Spotify Expands Audiobook Access with New Audiobooks+ Plan in the U.S.

Spotify is ramping up its audiobook game by finally rolling out its Audiobooks+ plan in the United States. It costs $11.99 monthly and offers users specifically those on Spotify Family or Duo plans a long-overdue addition: 15 hours of audiobook listening per month for all members of a household, not only the main account holder. The development marks Spotify's increasing aspirations to play not only in the music and podcast space but in the lucrative audiobook business as well.

Spotify for Family and Duo Users

Spotify first launched audiobooks on its American platform in 2022, but there was one big caveat only the main plan purchaser could take advantage of audiobook benefits. Family and Duo members were excluded from the picture, even when they paid for a Premium subscription shared by everyone in the household. That is now changing with the introduction of Audiobooks+. Spotify currently enables all household members on an enlisted plan to discover and listen to the audiobook selection, thanks to a feature known as "Audiobooks+ for Plan Members."

This change is not simply a technical solution it's a considerable enlargement that makes the audiobook experience accessible to millions of users on shared accounts. Whether you're an occasional listener or a devoted audiobook enthusiast, the extra hours will provide users with more flexibility without each person having to buy individual plans.

How Audiobooks+ Works and Who It's For

Under the Audiobooks+ subscription, members get an additional 15 hours of audiobook listening on top of the existing 15 hours they already get with their Premium subscription. Premium users currently have access to 15 hours of audiobooks each month, and they can buy extra hours when necessary. With the new addition, listeners get essentially 30 hours of audiobook listening each month a compelling upgrade for avid readers and families.

Image Credits:Spotify

Whereas 30 hours is perhaps more than plenty for intermittent listeners, Spotify is after its most committed user base those who consume Spotify not only for music and podcasts but as their default source of stories, novels, and self-help books. The Audiobooks+ plan guarantees that customers no longer need to sacrifice family-sharing advantages for individual listening liberty.

Growing Beyond the U.S. Borders

While the U.S. launch of Audiobooks+ is a significant event, Spotify has already launched this feature in other markets abroad. Ireland, Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein have access to Audiobooks+, demonstrating Spotify's plan to roll this feature out worldwide.

The wider release honors previous commitments made by publishing titan HarperCollins, which reported in December that Spotify was actively addressing the years-long problem that prevented family members from accessing audiobooks under shared plans. CEO Brian Murray had then assured that a technical solution was being developed, and Spotify has now fulfilled that pledge.

Spurring Revenue in the Midst of Financial Pressures

The timing of this launch also reveals a lot. Spotify just went through a difficult quarter, coming in short of revenue estimates and providing disappointing forward guidance. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek attributed much of it to an weaker ad business. Adding to the woes, DoorDash poached Spotify's ads head, further spurring the company's leadership flux in a key department.

But there is a silver lining. The platform saw an 11% quarter-to-quarter rise in active users, which stood at 696 million, and paid subscribers went up 12% to 276 million during Q2 2025. These numbers indicate that Spotify's base is faithful and growing, allowing the company some leeway to test new monetization models such as Audiobooks+ to increase per-user revenue without necessarily having to grow ad load.

Audiobook Listening is on the Upswing

Spotify will not publicly report the number of Premium listeners who are devouring audiobooks, but it can tell what's happening behind the scenes: audiobook listening minutes are up over 35% year-over-year in the U.S., U.K., and Australia markets. And that's not even counting the launch of Audiobooks+ in those territories.

This increase in activity definitely indicates that consumers are increasingly interested in utilizing Spotify as a single-stop entertainment destination. Already, users are looking to the platform for music and podcasts; audiobooks are the next natural progression. As audiobook listening increasingly goes mainstream, Spotify is poised to reap a significant chunk of that demand particularly as it more seamlessly integrates audiobooks into family and Duo plans.

Subscription Price Increase and Future Plans

Spotify's announcement of the rollout of Audiobooks+ follows hot on the heels of a major change: a price hike in several regions. Subscription prices are going up from €10.99 to €11.99 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region, starting this month. The price rise is a clear sign that Spotify is keen to grow average revenue per user (ARPU), probably to offset its disappointing ad business.

Also, Spotify hinted at upcoming bookworm expansions, such as the potential for selling audiobooks directly. This would further set Spotify apart from the likes of Audible by giving readers flexible buying options instead of subscription-only access.

Spotify's introduction of Audiobooks+ in the United States is more than just a feature launch it's a strategic shift that reinforces its value proposition in a rapidly competitive streaming environment. By allowing all family members access to audiobooks, the company is breaking down barriers, increasing user satisfaction, and opening up new revenue streams.

As Spotify continues to evolve from a music app to a multi-format content platform, offerings like Audiobooks+ will play a key role in keeping users engaged and paying for the long haul.