What Barnes & Noble Membership Costs and Covers
Barnes & Noble offers two paid membership tiers: Barnes & Noble Plus at $14.99 per month and Barnes & Noble Plus Premium at $24.99 per month. Both renew automatically each month and can be paused or cancelled anytime. The membership is separate from buying individual books — it's a subscription that gives you discounts and perks on top of regular purchases.
Plus members get 10% off most hardcover and paperback books in-store and online, plus 10% off café purchases. Premium members get the same discounts plus an extra 10% off select bestsellers and a $5 monthly credit toward audiobooks through their Audiobooks Plus service. Neither tier includes free books or unlimited reading — you still buy what you want, just at a discount.
Both memberships also include free shipping on online orders over $35, early access to sales, and exclusive member pricing on select items. If you shop at Barnes & Noble regularly, the math is straightforward: Plus pays for itself if you spend about $150 per month on books and café items. Premium requires closer to $250 monthly to break even, but the audiobook credit adds value if you use that service.
Key Takeaways
- Barnes & Noble Plus costs $14.99 per month and gives 10% off most books and café items; Premium costs $24.99 and adds an extra 10% off bestsellers plus a $5 monthly audiobook credit.
- Both memberships renew automatically each month and can be cancelled or paused at any time without penalty.
- You still purchase books individually — the membership is a discount program, not a library or unlimited reading service.
- Membership discounts apply both in-store and online, and both tiers include free shipping on orders over $35.
- The break-even point for Plus is roughly $150 per month in spending; Premium requires closer to $250 to justify the extra cost.
How to Sign Up for a Membership
You can sign up for Barnes & Noble membership online at their website, in a physical store, or through the Barnes & Noble app. During signup, you'll enter your email address, create a password, and choose which tier you want. You'll also need to provide a payment method — a credit card, debit card, or PayPal account.
Once you're signed up, your membership is active immediately. You can start using your discount on your next purchase. If you sign up in-store, the cashier can apply the discount to your current transaction if you haven't checked out yet. Online, your discount applies automatically when you're logged into your account.
Your membership is tied to your Barnes & Noble account email, so you don't need a physical card. Just log in before you shop online, or give your email at checkout in-store and the associate can pull up your account.
Pausing or Cancelling Your Membership
You can pause your membership for up to three months at a time through your account settings on the Barnes & Noble website or app. Pausing stops the monthly charge without closing your account, so your membership history and any credits stay intact. After three months, the pause expires and billing resumes automatically unless you cancel instead.
To cancel permanently, go to your account settings and select the cancellation option. There's no penalty or waiting period — your membership ends immediately and you won't be charged again. If you've already been charged for the current month, that charge is not refunded, but you keep access to your membership benefits through the end of that billing cycle.
If you cancel and later want to rejoin, you can sign up again at any time. Your previous purchase history and account information remain on file.
The Difference Between Plus and Premium
The main difference is the extra 10% discount on bestsellers and the $5 monthly audiobook credit with Premium. If you buy a lot of new releases or use Audiobooks Plus regularly, Premium makes sense. If you mostly buy backlist titles, older editions, or paperbacks, Plus usually saves you enough money without the extra cost.
Both tiers give you the same base discount (10% off most books), free shipping, and early sale access. Premium's audiobook credit is worth $60 per year if you use it every month, which can offset the extra $120 annual cost if audiobooks are part of your regular reading. The bestseller discount is smaller — typically 10% off a price that's already discounted, so the actual savings per book is modest.
A practical way to decide: if you spend more than $250 per month at Barnes & Noble and use audiobooks, Premium likely saves you money. If you spend $150 to $250 monthly and don't use audiobooks, Plus is the better choice. Under $150 monthly, neither membership pays for itself.
How Discounts Apply to Different Types of Purchases
The 10% discount applies to most hardcover and paperback books, whether new releases or backlist titles. It also covers Barnes & Noble's café items — coffee, tea, pastries, and snacks. The discount does not apply to magazines, newspapers, gifts, toys, electronics, or third-party vendor items sold through the Barnes & Noble website.
For audiobooks, the membership doesn't give a discount on individual purchases. Instead, Premium members get a $5 monthly credit toward Audiobooks Plus, which is a separate subscription service. That credit can be used on any audiobook in their catalog, but it doesn't roll over if you don't use it each month.
E-books purchased through Nook don't receive a membership discount. The membership is designed around physical books and the café, not digital content. If you primarily read e-books, the membership offers less value.
What Happens to Your Membership If You Don't Use It
Your membership continues to charge you every month whether you shop or not. There's no "use it or lose it" clause — the subscription renews automatically until you pause or cancel. If you're not shopping regularly, pausing is a good option because it stops the charge without closing your account.
Some people pause during months when they're not buying books, then resume when they know they'll be shopping. This works well if your book-buying is seasonal or uneven. Just remember that the pause lasts three months, so you'll need to manually resume before that window closes if you want to keep your membership active.
If you forget to pause and get charged for a month you didn't use, contact Barnes & Noble customer service. They may be able to issue a refund or credit depending on how long it's been since the charge.
Comparing Barnes & Noble Membership to Other Options
If you borrow books from a library, a membership doesn't replace that — libraries are free and have no spending requirement. A membership makes sense if you prefer to own books or want discounts on purchases you're already making. Some people use both: they borrow from the library for books they're unsure about, then buy favorites with their membership discount.
Kindle Unlimited and other e-book subscription services offer unlimited reading for a monthly fee, but they're a different product. They give you access to a catalog; Barnes & Noble membership gives you a discount on purchases. If you want to own physical books, membership is the relevant option. If you want unlimited digital reading, a subscription service like Kindle Unlimited is what you're looking for.
Amazon Prime includes free shipping on books and other items, but doesn't include a percentage discount on books themselves. If you're already paying for Prime and mostly buy books through Amazon, you might not need a Barnes & Noble membership. If you prefer shopping at Barnes & Noble or want a deeper discount on books specifically, the membership is worth comparing to what you'd spend at other retailers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my membership discount online and in stores?
Yes. Online, log into your account and the discount applies automatically at checkout. In-store, give your email address at the register and the associate will pull up your account. The discount is the same either way.
Does the membership include free books or unlimited reading?
No. The membership is a discount program only. You purchase books individually and pay for them, but you get 10% off the price. It's not a library or subscription reading service.
What if I sign up for Premium but decide I want Plus instead?
You can downgrade to Plus anytime through your account settings. The change takes effect on your next billing date. If you've already been charged for Premium this month, you keep Premium benefits through the end of that cycle, then switch to Plus the following month.
Do I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?
No. Monthly charges are not refunded. If you cancel, you keep your membership benefits through the end of the current billing cycle, but you won't be charged again after that.
Can I pause my membership and then resume it later?
Yes. You can pause for up to three months. After three months, the pause expires and billing resumes automatically unless you cancel instead. You can also manually resume before the three months are up if you want to start shopping again sooner.