IfIf you’ve found your way here, you’re probably asking the same question everyone asks right before they try audiobooks: how much does Audible cost—and is it actually worth paying for?
Audible usually has a free trial for new members, and yes, that trial is the best way to figure out if audiobooks fit your life without committing long-term. (Because “I’ll totally listen every day” is something we all say. And then… dishes happen.)
Let’s break it down.
What is Audible?
Audible is Amazon’s audiobook platform. You can buy audiobooks one at a time, but Audible is really built around memberships—because paying full price for audiobooks can get painful fast.
And I’m not being dramatic.
A lot of audiobooks are priced like, “Sure, that’ll be $25.” For one book. Which is why most people end up looking at Audible in the first place.
So the real question isn’t “Are audiobooks expensive?” (They are.)
The question is: Are audiobooks for you?
If you’ll actually listen—while driving, walking, cooking, folding laundry, pretending you’re “just resting your eyes”—then Audible can make a ton of sense.
Audible plans and pricing in 2026
This is the part you came for: Audible cost and membership pricing.
Audible basically splits into two lanes:
1) Audible Plus (streaming lane)
Audible Plus is the cheaper plan and it’s mostly about listening to included titles in the Plus Catalog. Think “Netflix for audiobooks,” except the catalog is the catalog—some great stuff, some filler, and it changes over time.
After the trial, Audible positions Plus at $7.95/month.
Important caveat: Plus Catalog titles are not yours to keep. Cancel, and you lose access to those included listens at the end of your billing period.
2) Audible Premium Plus (credit lane)
This is what most people mean when they say “Audible.”
Premium Plus gives you access to the Plus Catalog and it gives you credits you can use on almost any audiobook—even brand-new releases. The big benefit is simple:
Anything you buy with a credit is yours to keep. Forever.
Pricing Audible lists for Premium Plus:
- Premium Plus (1 credit/month): $14.95/month
- Premium Plus (2 credits/month): $22.95/month
Annual options (if you like paying upfront to save money / avoid monthly subscriptions multiplying like gremlins):
Premium Plus Annual (24 credits): commonly listed as $229.50/year
Premium Plus Annual (12 credits): $149.50/year
How Audible credits work (and the one rule people miss)
A credit = one audiobook, no matter how long it is.
So yes—use credits on the giant 30-hour monsters and pay cash for the cheaper stuff. That strategy alone can make Audible “worth it” without you needing a spreadsheet.
One more thing: credits can expire (generally 12 months after they’re issued), and if you cancel with unused credits sitting there, you can lose them—so don’t hoard them like dragon gold.
Deals, discounts, and why you shouldn’t pay full price
Audible runs sales constantly, and there’s also a Daily Deal where a title is discounted for a limited time.
Even if you’re not on a plan forever, deals are one of the easiest ways to build an audiobook library without paying “$25 per book” prices.
Whispersync
An Audible membership benefit we haven’t mentioned yet is Whispersync.
I love Whispersync.
I cannot emphasize that enough.
Whispersync is a feature of Audible that allows you to connect your Kindle ebook and your Audible audiobook.
We’ve already shown that owning both ebook and audiobook will save you money, but it also gives you this really cool feature.
If you’ve ever tried reading two different forms of the same book at once, you likely know it’s a pain.
You listen to the audiobook during your commute to and from work, but when you snuggle up on the couch to read that night, you’ve got to find out where you left off and flip through the pages until you find your spot.
With Whispersync, there’s no need.
The audiobook plays right from the kindle app on your phone and when you get home, your kindle will instantly take you to the spot where you left off.
And if you’d prefer to listen and read at the same time, Whispersync highlights the words as you read so you can follow along.
What happens if you cancel Audible?
This is the part people confuse (because Audible has two “types” of listening):
- Credit purchases = yours to keep (even after you cancel).
- Plus Catalog listens = access only (cancel and those included titles stop working when your membership ends).
So if you want to own audiobooks, Premium Plus is the lane. If you want to stream a lot and don’t care about keeping them, Plus can be enough.
Is Audible worth it in 2026?
If you finish at least one audiobook a month, Premium Plus can be worth it—because a single credit can replace a full-price purchase.
If you finish two or more audiobooks a month, the value usually gets pretty obvious (especially if you use credits on longer, pricier books and grab cheaper ones during sales).
If you finish zero audiobooks a month, Audible is a very expensive app icon on your homescreen.
Ask me how I know.
Ready for an Audible Subscription?
If you’re still on the fence, why not start your free trial today?
You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. A trial is the best way to help you determine the real Audible cost to you, and if it’s worth it.
If you’re also looking at Kindle Unlimited, I’ve got a full breakdown of how KU works, what you actually get, and what happens when you cancel.
Quick Audible FAQ (2026)
How do I lower Audible cost?
Use the free trial, then decide whether you’re a “credit person” (Premium Plus) or a “streaming person” (Plus). If you’ll listen consistently, annual plans and member sales usually beat paying full price per book.
Can I listen offline?
Yes—download audiobooks in the Audible app and listen without data (flights, road trips, dead zones, etc.).
Can I use Audible on more than one device?
Yep. Your library syncs across devices signed into the same account, so you can bounce between phone, tablet, and car without losing your place.
Can I buy extra credits if I run out?
Often, yes—Audible typically lets active members purchase extra credits, which is useful if you burn through credits faster than your plan refreshes.
What’s the best way to use credits vs paying cash?
Use credits on the longest/most expensive audiobooks, and pay cash during sales for cheaper titles. That one habit is where most of the “Audible is worth it” math comes from.
Is Audible free with Amazon Prime?
No. Prime and Audible are separate. Prime has its own reading perks, but Audible membership is its own thing.
Can I return or exchange an audiobook?
Sometimes. Audible does allow returns/exchanges in certain cases, but it’s not a “treat it like a free rental store forever” situation—use it when you genuinely can’t stand the narration or the book is a dud.