Spotify has already established its dominance over the music and podcast industry, and now it’s set to devour another segment, audiobooks. Spotify’s audiobook platform was released in 2022 and is now available in several regions. So if you’re a book enthusiast or want to try out the app’s narrated books experience, then keep reading as we discuss how to buy and listen to audiobooks on Spotify.
Note: As of writing this article, Spotify Audiobooks are only available in U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. Users outside these regions won’t get the audiobooks section in the app.
Finding Audiobooks on Spotify
Before we jump onto how you can listen to audiobooks, let us give you a tour of how to find them on the app. There are two ways to do it: through the search and the audiobooks tab. Here’s a quick guide.
On Mobile Devices
To find audiobooks on Spotify using your mobile device, follow these simple steps:
- Open the Spotify app and tap on the Audiobooks tab located next to “Podcasts & Shows” on the home screen. This will take you to the Audiobooks section where you can explore various titles.
- Alternatively, you can use the search tab at the bottom and enter the title of the audiobook you wish to listen to. Tap on the result to open and play it.
On Desktop
If you prefer using Spotify on your desktop, here’s how to find audiobooks:
- On Spotify’s desktop app, click the Audiobooks tab from the homepage, just like on the mobile app. From here, you can browse through different categories and genres.
- You can also click on the search icon in the left sidebar. Search for the book title, select the top suggestion, choose the chapter, and start listening!
Listening to Audiobooks on Spotify
Listening to audiobooks on Spotify is straightforward. Once you have found and selected a book, simply tap on the green play button to start enjoying the narration from the beginning.
You can easily skip forward or rewind by 15 seconds using the controls in the player. If you find the narration a bit slow, feel free to increase the playback speed. Also, you can set a sleep timer to prevent exhausting your monthly hours while you drift off to sleep.
Just like music albums, you can choose to start playing any chapter in the book by tapping on the play button next to its title. However, keep in mind that there is no option to queue an audiobook for later.
Purchasing Audiobooks on Spotify
Some audiobooks will have a lock icon next to the play button. These titles can only be played after they have been purchased on the app. If you're interested in buying a book, here's how to do it:
- Go to the Spotify web player using a web browser.
- Find and select the title you want to purchase.
- Click the locked green Play button.
- On the next page, tap Get email.
- Check your email for a message from Spotify with a link to buy the audiobook. Open that link.
- Click on Buy Audiobook and complete your purchase.
Once you have purchased a book, it will automatically be added to your library, and you can listen to it anytime. Plus, you don’t need a Premium subscription to enjoy your purchased audiobooks!
Note: Purchased audiobooks can only be accessed by the Plan Manager, even if you are on a Duo or Family Premium plan.
Accessing Free Audiobooks on Spotify
Spotify offers a selection of audiobooks for free, including titles like Fiona Grace’s Beachfront Bakery and Mia Gold’s Knockout. This is part of the Free audiobooks catalog, allowing you to try the audiobook experience at no cost.
Additionally, there are many books available as podcasts that you can listen to without any subscription. While these will include ad breaks, you’ll still have access to similar playback controls.
Exploring Audiobooks with Spotify Premium
If you have a Premium subscription or are part of the Duo or Family plans, you can access over 70% of the available audiobooks for free. These audiobooks will have the “Included in Premium” label.
With a Premium subscription, you get 15 hours of monthly listening time for any book in the collection. Once you reach this limit, you can purchase 10-hour add-ons. Keep in mind that your remaining hours reset every month, and they do not carry over.
Buying Audiobooks from Spotify
Spotify allows users to buy any book from their catalog. Note that the pricing varies between titles based on popularity and demand. These audiobooks can only be purchased through Spotify’s web client. Once you buy a book, you can listen to it freely, regardless of your subscription status.
This guide highlights the key aspects of finding, listening to, and buying audiobooks on Spotify. The experience might feel a bit tricky at first, especially for new users, but with this information, you should be well on your way to enjoying a vast library of audiobooks!
Should you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment!
