Spotify plans to bring audiobooks to more than 180 markets by the end of 2026, expanding from 22 and giving listeners in new markets access to more than 350,000 titles. Eligible Premium subscribers in selected markets will receive 12 audiobook hours each month as part of their subscription, while other access options include Audiobooks+ and individual purchases. Prices and the available listening options will differ by market.
Spotify unveiled the expansion today at the Frankfurt Book Fair and says the rollout will continue through the end of the year. The company says it will enable more than 750 million people worldwide to stream audiobooks or buy them through Spotify. The catalog for new markets will cover more than 120 languages, with additions including Polish, Spanish and Portuguese.
Brazil, Poland and Italy are among the markets due to receive Audiobooks in Premium, alongside several other countries in Europe and Latin America. Across Africa and Asia, and in Argentina, Spotify says Audiobooks+ will be the main route to audiobook access, so the expansion does not bring the same Premium allowance everywhere. Listeners can also purchase a particular book to keep it.
Spotify is also updating Page Match to let readers locate their position using page numbers after scanning a book's ISBN barcode. The feature helps readers switch among audio, print and e-book editions, and Spotify says more than one million readers have used it since February. Page Match supports more than 30 languages.
In November, Audiobooks+ will become available to Student plan users in Finland, Ireland, Austria and Belgium, allowing them to buy additional listening hours. Spotify says it intends to bring the option to Student plans in more markets over the following year. Audiobooks+ also offers members of Premium Family and Duo a recurring option providing 15 audiobook hours per month.
Spotify says Audiobooks+ has attracted more than one million subscribers since its launch a little over a year ago. Its annual recurring revenue has exceeded $100 million, according to the company. Spotify also reports that monthly audiobook listener numbers rose nearly 40% during the past year, while listening hours increased more than 30%.
The expansion follows Spotify's introduction of audiobooks into Premium three years ago this fall. Spotify says its partnerships are non-exclusive, allowing authors to pursue audiences beyond its service as it extends audiobook access.
