After hearing advertising for the service for years, I eventually decided to try out an Audible subscription around a year ago. I had bought individual audiobooks from the platform throughout the years, but I had never considered joining. Today, I’ve downloaded more than a dozen titles using Audible Premium Plus, including several that I’ve reviewed for this site.
So, as a subscriber to Audible Premium Plus, do I believe the service is worthwhile? What are the advantages and disadvantages to consider? Let’s have a look at the features of Premium Plus.
Is Audible Premium Plus a Good Investment? My Personal Experience
Making Use of Audible
Before we get into the specifics of Audible‘s Premium Plus subscription, let’s take a look at the platform as a whole. Audible has thousands of audiobooks available to listen to on their website, mobile device, and other platforms. You’ll also be able to sync your audiobook library across all of your devices if you’re an Audible user.
The ability to choose the playback speed is one of my favorite features of Audible. Most of the time, I increase the speed to 1.3x or 1.4x, though I’ve gone as high as 1.9x for some (seemingly slow-read) titles. While it may take a few moments to get used to listening at higher rates, I find that it allows me to assimilate content more quickly without the reading seeming artificial.
As you might expect, there are numerous advantages to listening to audiobooks rather than reading physical books. For starters, this media is ideal for commuting and traveling. Furthermore, while I wouldn’t call myself a slow reader, I believe that if someone else is reading, I can go through a book much faster.
In terms of drawbacks, while certain books may contain visuals or illustrations, these cannot be included in audio format. Some titles, however, provide PDFs with such extra materials that can be accessed through Audible. Another disadvantage is that some audiobooks are shortened versions of the text version. Fortunately, you can tell if a book has been abbreviated by glancing at the information in the listing.
Download and try it for free.
So, now that we’ve covered the basics, what exactly is Audible Premium Plus? Simply defined, it’s a monthly membership service that lets you download one audiobook for a fixed price. With your $14.95 monthly membership, you’ll receive one credit redeemable for any audiobook Audible sells.
If you’ve ever viewed a YouTube video or listened to a podcast, you’re undoubtedly already aware that Audible Premium Plus provides a free trial. You can not only try out the service for 30 days, but you can also download any free audiobook. Of course, unless you cancel before the trial ends, your card will be charged after 30 days (Audible will also email you before you trial expires). Regardless of whether you keep your membership or not, you will get to keep the audiobook.
Audible is actually offering a special Prime Day trial for Amazon Prime users at the moment I’m writing this. Prime Members may save 53% on their first four months of Audible Premium Plus for a limited time. As part of their free trial, Prime Members can also enjoy two free downloads.
Identifying titles and putting your credits to good use
You may search for specific titles, browse best sellers in various categories, and more to find books to download on Audible. This can be done on the Audible website or through the Audible mobile app. However, because cash sales are not permitted in the mobile app, prices for titles are not visible. This is significant since, in certain circumstances, audiobooks are less expensive than the $14.95 membership fee. As a result, while I frequently search and browse for books on the app, I always double-check their retail pricing on Amazon or the Audible website before using my credit.
Redeeming credits is simple regardless of whether you’re on a computer or a mobile device. Audible will indicate that you have a credit to use, and your “buy” will be completed with just a few taps/clicks. After you’ve used your credit, your chosen title will show in your library and be downloaded to your device.
Keep in mind that your monthly credit will be sent out on the day you signed up. My credits, for example, post on the 27th of each month because that’s when I first signed up.
Credits from banks
One of my favorite aspects of Audible Premium Plus is that you don’t have to utilize the credits you earn. Instead, any unused credits will be carried over to the following month. That way, if you forget to use your credit one month or can’t find an enticing title the next, you may save it for later.
The ability to conserve credits has been a lifesaver for me, and it was a key factor in my decision to join Audible in the first place. While there are plenty of months when I’m looking forward to my next credit, there have been a few times when we’ve been content to let our credits accumulate. As a result, I see this as a significant benefit to the program.
Sales and bonus content
Are you interested in learning more about the “Plus” in “Audible Premium Plus“? Audible, for example, just added podcasts and other original content to its site. What’s even better is that this content is included with your subscription, and the price of the service hasn’t gone up since these features were added. I haven’t had the opportunity to listen to any of these podcasts yet, but there are some intriguing alternatives.
Members can also access a number of free audiobooks in addition to the podcast. These, too, are provided at no further expense. You may also save these titles to your device’s library and download them.
Finally, on a similar theme, Audible offers two-for-one deals on select titles on occasion. These promotions, as the name implies, allow you to choose two audiobooks from a variety of options and pay for them with just one monthly credit. My wife took advantage of one of these offers a few months ago and was extremely satisfied with both of her choices — and I was delighted with how we were able to maximize our monthly budget.
Purchasing additional credits
You can buy books at regular price if you want to download more titles before your next credit arrives (although, as previously said, you can’t make cash transactions via the app). Audible, on the other hand, lets you to purchase more credits. Furthermore, they are reasonably priced.
Audible Premium Plus members may buy a three-pack of extra credits for $35.88 right now. As they point out, this equates to $11.96 per credit. I’m not sure if this is always a possibility – I haven’t tried it myself — but it’s something I might think about in the future.
Audible Premium Plus Final Thoughts
As you can probably tell, I’ve loved my Audible Premium Plus membership since I started it over a year ago. Not only has the program made it easier for me to find, download, “read,” and review a variety of personal finance books, but it has also allowed us to discover publications we might not have bought or had time to read otherwise. I also value the flexibility to carry over credits from month to month because it alleviates a lot of the stress that comes with monthly subscriptions.
I’ll also mention that our Audible subscription has come very handy on car trips. We just drove to Nashville and back while listening to the fascinating Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight. When I want to switch things up a little, I’m enjoying substituting audiobooks for my usual podcast listening time.
Finally, while you’ve probably heard a lot of advertisements and sponsored promotions for Audible, I can assure you as a paying user who has no association with the company that the Premium Plus subscription is worth it – and Prime Day appears to be the perfect time to start.
