Kindle Unlimited costs $11.99 per month in the United States
Kindle Unlimited is Amazon's subscription service for e-books and audiobooks. The monthly cost is $11.99 in the US. You can read or listen to as many titles as you want during your subscription — there is no per-book charge once you are subscribed.
Amazon also offers a discounted annual plan at $119.99 per year, which works out to about $10 per month if you commit for twelve months. The monthly plan renews automatically each month unless you cancel, and the annual plan renews each year on the same date.
Pricing varies outside the United States. In the United Kingdom, the subscription costs £9.99 per month. In Canada, it is CAD $13.99 per month. If you live in another country, check Amazon's Kindle Unlimited page for your region to see the local price.
Key Takeaways
- The US monthly subscription is $11.99, or $119.99 per year if you pay annually.
- Your subscription includes access to millions of e-books and thousands of audiobooks with no additional per-title cost.
- You can cancel anytime, and your access ends at the end of your current billing period.
- Prices differ by country, so check your region's Amazon site for the exact cost where you live.
What is included in a Kindle Unlimited subscription
Kindle Unlimited gives you access to a rotating catalog of millions of e-books and audiobooks. You can download titles to your Kindle device, Kindle app on your phone or tablet, or the Kindle Cloud Reader on your computer. There is no limit to how many books you can borrow at once, and you can return a title and borrow another whenever you want.
Not every book is in the Kindle Unlimited catalog. Publishers and authors choose whether to make their titles available through the program. Major publishers often do not participate, so you will not find every current bestseller. Self-published and independent press titles make up a large portion of the catalog.
Audiobooks through Kindle Unlimited are a subset of the full audiobook catalog. Audible, Amazon's separate audiobook service, offers a different selection and pricing model. Some titles appear in both services, but many do not.
How to start and cancel your subscription
To start a Kindle Unlimited subscription, go to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited page and select either the monthly or annual plan. You need an Amazon account. Amazon will charge your payment method on file immediately, and your access begins right away.
To cancel, log into your Amazon account, go to Manage Your Kindle Unlimited, and select Cancel Subscription. Your access continues until the end of your current billing period — if you cancel mid-month, you keep the service through the end of that month. Amazon does not offer refunds for partial months or years.
Amazon sometimes offers promotional rates for new subscribers, such as the first month at a reduced price or free. These offers appear on the Kindle Unlimited sign-up page and are limited to accounts that have not had an active subscription in the past.
Comparing Kindle Unlimited to other reading subscriptions
Scribd is a competing subscription service that includes e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and podcasts for $14.99 per month in the US. Scribd's catalog is smaller than Kindle Unlimited's for e-books but includes more magazine and podcast content. Scribd also offers an annual plan at a discount.
Libby is a free service run by your local library that lets you borrow e-books and audiobooks using your library card. The catalog depends on your library's holdings and can be smaller than Kindle Unlimited, but there is no monthly cost. Wait times for popular titles can be long.
Audible, Amazon's audiobook service, costs $14.95 per month and includes one audiobook credit per month plus access to a smaller selection of included titles. Audible is separate from Kindle Unlimited and does not overlap in pricing or membership.
Whether Kindle Unlimited makes financial sense for you
At $11.99 per month, Kindle Unlimited costs about the same as buying one new e-book from most retailers. If you read more than one book per month on average, the subscription usually costs less than buying individual titles. If you read fewer than one book per month, or if you prefer physical books or library borrowing, a subscription may not save you money.
The value also depends on what you want to read. If most of your reading is recent bestsellers from major publishers, Kindle Unlimited will disappoint you because many of those titles are not in the program. If you read widely across genres, including self-published and independent titles, the catalog is much more useful.
Consider starting with a promotional offer if Amazon is running one. Many new subscribers get the first month at a lower price, which lets you explore the catalog before committing to the full monthly rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a Kindle Unlimited subscription with family members?
No. Each Kindle Unlimited subscription is tied to one Amazon account. Family members need their own subscriptions. Amazon does offer a Family Library feature that lets you share purchased e-books with family members on the same account, but that is different from Kindle Unlimited.
What happens to my books if I cancel Kindle Unlimited?
Books you borrowed through Kindle Unlimited are removed from your device and app when your subscription ends. If you bought e-books separately, those remain in your library. You can re-borrow the same Kindle Unlimited titles if you resubscribe later.
Is there a free trial for Kindle Unlimited?
Amazon occasionally offers free trial periods for new subscribers, usually 30 days. These promotions are not always available and vary by region. Check the Kindle Unlimited sign-up page to see if a trial is currently running in your area.
Can I use Kindle Unlimited on any device?
You can read Kindle Unlimited e-books on any device with the Kindle app, including phones, tablets, computers, and Kindle e-readers. Audiobooks require the Kindle app or a compatible device. You cannot use Kindle Unlimited on non-Amazon devices like Kobo or Nook.