Spotify is no longer just a place for music and podcasts. The service now also offers a large catalog of over 700,000 audiobook titles. If you have an eligible Premium plan, you can get access to the audiobook catalog at no extra cost through monthly audiobook listening time included with your subscription. You can use these hours across different titles, but once they run out, you need to wait until the next billing cycle to refresh them. You can also buy audiobooks separately through the Spotify Web Player.
If you already use Spotify, the audiobook experience feels familiar. In this guide, we will explain everything you need to know about Spotify audiobooks, including how to get, find, buy, download, and convert Spotify audiobooks for offline listening, as well as the key rules of audiobook listening time.
Part 1. How Do Spotify Audiobooks Work?
Audiobooks on Spotify are part of the same app as music and podcasts, but they follow a separate system. Instead of unlimited streaming, access depends on your plan or individual purchase.
Most Premium plans include monthly audiobook listening time. In the US, this is usually around 15 hours per month for eligible plans. These hours apply across all included audiobooks. Spotify tracks listening by time, so every minute counts.
When you reach the limit, playback for included titles stops until the next billing cycle resets your hours. You can then continue listening or buy extra time or individual titles.
What is Spotify Audiobooks?
Spotify Audiobooks is a feature inside Spotify that lets you listen to audiobooks in the same app as music and podcasts. It includes a catalog of titles across genres like fiction, self-help, and history depending on region and plan.
How do listening hours work?
Spotify Audiobooks uses a monthly listening-hour system for eligible Premium plans. Most users get around 15 hours per month depending on plan and region. Hours are used whenever you play an audiobook and are based on total playback duration, not time spent in the app.
Does playback speed or rewinding affect hours?
Playback speed does not change usage. Even at 1.5x or 2x, Spotify still deducts the full audiobook duration. Audiobook hours often run out faster than expected because Spotify counts full playback time, including repeated listening. Replaying or revisiting sections can use hours faster than a straight listen.
Do audiobook hours reset every month?
Audiobook hours reset at the start of each billing cycle. Unused hours do not carry over, and users receive a fresh monthly allocation regardless of prior usage.
What happens when you run out of hours?
When audiobook hours are used up, audiobook playback stops until the next reset. In some regions, users can buy extra hours. Otherwise, they must wait for the next cycle.
Can you finish long audiobooks in one month?
Many audiobooks exceed the monthly limit, especially longer titles. Users may need to continue in the next month, buy extra hours, or switch platforms for uninterrupted listening.
Part 2. How to Get Access to Spotify Audiobooks
Access to audiobooks on Spotify depends on your plan.
Premium users, including Duo or Family plan managers, get 15 hours of audiobook listening per month from a catalog of over 700,000 titles. These hours reset monthly and do not roll over. Free users do not get included listening hours. They can still browse audiobooks and buy titles through the Spotify Web Player. Purchased audiobooks unlock in the app for playback.
If you run out of hours, you can buy extra listening time with the Audiobooks+ add-on or purchase titles individually. In the US, there is also an Audiobook Access plan with 15 hours per month for $9.99 after a free trial, but it does not include full Premium features.
Get Spotify Premium (15 hours of audiobook listening)
01Open the Spotify app or go to Spotify in your browser, then sign in to your account.
02Tap your profile icon, then go to Account > Your Plan to check your current subscription.
03Select Get Premium Individual, or upgrade to a Duo or Family plan if you are the plan manager.
04Complete the payment steps, then return to the Spotify app once your plan is active.
05Tap Search in the app, then select Audiobooks to open the audiobook section and browse available titles included with your monthly listening time.
Get Spotify Audiobooks Access (15 hours of audiobook listening)
01Open a browser and sign in to your Spotify account.
02Go to your account page and open Your Plan, then check if the Audiobooks Access plan is available in your region.
03Select Get Started, then follow the steps to confirm your subscription and payment.
04After activation, open the Spotify app and tap Search > Audiobooks to access the audiobook catalog.
05Start listening to any title, keeping in mind that you get 15 hours of listening time per month, which resets automatically each billing cycle and does not carry over.
Get Spotify Audiobooks+ Add-On (extra listening hours)
01Open the Spotify app, then tap your profile icon and go to Settings and privacy.
02Tap Account, then open Your Plan.
03Select Manage plan or Add-ons, then choose Audiobooks+ if it is available for your account.
04Confirm the purchase and return to the app after the add-on is active.
05Go to Search > Audiobooks again to continue listening, noting that the extra hours are added to your monthly audiobook time and reset together at the start of each billing cycle.
Part 3. How to Find Audiobooks on Spotify
To find audiobooks, open the app and go to Search, then tap Audiobooks under Browse All. This opens the audiobook catalog in Spotify, with titles across genres, though availability varies by region and plan. You will see rows like Trending, Recommended for You, and genre sections such as romance, mystery, sci-fi, history, and self-help.
You can browse genres or scroll through curated rows to explore titles. To find a specific book, use the Search bar and enter a title or author. Tap any result to open its detail page.
At the top, you will see Play if it is included in Premium or Buy if it requires purchase. Below are the description, narrator info, ratings, and a Chapters section. Open Chapters to view all parts, then tap any chapter to start playback from that point.
For Desktop:
01Open the Spotify desktop app and sign in to your account.
02Click Search in the left sidebar.
03Click Audiobooks under Browse, or type the audiobook title or author in the search bar.
04Press Enter to see results and browse available titles or collections.
05Click an audiobook from the results to open its page and view details like description and narrator.
For Mobile:
01Open the Spotify app and log in to your account.
02Tap the Search icon at the bottom of the screen.
03Tap Audiobooks under Browse All, or use the search bar.
04Enter the audiobook title or author and tap Search.
05Tap an audiobook to open its page and view details or start playback.
Part 4. How to Buy Audiobooks on Spotify
On Spotify, audiobooks are purchased through the web player, while the app is used for listening after purchase. On the audiobook page, you will see either Play or Buy Audiobook depending on access. Some titles show Included in Premium, while others show a price and no Play button.
Tap Buy to open the checkout page in your browser. You will see the price, payment method, and a confirm button. After confirmation, return to Spotify and the audiobook is added to Your Library under Audiobooks. The Buy button then changes to Play.
For Desktop & Mobile (via Spotify Web Player):
01Open a web browser and go to Spotify, then sign in to your account.
02Use the search bar to enter the audiobook title or author, or browse the Audiobooks section if available.
03Click an audiobook from the results to open its details page.
04Check the page for pricing and availability, since some titles are included with Premium listening time while others must be purchased.
05Click Buy to open the checkout page, then confirm your account and payment details.
06Click Complete purchase to finish and add the audiobook to your library.
Part 5. How to Listen to Audiobooks on Spotify
You can listen to audiobooks on Spotify across supported devices, including mobile, desktop, tablets, smart TVs, and car systems. Open Your Library and switch to Audiobooks, then tap a title to open the player. The playback screen shows a play button, a progress bar, and controls for chapters, speed, and sleep timer. Open Chapters to see all sections and tap any chapter to jump directly, along with other features:
- Sleep timer: Set a timer to stop playback automatically after a set time or at the end of a chapter;
- Playback speed control: Change speed to listen faster or slower;
- Chapter navigation: Jump back or forward 15 seconds in the book;
- Offline downloads: Download audiobooks for offline listening;
- Cross-device syncing: Sync progress across devices and continue where you left off;
- Mini player: Minimize the player while keeping audio playing;
For Desktop:
01Open the Spotify desktop app and sign in to your account.
02Click Your Library in the left sidebar.
03Select Audiobooks to view your saved titles.
04Click an audiobook to open its page.
05Press Play or choose a chapter to start listening.
06Use the playback bar to pause, skip chapters, or change speed if available.
For Mobile:
01Open the Spotify app and log in to your account.
02Tap Your Library at the bottom of the screen.
03Tap Audiobooks in your library.
04Tap an audiobook to open its page.
05Tap Play to start listening.
06Use playback controls to pause or move between chapters.
Part 6. How to Download Spotify Audiobooks for Offline Listening
To download audiobooks in Spotify, open an audiobook from your library or search results and tap the Download icon on the detail page. The download starts immediately and shows progress until it finishes.
To view downloads, go to Your Library and open the Downloaded or Offline filter. All saved audiobooks appear in one list. Tap a downloaded title to play it in Offline Mode. Listening time still counts if the title uses Premium hours.
For Desktop:
01Open the Spotify desktop app and sign in to your account.
02Go to Your Library, then select Audiobooks.
03Click the audiobook you want to download.
04Click the Download button.
05Wait for the download to finish.
06Open the audiobook again from Your Library to listen offline.
For Mobile:
01Open the Spotify app and log in to your account.
02Tap Your Library at the bottom of the screen.
03Tap Audiobooks in your library.
04Open the audiobook you want to download.
05Tap the Download icon.
06Wait for the download to complete.
07Play it from Your Library even without internet.
Part 7. How to Convert Spotify Audiobooks to MP3
If you find yourself hitting the limit of 15 hours of listening time on Spotify and want to keep your audiobooks permanently without purchasing more listening time, you can bypass these restrictions by converting your Spotify audiobooks to MP3 format. ViWizard Spotify Converter is a powerful tool that can help you achieve this, whether you're a Premium user or have unlocked titles.
The ViWizard Spotify Converter is a versatile and user-friendly tool designed to extract audio files from various content on Spotify, including music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Whether you're a Premium subscriber or have unlocked titles, this tool offers enhanced control over your audiobook collection.
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Conclusion:
Ready to explore audiobooks on Spotify? Start by browsing through their extensive collection and discovering your next favorite title. Whether you're a Premium subscriber or new to Spotify's audiobook offerings, ViWizard Spotify Downloader can enhance your experience by unlocking offline access. Try it today and immerse yourself in the world of audiobooks like never before!
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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