If you have been following my articles for a while, it is no surprise that I am a huge proponent of audiobooks. I started my audiobook journey with Audible. A friend shared a coupon for three months of free Audible subscription, I decided to give it a try, and the rest was history. There was this book that I desperately wanted to read, but I needed access to an affordable copy of the book. As luck would have it, I found that the audiobook version of this book was available on Audible, and I could access it with my free credit and did just that. I let go of my skepticism towards audiobooks and embraced it wholeheartedly from that moment onwards. I started my audiobook journey in January 2021 and have listened to over 100 audiobooks.
Audible Review
Audiobooks have changed my reading habits (or listening habits for the better). Earlier, I used to have to take time away from my books to do mundane everyday stuff like work, cook, clean, etc., but now I can work around that stuff while listening to my favorite book of the moment, thereby making a boring task seem not so tedious. Since I am a fervent advocate for all things audiobooks, I would be looking for apps that will help me access audiobooks ā enter Audible. Audible was my first introduction to the world of audiobooks and so allow me to convince you to become users of this app as I list down the reasons why by way of this article. You can start using Audible for free here! š§ (Get Free Audiobooks!)
Start Your Audible Journey
Download the Audible app onto your chosen device, sign up for the free trial, and log in using your Amazon account (or create a new one if you donāt have an existing account). By default, youāll get a single audiobook for free and if you have Amazon Prime membership youāll get two audiobooks for free with this trial. If you need clarification on committing to any membership, you can use it to listen to the numerous free audiobooks and podcasts that do not require membership for access. Apart from that, if youāre interested in starting a membership, Audible offers an array of memberships that will leave you spoilt for choices. Beginning withĀ the Audible Plus Plan, which allows you to listen to thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, andĀ Audible Originals, and also get access to theĀ Audible Plus Catalog. Then there is theĀ Audible Premium Plus Plan, with which you get 1 credit every month. You can use this credit to buy any title; the best thing is this title will be yours forever, even if you cancel the membership. Along with this, you get access to everything under theĀ Audible Plus Catalog.Ā
Apart from this, Audible also offersĀ Premium Plus MembershipsĀ for a premium experience. Starting with theĀ Audible Premium Plus Plan ā 2 CreditsĀ is a monthly plan that will give you 2 credits. Along with access to theĀ Audible Plus Catalog, you get access to exclusive sales and 30% off on all additional premium selection purchases. If youāre looking for an annual plan, fret not. Audible offers two annual plans:Ā The Audible Premium Plus Annual Plan ā 12 CreditsĀ and theĀ Audible Premium Plus Annual Plan ā 24 credits. These plans provide everything mentioned above and the respective number of credits mentioned in their titles. All of these plans offer a 30-day trial membership, and after the trial period, you can cancel your membership if you want to stop with the app. This does not remove the books you purchased using credit or money from your Library. They are yours to keep forever but make sure to use up all your credits before you cancel; otherwise, they will be gone, and you cannot get them back even if you restart your membership.
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Find Your Next Listen
Now that you have become an Audible member, you must kickstart your journey by finding your first audiobook. You can directly browse through theĀ HomeĀ page, which has a lot of recommendations across different genres. There are numerous popular and trending listens, and you can also explore other formats, such asĀ PodcastsĀ andĀ Audible Originals. You can also try theĀ DiscoverĀ page, as it has a list of categories that will help narrow the search for your subsequent listen. Such asĀ Self-help, Spirituality, Biographies, Business, Fiction, Teen & Young Adult, Classics, History, Politics, and Thriller. They are also sorted according to lengths, such asĀ Bitesize, Short, Long, and Epic. I am very picky when it comes to finding out my next listen.
I like to window shop a lot before I select the one. And Audible allows its users to be as fussy as they want. Select theĀ Browse by genreĀ option, and a list containing 24 genres opens up. The genres areĀ Arts & Entertainment, Biographies & Memoirs, Business & Careers, Childrenās Audiobooks, Comedy & Humor, Computers & Technology, Education & Learning, Health & Wellness, History, Home & Garden, LGBTQ+, Literature & Fiction, Mature Content, Money & Finance, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Parenting & Relationships, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Romance, Science & Engineering, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Sports & Outdoors, Teen & Young Adult, and Travel & Tourism. With such an endless list, one is bound to be spoilt for choices indeed!Ā
Hereās something I found out recently, you can search for categories within a category, mini inception of sorts. For example, I have selected theĀ Literature & FictionĀ option. There are more than 60,000 titles under this category alone. Obviously, I canāt go through all these titles, so I click on theĀ View all sub-categoriesĀ optionāmore categories dropdown with the number of titles available under each sub-category mentioned next to it. I selectĀ World LiteratureĀ next, and there are more sub-categories to sift through here too. And so you can continue until you have found your next listen or want to get an idea of all the titles present under each category.Ā
Get Extra With Audible Plus Catalogue
TheĀ Audible Plus CatalogueĀ has numerous audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals that you can listen to, and they do not require credit or money. These titles can be identified by the INCLUDED tag placed under them. Specific titles in the Plus Catalogue are only available for free for a short period, and you must finish listening to this book within that period. You can quickly identify these books by theĀ Included until xxxĀ option written below the title. Some titles are only available on Audible, and they are identified by a yellow tag diagonally placed on the bottom right-hand corner with the wordingĀ Only From Audible. These are exclusive to the app, and you can avail them using a credit or buy them at a discounted rate.
Audible Originals
Speaking of categories, Audible has a range of titles exclusive to it that are called theĀ Audible Originals.Ā There are over a hundred of these titles across different genres. They are included with your membership; you do not need to use credit or cash to buy them to listen to them. You can add them to your Library and listen. And you can add as many as you want; they are unlimited. There is a fantastic selection of original titles available by new as well as famous authors that you should take advantage of.
Binge Listen To Podcasts
One of the best things about getting an Audible membership is unlimited access to great podcasts. Their podcasts game is spot on, and there are innumerable ones available for you to listen to as you do your daily chores. The podcasts are split into categories such asĀ Popular Podcasts, Trending Podcasts, Editorās picks of podcasts, Fiction, Health & Wellness, Educational & Self Help, Arts & Entertainment, Sci-fi & Fantasy, and True Crime. Select the podcast that seems interesting to you andĀ followĀ it to get updated when new episodes are released. My favorite podcast of the moment isĀ The One With Friends Podcast, about the popular 90ās sitcom. I have been binge-listening to the episodes, and you can do it, too, once you have found your favorite podcast.
Whatās In Your Library?
Once you have bought a book, it is immediately added to your Library. Like a physical library, you can sort and categorize the titles in your Audible Library using the available options. The titles in the Library can be accessed underĀ AudiobooksĀ orĀ PodcastsĀ separately or as a whole. To help you keep track of your listening, you can segregate the Library into titles that you havenāt started yet, titles that you are listening to at the moment, titles that you have downloaded, and titles that you have finished using theĀ Not Started, In Progress, Downloaded,Ā andĀ FinishedĀ options, respectively. If youāre someone who likes to keep their Library in a particular order, you can use the Filter option to arrange the titles according toĀ Release Date, Length, Title, Author, Narrator, and Recent. You can start using Audible free trial here! š§
Create A Collection
Another thing you can do is sort the titles in your Library into different collections. I listen to many memoirs, so I created a collection called My Favorite Memoirs for the ones I loved. Likewise, you can create as many collections as you want for audiobooks. To add the audiobooks to theĀ Collections, select the audiobook and click on the three dots next to it. A list opens up, and then you selectĀ Add toĀ and add it to an existing collection or create a new one. Type the name you want the collection to be called, and add a description if you like.
Now you have a way to easily access books without having to sift through your whole Library. You can also browse through collections created by other users and save them to your Library. Thereās also an option to save the audiobooks that you liked to theĀ FavouritesĀ collection. Just click onĀ Add to Favourites, and it will get saved toĀ Favourites. Similarly, to curb the clutter in your Library, you can use theĀ ArchiveĀ option to archive the titles that you find irrelevant. I use this option a lot as I crave order, especially with my books. You can access the archived titles underĀ Collections.
Authors & Genres
Under theĀ AuthorsĀ option, the authors of the audiobooks in your Library are listed. By clicking on any authorās name, you can explore all the authorās books available on Audible. If you like an authorās book, you can directly check out their other works without having to type out their name on the search box every time, and itās a time saver. Whatās more, you can also separate it according toĀ the BestsellingĀ andĀ Release DateĀ so that you have an idea of what you want to listen to next.
Using theĀ GenresĀ options in your Library, you can check out the genres you have listened to and find the ones you favor the most. I have preferredĀ Literature & FictionĀ andĀ Biographies & MemoirsĀ the most, which is reflected in my Library.
Make a Wishā¦.List
And the final option available in your Library is theĀ Wishlist. While browsing Audible, you may find a few titles that seem intriguing or ones youāve heard about. You are not sure of these audiobooks or do not have the credit to buy them at the moment but want to save them for future use. You can add the book to yourĀ WishlistĀ to take advantage of it so that the next time you get a new credit, you know what to spend it on! Just click on the title, and there is an option calledĀ More options; under it, selectĀ Add to Wishlist, and the book gets added to yourĀ Wishlist. You can access these audiobooks from both yourĀ LibraryĀ and yourĀ HomeĀ page.Ā
Title Display
When you are checking out an audiobook, it displays theĀ titleās ratings, the reviewsĀ left by previous listeners,Ā the authorĀ andĀ the narrator, the bookāsĀ time length, itsĀ purchase and discount rate, and other options likeĀ a wishlist. The display also includes aĀ summaryĀ of the audiobook and genreĀ tagsĀ that people associate with it. There is also a list of audiobookĀ suggestionsĀ you may enjoy for you to peruse through to your heartās content.
Customized Listening Experience
The Audible audiobook/podcast listening experience is excellent, as you can customize it according to your preference. You can pick and choose the narration speed for the audiobook to make it palatable to your auditory senses. The narration speed ranges fromĀ 0.50x to 3.50x. You can select theĀ SpeedĀ button and set and reset it accordingly. You can choose if you want the audiobook to appearĀ chapter-wiseĀ orĀ full-lengthĀ usingĀ Player Settings. When youāre listening to an audiobook and last paid attention to the story a while ago, you can restart the chapter by clicking the left arrow option or jump forward a chapter using the right arrow option. You can also customize the timings for theĀ jump forward and backĀ options.
If you love to write your thoughts on the pages of your book and feel like you are missing out on them when youāre listening to audiobooks, thereās a feature to help you do just that; theĀ BookmarkĀ feature. You can click onĀ BookmarkĀ at any point in the audiobook where you wish to express your thoughts and feelings and write aĀ Note. You can then access these notes by clicking on the top right-hand corner of the player and selectingĀ Bookmarks. Fall asleep listening to your favorite stories using AudibleāsĀ Sleep TimerĀ feature. Select the book of your choice and set theĀ Sleep TimerĀ according to your preferred time limit (thereās a choice between 5 minutes to an hour or till the end of the chapter. You can also custom set the time limit) and doze off as the narrator serenades you to sleep.
Rate, Review & Share
Once you finish listening to an audiobook, you canĀ Rate and ReviewĀ it. The rating is threefold- according to theĀ Performance, according to theĀ Story, and anĀ OverallĀ rating. You can also write aĀ book review andĀ a headline for your review. Rating and reviewing will help the subsequent listeners to make a choice. If you want to change your rating and reviews for a title, you can also edit it. Just click on the title you wish to edit, go toĀ Rate & ReviewĀ and selectĀ Edit review.
On that note, if you like the audiobook that youāre listening to at the moment, you can share it with your friends or family, who may also like it. You can help them start their audiobook journey or find their next listen. Just click on the title, select theĀ ShareĀ option, copy the link, and send it to the person in question. Your link will help them get aĀ free 30-day trialĀ if they do not have an Audible membership. Now thatās what is called being a true friend!
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Track Your Stats
If you like to keep track of your stats, head over toĀ Profile, and underĀ Achievements,Ā you will find everything you seek. First up isĀ Listening to Time. Keep track of how much time you have spent on the app. The data is split into four categories- Today, Daily, Monthly, and Total.Ā I have spent 6 Days and 16 Minutes on this app to date (almost a weekās worth of listening!). You can also find where you rank as a listener using Listening Level. There are five levels-Ā Newbie, Novice, Pro, Scholar, and Master. They all have different criteria to be fulfilled before reaching that level. Iām at Pro level at the momentā¦.. fingers are crossed for two more to go!
Collect Badges
Do you love badges? Yes! Then youāll love this Audible featureĀ Badge Collection. There are a total ofĀ 18 badgesĀ that are up for grabs. All you have to do to collect those badges are to complete the tasks that are assigned under each. I am the proud collector of 15 badges and am looking to have the last three badges under my belt by the yearās end. All these badges come with a cool limerick that explains what you need to do to achieve them. Once you have received the badges, you canĀ Brag about itā¦or not totally up to you.
Get The Best User Experience
You can play around with the settings and tailor them to suit your interests. You can change theĀ Download Quality, making it Wi-Fi or mobile data friendly. If you like to save storage space on your device, select theĀ Auto-removeĀ option, which will immediately remove the downloaded file once you listen to the audiobook. You can download the book as a whole or part by part using the Single part or Multi-part options. You can play around with theĀ PlayerĀ setting. Get undisrupted listening when you connect to the headset using theĀ Resume PlaybackĀ option. Suppose youāre using Audible across different devices. In that case, you canĀ Sync the Device PositionĀ so that you can seamlessly listen to the audiobook when using multiple devices without bringing it to the point you left off manually. Once you have finished listening to an audiobook, you can automatically listen to the next one in your Library using theĀ Continuous playbackĀ option. You can play around with theĀ ThemeĀ making the display light or dark according to your taste. If you hate havingĀ NotificationsĀ pop up on the screen every time, you can choose to disable them or enable the ones you want. You can start using Audible for free here! š§ You will get two free audiobooks if you are an Amazon Prime user as well.
Listen To Books While Driving
If you like listening to books while driving or traveling, you have to switch the Automatic Car Mode option on, and your device will instantly connect to the car via Bluetooth. Using this method, you can save valuable time that would have been spent trying to get everything set up. You can concentrate on enjoying your ride while listening to your favorite audiobook.Ā
Manage Your Membership
Using yourĀ Profile,Ā you can track how long you have been on this platform and how many titles and badges are to your name. It also reminds you when your following credit and membership payment is due so that you can decide to cancel or continue your membership accordingly. When you click onĀ Your Account, it opens a page with various options to manage your membership. You can manage yourĀ Payment MethodĀ directly by using the ChangeĀ or Edit Payment MethodĀ option to pay for your membership using your preferred payment mode.
Listening History & How To Return Your Audiobooks
If you like to note the audiobooks you have listened to throughout your Audible usage, you can go toĀ Listening History. The audiobooks you have heard will be arranged from past to recent. This list also includes the audiobooks that are not there in your Library anymore.Ā TheĀ Purchase HistoryĀ option lists all the titles you purchased on the Audible app with or without using credit. If you are interested in a book that you have bought using credit, you have the option toĀ ReturnĀ it.
The credit will be refunded, and you can use it to buy another book youāre interested in. But make a note to limit the number of books you return. Please do not abuse this feature, or else Audible will note it and restrict or cancel your return privileges. I speak from experience as it has happened to me. I returned a bunch of books within a short span of each other and used those credits to buy other books. My access to theĀ ReturnĀ policy was revoked; it took a long time before it was restored to me. Now, I take reasonable care to hold onto my Return privilege so I donāt lose it again.
Queries And Solutions
Audible ensures that their customers get all their queries answered with the help of theĀ Help & SupportĀ feature available inĀ Profile or Settings. Once you select the option, a host of topics appear, such asĀ Plus Catalogue, Returns, Cancel, and Library. Moreover, there is a list ofĀ frequently asked questionsĀ under the headingĀ Find More Solutions, sorted intoĀ Recommended and Popular.Ā If any of those questions match the ones you want to ask, you can click on them, showing the required answer to your query. The same goes for the four topics. Each topic has several articles under them pertaining to that topic. You can go through these articles to sort out your queries. If none of these articles offer the solution you are looking for, you can directly contactĀ SupportĀ usingĀ Contact Us, and they can help you with the issues you are facing.Ā
Canceling Your Audible Membership
Cancellation services are the only part of Audible that I do not care for. I joined Audible last year, used it for half a year, and decided to pause my membership for a while before restarting it at a later date. But I found it very difficult toĀ cancel my membership. Though there are a lot ofĀ FAQs and articlesĀ regarding it, I found out that Audible does not yet offer cancellation services on the app. I tried for a long time to cancel the membership without any luck before contactingĀ Customer Support. I told them I wished to cancel my membership, and they helped me do that. The Audible membership cancellation is not hassle-free and straightforward. That is one of the only things I wish could be better about the app. Hereās to hoping this issue will be sorted out soon and provide users with a hassle-free experience from beginning to end!
These days Audiobooks are one of the only ways I can satisfy my love for books. It has made reading/listening to books an effortless experience that I can include in my day-to-day life amidst the monotonous chores. Apps like Audible are why I can continue being the bookworm I am. It also helps that Audible has thousands of audiobooks across different genres and keeps up to date on new releases, bestsellers, and everything that a bookish heart could ask for, along with podcasts. This is one app that you should not miss out on, and it has the potential to be the one-stop app for all your listening/audio requirements. So start your Audible free trial today, and let the listening begin!
Audible
Audible is a part of Amazon and it's one of the best platforms for getting quality audiobooks.
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