What is Amazon Kindle Unlimited and how does it work?

Amazon Kindle Unlimited allows subscribers to download and read an unlimited quantity of ebooks and audiobooks for a set monthly fee — not too dissimilar to streaming services like Netflix and Spotify, but it’s for books rather than movies or music. If you’re an avid reader whose Kindle never leaves their side, subscribing to a single service rather than purchasing books individually could end up saving you a ton of cash over time.

If you’re a Kindle owner like me, and you’re wondering whether to sign up for the Kindle Unlimited service, this guide is a rundown of everything you need to know about it, including how much it costs, whether there is a free trial, and what kind of books are available. But best of all, I tell you whether it’s worth trying and how you can use it to find new bestsellers monthly.

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What is Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

An e-book and audiobook subscription service

Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription plan where, once subscribed, users have unlimited access to millions of Kindle titles, thousands of audiobooks with Audible narration, and the ability to borrow a subscription to popular magazines.

Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription that lets you dive into a huge selection of titles from the Kindle Store — like books, audiobooks, magazines, and comics. You can read on pretty much any device you have, whether it’s a Kindle, your phone, computer, or tablet, by just using the free Kindle app.

Amazon’s subscription service doesn’t include every book on Amazon or Audible, but many of the bestsellers are included. You just need to look for the titles marked with the Kindle Unlimited logo.

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How much does Kindle Unlimited cost?

Kindle Unlimited is not included with Amazon Prime

Amazon

Amazon’s subscription fee for Kindle Unlimited is $11.99 a month. It is not tied to an Amazon Prime subscription, which already includes Prime Reading, a different service. You can use your credit card on file with Amazon to pay the monthly fee, and you’re allowed to cancel your subscription at any time by visiting your Amazon account. This makes it super easy to manage.

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Can you get free Kindle Unlimited?

There is a Kindle Unlimited free trial

Yes, there is a 30-day free trial available to all interested customers. Just click on Amazon.com in the US to start your trial. There are also regular deals and discounts on Kindle Unlimited and these deals and discounts often apply to previous subscribers. So if you’ve been thinking about try, this could be a great chance to do so without any risk.

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How to access Kindle Unlimited books

Use an Amazon device or the Kindle Reading app

All titles and audiobooks available through Kindle Unlimited are accessible across a range of devices and platforms. You can, of course, read or listen with a Kindle or Fire device, but you could also simply install the free Kindle Reading App on a separate compatible smartphone or tablet. You can then just search for titles and look for the Kindle Unlimited logo, where you’ll see the option to “read for free”.

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What are some example titles available?

The Kindle Unlimited selection is good

Amazon

Kindle Unlimited has a few curated sections you should check out:

You can browse the Kindle Unlimited library from here, but below I’ve called out a few great reads I’ve found on the service.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited offers many best-selling books, such as:

• The Harry Potter series
• The Handmaid’s Tale series
• The Hunger Games series

There are also professionally narrated audiobooks from Audible available, including:

• Life of Pi
• A Day at the Office
• Great Expectations

Other notable ebook titles available through Kindle Unlimited include:

• When We Believed in Mermaids
• If You Tell, Devoted
• In An Instant
• The Girl Beneath the Sea
• The Girl in Cabin 13
• Where the Forest Meets The Stars

And notable audiobook titles include:

• Into the Darkest Corner
• Gray Justice
• The Magpies
• Watch Over Me
• Finding Emma
• Wuthering Heights
• Treasure Island.

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Is Kindle Unlimited worth trying?

Yes, but depends on how many books you buy and read

The value of Kindle Unlimited really depends on your reading habits. As someone who subscribes, I use it to explore a steady stream of new books, which is great for an avid reader like me. Trying Prime Reading first can be a good move — it offers free books on your Kindle and might be enough for some. But if you find yourself buying books frequently, Kindle Unlimited could actually cut down on your monthly expenses. It’s important to note that while Kindle Unlimited has a solid selection, it doesn’t cover every bestseller or niche read you might be after. Sometimes just a couple of top-tier books could cost more than the subscription itself.

For me, Kindle Unlimited is best seen as a flexible option. It’s super easy to cancel and restart your subscription through your Amazon account, whether you’re snagging a good deal or you need more reading material for a vacation. This flexibility makes it a practical choice for managing how much I spend on books throughout the year.

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FAQ

Q: How to cancel your Kindle Unlimited subscription

If you don’t feel as though you are getting good value for money from Kindle Unlimited, it’s really easy to cancel your subscription. You can access your Memberships & Subscriptions through the Amazon website or through the app.

1. Head to the Amazon website or app.
2. Head to your account section.
3. Click on Membership & Subscriptions.
4. Tap Kindle Unlimited settings.
5. Here you can find the option to cancel your subscription.

Q: Does Kindle Unlimited feature Amazon’s Whispersync technology?

Not all titles in the Kindle Unlimited library are Whispersync for Voice-enabled, which lets you easily switch between reading an ebook to listening to an audiobook without missing a single moment of the story, but thousands of titles do support the technology.

If a title is enabled, it will pick up where you left off, even if switching from text to audio. For most titles you’re reading, however, Whispersync will keep track of your location in the book no matter which device you’re reading on.

Q: Can you share a Kindle Unlimited plan?

No, unfortunately, you cannot share a Kindle Unlimited plan with friends or family members. Unlike Amazon Prime subscriptions, Kindle Unlimited is (ironically) limited to only one account per subscription.