Spotify has just announced plans to bring its Audiobooks+ service to more countries after the successful initial trials launched earlier this year. Audiobooks+ will be slowly rolled out to several European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Initially introduced in Canada and Ireland, Audiobooks+ allows Spotify Premium users to listen to an additional 15 hours of audiobooks included in the service’s catalog. This is added on top of the hours of listening time per month included in Premium Individual and Family plans.
Typically, Spotify Premium plans include 15 hours of audiobook listening time per month from a catalog of over 250,000. Customers can buy top-ups if they need more audiobook listening time.
Do you plan to pay for Audiobooks+ when it arrives in the US?
Yes, it's more convenient to pay for everything in one place
0%
No, I prefer Audible for audiobooks.
12.5%
I prefer to read books rather than listen to audiobooks.
87.5%
With Audiobooks+, the total hours of audiobook listening time per month reaches 30 for Premium Individual subscribers, as well as Family and Duo plan managers. However, Audiobooks+ doesn’t come for free, so you’ll have to pay a monthly fee on top of your Spotify Premium subscription.
Audiobooks+ is now available in several more countries | Image credit: Spotify
Countries where the Audiobooks+ add-on subscription is now available:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
France
Germany
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
New Zealand
United Kingdom
Spotify announced that Audiobooks+ is available in the UK for £9 per month, but that’s all we know so far. The add-on subscription is not yet available in the United States, but Spotify says it will bring this option to Spotify Premium customers in the country in the “coming weeks.”
Audiobooks+: Available to Premium Individual subscribers as well as Family and Duo plan managers, this add-on unlocks an additional 15 hours of listening each month for the existing base plan.
Audiobooks+ for Plan Members: For the first time, additional members on Premium Family and Duo can access 15 hours of monthly audiobook listening through this recurring add-on. They can also purchase a one-time 10-hour top-up if they run out of hours before their monthly billing cycle refreshes.
Spotify’s new plan options aren’t that competitive
Launched back in 2023, Spotify’s Audiobooks service had a positive effect on audiobook sales. According to a survey by the Audiobook Publishers Association, audiobook sales grew by 13 percent in 2024, with 99 percent of the revenues generated by digital audiobooks.
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More importantly, Spotify’s publishing partners specifically name Spotify as a key contributor to the growth. Despite that, Spotify’s Audiobooks plans are nowhere near as good as Audible, probably the best service aimed at those who love reading.
Audible offers two subscription options, which are both superior to anything that Spotify has launched to date:
Audible Plus:
Unlimited listening: Members can stream or download any title from the Plus Catalog.
Cost: $7.95 per month.
Content: Includes audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals.
Titles: A constantly updated catalog of thousands of titles.
Audible Premium Plus:
Includes everything in Audible Plus, plus credits for premium selection titles.
Cost: Starts at $14.95 per month.
Credits: One credit per month for a premium selection title, which is yours to keep forever.
Exclusive sales and discounts: Members get access to sales and discounts on additional premium selections.
In comparison, Spotify’s select Premium plans include 15 hours of audiobook listening time every month. The cheapest Premium plan that includes that many hours of listening time costs $10.99 in the United States.
Since Audiobooks+ is not yet available in the US yet, we can’t accurately compare it with Audible, but let’s just put its price at around $10 just because Spotify is offering the plan in the UK for £9.
Audible's plan options | Screenshot by PhoneArena
That means that for 30 hours of listening time, Spotify customers will have to pay around $21 per month. But if you keep your Spotify Premium plan and pick Audible Plus instead of Audiobooks+, you get unlimited listening and pay about $19 per month.
If you’re a UK resident, it’s easier to compare the two subscription options. Audible Premium Plus costs £9, the exact same price as Spotify announced for Audiobooks+, while Audible Standard is available for £6.
In order for Spotify to make Audiobooks+ more appealing it needs to either lower the price or make it unlimited. However, based on its actions, Spotify has no intention of competing with other audiobooks services and is relying on the fact that Audible is only available in several regions like Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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