plus one credit per month to choose any audiobook in their library to keep.
How many audiobooks are on Audible?
Audible has almost 200,000 audiobooks available.
I’ve been using it for years and have yet to find a single one that isn’t one of my faves.
It’s also frequently the first service to obtain new bestsellers, and many audiobooks are only accessible on Audible.
Is Audible free with Prime?
It is not included as part of an Amazon Prime membership.
However, if you choose to obtain a free trial of Audible Premium Plus, you will be able to keep two audiobooks instead of just one!
Can I get Audible for free?
For the first 30 days, you may try Audible for free.
Then, based on the plan you picked, your subscription will renew on a monthly basis.
If you subscribe to Audible Premium Plus, you will receive at least one audiobook to keep after the free trial period ends.
Audible Plus subscribers can listen to any audiobook in their collection for free for 30 days.
Do I need a subscription for Audible?
You don’t need a subscription to keep the books you’ve purchased or received as part of a free trial.
You will not, however, be able to listen to unlimited audiobooks in their collection or use credits to purchase audiobooks if you do not have a membership.
Can I continue to listen to Audible even if I cancel my subscription?
If you cancel your Audible subscription, you can keep the books you received as part of a free trial or purchased with credits.
I’ve had periods when I didn’t have an active Audible subscription and I could still listen to any book in my collection as much as I wanted!
If that’s all you wanted to know, and you’re ready to begin a risk-free 30-day Audible trial, click the button below.
How much is an Amazon Audible membership?
Plans begin at $7.95 per month after a free trial period.
No obligations; cancel at any time.
Audible Plus ($7.95/month):
Listen to as many titles as you want from the Plus Catalog.
$14.95/month for Audible Premium Plus, which includes the Plus Catalog as well as one credit per month for any premium selection title.
Is the Audible free trial really free?
Audible is a membership service that offers clients access to the world’s largest selection of audiobooks, podcasts, exclusive originals, and other content.
For the first 30 days, your Audible subscription is free.
If you enjoy your Audible trial, do nothing and your membership will be renewed automatically.
What is the distinction between Audible Plus and Audible Premium?
Premium Plus also grants you a 30% discount on any additional content purchased from the Premium catalog.
For $14.95 each month, you may get the Plus Catalog plus one credit toward any premium selection title.
Can I get an Audible discount?
Sign up for the Audible Premium Plus Annual plan, which includes 12 credits for $149.50 per year. When compared to the monthly membership, you save more than 45 percent!
What is the best Audible deal?
Amazon is currently providing three months of Audible Premium Plus (usually $14.95/month) and three months of Amazon Music Unlimited (typically $9.99/month) for free until May 3. This is the best Audible offer currently available, as well as one of the finest Audible offers we’ve seen online.
Does Audible have promo codes?
There are always plenty of Audible coupon codes available, but they change frequently. It’s critical to compare your options before applying a code to ensure you’re receiving the greatest value available.
What is the price of Audible for Amazon Prime members?
Prime members who join up for Audible for the first time receive a month free (or other promotional discounts, as shown below, subject to change and prior membership status), but after that, the monthly fee is $14.95.
Conclusion
It has the best collection, a solid app and various listening alternatives, and several terrific subscription packages. When you consider everything you get for either $7.99 or $15.99 per month, it’s a steal!
It is well worth the money. You’ll get unlimited listening access to a wonderful selection of audiobooks, one audiobook to keep forever each month, and all the intangible benefits of reading more books, whether fiction or nonfiction.
