Kindle+ Vs. Audible: What's The Difference Between These Amazon Subscriptions?

Few would disagree that subscriptions have gotten a little out of hand, with some platforms offering not just multiple tiers but also multiple and separate subscriptions. A solid example of this is Amazon's Kindle+, which used to be Kindle Unlimited, and Audible. There are some differences, which might inspire you to choose one over the other, but when it comes to reading aloud or otherwise, at least on the surface, they appear to offer similar things. What are the unique offerings of each subscription and which would provide you more value?

As much as it sounds like a cop-out, the answer depends. It's all about why you would be considering one of the subscriptions and what you'd be using it for. If your interest is strictly in audiobooks, Audible's platform is the best choice. But if you're into general reading, not just books but also magazines, comics, and other media, Kindle+ might be the better option. With Kindle+ you can borrow up to 20 digital titles at once across supported devices — including Kindle tablets, readers, and mobile — and you can check out anything from standard e-books to audio narrated titles. That last point about the narration introduces a stark difference in the Kindle+ versus Audible debate. Kindle books "with narration" can be AI narrated, meanwhile Audible books are performed by professional voice actors. With the latter, your audiobooks are much more emotive and engaging, dare I say of a higher quality.

Kindle+ is expanding to include many more audiobook options for users, but that also means a larger library of AI narration to sift through. If you're not into that kind of thing, it will affect your experience.

Kindle+ includes audiobooks and audio experiences, not unlike Audible, but its primary focus is more traditional reading. While browsing the massive library of digital titles, you can borrow up to 20 books, magazines, comics, or manga at a time, and there are no due dates. When you're done with something, you simply return it, as you would a library book, and then you can borrow more. Along with the access to narrated content, it essentially gives you the best of both worlds. It's worth it for avid readers who are always buried in a new book. You have the option to read like normal, when you're at home, in your free time, or elsewhere. But you can also listen to audiobooks during your commute, while working, or whenever you don't have the time to actually sit down with a book. It should also be noted, if not obvious, you can use Kindle+ without an actual Kindle device.

Kindle+ is $11.99 per month without any special offers, which gives you instant access to a library of millions of books, and thousands of other media, and audiobooks.

An Audible subscription nets you access to audiobooks, podcasts, and exclusive Audible Originals, all of which are audio only. Audible Standard starts at $8.99 per month and allows subscribers to select one title a month. However, these are no longer available to you if you stop subscribing. Audible Premium Plus for $14.95 per month gets you a single credit per month, or 12 to 24 credits upfront for annual plans, which you can use to "buy" books and permanently add them to your library, even if you're no longer a subscriber. You also get access to a full catalog of streaming and on-demand content. If you have Amazon Prime, you can access exclusive discounts and offers for both of these platforms.