What you get with an Audible subscription

Audible is Amazon's audiobook service. You pay a monthly fee and get access to listen to audiobooks on your phone, tablet, or computer. The subscription includes one credit per month that you can use to buy any audiobook from Audible's catalog, regardless of price. You keep the books you buy with credits even if you cancel your subscription later.

Beyond the monthly credit, you can browse and purchase additional audiobooks at discounted prices. Audible also includes access to podcasts, some of which are exclusive to the service. You can read books to listen offline, which is useful if you travel or have spotty internet connection.

The standard Audible plan costs $14.95 per month in the United States. Audible also offers a two-month trial period where you pay $0.99 for the first month and $14.95 for the second month. After the trial ends, the subscription renews at the regular monthly rate unless you cancel.

Key Takeaways

  • An Audible subscription costs $14.95 per month and includes one audiobook credit monthly that works on any book, regardless of its retail price.
  • You own the audiobooks you purchase with credits and can keep them if you cancel your subscription.
  • You can purchase additional audiobooks beyond your monthly credit at member-discounted prices, typically 30 percent off the retail price.
  • Audible offers a trial period at $0.99 for the first month, then $14.95 for the second month, after which the regular subscription rate applies.
  • You can cancel your subscription at any time, and cancellation does not remove the books you have already purchased.

How the monthly credit system works

Each month, Audible deposits one credit into your account. You use that credit to purchase one audiobook from the Audible store. The credit has no expiration date within your subscription — if you do not use it one month, it rolls over to the next month. You can accumulate up to a certain number of unused credits (this limit varies, so check your account for your specific cap).

When you use a credit, you can choose any audiobook in the catalog, including new releases and bestsellers that might cost $40 or more at retail. Once you purchase a book with a credit, it is yours to keep. If you later cancel your subscription, you retain access to all the books you bought with credits.

If you want to buy more audiobooks than your monthly credit allows, you can purchase them separately at the member discount rate. This discount is typically around 30 percent off the retail price, though the exact discount varies by title.

Canceling and pausing your subscription

You can cancel your Audible subscription at any time through your account settings on the Audible website or app. Cancellation takes effect when ready, and you will not be charged again. You keep all the audiobooks you purchased with credits or money, even after cancellation.

Audible also offers a pause option if you want to temporarily stop your subscription without canceling it entirely. When you pause, your subscription freezes and you are not charged, but your account remains active. You can resume your subscription whenever you want.

If you cancel and later want to rejoin, you can reactivate your account. Audible sometimes offers reactivation discounts to former members, though these offers vary and are not may provide.

Comparing Audible to other audiobook services

Scribd is a subscription service that includes both ebooks and audiobooks for $14.99 per month. Unlike Audible, Scribd does not use a credit system — you have unlimited access to the entire catalog while your subscription is active. However, Scribd's audiobook selection is smaller than Audible's, and some newer releases are not included.

Libby is a free app that connects to your local library's audiobook collection. You can borrow audiobooks for free, but selection depends on your library's holdings and you may have to wait for popular titles. Libby works best if your library has a strong audiobook collection and you are willing to plan ahead for popular books.

Spotify includes podcasts and some audiobooks, but it is primarily a music streaming service. If you already pay for Spotify, adding audiobooks does not cost extra, but the audiobook selection is limited compared to Audible or Scribd.

What happens to your books if you cancel

Any audiobook you purchased with a credit or with money stays in your library after you cancel. You can read those books to your device and listen to them indefinitely, even without an active subscription. The books do not disappear or become unplayable.

However, once your subscription ends, you lose access to any exclusive Audible content or member-only features. You also cannot purchase new books or use the Audible app's full functionality without an active subscription, though you can still listen to books you already own.

If you want to buy more audiobooks after canceling, you would need to reactivate your subscription or purchase books at full retail price through other retailers.

Managing your account and preferences

You can manage your Audible account through the website or the mobile app. Your account settings let you update your payment method, change your subscription plan, and view your purchase history. You can also adjust playback settings like narration speed and skip forward or backward by increments of time.

Audible tracks your listening history and offers recommendations based on books you have listened to. You can create wish lists of books you want to buy later, which is useful if you want to save a credit for a specific title or wait for a sale.

The app syncs your progress across devices, so you can start listening on your phone and pick up where you left off on your tablet or computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my books if I cancel my Audible subscription?

No. Any audiobook you purchased with a credit or with money remains in your library after you cancel. You can continue listening to those books indefinitely. You lose access to member features and cannot purchase new books without reactivating your subscription.

Can I use my monthly credit on any audiobook?

Yes. Your monthly credit works on any audiobook in the Audible catalog, regardless of its retail price. You can use a credit on a $50 audiobook or a $10 one — the credit covers the full cost either way.

What if I do not use my monthly credit?

Your unused credit rolls over to the next month. You can accumulate multiple credits up to a limit that varies by account. Check your account settings to see how many credits you can hold at once.

Can I pause my subscription instead of canceling?

Yes. Audible offers a pause option that freezes your subscription temporarily without canceling it. You are not charged while paused, and you can resume whenever you want. This is useful if you want to take a break but plan to return later.

Is the Audible trial really $0.99 for the first month?

The trial offer is $0.99 for the first month and $14.95 for the second month. After the trial period ends, your subscription renews at the regular monthly rate of $14.95 unless you cancel. You can cancel anytime during or after the trial.