Amazon announced Tuesday that Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers will be able to access one audiobook from the Audible catalog for free each month. The move is aimed at countering Spotify's growth in the audiobook space and encouraging some Amazon Music subscribers to buy Audible books and plans.
The company said subscribers to its top plan in the US, UK and Canada can listen to audiobooks of their choice. Users can continue listening to their selected audiobooks through subsequent billing cycles or choose new titles.
“Today, Amazon Music is introducing the audiobooks category to a whole new audience by making Audible's industry-leading catalog of audiobooks available to Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers,” said Amazon Audio. , Steve Boom, vice president of gaming, Twitch, said in a statement.
Last year, Amazon increased the price of its Amazon Music Unlimited plan for individuals and families.
Audible's rival Spotify became the second-largest audiobook provider earlier this year. The company already offers many free audiobooks with Spotify Premium in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. Spotify also debuted an audiobook-only plan in March, giving free tier users access to the catalog with a 15-hour listening limit in the United States.
In contrast, Audible offers a $7.95 monthly plan that includes original audiobooks, sleep tracks, and podcasts. There's also a $14.95 plan that offers one title per month from the company's premium selection, including bestsellers and new releases.
The e-commerce giant is looking to power its book recommendation engine across various platforms. Last December, Amazon launched a “Your Books” tracker that consolidates titles you've purchased or saved on Amazon, including Kindle and Audible titles. Earlier this year, Amazon announced that it plans to use Prime Video data to provide tailored audiobook suggestions to Audible users.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that this service is for Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers, not Prime.