What Audible is and who it's for
Audible is a subscription service owned by Amazon that lets you listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and audio shows on your phone, tablet, or computer. You pay a monthly fee and get access to a library of titles. The service works on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac devices, and you can also listen through Amazon Echo speakers.
Audible is designed for people who want to listen to books while commuting, exercising, cooking, or doing other tasks. Unlike a library app where you borrow books for free, Audible charges a monthly subscription. You keep the audiobooks you purchase with your credits, even if you cancel later.
Key Takeaways
- Audible costs $14.95 per month for the standard plan, which includes one credit per month to purchase any audiobook at any price.
- You can listen on phones, tablets, computers, and Echo devices, and your library syncs across all your devices.
- Audiobooks you buy with credits stay in your library permanently, even if you cancel your subscription.
- Audible offers a 30-day free trial, after which you are charged the monthly rate unless you cancel.
- You can return audiobooks within 30 days of purchase if you change your mind, and the credit goes back to your account.
Monthly cost and what your subscription includes
The standard Audible plan costs $14.95 per month. This includes one credit per month that you can use to purchase any audiobook in the Audible catalog, regardless of its retail price. If an audiobook costs $5 or $50, your credit covers it. After you use your monthly credit, additional audiobooks cost between $0.99 and $19.95 each, depending on the title.
Your subscription also includes access to Audible Plus, a catalog of thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and audio shows that you can listen to without using credits. These titles rotate, so the catalog changes over time. You can listen to as many Plus titles as you want each month without additional charges.
Audible offers a 30-day free trial. During the trial, you get the same benefits as a paid subscriber — one credit per month and access to the Plus catalog. After 30 days, your payment method is charged $14.95 per month unless you cancel before the trial ends.
How credits work and what happens to unused ones
Each month, Audible adds one credit to your account on the same date your subscription renews. You can use that credit to buy any single audiobook, no matter its price. You do not have to use your credit in the month you receive it — unused credits roll over and stay in your account for up to 12 months.
If you have accumulated credits and cancel your subscription, those credits expire. You lose any unused credits when your account closes. This means if you have three credits saved up and cancel, you forfeit those three credits and cannot use them after cancellation.
Audible also allows you to return audiobooks within 30 days of purchase. When you return a book, the credit goes back into your account and you can use it again. This applies whether you finished the book or not.
Devices and how to listen across multiple phones or tablets
The Audible app works on iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, Windows computers, and Mac computers. You can install the app on as many devices as you own. Your library and bookmarks sync automatically across all devices, so you can start listening on your phone and pick up where you left off on your tablet.
You can also listen through Amazon Echo speakers, Fire tablets, and Alexa-enabled devices. Just link your Audible account to your Amazon account, and you can ask Alexa to play your audiobooks by voice.
Audible does not have a web player where you can listen directly in a browser. You must use the mobile app, desktop app, or an Alexa device. If you lose internet connection, audiobooks you have downloaded to your device will continue to play offline.
How Audible compares to other audiobook services
Scribd is a subscription service that includes audiobooks along with ebooks and magazines for $14.99 per month. Unlike Audible, Scribd does not use a credit system — you pay one price and can listen to as many audiobooks as you want from their catalog. However, Scribd's audiobook selection is smaller than Audible's, and some new releases are not available.
Libby is a free app run by public libraries that lets you borrow audiobooks for two to three weeks at a time. There are no monthly fees, but you may have to wait in a queue for popular titles. Libby works only with audiobooks your library system has purchased, so the selection depends on your location.
Spotify includes podcasts and some audiobooks as part of its music subscription, but it is not designed primarily for audiobook listening. If you already pay for Spotify for music, you can listen to some audiobooks without an additional charge, but the selection is limited.
Cancellation and what happens to your library
You can cancel your Audible subscription at any time through your account settings on the Audible website or in the app. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You will not be charged again after that date.
When you cancel, you keep all the audiobooks you purchased with credits. You can continue to listen to them on any device where you have the Audible app installed. You lose access to the Audible Plus catalog — those titles become unplayable once your subscription ends.
If you cancel and then resubscribe later, your library is still there. Your audiobooks do not disappear, and you can read them again to your devices.
Family sharing and multiple accounts
Audible does not offer a family plan or shared library feature. Each person needs their own Audible account and their own subscription. You cannot share credits or audiobooks between accounts, and you cannot give someone else access to your library.
If you have an Amazon Household set up, family members can use Alexa devices in your home to listen to your audiobooks through voice commands, but they cannot access your account directly or purchase their own books with your credits. Each family member who wants their own library and credits must pay for their own subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I listen to Audible books offline?
Yes. You can read audiobooks to your phone or tablet through the Audible app, and they will play without an internet connection. Downloaded books take up storage space on your device, and you can delete them to free up space whenever you want. You can re-read them later.
What happens if I don't use my monthly credit?
Unused credits roll over and stay in your account for up to 12 months. If a credit reaches 12 months old without being used, it expires. You can check how old each credit is in your account settings.
Can I share my Audible account with someone else?
Audible's terms of service state that accounts are for personal use only and should not be shared. Sharing login credentials with another person violates the terms. Each person who wants access to Audible needs their own subscription.
Do I have to buy every book with a credit, or can I use cash?
You can do either. You can use your monthly credit, or you can pay out of pocket for audiobooks without using a credit. Prices for out-of-pocket purchases vary by title and typically range from $0.99 to $19.95.
What if I don't like an audiobook I bought?
You can return it within 30 days of purchase through your account on the Audible website. The credit goes back to your account, and you can use it to buy a different book. There is no limit on how many returns you can make.