Amazon has rebranded Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+, a subscription service that now combines access to books and selected audiobooks under a single membership. The new publishing guidelines from Amazon outline how independently published audiobooks can become part of the catalog, primarily applicable to the U.S. marketplace.
Read More
The U.S. subscription costs $11.99 per month plus tax, allowing members to borrow up to 20 eligible books, audiobooks, and comics simultaneously, without a return deadline as long as the membership is active. This service operates separately from Amazon Prime.
Audiobooks eligible for inclusion in Kindle+ are detailed in Amazon’s KDP Select guidance. Audiobooks produced with virtual voices automatically enroll when their corresponding eBooks are subscribed to KDP Select, while audiobooks distributed via ACX can also join, with publishers retaining the right to withdraw their audio editions separately from the eBooks.
It’s important to note that not every Kindle book has an associated audiobook. Titles that come with audiobooks are marked with a headphone icon next to the Kindle+ badge.
Subscribers do not need a Kindle device, as the free Kindle app enables reading on phones, tablets, and computers. According to Amazon's UK guide, borrowed titles remain accessible until the next billing date even after cancellation.
The pricing strategy and KDP audio distribution guidelines do not indicate a launch for Kindle+ in the UAE, and it should not be confused with the Digital Arabic Library developed with Abu Dhabi’s Arabic Language Centre, which serves as a storefront rather than a subscription service.
Kindle+ is not included with Amazon Prime and requires a separate subscription. When users cancel their subscriptions, access to borrowed books ends on the next billing date rather than immediately.