TL;DR
- Spotify now extends audiobook access to Premium Family and Duo members.
- Two new plans launched: Audiobooks+ and Audiobooks+ for Plan Members.
- Available in Europe, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Members can request access and buy hourly top-ups.
- U.S. expansion planned later, with broader AI narration capabilities in development.
Family and Duo Plans Get Audiobook Boost
Spotify has officially expanded its audiobooks service to include Premium Family and Duo members, a move expected to reshape how households consume long-form audio content. This marks the first time shared account holders will receive individual audiobook access across select markets, broadening the reach of Spotify’s rapidly growing audiobook segment.
As part of the new initiative, Premium subscribers in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein now have access to two audiobook-centric upgrades.
Inside Spotify’s Two New Audiobook Plans
The two newly launched options are called:
- Audiobooks+ – Available to account managers on Premium, Family, or Duo plans. It adds 15 extra hours of audiobook listening per month to the base 15-hour allotment already included in Spotify Premium.
- Audiobooks+ for Plan Members – Allows family and duo members (not just the plan holder) to enjoy 15 audiobook hours per month after the main account owner purchases the add-on.
The features were tested previously in Ireland and Canada, and the rollout follows Spotify’s broader effort to grow audiobook engagement as a differentiator from competitors like Audible, which still charges by book.
Spotify users can request access from their plan administrator. Once granted, they may also purchase one-time 10-hour top-ups if they exceed their monthly allotment before the next billing cycle.
“This upgrade transforms Spotify from a solo experience to a family-wide audiobook platform,” said Spotify in its feature announcement.
Audiobook Usage and Growth
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Spotify’s audiobook catalog size (2025) | 375,000+ titles | Spotify |
| Listening hours per user under new plans | 30 hours (Audiobooks+), 15 hours (Family/Duo) | TechCrunch |
| Audiobook access countries | 11 markets | TechCrunch |
| U.S. audiobook add-on | 15-hour standalone plan | Spotify Audiobooks Access Plan |
Differentiating from Audible: Hour-Based vs. Title-Based Access
Unlike Amazon’s Audible, where users typically pay per audiobook or use a credit system, Spotify allows users to purchase listening time. This model encourages trial-based listening, especially for users unsure about committing to full-length titles.
The platform’s time-based structure reduces the risk of buyer’s remorse for unfinished titles. According to Spotify’s Help Center, unused hours don’t roll over, so users are incentivized to experiment more widely with different genres and authors.
Publisher Partnerships and Technical Fixes
The audiobook expansion was first hinted at by HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray during a 2024 conference, where he disclosed that Spotify was resolving a “technical issue” limiting audiobook access to the credit card holder of family plans.
Now resolved, the update opens new monetization and engagement opportunities for publishers and Spotify alike. The music and podcast giant continues to make publishing deals with major houses like HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Hachette.
AI Narration and Multilingual Strategy in Pipeline
Spotify is also pushing into AI-generated narration. During its latest earnings call, the company said it was working with ElevenLabs to auto-narrate books and translate them into multiple languages, opening up access for non-English-speaking audiences.
This AI-forward approach could enable Spotify to scale its audiobook library without the time and cost of human narration. In markets like India and Germany, where audiobook demand is rising but localization remains limited, this could be a major edge.
“AI will enable us to bring more books to more people faster than ever,” Spotify stated in its Q2 2025 call.
U.S. Launch Plans and Pricing Transparency
While U.S. users already have access to the Audiobooks Access Plan (15 hours for a monthly fee), the newly announced Audiobooks+ plans for families will arrive later, according to a TechCrunch interview with Spotify.
Spotify has not disclosed exact pricing, as costs vary by region. Interested users are encouraged to visit the Spotify Audiobooks portal for market-specific rates and plan activation.
Final Thoughts: Audiobooks Are Spotify’s Next Growth Engine
Spotify’s expansion of audiobook functionality across family and duo plans underscores its ambition to become a multi-format content platform, covering music, podcasts, and long-form books under one subscription roof. As it leverages AI, publisher partnerships, and flexible pricing, the company could significantly grow its share of the global audiobook market, estimated to surpass $35 billion by 2030.
