Audible is the largest audiobook platform with over 65% of audiobook market share in the U.S.
Whether you are looking for a new release, bestseller or a classic title in audio format, Audible has it.
Audible app is the number 1 app on Apple’s App Store (in Books category) and is most downloaded audiobook app on Google’s Play Store, with over 100 million downloads.
You can check out Audible’s review for more
Kindle Unlimited is primarily an e-book service with audiobooks as a bonus. KU offers members access to more than 4 million eBooks, audiobooks, comics, and magazines.
While primarily focused on eBooks, Kindle Unlimited also offers over 6000 free audiobooks that you can borrow at no additional cost – identical to those available on Audible.
Additionally, Kindle Unlimited provides access to tens of thousands of Audible books at significantly reduced price, if you purchase them with borrowed eBooks.
Here are some important things to know about how Kindle Unlimited works.
- You can borrow up to 20 books at a time on KU. To borrow more titles, you’ll need to return one from your library.
- You can read eBooks or listen to borrowed audiobooks as long as you have an active Kindle Unlimited membership
- Any audiobooks that you purchased through Kindle Unlimited are yours to keep forever, even if you cancel your subscription
- When you borrow an eBook from KU catalog, you will get an offer to buy the audio version (Audible book) for significantly reduced price.
There is no due date for borrowed books on Kindle Unlimited. You can learn more about how to access and listen to audiobooks on Kindle Unlimited.
Audible vs Kindle Unlimited
Audible and Kindle Unlimited, both owned by Amazon, are among the top services for book enthusiasts.
Each platform provides unique advantages, making it difficult to choose the right one for your needs.
To make your decision easier, let’s explore how Kindle Unlimited and Audible compare across key criteria
1. Subscription Plans
Audible offers two types of membership plans; Plus plan and Premium Plus plans.
Audible’s Plus plan is a basic membership plan that gives users unlimited streaming access to a select catalog of audiobooks, called Plus Catalog.
Although the Plus Catalog has over 70,000 titles from different categories, it only carries a small portion of Audible’s entire catalog of over 1 Million titles.
Learn ore about Audible's Plus Catalog from Plus Catalog FAQs article
The Premium Plus plans come with monthly credits. Members can redeem one credits for one audiobook from Audible’s entire collection.
The numbers of credits you get depends on the type of Premium Plus membership plan you are subscribed to.
Audible offers 4 types of Premium Plus membership plans.
The monthly plans are
- Premium Plus – 1 Credit
- Premium Plus – 2 Credit
Avid audiobook listeners can subscribe to one of the annual membership plan
- Premium Plus Annual – 12 Credits
- Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits
Consider Audible as a giant candy store with two departments. One big department with expensive and premium quality chocolates and a smaller department with gummy worms.
The Plus plan only gives you gummy worms, but with the Premium Plus plan, you not only get the gummy worms but also get to pick one (or more) of the fancy and expensive chocolates from the big department.
You can learn more about Audible’s subscription plans from the following articles.
Kindle Unlimited has one type of subscription plan that gives members unlimited access to the entire catalog.
After signing up for Kindle Unlimited membership, members have access to 4 million eBooks, 6000+ audiobooks, comics, and magazines.
You can borrow and hold onto up to 20 books at a time before returning them.
Both services, Audible and Kindle Unlimited, have several similarities on how their subscription plans work. You can enjoy 30-day free trial for both services and cancel your subscription anytime you want.
2. Pricing
Kindle Unlimited subscription costs $ 11.99/ month (plus taxes) in the U.S.
Audible’s basic Plus plan costs $7.95/ month while the Premium Plus plans start from $ 14.95/ month.
| Audible Plan | Cost | Type | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audible Plus | $7.95/ Month | Monthly | – |
| Audible Premium Plus – 1 Credit | $14.95/ Month | Monthly | 1/ month |
| Audible Premium Plus – 2 Credits | $22.95/ Month | Monthly | 2/ month |
| Audible Premium Plus Annual – 12 Credits | $149.50/ Year | Annual | 12 Credits |
| Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits | $229.50/ Year | Annual | 24 Credits |
Kindle Unlimited is a budget-friendly option, offering excellent value for its price. For a flat monthly fee of $11.99, you gain unlimited access to the entire catalog.
For Audible, you get unlimited access to a select catalog of audiobooks. For premium titles outside the Plus Catalog, you’ll need to purchase them using credits or cash.
3. Content Access and Ownership
Kindle Unlimited can be considered as Netflix for books where you get unlimited access to the entire catalog for a flat monthly fee.
However, members can only borrow Kindle Unlimited titles, and they remain available only while your membership is active—you don’t own the books.
In the case of Audible, the Plus Catalog titles are for streaming only and are available as long as you have an active membership. The audiobooks that you purchase (with credits or cash) are yours to keep forever, even after canceling your membership.
While you do not have access to Audible’s entire catalog, any title you purchase is yours to keep forever.
Kindle Unlimited content is available with all Kindle devices and through the free Kindle app on your phone, computer, or tablet.
You can access Audible’s content through the website or Audible app on your iOS and Android devices. You can also enjoy Audible books on your Alexa devices.
4. Catalog Size
Audible has the largest audiobooks collection of over 1 Million titles in its catalog across different genres and languages.
Audible’s catalog also contains other forms of spoken words content including 50,000+ podcasts, sleep tracks and mediation programs.
Audible produces over 10,000 titles every year. Audible Originals are exclusive titles, created by celebrated storytellers, that you will not find anywhere else.
Kindle Unlimited has more than 4 million eBooks, 6000+ audiobooks, comics, and magazines.
Kindle Unlimited offers a selection of popular magazine and newspaper subscriptions, including
- USA Today
- Reader’s Digest
- Men’s Health
- People Magazine
- Bloomberg Businesweek
Explore more of Kindle Unlimited magazines
Kindle Unlimited has an extensive catalog that includes more titles than Audible because eBooks are easy to create as compared to audiobooks.
It involves a team of skilled professionals—from narrators and sound engineers to editors—all working together to produce an audiobook and this level of effort comes with a price tag.
5. Availability
Audible is available in over 180 countries and has content in 50 languages. They work with some of the biggest names around the world and highlight the work of emerging talent.
Audible has different marketplaces to support different countries.
| Audible Marketplace | Supported Countries |
|---|---|
| Audible.com | U.S. & all other countries (not listed below) |
| Audible.ca | Canada |
| Audible.co.uk | UK & Ireland |
| Audible.com.au | Australia & New Zealand |
| Audible.fr | France, Belgium, Switzerland |
| Audible.de | Germany, Austria, Switzerland |
| Audible.co.jp | Japan |
| Audible.it | Italy |
| Audible.in | India |
| Audible.es | Spain |
| Audible.com.br | Brazil |
Kindle Unlimited is available in selected countries for now, including
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- United Kingdom
- Brazil
- Japan
- India
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- Australia
Audible is available in most countries of the world while Kindle Unlimited membership is only available in 12 countries for now.
Audible vs Kindle Unlimited: Which is Better?
Both Kindle Unlimited and Audible provide 30-day free trials, allowing you to explore their services risk-free. You can cancel your trial or membership at any time without any hassle.
Here is a summary of key features of Audible and Kindle Unlimited.
| Features | Audible | Kindle Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Book Formats | Audiobooks | eBooks + Audiobooks [Bonus] |
| Catalog Size | 1 Million + | 4 Million + |
| Subscription Plans Cost | Plus Plan $7.95/ month Premium Plus plans from $14.95/ month | $ 11.99/ month |
| Availability | 180 Countries | 12 Countries |
| Free Trial | Available (30-Day) | Available (30-Day) |
| Catalog Access | Plus Catalog + Credits | Unlimited |
| Book Ownership | Members own purchased books | Books are borrowed only |
Audible is a better choice if you like your books in audio format while Kindle Unlimited is ideal for eBook lovers.
Both companies offer unmatched catalogs that you cannot find anywhere else.
Sohail Ahmed
I love Audiobooks and this blog features my first-hand experience with all major audiobook apps and services … Know More