You’re probably familiar with Spotify as a music streaming service, but you may be unaware of its extensive audiobook offerings. At the time of writing, you can listen to over 350,000 titles via the Spotify app in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Audiobooks have been nicely integrated into the Spotify user interface, allowing you to search for titles, add them to your library, and play audiobooks in the same way you would podcasts and songs. It’s easy to find audiobooks on Spotify, and it doesn’t take long to get started.
So let’s go over how you can buy and listen to audiobooks on Spotify and some tips on how to get the most out of your audiobook listening experience.
Overivew
To buy audiobooks on Spotify, go to the web app and click the Search icon, then select the Audiobooks tab, select your desired audiobook, and click Play > Get email. Check your inbox for the Spotify.com link, which will take you to the audiobook’s purchase page. After you complete the checkout process, click Buy and the audiobook will be yours.
Launch the Spotify app, navigate to Your Library > Audiobooks, find your audiobook, and press the Play button to listen to your audiobook.
How to Find Audiobooks on Spotify
The platform’s user-friendly interface makes finding audiobooks on Spotify a breeze. To find them, follow these steps:
- From the app’s home screen, tap the Search icon.
- Choose the Audiobooks tab.
- Examine the books and tap on the one you want.
How to Buy and Stream Audiobooks on Spotify
Spotify offers both free and paid audiobooks. The paid ones have a lock sign on the Play button that disappears once the audiobook is purchased. Here’s how to buy audiobooks on Spotify:
- Click the padlock-shaped Play button.
- Choose Get email to receive a direct link to purchase the audiobook in your inbox.
- Tap on Buy Audiobook in the email to go to the website where you can buy the audiobook.
- To begin the checkout process, go to the website and click Buy.
- The audiobook is yours once you complete the process.
Keep in mind that you can only purchase audiobooks through the Spotify web app. You can, however, find and listen to your purchased titles on both mobile and desktop devices.
After purchasing the audiobook, follow these steps to listen to it on Spotify:
- Go to Your Library in the Spotify app.
- Select the Audiobooks option.
- To begin listening, select your audiobook and press the Play button.
How to Listen to Audiobooks on Spotify
- Step 1: Launch the Spotify app on your mobile device.
- Step 2: Click the Search tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Step 3: If you have a specific audiobook in mind, use the search bar at the top of the screen to find it. Once you’ve found and selected the book you’re looking for, proceed to step 6. Continue to the next step if you want to find new audiobooks.
- When choosing an audiobook, keep in mind that they may also be listed as podcasts. Although that is certainly confusing, you should be able to tell the difference quickly because podcasts can be played for free, whereas unpurchased audiobooks will be locked until you buy them.
- Step 4: Go to the Audiobooks section and select the Audiobooks card. Look through everything.
- Step 5: In the Spotify app’s Audiobook section, you can discover new books based on curated lists. Audiobooks, like music and podcasts, will be grouped together here based on shared characteristics such as topic or author. Find and select an audiobook that you want to listen to.
Read Also: How to Update Your Spotify Payment Method: Detailed!
- Step 6: Once you’ve chosen an audiobook, you’ll notice that it’s divided into discrete sections, usually by chapter, allowing you to begin listening at any time. On the app, chapters are listed similarly to individual episodes of a podcast. You can listen to a free sample of the audiobook by selecting the Sample bar, which runs horizontally across the screen beneath the audiobook description. If you want full access, click the green Play button with the lock on the right side of the screen.
- Step 7: A pop-up will appear informing you that you cannot purchase audiobooks through the app. You must instead select Get email. This will send an email to the email address associated with your Spotify account prompting you to make a one-time purchase for the selected audiobook.
- Step 8: While the Spotify app does not allow you to make direct purchases, you can still pay for the audiobook on your phone. Having said that, you are welcome to perform the following steps on a computer.
- Open any emails from Spotify that arrive in your inbox. The message will inform you of the price of the audiobook. Select the Buy audiobook button in green.
- Step 9: After clicking Buy audiobook, you’ll be taken to the Spotify browser version. This page should look similar to the in-app version, but instead of a green Play button on the right side of the screen, a green Buy button has been added. Choose it.
- Step 10: After clicking Buy, you will be asked to enter your payment information. Add it, then finish your purchase.
- Step 11: Once you’ve completed the purchase, return to the Spotify app, and the audiobook should be unlocked on your account. If it isn’t, you may need to close and reopen the app to gain access.
How Much Do Spotify Audiobooks Cost?
As previously stated, audiobooks are not included with a Spotify account, so you’ll need to repeat the steps above each time you want to listen to a new book. Spotify also does not display the price of each book in the app. Instead, you can only find that information via a browser version of Spotify or in the email that the app sends you when you try to make a purchase.
Pricing for audiobooks varies by book, but based on a quick look at some of the ones Spotify is pushing on the landing page of its new audiobook section, there are some easy-to-identify trends—most books cost around or over $20.
Popular titles such as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Michelle Obama’s Becoming cost $25.90 and $23.90, respectively, while A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 1 and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone cost $36.90 and $32.90, respectively. Smaller books typically cost between $15 and $20, but there are a few outliers on both ends of the spectrum.
Whether you’re listening to A Song of Ice and Fire or I’m Glad My Mom Died (which is listed on Spotify for $13.99), you’ll most likely rack up a sizable bill.
Are audiobooks available for free on Spotify?
You can listen to several audiobooks for free on Spotify. The majority of titles on the platform, however, must be purchased. If you want to listen to a paid book, purchase it as described above.
You cannot access these audiobooks because you have not purchased them. To unlock the audiobooks, you must first purchase them.
Why are audiobooks locked on Spotify?
If audiobooks are not available in your region, you may be unable to listen to them on Spotify. Audiobooks are currently only available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
No, audiobooks are not included with Spotify Premium because they are separate from the Spotify subscription. Audiobooks can be purchased once and are available to both free and premium users.
Is it possible to download audiobooks from Spotify?
Yes, you can download audiobooks from Spotify and listen to them later.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Audiobook Listening Experience on Spotify
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your audiobook listening experience on Spotify:
- Find a quiet place to listen. Audiobooks can be enjoyed in any setting, but it’s best to find a quiet place to listen so that you can focus on the story.
- Use headphones or earbuds. Headphones or earbuds will help you to block out background noise and focus on the audiobook.
- Take breaks. It’s important to take breaks when listening to audiobooks, especially if you’re listening for long periods of time. Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes to avoid eye strain and fatigue.
- Adjust the playback speed. Spotify allows you to adjust the playback speed of audiobooks. Experiment with different speeds to find what works best for you.
- Use bookmarks. Bookmarks can help you to keep track of your progress and to easily return to specific passages in the audiobook.
- Create custom playlists. If you have multiple audiobooks that you’re listening to, you can create custom playlists to organize them. This can make it easier to find and play the audiobooks that you want to listen to.
Conclusion
Listening to audiobooks on Spotify is a great way to enjoy books on the go or when you’re too busy to read. With the tips above, you can get the most out of your audiobook listening experience.
- AUDIBLE BLACK FRIDAY: Best Audible Black Friday Deals 2023
- How to Listen to Audiobooks Free (Insightful Tips)
- TOP 11+ BEST FREE AUDIOBOOK APPS FOR ANDROID AND IPHONE 2023
References
