Spotify's Audiobooks+ add-on tops one million subscribers

Audiobooks+ reaches one million

Digital Music News reported that more than a million users have subscribed to Audiobooks+, a separate $11.99 monthly add-on with 30 hours of listening. The publication noted that these subscribers chose an audiobook tier rather than getting access folded into an existing music subscription. The tier generated about $100 million in annual recurring revenue as of July.

Monthly audiobook listeners rose nearly 40% over the past year and listening hours climbed more than 30%, Spotify said. Roughly half of those listeners are under 35, Digital Music News reported. The catalogue holds more than 350,000 titles across over 120 languages, and Spotify works with nearly 300 publishers, Gizbot reported.

Spotify Premium includes 15 monthly audiobook hours, alongside add-on hours and individual book sales, Android Headlines reported.

Expansion to 180 markets

Gizbot reported that Spotify is expanding audiobook access from 22 markets to more than 180 by the end of 2026. India is next on 12 November 2026. Audiobooks+ there will offer 15 hours a month, and Spotify has not announced the local price; it says pricing will be tailored to local listening behaviour. Spotify's standard Premium plan in India will not include a monthly audiobook allowance at launch. Free and Premium users will be able to buy individual audiobooks. The report added that India is a major market for Spotify with a large monthly active user base but relatively lower Premium penetration.

Established audiobook markets include the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Monaco, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway, Peru and Argentina, according to Digital Music News. The expansion adds countries across Africa and Asia and more in Europe and the Americas.

Spotify is also expanding Page Match, which lets users scan a physical book's ISBN barcode and use page numbers to find the matching spot in an audiobook. It supports more than 30 languages, Gizbot reported.

Publishers dispute the bundle

The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) and US publishers have called the audiobook bundle a scheme to lower mechanical royalty payments. Digital Music News sets out their case: Spotify adds audiobook access to a plan, charges an extra $1 a month, and the resulting bundle qualifies for lower rates.

Audible's cheaper plan

Audible launched a standard audiobook plan at $8.99 a month in the US on 3 March 2026, compared with $14.95 for its existing premium tier, Bloomberg reported. Bloomberg tied the cheaper tier to growing competition with Spotify, which bundles audiobooks with music and podcasts. Audiobooks+ at $11.99 sits above Audible's standard plan and below its premium plan.