Spotify just made it a whole lot easier for users to stream audiobooks. In an effort to continue offering more attractive features to its Premium users, the music streaming juggernaut added a slew of features for the class of subscribers, all aimed at increasing audiobook streams.
More Audiobooks for Spotify Paid Subscribers
The most notable feature Spotify is promoting is the new ability to stream 15 hours of audiobooks per month at no additional cost if you have a Premium account or manage a Family or Duo account. Additionally, the streaming platform has made over 150,000 audiobooks available for Premium streamers, boasting that number alongside the over 100 million songs and over 5 million podcasts it already offers.
Like with its podcasts and music, audiobooks on Spotify are organized by genre, and the streamer promotes certain titles according to categories like New and Trending Releases and From Book to Screen. Because the average audiobook takes anywhere from eight to 12 hours to finish, devout audiobook listeners might easily hit their listening cap before the month is over. However, Spotify will allow users to purchase additional hours, and they’ll be able to track their listening time on the app.
These updates come a few years after Spotify executives shared that they want their platform to be the sole audio destination for listeners. In addition to this increase in audiobook offerings, Spotify has poured significant capital into making the platform more attractive to podcast listeners, garnering exclusive deals with popular podcasters like Alex Cooper of Call Her Daddy and Joe Rogan of The Joe Rogan Experience.
These Updates and More Coming Soon
If you’re not a Premium subscriber or a Family or Duo account manager, these new audiobook features are not available to you, but Spotify promises that it’s working to find more ways for other subscribers to access audiobooks for free on its platform in the future. And no need to feel too left out at the moment if you’re in the United States – these new features are currently only available to subscribers from the U.K. and Australia. American users will have access to the new features later this year.
Just how valuable these features are for users remains to be seen, but they’re certainly a major bonus for Spotify Premium users interested in listening to more audiobooks or just discovering the medium. For reference, Audible memberships including credits start at $14.95 per month while Spotify Premium costs $10.99 per month. For music, podcast, and audiobook geeks, Spotify might now be the best streaming service on the internet.