Spotify announced on Tuesday the rollout of its $11.99-per-month Audiobooks+ plan in the U.S., allowing subscribers—and for the first time, their household members on Family or Duo plans—to access 15 additional hours of audiobook listening monthly beyond their base plan.
Although Spotify introduced its audiobook service in the U.S. in 2022, until now, household members on Duo and Family subscriptions were excluded from audiobook access. This new offering changes that, giving multiple household members access for the first time.
How Audiobooks+ Works with Existing Plans
Currently, Spotify Premium subscribers get 15 hours of audiobook listening per month and can purchase extra hours if needed. Audiobooks+ builds on this by providing recurring access to 15 extra hours every month on top of the standard allotment.
The add-on “Audiobooks+ for Plan Members” makes it possible for other users on a Family or Duo plan—not just the primary cardholder—to listen to audiobooks.
The U.S. joins markets like Ireland, Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein in offering Audiobooks+.
This launch follows a challenging quarter for Spotify, which missed revenue expectations and cited weakness in its advertising business. Despite this, Spotify saw strong user growth with active users up 11% to 696 million and paid subscribers increasing 12% to 276 million in Q2. The new Audiobooks+ plan aims to generate more revenue from this existing user base.
Background on Household Access Challenges
In December, publisher HarperCollins highlighted a “technical problem” limiting audiobook streaming on Family plans to only the cardholder. Spotify addressed this with the recent introduction of Audiobooks+ for Plan Members in several non-U.S. markets, now extended to the U.S.
While Spotify hasn’t disclosed how many Premium users stream audiobooks alongside music or podcasts, it reports a 35% year-over-year increase in audiobook listening hours in the U.S., U.K., and Australia—before Audiobooks+ plans were available.
The announcement also follows Spotify’s recent subscription price increase from €10.99 to €11.99 across various global markets including the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.
Spotify says it plans to explore additional options for book lovers in the future, including direct audiobook sales.
What The Author Thinks
Expanding audiobook access to household members is a smart move for Spotify. Audiobooks require more dedicated listening time than music or podcasts, so offering extra hours to families encourages deeper engagement and makes plans feel more valuable. This could reduce churn and increase overall revenue per user. Still, the price point may limit uptake to the most avid listeners. To succeed long-term, Spotify will need to keep innovating audiobook offerings and perhaps introduce more flexible purchase options for casual fans.
Featured image credit: Heute
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