Audible

What Audible does

Audible is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon.com and operates the dominant spoken-word audio platform in the United States, offering audiobook and premium podcast streaming to individual consumers globally. The platform hosts a catalog of more than one million audiobooks, approximately 700 premium podcast titles originally developed under the Wondery+ brand, and exclusive Audible Originals featuring high-profile creators such as Barack Obama, Malcolm Gladwell, Kate McKinnon, and Hugh Jackman. Underlying technology includes AI-generated audiobook narration across more than 160 voices and dialects delivered through the ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) marketplace, the Read & Listen feature that synchronizes Kindle ebook text with audiobook playback in real time, and Whispersync for Voice integration that ties listening progress across Amazon's reading surfaces. Audible also operates Audible Theater at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York and runs offline distribution partnerships with Apple Podcasts, British Airways, and Amazon Music Unlimited.

Audible monetizes primarily through two recurring subscription tiers: Standard at $8.99 per month, which provides one audiobook credit plus streaming-only access to a curated catalog (titles are not permanently owned), and Premium Plus at $14.95 per month, which provides permanent ownership of credit-purchased titles and access to the all-you-can-listen Plus Catalog. Aggressive promotional pricing is layered on top, including a $0.99 per month for the first three months offer and a Prime-member-exclusive 3-months-free plus $20 credit promotion during Prime Day events, with auto-renewal at the Standard price after the trial period. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct-to-consumer through audible.com and mobile apps, supplemented by channel partnerships with Apple Podcasts (700 premium titles), British Airways in-flight entertainment (250+ hours), and Amazon Music Unlimited (full audiobook library bundled at no incremental cost). Audible serves nine named markets today (US, UK, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, South Africa, Netherlands) and announced expansion into eleven additional markets across Europe, Asia, and Africa, targeting to more than double global membership within three years.

Name

Audible

Legal name

Audible Inc.

Website

https://audible.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Audible, a wholly-owned Amazon subsidiary, is a spoken-word audio streaming platform serving more than a million individual subscribers worldwide with over one million audiobooks, premium Wondery+ podcasts, and exclusive Audible Originals across two subscription tiers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audiobook and Podcast Streaming

NAICS

Sound Recording Industries (5122), Record Production and Distribution (51225)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiobook & Spoken-Word Streaming Platforms (MPAIADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audiobook Retail & Subscription Platforms (Direct-to-Consumer) (MPAJAIAD), Exclusive/Original Audio Content Studios (Audio Originals, Serialized Audio) (MPAJAIAF), Enterprise Audio Publishing & Private Podcast Platforms (MPAIADAI), Audiobook Publishers (Trade & Consumer) (MPAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Audiobook streaming
• Podcast subscription
• Digital audiobooks
• Audio content platform
• Spoken-word entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue (Standard): Standard subscription at $8.99/month offering one audiobook credit per month plus unlimited access to Audible Originals and Wondery+ podcasts. Users do not permanently own titles; access is lost upon cancellation.
2. Subscription Revenue (Premium Plus): Premium Plus subscription at $14.95/month offering multiple audiobooks per month plus credits to purchase titles from the full catalog. Titles are permanently owned even after cancellation. Credits rollover month to month.
3. Amazon Music Bundle: Audible audiobook library included with Amazon Music Unlimited subscription at no additional cost, driving subscriber acquisition through Amazon's music ecosystem.
4. Individual Audiobook Sales: Direct purchase of individual audiobooks at full price for both Standard and Premium members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Audible is a subscription-based digital audiobook and podcast streaming platform providing access to over 1 million audiobook titles and approximately 700 premium podcast titles through monthly membership tiers. The platform offers Audible Standard ($8.99/month) and Premium Plus ($14.95/month) subscriptions that provide monthly audiobook credits, access to Audible Originals and Wondery+ content, and offline listening capabilities. It also operates ACX, a marketplace connecting authors and narrators for audiobook production, with over 40,000 AI-narrated titles using more than 160 AI voices and dialects.

Product overview

Audible is an audiobook and podcast streaming platform owned by Amazon, offering two primary membership tiers: Audible Standard ($8.99/month) provides one audiobook per month with access to Audible Originals and Wondery+ content, while Audible Premium Plus ($14.95/month) offers the same benefits with permanent ownership of purchased titles. The platform features over 1 million audiobook titles and approximately 700 premium podcast titles. Key products include ACX (audiobook creation marketplace with 40,000+ AI-narrated titles), Wondery+ (now consolidated into Audible following Amazon's acquisition), Audible Originals (exclusive celebrity content), Read & Listen (Kindle-eBook synchronization feature), Audible Rewards (loyalty program), Audible Theater (Off Broadway productions), and Audible Story House (pop-up experiential venue). Audible also produces microdrama content in India (Books Wala Love) and offers bundled audiobook access through Amazon Music Unlimited. The platform offers AI-narrated audiobooks using 160+ voices and dialects, with listeners having streamed over 50 million minutes of AI-generated content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange): Platform connecting authors, publishers, and narrators for audiobook production and distribution
• Audible Theater
• Audible Rewards

Products and services

• Audible Standard subscription Entry-level subscription at $8.99/month offering one audiobook credit per month plus unlimited access to Audible Originals and nearly 200 popular Wondery+ podcast titles. Subscribers lose access to audiobooks upon cancellation.
• Audible Premium Plus subscription Premium subscription at $14.95/month offering one audiobook credit per month plus access to Audible Originals and Wondery+ content. Titles purchased with credits are kept permanently even after cancellation, and credits roll over month to month.
• ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) Marketplace platform connecting authors, publishers, and narrators for audiobook production and distribution. Audible has released over 40,000 AI-narrated titles through its ACX program.
• Audible Originals Exclusive original audio content featuring celebrity creators including podcasts like Dr. Death and Hysterical, plus exclusive memoir content and narrative productions.
• Audible Theater Off Broadway live theatrical programming at Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City, produced in partnership with Sonia Friedman and Hugh Jackman. Live performances are recorded and released as Audible Originals.
• Audible Story House Month-long pop-up bookless bookstore and listening lounge at 260 Bowery in New York City (May 1-31, 2026) featuring physical Story Tiles for browsing 300+ audio titles, Dolby Atmos lounge, café, and live events.
• Books Wala Love Five-episode microdrama series launched by Audible India in March 2026, marking entry into short-form storytelling format for mobile-first audiences, starring Bookstagram creators Gunjan Saini and Bhagyashree Limaye.
• Wondery+ podcast subscription Premium podcast subscription service originally under Wondery brand, consolidated into the Audible platform following Amazon's $300 million acquisition in 2020 and the shutdown of the standalone Wondery app in 2026.
• Amazon Music Integration Bundle giving Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers access to Audible's selection of over 1 million audiobook titles at no additional cost.

Quantifiable outcome

• Users who combine reading and listening consume nearly twice as much content per month compared to audiobook-only users
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• Please and Thanks ProductionsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026New podcast production company founded by former Pineapple Street Studios executives Joel Lovell and Henry Molofsky secured partnerships with Audible Originals for several projects including debut series Manifesto! by Dan Taberski. Partnership reflects continued appetite for narrative audio storytelling.
• Paper Kite ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Amy Poehler's Paper Kite Productions partnered with Please and Thanks Productions for podcast projects including Manifesto! series on Audible Originals.
• The History ChannelstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Co-produced Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise podcast series with Barack Obama, Malcolm Gladwell, Higher Ground, Pushkin Industries, and Audible. Eight-episode series exploring Reconstruction Era debuted exclusively on Audible June 4, 2026 before wide release June 18.
• Higher GroundstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Barack Obama's Higher Ground production company co-produced Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise podcast with Audible, The History Channel, and Pushkin Industries.
• Pushkin IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Malcolm Gladwell's Pushkin Industries partnered with Audible, Higher Ground, and The History Channel for Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise podcast.
• Apple PodcastscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 May 2026Audible launched connected subscription partnership with Apple Podcasts enabling existing Audible members to stream approximately 700 premium podcast titles directly within the Apple Podcasts app at no extra cost. Service live for US and UK members with expansion to Australia, Japan, and Canada planned for June 2026. Provides ad-free access to Audible Originals including Dr. Death and Hysterical.
• Land to SeaminorOthers · 30 April 2026Brooklyn-based Land to Sea operates the café at Audible Story House pop-up bookless bookstore in New York City.
• Broadway Video EnterprisesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Audible and Broadway Video partnership producing multiple Originals including Heads Will Roll: Heir Apparent featuring Kate McKinnon, continuing the collaboration that produced the 2019 overnight hit first season.
• British AirwaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2026British Airways became first UK airline to integrate Audible's library into in-flight entertainment system with over 250 hours of spoken-word content. Partnership includes free two-month trial offer for new Audible users as incentive to continue service after flight.
• Amazon Music UnlimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2024Audible's audiobook catalog of over 1 million titles included with Amazon Music Unlimited subscription at no additional cost. Publishers indicated this bundling approach won't decrease revenue for rights holders, unlike Spotify's bundling move.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Amazon Music: Amazon Music Unlimited bundles Audible's audiobook catalog at no additional cost, making it a sister service rather than a pure competitor. However, it represents Amazon's broader audio strategy and determines how Audible's catalog is positioned, priced, and prioritized across Amazon's media portfolio.
• Google Play Books: Google Play Books sells audiobooks and ebooks within the broader Google ecosystem, leveraging Android distribution and Google search discovery. It is a broad incumbent rather than an audio-first specialist, but it competes for audiobook consumer spend and offers subscription access to a sizable catalog.

Direct peers

• Spotify: Spotify is Audible's most direct competitor in audiobooks and podcasts, growing its audiobook catalog from 150,000 to 700,000 titles in two years and bundling audiobooks with its music subscription. Both compete for the same listener time and wallet, but Spotify has a larger global user base, freemium funnel, and music-personalization data advantage.
• Apple Books / Apple Podcasts: Apple Books sells audiobooks and ebooks while Apple Podcasts is the dominant podcast listening app on iOS. Apple is both a partner (via the Audible connected subscription) and a competitor with native audiobook purchasing and a curated podcast ecosystem that reaches hundreds of millions of iOS users.
• Kobo: Kobo sells audiobooks and ebooks through its own storefront and via partnerships with independent booksellers worldwide. It competes with Audible by emphasizing DRM-free options and bookstore partnerships, and it has a larger international footprint in markets where Kobo is the default ebook store.
• Storytel: Storytel is a leading audiobook and ebook subscription service with strong presence in Scandinavia, Europe, India, the Middle East, and other international markets. It is a direct audiobook subscription peer to Audible outside the US, with localized content libraries in 30+ languages.
• Libro.fm: Libro.fm is a D2C audiobook subscription service positioned as the independent-bookstore alternative to Audible. It offers one credit per month, emphasizes permanent audiobook ownership, and routes a share of revenue to local bookstores, directly competing for members who value ownership and indie-aligned values.

Regional players

• BookBeat: BookBeat is a European audiobook and ebook streaming service owned by Bonnier, operating primarily in Germany, Sweden, and other Northern European markets. It is comparable to Audible as a subscription audiobook platform but with a regional focus and editorial-led local content.

Emerging players

• Chirp: Chirp sells discounted audiobooks without a subscription model, competing on price rather than catalog depth. It is a smaller, deal-driven alternative to Audible's subscription approach and appeals to occasional audiobook buyers who do not want a monthly commitment.
• Scribd: Scribd offers an all-you-can-read subscription spanning ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and documents. It overlaps with Audible in audiobook access but targets readers who want cross-format unlimited consumption rather than a credit-based purchase model, appealing to a more casual, multi-format audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/12227
• Xx.com/audible_com
• Facebookfacebook.com/audible

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Audible