the Audible 411
and how to get free books
Dear Bookish Friend,
Audible is still running their sale where many people are able to get three months free or for just $0.99 and since Audible recently made some changes to their plans I thought I would share how the different plans work so you can figure out which one works best for you!
Links shared in this post may be affiliate links, which means I make a small portion of the sale at no cost to you.
Puzzle time is a great time to listen to some audiobooks! (As is cleaning time, cooking time . . .)
what’s going on with the different plans?
Audible now has two plans, one of which has changed things quite a bit and I think either option could be good for certain people depending on what kind of listener they are. Read on to find out which one is better for you.
Audible Standard
This is their newest plan, and the biggest change. With this plan you get one credit a month to pick one book to borrow and as long as you have your subscription, you can listen to the books you have borrowed.
But when you cancel your plan, you also lose all the books in your library. Then if you ever decide to resume your subscription, you’ll get access to the books again.
With the Standard plan your credits do no roll over to the next month, so you need to be sure to pick a book each month or you are paying for nothing.
Who is it for? This is the cheaper plan and I think it is good for those who do not like to re-listen to books. If I was getting an Audible subscription for just myself, this would be the best plan for me because very rarely do I re-listen to books.
Audible Premium Plus
This plan has been existence for quite some time, it is the more expensive plan but each month you receive an audiobook credit and when you pick your book it goes into your library, but when you cancel your plan you still keep the book.
In addition, you get access to what they call their Included Catalog, these are audiobooks and podcasts you can listen to at no additional cost. My kids have loved a lot of these books over the years.
One more bonus of Premium Plus is access to member-only sales like majorly discounted books or 2 for 1 deals.
As well, this plan often rewards you for staying in it, after a year they usually give you a bonus credit and every few months they have something like spend three credits in the next three months and get a free credit. So there are more opportunities for free books.
Who is it for? This plan is for those who want to re-listen to books and those who really enjoy audiobooks. My kids are big re-listeners so this is the plan we have always gone with.
Amazon Music
While this is not actually an Audible subscription, when you sign up for Amazon Music you also get one free audiobook listen a month, and right now they are offering three months for free! Definitely a freebie worth getting!
Updated to share a Secret Membership Level
I love hearing the hacks you guys have, and this is one that I had no idea about, thanks to author Karyne Norton for telling me about this one, I haven’t tried it so I’ll let her words share it:
Audible has a secret silver membership that gives you one credit every other month for around $15. It’s more expensive per credit, but it’s less expensive over the course of the year. This is great for people who don’t go through audiobooks very quickly but still love listening to them.
This is a membership I’ve had for the last few years so I know it works, I’m just not sure if they’re grandfathering it out with the new plans. However it’s also not one you can just jump in with. The easiest way to get it is similar to the other hack you mentioned. When you go to cancel your plan they might offer it there, but if they don’t you can reach out to customer service and say you’re interested in the silver plan because you can’t pay for the full membership. Because it’s not advertised anywhere!
But then you STILL have access to all the sales, included catalog etc for the whole year as well.
Definitely worth giving a try, if you do, let me know how it works for you to get into that plan!
FAQ
Can I purchase books without a subscription?
Absolutely! Though, often they are more expensive than the membership so you are usually better off with a membership.
What books should I use my credits for?
It really only makes sense to use your credits for books that would cost more than your monthly subscription fee. If the book is cheaper, you are generally better off buying it outright and saving your credit for a more expensive book.
Do you have some audiobook recommendations?
I sure do! I have a post of some of my favorites here! As well as our family favorites here!
Is there a way to make sure my kids can’t see everything on Audible?
Yes! On the device your kids are using you can turn that into kids mode but creating a kids profile, here’s how:
Open the Audible app on your phone or tablet.
Tap the Profile tab (bottom right corner).
Scroll down and select Create a Kids Profile.
Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm and name the profile.
Then, on your device you can go to your Audible library and next to the titles you want them to have access to you will click the three dots to open options and click “Share with Kids Profile” and it will go to the device they have access to!
I don’t want to support Amazon, do you have some other audiobook platforms to recommend?
Sure do, you can check out Libro.fm and Chirp!
I already have a membership, is there a way I can save some money on it?
A little hack is to try to cancel your membership, usually as you do so you will get an offer for something like 50% off for the next few months, definitely snag that deal!
I want even more audiobooks for free, know any other hacks?
I do! I stumbled across this one by accident years ago because Audible was originally only on the US site, but now it’s in other countries as well. Often if you can’t get the current Audible deal, check it in a different country. So, if you are in the US and usually try it there, check it out on Amazon.ca, and if you are in Canada, try it on Amazon.com! One thing to note: you will have to switch your sign in countries on your app to access the library for that country which can be a hassle, the books do not go into the same library, but if you are willing to go through some hassle to get more free and cheap books it’s definitely worth it.
I think that’s it! Let me know if you have any Audible questions for me!
Chantel
DISCOUNT CORNER
* check out the current Audible deal
* see if you can get Kindle Unlimited for free
WHERE TO FIND ME
* my YouTube channel where I like to talk about what I am reading
* my Instagram
* my Patreon - lots of fun bookish extras!
* my YouTube membership - basically the same thing as Patreon, but on YouTube instead!
*Links shared in this post may be affiliate links, which means I make a small portion of the sale at no cost to you.