Audiobooks have gradually carved out a niche for themselves in the global reading community. They offer another way to enjoy reading, perhaps more convenient and versatile. One of the most successful platforms in this field has been Audible , with its rich catalog of over 425.000 titles (nearly 90.000 in Spanish). Many have tried it and use it daily; others, however, have chosen to cancel their Audible subscription.
What is Audible and how does it work?
The truth is that, in addition to books, Audible offers its users a wide range of other content, such as radio and television programs, podcasts, and magazines. It is available in Spanish (including Latin American Spanish), German, French, English, Italian, and Chinese.
The idea originated in 1995 with Don Katz , but true success came in 2008 when Amazon acquired Audible and added it to its offerings. Since then, it has continued to grow, both in terms of subscribers and content and features. These are some of Audible's most outstanding features, the ones most valued by users:
- Storytellers with real voices: actors, journalists and even on some occasions the authors of the books themselves. No synthetic, inhuman and unpleasant voices.
- Content available offline.
- Synchronization to be able to listen to the same audiobook from different devices. For example, we can start a listen on the computer and continue on the mobile from the same point where we left off.
- Whisper Sync. An amazing function that allows you to synchronize audio and text content. Unfortunately, it is not yet available in Spanish.
What is Audible and how does it work?
How to access Audible
To access Audible services, you need an Amazon account . Similar to the popular Kindle e-reader , all content on this platform is protected by DRM, meaning it cannot be played on unauthorized devices.
To start listening to all of Audible's digital audio content, proceed as follows:
- Access our Amazon account (or register a new one if we don't already have one).
- Hire the service. There are always offers available with various options of trial period with free cancellation*.
- Download the application, or access the web.
(*) The free trial period is usually 30 days for new users and three months for Amazon Prime users.
Compatibility
There are two ways to enjoy Audible content: through your computer, from the web, and on a mobile device using the app itself. It is compatible with Apple, Android, Windows and Mac.
Furthermore, Amazon also offers the option to listen to Audible audiobooks through Kindle and Fire Tablet.
Catalogue
Audible's fascinating and comprehensive catalog covers a wide variety of topics and content. To make finding titles easier, it's organized into categories : Biographies and Memoirs, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Sports and Outdoors, Education, History, Children's, LGBT, Business and Careers, Crime and Thriller, Romance, Health and Wellness, Travel and Tourism…
In addition, the catalog is divided into two large blocks, depending on whether or not the content is included in the subscription:
- Unlimited use catalog, available by subscription.
- Extended Catalog, made up of titles not included in the subscription, although they are available for purchase.
Subscription
An Audible subscription costs €9,99 per month. The platform also allows users to purchase audiobooks , which they retain as their own property even after the subscription ends. These audiobooks are priced at around €9, similar to the price of ebooks. It's worth noting that some content is also available for free.
Why cancel Audible subscription?
Indeed, Audible offers a lot of appeal for audiobook lovers. However, many may find its services lacking in interest. It's also possible that someone may have tried listening to a book instead of reading it and not been satisfied. The reasons for canceling a subscription can be quite varied. Here are some of the most common:
- Audible's monthly subscription is too expensive for us.
- We prefer to read books in a conventional way.
- There are other platformsAudiobooks, Google Play Books, Storytel and others) that offer better services.
Pause the subscription in Audible
Pause the subscription in Audible
Before making the drastic decision to cancel your Audible subscription, it might be wiser to opt for a temporary suspension. This way, you can take some time to carefully consider your options and, after a certain period, decide whether to continue with Audible or cancel permanently.
Audible allows you to pause your subscription for a period of 30, 60, or even 90 days. During this pause, access to the unlimited catalog titles, including those you're currently listening to, will be interrupted. To regain access, you'll need to resume your subscription. However, audiobooks purchased individually will remain accessible.
Here are the steps to pause a subscription on Audible (can only be done from a computer):
- First we access our account in Audible.es
- Then we go to the section "Account details", where we will click on "Cancel subscription".
- Before proceeding with the cancellation, Audible will ask us a series of questions. The objective is to know the reasons that have led us to make this decision.
- After completing the survey, a box will appear on the right of the screen with the subscription pause options: for 30, 60 or 90 days. We just have to choose the one we want.
The service, as well as the payment of fees, will automatically resume after the end of the chosen period.
Cancel Audible subscription step by step
Cancel Audible subscription step by step
If, after considering all of the above, our decision to cancel is still firm, these are the steps we must follow in each case:
If the subscription is managed through Google Play
- First of all, we have to open the Google Play Store on our Android device.
- Then we click on our image of profile (located in the upper right) to access the menu.
- Once there, we go to the option "Payments and subscriptions".
- select "Subscriptions".
- Finally, we look for the Audible subscription and we choose the option "Cancel subscription".
If the subscription is managed directly from Audible
- First we must log in to the website of Audible.com from a computer.
- Next we go to the section "Account details".
- The last step is to click on the option "Cancel my subscription", which is at the bottom of the list.
After processing the cancellation, the user will receive a confirmation email . From that moment on, all Audible catalog titles that have been started will also no longer be available.
What happens after I cancel?
It's important to know that not all audiobooks will become unavailable after you cancel your Audible subscription. For example, audiobooks purchased from their extended catalog will always remain accessible . These are purchased books and, therefore, the property of the buyer.
On the other hand, if we cancel our subscription through the website, we will continue to enjoy the benefits of our subscription until the next billing date.