Spotify is reportedly planning to offer paid subscribers free access to audiobooks.
The music-streaming service is working with some of the largest publishers in the US on a pilot program that would allow Spotify Premium subscribers to also stream up to 20 hours of audiobook content for free each month, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
The move will allow Spotify to better compete with services like Amazon’s Audible. Spotify executives have reportedly told some publishers that participating in Spotify’s audiobook program would help fight against Amazon’s current stronghold in the space.
Spotify purchased digital audiobook distributor Findaway in June 2022, and began selling audiobooks on the platform a few months later. While customers can listen to short audio samples of books for free, they need to purchase them from Spotify to listen in full.
The new program would allow Spotify customers to stream 20 hours of audiobooks, more than many users might typically stream books they purchased outright over a month.
The move may also help increase Spotify’s profits, a growing concern for the service. Earlier this week, Spotify started testing putting lyrics, which have been free on the platform for everyone since 2021, behind a paywall. The company will also ban white noise podcasters from its ads programs starting Oct. 1 to avoid hefty payouts.
In July, meanwhile, Spotify raised the price of its Premium plans across the board. A single Premium account currently runs $10.99 a month, up from $9.99.
