AMAZON offers several different subscription services, and for bookworms who struggle to sit down and read, Audible is the go-to choice.
But before you sign up, you might be wondering how Audible works – this explainer covers it all.
Audible, 30-day trial (£7.99 p/m after trial)
Audible was founded in 1995 to provide a better way to listen to books while on the go.
Initially, the company released a digital audio player that allowed you to download your audiobooks directly to the device and bring them with you.
It wasn’t until 2003 that we began to see Audible more widely available when a deal was signed with Apple, allowing us to access audiobooks from iTunes.
Just five years later, Amazon purchased Audible for $300 million in January 2008.
If Amazon was willing to splash the cash, Audible must have been doing something right to grab the retail giant’s attention.
What is Audible?
Audible is a popular streaming platform that offers a vast selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and original audio shows.
Think Prime Video but for all of your favourite audiobooks.
You sign up for a membership plan that offers you credits each month, which you then use to buy books.
It’s a convenient way to listen to books or podcasts on the go, from your smartphone, tablet, or even computer if you prefer to listen to stories over music.
Audible is especially useful if you’ve been wanting to catch up on your favourite books but haven’t had the time to read them.
How does Audible work?
Audible lets you enjoy thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and audio shows from every genre.
With a membership, you’ll also get unlimited access to the Plus Catalogue and you’ll receive one new title every month.
Some of the platform’s most popular titles include We Solve Murders, Atomic Habits, and timeless classics such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Members can also access an array of free titles, or purchase additional audiobooks of their choice.
With Audible, you can choose to buy each audiobook individually or set up a subscription that includes several titles per month and can be purchased using credits.
How much does Audible cost?
Audible comes as a separate membership to subscriptions such as Amazon Prime, so even if you’re a Prime member, you’ll still need to add this one to your monthly outgoings.
However, the subscription is not costly — it’s only £7.99 a month.
Promotions like Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday often offer great discounts across all of Amazon’s services, so keep an eye out.
Books, on the other hand, have individual pricing if you’ve already used your monthly token, and that can vary.
What is Audible Premium Plus?
If you love to listen to new releases and bestsellers and enjoy snapping up exclusive discounts, then an Audible Premium Plus plan could be the perfect subscription for you.
Audible Standard vs Audible Premium Plus
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Audible Standard
- Select 1 audiobook a month from the entire collection
- Download your selected audiobooks for offline listening
- Listen to your selected audiobooks until you cancel
- Unused monthly selections don’t roll over to the next month
Audible Premium Plus – 2 Credits
- Two credits per month to buy any 2 audiobooks in the entire collection
- Access to unlimited streaming and listening from the Plus Catalogue
- Exclusive sales and discounts on purchased titles
Audible Premium Plus Annual – 12 Credits
- 12 credits at time of purchase to be used to redeem any title from the Premium selections
- Access to unlimited streaming and listening from the Audible Plus Catalogue
- Exclusive sales and discounts on purchased titles
Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits
- 24 credits at time of purchase to be used to redeem any title from the Premium selections
- Access to unlimited streaming and listening from the Audible Plus Catalogue
- Exclusive sales and discounts on purchased titles
With a premium subscription, members can choose a plan with more credits, plus you’ll get exclusive sales and discounts on purchased titles.
If you opt for a monthly plan, you can get two credits per month, plus all of the additional Premium Plus benefits for £14.99.
For those who pick an annual Premium Plus plan, there are two options to choose from.
You can sign up for an Audible Premium Plus Annual plan that bags you 12 credits per year for £69.99.
Or for those who need more credits, the £109.99 Audible Premium Plus Annual plan secures you 24 credits.
Do you pay for every book you listen to on Audible?
The Audible service isn’t quite as straightforward as you’d expect.
It’s not as simple as signing up, and then you have access to thousands of titles.
What actually happens is you receive a free token every month you’re subscribed, which you can then use to purchase the titles you’re after.
Of course, if you’re getting through the books at a record pace, you can always buy more, but that will cost you.
Are books free to read on Audible?
Some books are free to read on Audible.
The benefits of an Audible subscription also include access to the Unlimited Listening Plus Catalogue, which contains thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and select audiobooks.
If you’re a slightly more old-fashioned book lover with a Kindle and prefer the feel of actually reading and turning pages, you can get one month of Kindle Unlimited for free, so now is a great time to get those reading glasses fixed.
For those looking to purchase a new title, there are currently hundreds of audiobooks that have been slashed by an impressive 80%.
Is Audible free with Amazon Prime?
No, unfortunately, Audible requires a separate subscription, which may sting a little if you’re already an Amazon Prime member.
However, when you consider all the extras you’re already getting with that subscription, it’s still worth keeping.
What devices can I use Audible on?
Members can use Android, iOS, and Kindle devices when using Audible.
However, it’s worth noting that Audible only works on select Kindle devices that support audio.
If you’ve yet to get your hands on a Kindle, there are plenty of discounts and deals up for grabs – you just have to know where to find them.
Luckily for shoppers, we’re on hand to help.
If you’re in the market for a new Kindle, you can shop a variety of models at retailers such as Amazon, Argos, and Currys.
Visit our Amazon Kindle Unlimited deals guide to find out more.
How to return a book on Audible?
The return policy allows active Audible Premium Plus members to return titles purchased in error using a credit, but you’ll have to use the Audible site to do so.
You must also make sure the return is within 365 days of the purchase date.
Members can make a return on either the mobile web or a desktop.
All you have to do is visit your account page, select purchase history, and next to the title you want to return, select ‘Return this title’.
After confirming your return, one credit will be added back to your account.
Can you listen to Audible offline?
According to the official Audible website, you can listen offline, however, this can only be done on select devices.
For example, you can download audiobooks from the Audible app to listen to without an internet connection.
Alternatively, you can use an Apple Watch to access Audible offline.
Check out Audible’s download titles page to find out more.
Do I keep my audiobooks if I cancel Audible?
If you’ve decided that you’re not using Audible as much as you’d hoped, you can cancel your membership.
Once you end your membership, you’ll still have access to any audiobooks bought with credits or cash.
Even without a membership, you can listen to any purchased audiobooks within your library.
However, you will lose access to any downloaded titles that are included in the Plus Catalogue.
It may be worth checking out our how to cancel Audible guide to make sure you don’t get any unwanted charges once you’re done with the service.
Audible, 30-day trial (£7.99 p/m after trial)
