How does Audible work?

THE WORLD of audiobooks is booming.

According to data from Grandview Research, the global audiobook market was valued at £3.6million in 2021 and is expected to surge by 26 per cent by 2030.

Audible is one of the world's most popular audiobook platforms — Audible is one of the world’s most popular audiobook platformsCredit: Rex

The growth is likely a result of the convenience of Bluetooth-powered hands-free devices, making listening to a book while on the go – as opposed to reading one – easier than ever.

By far one of the most popular ways of accessing and listening to these audiobooks is via Audible, one of the biggest audiobook services around today.

But what exactly is Audible and how does it work?

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What is Audible?

Audible is Amazon’s audiobook and podcast service that sells and produces spoken audio content.

The service is over 25 years old but has only gained mainstream popularity in the last decade or so.

While Audible offers a wide range of content, including radio and TV programs, it’s best known for its huge library of what were once called “books on tape” – known now as digital audiobooks.

While the most popular content on Audible is book-length material, the service also offers shorter monthly Audible Originals, podcasts, sleep tracks and meditation courses.

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The service can be found online via your favourite browser or can be downloaded as an app for Android or iOS. It’s also available on Kindle devices.

Audible lets you choose from thousands of book titles from almost every genre that exists.

If you see an audiobook you like, you can simply buy it on the Audible website or app, and it will be yours forever.

If you want to listen to a lot of audiobooks, however, it might work out cheaper to start an Audible subscription.

This means you’ll be able to choose one or two titles per month (depending on the subscription you choose), and you’ll also get discounts on hundreds of other titles.

As a member, you’ll get unlimited access to tonnes of audiobooks and podcasts in the Audible Plus Catalogue, including Audible Original Podcasts and new releases.

Is Audible free?

While a free trial of Audible is currently available for 30 days in the UK, Audible is not a free service.

Normally, Audible has four membership plans:

1 Book Monthly membership: £7.99/month
12 Books Annual membership: £69.99/year
2 Book Monthly membership: £14.99/month
24 Books Annual membership: £109.99/year

Every month or year, depending on the option you choose, more audiobooks can be added to your Library, at no additional cost.

You can add more titles, but you will have to pay extra for them. And with your monthly subscription, you can have a range of discounts on a number of different titles.

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Once you’ve bought a book, either through your subscription or buying it outright, it’s yours forever, even if you cancel your membership.

However, you don’t need a subscription to buy an audiobook. You can add Audible to your Amazon account or simply open an Amazon account for Audible and pay the full price for it.