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Reading Time: 4 minutesSay what you want about today’s technology, but we should never lose sight of the childlike wonder that is carrying an entire library in our pockets, backpacks and wrists. When you subscribe to Amazon’s Audible audiobook service, you can rest assured knowing that the days of backbreaking trips home from the bookstore are finally behind you. Thanks to the wealth of titles available, you can sample new genres and get first dibs on exclusive releases from the comfort of your smart device.
Shop Audible Annual Membership Deals
While you have the option to subscribe to Audible monthly at various tiers, we recommend serious readers consider the Audible Premium Plus Annual membership. At $149.50 a year, this annual plan costs $30 less than spending $14.95 per month for the Premium Plus plan over the same 12 month period.
Choosing the Best Audible Membership Option
If you’re not quite sure which Audible membership plan is right for your reading habits, here are a few things to consider:
Audible Plus
Best for: Casual readers, anyone not looking for a specific title
For $7.95 a month, Audible Plus subscribers receive complete access to Amazon’s library of audiobooks, podcasts, Audible Originals and tons of exclusive audio content. New titles are added weekly, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding a novel that suits your style. This subscription tier does not come with credits that can be redeemed on specific titles, so this option is better suited for casual or open-minded listeners who don’t mind combing through the stacks and trying something new.
Not sure if the Audible Plus Catalog has what you are looking for? You can sign up for a free 30-day trial and see if the service is right for you. Cancel at any time or upgrade to another plan without any hassle.
Credit: Amazon
Audible Premium Plus
Best for: Podcast fans, open-minded readers curious about new titles
For $14.95 a month, Audible Premium Plus subscribers get one monthly credit that can be redeemed on any title from Amazon’s premium collection. Subscribers also have access to Amazon’s Plus Catalog, a curated selection of audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Original exclusives. Even once you’ve run out of credits, you can still enjoy exclusive subscriber sales events and a 30% discount on all Audible premium titles.
If you’re still assessing your monthly audiobook intake, don’t sweat the price—you can get a free 30-day Audible Premium Plus trial. Amazon Prime subscribers automatically earn two credits once the trial begins, so you can jump right in and check out Amazon’s vast library. You have the option to cancel at any time or let your trial auto-renew.
Check out Audible Premium Plus
Audible Premium Plus Annual
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Best for: Big readers who want the full Audible experience
For $149.50 per year, Audible Premium Plus Annual Plan subscribers enjoy all of the regular Premium Plus plan’s amenities, along with some extra perks. It is worth paying for the entire year if you already have many Audible titles in mind—you can use your whole yearly allotment of 12 free credits as soon as you subscribe! You also get free reign of the Audible Plus Catalog, full of audiobooks, podcasts, Audible Originals and even guided meditations and other useful resources. Not feeling your new book? Don’t sweat it; you can exchange it for another one.
As mentioned above, Audible’s Premium Plus Annual Plan is $30 cheaper than subscribing to the Premium Plus Plan on a month-to-month basis. With this in mind, if you know you’ll be using Audible for the foreseeable future, there’s no reason not to pay for it all at once.
Check out the Audible Premium Plus Annual Plan
Due to the flexible nature of credits and Audible Plus Catalog access, there is no free Audible Premium Plus Annual Plan trial available at this time. It’s worth checking out the Audible Premium Plus trial if you are curious about the service.
Making the Most of Your Audible Annual Plan
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Downloading the Audible app is the best way to integrate your Premium Plus subscription into your daily life. Listen to motivational pump-up podcasts on your Apple Watch, kick back with a novel on your phone and enjoy your favorite titles on any Amazon Fire or Alexa-enabled device. As you move from one device to another, you never need to worry about losing your place in the story.
Feed the bookworms in your life with the gift of an Audible Premium Plus membership. Whether you want to treat them to a single month or an entire year of Plus Catalog access and monthly credits, there are countless ways to enjoy Amazon’s massive library of audio content. If your friend is a current Audible subscriber, even better! They will receive all of their gift credits at once without interrupting their current subscription period.
Oliver Pretl-Drummond
Oliver Pretl-Drummond is a copywriter, memoirist and Scorpio living in Baltimore, MD. Primed by years of recreational research spirals, they've helped Slickdeals document hundreds of arcane store policies and hidden coupon tricks for the greater good of deal hunters everywhere. They spend their days seeking and sharing killer deals on budget travel, sound systems, home goods and tech. By night, their free time is reserved for making bass music while consuming exotic caffeinated beverages with their partner and growing family of yucca plants.