Kindle Unlimited vs Audible: What Should Be Your #1 Option?

Last Updated: October 11, 2020

Amazon owns both Kindle Unlimited and Audible and they’re two of the biggest names on the market for reading online books with ease.

But if you’re trying to choose between Audible and Kindle Unlimited, how do you know which one is a better option for you?

Well, it depends on your personal needs! Here’s the quick answer.

Wait! These are just the quick answers but after reading the entire article you’ll come to know all the ins and out of both services, the key differences, and how they should influence your decision.

In this guide, I am going to compare Kindle Unlimited and Audible in terms of:

Let’s start with the pros and cons of Audible and Kindle Unlimited to make picking the right one a whole lot easier.

Kindle Unlimited vs Audible: Pros and Cons

We all know that there’s not any platform completely perfect. No matter which one you choose, there will be some positives as well as negatives.

Therefore, we have to know all the ins and out of any platform or service so, later on, we don’t have any regrets.

Kindle Unlimited: Pros and Cons

Kindle Unlimited Pros

#1 – Unlimited reads per month
The biggest advantage of Kindle Unlimited is that you can read as many e-books as you want from over 1 million-plus Kindle titles (includes limited audiobooks and other media as well) but mostly e-books.

#2 – Can Be Used On Any Device
Maybe you think that KU can be used on Amazon devices only but you can use it on any device through the Kindle app. 

#3 – KU eBooks Are Not Easily Available
As a reader, you’ll have access to titles that are not available anywhere on the web but at the same time, it’s a disadvantage for authors. 

According to Amazon Terms of Service, the author of the eBooks can’t sell their eBooks anywhere else and if they did then maybe their account got banned by Amazon.

#4 – Access to other media (Not only eBooks)
KU is built especially for avid e-reader but the subscription includes 2,000 audibles, more than 40,000 ebooks with Audible narration and some magazines as well.

So if you’re an average audiobook listener then Kindle Unlimited is an excellent option for you.

Kindle Unlimited Cons

#1 – Available only to US customers
One of the biggest downsides of Kindle Unlimited is that it is only available to U.S users, not worldwide.

#2 – Browsing/UI isn’t user-friendly
While browsing for a book in Kindle Unlimited, the UI isn’t super great and it will take some time to find the book you’re interested in reading.

#3 – New releases don’t come right away
There are more than million-plus titles on KU, however, if there’s a new release then it might take a while to be available on KU library.

So if you’re expecting to get new releases right away then Kindle Unlimited isn’t a good option for you.

Audible: Pros and Cons

Audible Pros

#1 – The best solution for a busy person
The main reason why most people listen to audiobooks is that they can’t read e-books or physical books due to their hectic schedule or maybe they love to listen more than reading.

With audible, you can listen everywhere, whether you are driving a car or something else, simply put the heads free on your ears and enjoy listening.

#2 – Largest audiobook collection
Audible has by far the largest audiobook collection on the market, so you’ll have access to just about any audiobook you want.

#3 – You’ll get great deals
As a member, they’ll give access to their daily or monthly deals so you’ll get audiobooks for a good price compared to others that don’t have a membership.

#4 – The books are yours forever
The Audible audiobooks are yours permanently, even if you cancel your membership.

#4 – Return a book within 365 days
If you don’t like a book, Audible lets you return any book for whatever reason (even if you’ve listened to it) within 365 days of purchasing, which is plenty of time to return.

Keep in mind, to return a book you must be a member of Audible and you’ll be refunded in the same way you bought it.

Audible Cons

#1 – Cannot purchase additional credits
Each month you’ll get limited credits depending on your Audible membership plan that you can spend to buy any book you want but keep in mind, besides those credits you can’t buy any additional credits.

However, a special offer will appear to purchase extra credits only when you’re on the same Audible membership for at least 30 days and have one or no remaining credits on your account.

#2 – Credit expires after 12 months
The credits you get each month will expire if you’re not using it for the next 12 months, after that you’re going to lose one credit per month. In my opinion, it’s not a big issue because everyone will always use credit before they expire.

#3 – You can’t buy any audible books on iOS devices
iOS users can’t buy Audible audiobooks through the app because their content is unavailable for purchase on the iOS devices.

It’s for a reason and that reason is buying some intangible goods on iOS such as music, books, etc. includes a 30% fee to Apple.

However, you can purchase using your iOS device’s browser such as Safari.

What’s The Main Difference Between Kindle Unlimited and Audible?

Maybe you don’t know the major difference between Audible and Kindle Unlimited because both services allow you to read books online and seem pretty similar.

But both are different to meet the needs of the user, so what’s the difference?

Audible is the subscription-based audio version of digital books, newspapers, and magazines with over 200,000 audiobooks which includes both best sellers and classic books. 

In case you don’t know the background of the company so let me tell you.

Audible was founded back in 1995 by Don Katz, however, In 2008 Amazon.com bought it for $300 million. The built-purpose of Audible is to provide audio versions of books for people that don’t have time to read physical books or e-books.

Kindle Unlimited is also a subscription service that allows you to read as much as you want from over one million-plus Kindle titles, which include mostly ebooks, a few thousand audiobooks, and magazine titles.

Amazon launched it in July 2014, the built-purpose of the platform is to enable people to read unlimited electronic books on any device.

Geographical Availability

Currently, Kindle Unlimited is available only to US users. However, there are few other countries where users can sign-up in their local Amazon marketplace, those countries are:

• UK
• Australia
• India
• China
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Spain
• Japan
• Canada

While on the other side, Audible is available to customers almost all over the world.

So does this mean you should choose Kindle Unlimited or Audible?

If you’re from the U.S and can read multiple eBooks, then Kindle Unlimited is a better fit for you.

If you’re solely going on the audio route, living almost anywhere in the world, then Audible is the right option for you.

Remember, you can take both a test drive for 30 days! Try out a free trial before you spend your hard-earned dollars.

• Try Kindle Unlimited For Free
• Try Audible For Free

Membership Benefits: What Do You Get with Membership?

Before spending our precious money, time and effort on any platform we all want to know, what’s the benefit of the service we’re going to choose? 

So let’s know about each one.

What Do You Get with Kindle Unlimited?

With Kindle Unlimited membership, you will get access to over 1 million-plus mixed titles including mostly ebooks, 2,000 free Audibles, 40,000 books compatible with Audible, and some magazines as well.

At a time, 10 titles can be borrowed with no due dates, and the titles can be read on any device.

If you don’t have Kindle devices you can read your content via Kindle app, you can even download the books on your devices so you can read them later.

What Do You Get with Audible?

Subscribing to Audible will give you 1 or 2 credits each month (depending on the membership) that can be returned or exchanged with any other audiobook even if you read it, 2 Audible originals of your choice per month, 30% discount on purchases, and keep unused credits for up to 12 months.

As I already said, you can keep them for up to a year but after that, the credit will automatically expire one by one each month.

You can use Audible on any device whether its PC, Android, iOS devices and also on Alexa-enabled Devices as well.

Membership Benefits: The Verdict

When it comes to the benefits of membership, both offer great benefits however Kindle Unlimited provides far more titles than Audible. 

With Kindle Unlimited membership you’ll have access to more than a million titles with no limitation of reading including mostly ebooks and limited access to Audible books

On the other hand, when you choose Audible membership you’ll have access to more than 200,000 audiobooks but it doesn’t mean you can listen to as many books as you want.

Which One Is Worth It For You?

The Audible vs Kindle Unlimited comparison is incomplete without knowing which one is worth it and fits your needs better.

Let’s figure out if they are worth it before getting the membership.

Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?

Kindle Unlimited is worth it if you like reading eBooks choosing from over million-plus titles of your choice, then it’s definitely worth it. However, if you can’t finish at least one ebook a month for whatever reason or living outside the U.S, then probably it’s not worth paying for the membership.

Some of you might be thinking that we will have access to only eBooks?

As I said earlier, you’ll have limited access to Audible books (2,000) as well but keep in mind that Kindle Unlimited is worth especially for an avid e-reader.

Is Audible Worth It?

Audible membership is worth it if you don’t have time to read books or love listening to audiobooks and must finish at least one book a month. However, if you have enough time and love reading books more than listening then Audible subscription is not worth it for you.

Also, if you’re looking for a platform where you can get books no matter how expensive they’re and those books are yours forever even after cancellation the membership then there’s no better option than Audible.

Which One Is Worth It For You: The Verdict

Kindle Unlimited is worth it for those living in the U.S and wants to read digital books without any limitations choosing from over million-plus titles.

Audible is worth it for those living anywhere and can get access to 1 or 2 audiobooks each month choosing from over 200,000 titles.

Pricing: Kindle Unlimited vs Audible

When choosing between Kindle Unlimited or Audible, it’s important to know the total costs of the membership and which one stays within your budget. 

Let’s talk about it.

Kindle Unlimited Pricing

Kindle Unlimited subscription costs $9.99 which lets you choose from more than a million titles including unlimited ebook and limited access to Audible audiobooks. There’s also a 30-day free trial of KU so you can test it out fully before choosing.

Can you cancel Kindle Unlimited free trial at any time? The answer is yes, you can cancel your free trial at any time but if you didn’t cancel within 30 days, you’d be charged automatically.

Audible Pricing

Audible offers two pricing plans with different time period:

• Audible Plus costs $7.95 per month.
• Audible Premium Plus Monthly plan with 1 credit costs $14.95 per month.
• Audible Premium Plus Monthly plan with 2 credits costs $22.95 per month.
• Audible Premium Plus Annual plan with 12 credits per year costs $149.50 annually.
• Audible Premium Plus Annual plan with 24 credits per year costs $229.50 annually.

What’s Included In Each Audible Membership Plan?

Pricing: The Verdict

In terms of pricing, Kindle Unlimited is the clear winner because it costs $9.99 while Audible costs $14.95 per month but before paying for a subscription you can try out 30-days free trial of Kindle Unlimited and Audible.

The final decision depends on your needs whether you’re looking for an audio route or reading.

Membership Cancellation

Maybe at some point, you don’t need the membership anymore or the service isn’t as useful as you thought, let me answer how to cancel the membership of both services in advance so in future you’ll have no confusion.

Kindle Unlimited Membership Cancellation

How To Cancel Kindle Unlimited Subscription?

To cancel the subscription, follow the steps:

1. Head over to “Account & Lists” at the top right side and click on “Your Kindle Unlimited.”
2. Click on “Cancel Kindle Unlimited Subscription” located on the left side.
3. Now again, click on “Cancel membership” to confirm cancellation.

Watch the video if you’re confused.

What happens if you cancel Kindle Unlimited?

After cancelling the membership, keep in mind that you will lose access to all your content on the Kindle library, however, when you cancel the membership you’ll still have access to Kindle Unlimited until the month ends.

Audible Membership Cancellation

How To Cancel Audible Subscription?

To cancel your Audible membership, follow these simple steps:

1. Once you login to your account, Go to your “Account Details.”
2. Now, click on “Cancel membership.”
3. After that, scroll down your screen and click on “No thanks, continue cancelling.”

Here’s how you can do that:

What happens if you cancel Kindle Unlimited?

When you cancel the Audible subscription, you’ll still have access to all your audiobooks which is one of the main benefits of using Audible means any book you buy on Audible is yours forever.

Kindle Unlimited vs Audible – Membership Cancellation: The Verdict

Audible is a clear winner in terms of membership cancellation because you’ll still have access to any audiobooks in your Library, even without a membership.

Both can be canceled at any time whether you are on Kindle free trial, Audible free trial or already on subscription.

Conclusion: Time To Make The Final Decision

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer and it’s difficult to select a single winner from Kindle Unlimited and Audible comparison.

Audible charges more than Kindle Unlimited and only you’re able to access one or two books a month (depending on the membership) but the books you buy on Audible are yours permanently.

Personally, I choose Audible because I have to do many things on my laptop and don’t have much time to read ebooks and it makes my process very easy.

So if you’re someone like me then I recommend you Audible, however, if you have time to read ebooks and like reading without any limitations then Kindle Unlimited is an excellent and cheaper option for you.

Now I’d like to hear from you:

Which one you are going to choose, Audible or Kindle Unlimited and do you love reading or listening to books?

Either way, please let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

Audible vs Kindle Unlimited: FAQs

What Are Audible Originals?

Audible Originals are shorter-form audiobooks that are created exclusively for Audible in their studios by celebrated storytellers in journalism, literature and more.

Why I Can’t Buy Additional Audible Credits?

You can’t buy additional Audible credits because with one credit you can buy any audiobook no matter how expensive that book is, and that credit is only included in your membership.

Sometimes there’s a special offer by Audible where you can get additional credits but generally, you can’t buy.

Why are audiobooks so expensive?

The audiobooks are expensive because the production cost is very high, the producer of the book has to pay someone to sit there and read the book out loud, mixing the audio, studio time, etc.

Also, if those books are going to be published on a platform like Audible, much of the revenue goes to Audible that’s why producers set the price high to cover the expenses and be profitable.

How To Return Audible Book?

In order to return Kindle Unlimited books, follow the steps below:

1. Go to your “Manage Your Content and Devices” page.
2. Find the title you want to return in the “Content” list, then click on the 3 horizontal dots and then on “Return the book”.
3. A pop-up window will appear with a message “Are you sure you want to return this book?” click “Yes”.

You’ll see a screen like this:

How To Return Audible Book?

To exchange/return your audiobook, follow these steps:

1. Go to your Purchase History page.
2. Click Exchange next to the book you want to return.
3. Select your reason for the exchange, then click Exchange.

Once you do that, your refund will be in progress and you’ll screen like this:

After some, your credit will be added to your account.

These are some of the common FAQs you may have but if you have any other questions please let me know in the comment section below.

See you soon!