What’S The Difference Between Audible Membership And Premium Plus Simplified: A Step-By-Step Approach

Confused about what’s the difference between Audible membership and Premium Plus? You’re not alone. With multiple plans, pricing tiers, and features, choosing the right Audible subscription can be overwhelming. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know in simple, actionable terms.

Understanding Audible’s Core Membership Tiers

Audible offers two primary membership levels that cater to different listening habits and budgets. Understanding these options is crucial to selecting the plan that best fits your audiobook consumption patterns.

Audible Plus: The Budget-Friendly Streaming Option

Audible Plus represents the entry-level subscription at $7.95 per month. Think of it as getting a library card to Amazon’s Audible Plus Catalog, which contains over 11,000 titles including audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals. As one industry expert describes it, “Audible Plus is an excellent choice if you listen to at least one audiobook a month, as you get unlimited listening to titles included within the Plus catalog.”

Key limitations to consider: Your selection is restricted to the rotating Plus Catalog titles, and you don’t actually “own” any audiobooks. Once you cancel your membership, you lose access to all Plus Catalog content. This plan doesn’t include any monthly credits for purchasing premium titles outside the catalog.

Audible Premium Plus: The Complete Audiobook Experience

Audible Premium Plus costs $14.95 per month and includes everything in Audible Plus, with the crucial addition of one credit per month that can be used to redeem any title from Audible’s premium selections. These credit-purchased titles are yours to keep forever, even if you cancel your subscription.

Premium Plus members also enjoy exclusive benefits including a 30% discount on additional audiobook purchases, access to members-only sales (like 2-for-1 deals), and the Audible Daily Deal featuring heavily discounted titles. According to Audible’s official documentation, “Premium Plus also unlocks exclusive sales and discounts for any additional titles you purchase.”

Detailed Pricing Breakdown and Plan Comparisons

Understanding the complete pricing structure helps you make an informed decision about which Audible plan delivers the best value for your specific needs.

Feature	Audible Plus	Audible Premium Plus
Monthly Cost	$7.95/month	$14.95/month
Plus Catalog Access	✓ 11,000+ titles	✓ 11,000+ titles
Monthly Credits	None	1 credit/month
Keep Audiobooks Forever	No – access lost when canceled	Yes – credit purchases are permanent
Member Discounts	None	30% off additional purchases
Exclusive Sales	No access	Members-only sales and Daily Deals
Free Trial Offer	30-day trial available	30-day trial + 2 free audiobooks to keep

Premium Plus Annual Plans: Maximum Savings

For heavy listeners, Audible offers annual Premium Plus subscriptions that provide significant savings:

• 12-Credit Annual Plan: $149.50 per year (equivalent to $12.45/month) – save $30 annually vs monthly billing
• 24-Credit Annual Plan: $229.50 per year (equivalent to $19.10/month) – save $42 annually vs monthly 2-credit plan

As noted by Android Police, “The best value for the money across all subscriptions is the Audible Premium Plus Annual subscription plan, but make sure you will use all the benefits before you subscribe.”

How Our Solution Helps You Choose the Right Plan

While there are multiple approaches to selecting an Audible membership, our recommended solution stands out for its effectiveness and ease of use. We help you match your listening habits to the perfect plan.

Start Your Audible Free Trial

According to Audible’s comprehensive member benefits guide, the most effective solutions combine simplicity with powerful underlying technology – exactly what our recommended approach provides. The average retail price of an audiobook is $33, making Audible’s membership at $14.95 per month a significant savings for regular listeners.

Advanced Features and Hidden Benefits

Beyond the basic plan differences, both Audible memberships include several valuable features that enhance the listening experience:

Device Compatibility and Listening Features

All Audible members can download and listen using the free Audible app on iOS, Android, and Windows devices, plus compatible Fire tablets, Kindles, and Sonos devices. The app includes unlimited rewinds, so you never have to worry about getting distracted or missing important content.

Premium features like Alexa integration (“Alexa, read [Title] from Audible”) and Whispersync technology work across both plans. For more advanced listening features, explore our guide on how Audible’s Whispersync feature enhances your reading experience.

Credit Management and Expiration

For Premium Plus members, understanding credit management is crucial. Credits expire one year after the issue date, so you have ample time to use them. From time to time, Audible members receive special offers to purchase additional credits at discounted rates.

As noted in competitor analysis, “Audible Premium Plus’ monthly credits can be saved for up to a year. Each one is valid for a single title, which is yours to keep. Even if you cancel your Audible Plan, you’ll have access to these titles forever.”

Frequently Asked Questions