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Welcome to our review of Amazon’s Audible service. Audible is Amazon’s audiobook subscription service that gives users access to the world’s largest audiobook library – a collection of exclusive audio content.
Even though there is competition from rivals, Audible remains, without a doubt, the best audiobook service. With plans starting at $7.95 per month, you can choose from a massive collection of audiobooks and podcast content.
Audible plans and pricing
When you first sign up for Audible, you get a 30-day free trial, and because you’ll get an email reminder before it ends, you can easily cancel any time without paying any money. The free trial comes with one credit for non-prime members and two credits for prime members, plus everything in the basic Audible plus plan.
Audible cheapest subscription plan is Audio Plus, which was recently introduced on August 27th, 2020 – starts at $7.95 a month. You get unlimited access to over 68,000 hours worth of content from more than 11,000 titles, including Audible Originals and podcasts. Those include comedy, picks from Audible Theater, documentaries, content for kids, and more. How much of these materials is exclusive content vs. third-party is unclear as of the time of writing this review. Audible Plus is ad-free, including podcasts from third-party providers.
The next subscription membership plan is Audible Premium Plus at $14.95 per month, or $149 for the year (you save $30 when paid annually). You get one free audiobook per month, which you can download across multiple devices and make yours forever. You also get two free Audible Originals per month.
Audible credit
Audible credit can be used to purchase any audiobook irrespective of the price. Each credit equals one title, which is great, as you can use a single credit to nab a very expensive title on your wishlist, thereby saving cash for cheaper audiobooks.
The number of Audible credit you get depends on the type of membership plan you choose. Each credit has a one-year lifespan – in other words, you have up to 12 months to use any credit you receive.
Once you redeem your credit, that audiobook will be added to your library, which contains records of every book you’ve ever bought, along with other details such, the author, the date it was added to your library, audio length, and more.
Audible library
One of the main reasons Audible top as the best audiobook service is its enormous library of contents. Research has shown that audible subscribers value the ability to access the content they want above anything else – including price.
Audible has over 470,000 titles (and counting!), a colossal figure superior to any of its rivals. Also, its quality audio production and exclusive materials are second to none.
Though Amazon owns Audible, you don’t need to be an Amazon Prime member to use the service. However, as a Prime member, you get access to free, exclusive materials. Compared to other audiobook membership sites like Scribd, which only allow users to borrow books, any book you download on Audible is yours forever, even if you cancel your membership. Below are some of the Genres available on Audible:
- Arts and Entertainment
- Comedy
- Fiction
- Bios and Memoirs
- Drama and Poetry
- Business
- Classics
- Sci-Fi and Fantasy
- Health and Fitness
- Self-Development
- History
- Mysteries and Thrillers
- Religion and Spirituality
- Language Instruction
- Teens
- Kids
- Sports
Audible app and website
Audible free downloadable app is available for smartphones and tablets via the Google play store for Android devices and the Apple App Store. It’s very intuitive and user friendly. You can customize the settings to fit your listening style, such as playback speed and sleep timer.
The website has featured sections and popular new titles that you can scroll through to find what you want. If you know what you want to read, you can quickly use the search function, which is more detailed than rival sites. You also get recommendations for similar titles.
Audible has some innovative ways to listen to audiobooks, such as through any Alexa device, which allows you to listen with other people. You can also switch between the audio and eBook versions of a book with a simple Amazon tool called Whispersync for Voice that will benefit members who own kindle readers. This pretty tool follows along with your audiobook, so you can listen while you do your daily chores and then continue where you left off on your eReader in the evening. Though a nifty feature, but a luxury one because you have to purchase the same book twice – the audiobook and eBook format.
Audible support and return policy
It’s important to know if an audiobook company has a good return policy since most membership services are digital. The best audiobook membership sites should let you return an audiobook if, for example, you mistakenly bought the wrong title. Audible has a contract called the Good Listening Guarantee, which lets you return an audiobook if you don’t enjoy it.
Audible offers 24/7 customer support, which is better than most of its rivals. You can contact the customer service through phone, email, and live chat. There’s also an FAQ section with loads of information you can access using a search function and user forums to troubleshoot for answers.
Is Audible worth it?
Although Amazon recently introduced a cheaper plan of $7.95 per month – Audible isn’t something to purchase on a whim. However, if you love reading and are eager to switch over and listen to one or two audiobooks a month, then Audible will be an excellent choice for you. It offers a good service with the best customer support and decent deals for signing up and becoming a member.
My recommendation is to test Audible risk-free for the 30-day free trial and see if you like it – If you don’t, you can always cancel your trial.
Audible review FAQs
Is Audible free with prime?
No. Audible membership does not come free with Amazon Prime. While Audible membership is separate from a Prime membership, Prime members can get discounts, especially during promotional periods. You can also get some Audible books free as a Prime member, though limited to few titles.
How does Audible free trial work?
The 30-day Audible free trial comes with one free credit which you can use to purchase any audiobook. You’ll also get a 30% discount on all audiobooks plus two Audible Originals. Go to Audible free trial page here to sign up and click “Start your free trial.”
Do I lose my books if I cancel audible?
No. You will still have the Audible books you’ve purchased after canceling your membership – you can still listen to them. Make sure to use your Audible credits before you end your membership because you would lose them upon cancellation.
Can I share my audible books?
Yes, you can share your Audible books with a friend by using the “Send this Book” feature. But it does come with some limitations – you can only share Audible books with the same person once, and they can’t receive any more from you or any other friends.
What are Audible originals?
Audible originals are audiobooks produced by Audible that’s not available anywhere else. They are ‘different’ because most audiobooks available on Audible are made by publishers simply using it as a marketplace to sell their audiobooks.
How many devices can use audible at once?
The number of devices that can use audible ‘at once’ is ten. Using a device for Audible, in this case, means activating that device for your Audible account. You cannot activate more than ten devices. However, you can deactivate devices if you wish to activate new devices.
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About King Osaghae
King Osaghae is a technology researcher and writer who’s been writing about tech-related topics and trends since 2018. He covers everything tech from computers to cameras to online business software. He is the managing editor at TechZerg, meaning that he oversees all the articles TechZerg produces.
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