Audible, the Amazon subsidiary, is rolling out a new low-cost membership plan option.
The new option, known as Standard, is designed to offer Audible a flexible, lower-priced entry point.
Standard subscribers can select one audiobook per month from Audible’s full catalogue, which remains accessible as long as the membership remains active. The membership also gives you unlimited, ad-free listening access to a select catalogue of Audible Originals and nearly 200 titles previously exclusive to Wondery+, a similar subscription-based audio show streaming service (known for Dr. Death, American Scandal, and Business Wars) that is ceasing operations.
Interestingly, early access and ad-free listening that was exclusive to Wondery+ subscribers is now available only to Audible members, with titles like Dying for Sex, The Shrink Next Door, and Ghost Story becoming exclusive to Audible Members.
The new Standard plan is priced at C$8.99/mo and, as mentioned earlier, is designed for users looking for the latest best-selling audiobooks or those just beginning to explore them.
If you want complete unlimited access with a monthly credit to permanently purchase an audiobook, the Premium (C$14.95/mo) membership will still be available.
According to the audiobook giant, early testing of the Standard plan has shown stronger member acquisition and retention rates. Initial testing in both the UK and Australia shows that the plan led to a “double-digit increase” in new member sign-ups compared to previous offerings.
Audible predicts that the new Standard plan will bring “millions” of new users to the service over the next year.
This new plan is available immediately in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and France, with testing already underway in other markets.
