27 Mar 2024 Entertainment 2 comments

Kindle Unlimited Subscription FAQ: Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?

FAQ About Kindle Unlimited from Amazon

After seeing Kindle Unlimited mentioned on bookstagram for some time, I finally decided to try out their free trial when I purchased my Kindle Paperwhite. I had been hesitant to sign up for it, because I didn’t want another monthly subscription to pay for. However, I quickly realized that the Kindle Unlimited subscription is absolutely worth it. Here, I’m sharing details on how Kindle Unlimited works, what a subscription entails, and why it is absolutely worth the money:

FAQ About Kindle Unlimited from Amazon

What this Kindle Unlimited Review Covers:

What is Kindle Unlimited?

Kindle Unlimited (also known as KU) is a subscription service from Amazon for ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. The KU catalogue is vast, and it is updated regularly with new releases. With the subscription, you can seamlessly download a whole host of ebooks right to your Kindle (or Kindle app, if you prefer using an iPad).

What Are the Benefits of a Kindle Unlimited Subscription?

Kindle Paperwhite e-Reader

With a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can read as many books included in the KU library as you want. There is no cap on the number of ebooks you can download a month; the same goes for magazines, audiobooks, and so on.

This is an example of how KU is different from Audible, another Amazon reading app dedicated to audiobooks. Audible subscriptions give you a set number of credits a month, with which you can purchase audiobooks. With KU, you can download as many books or audiobooks included in the KU library as you want.

Furthermore, with a KU subscription, you can download content across devices at the same time. By using the Kindle app, you can seamlessly sync your current reads, whether you are using your Kindle, your phone, or another tablet.

What Are the Drawbacks of a Kindle Unlimited Subscription?

While KU is a great option for readers, it isn’t perfect.

First, unlike the Audible example I described above, you do not “own” a book you read through KU. If Amazon decides to take a book out of the KU subscription, subscribers lose access to that book.

Second, not all publishing houses like to put their books on KU. It can be hard to find new releases or bestsellers from big publishing houses like Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. However, that being said, I have been impressed by the quality and quantity of new (or relatively new) releases — especially of popular indie titles that are all over bookstagram right now.

Third, with some bigger book releases (especially duologies from larger publishing houses, like Harper Voyager), only the first book will be available with KU. That is…pretty annoying. For example, I checked Rebecca Ross’ Elements of Cadence duology, as well as her Letters of Enchantment duology, and only the first book in each series was available through KU. (Side note, you should read both of those two-book series — so good!)

However, for smaller publishing houses or for indie/self-published authors, I have found that most complete series are available in the KU catalogue.

Top Features from Kindle Unlimited

Beyond the vast library of books included in the KU system, there are many Amazon Originals, magazines, audiobooks, and even comics that KU subscribers can access. Furthermore, around 500 public domain titles are included with KU as both ebooks and audiobooks.

Amazon Originals is an imprint of Amazon Publishing, the platform’s proprietary publication house. Amazon Originals is dedicated to bringing “unforgettable short fiction and nonfiction to Kindle,” with big name authors like Dean Koontz, Rebecca Yarros, Margaret Atwood, and Mindy Kaling, among others.

As an audiobook lover, I have been pretty excited to get into the audiobooks included in my KU membership. The books included as audiobooks in the membership can be found here. The button you press on the book’s listing page to download will also give the option of “listen for free,” which tells you it is included in the KU subscription. Here is an example of what to look for (note the yellow button on the right hand side):

Kindle Unlimited Subscription Example

You can explore the Kindle Unlimited library, including the different categories described above, here. For more information on the KU program, check out this KU user guide page from Amazon.

How Much Does a Kindle Unlimited Subscription Cost?

A Kindle Unlimited subscription costs $11.99 a month, plus tax. Amazon offers a thirty day trial of the subscription, which can be activated here.

Something to note: When I purchased my Kindle Paperwhite in February 2024, I was given the option to add 3 months free of Kindle Unlimited when I set up the e-reader.

When I purchased my Kindle Paperwhite, I was unable to select the option “with 3 months free Kindle Unlimited,” but the option came up, nonetheless, once I got the device and set it up.

For reference, these are the specs I chose for my Kindle Paperwhite:

Closing Thoughts: Is a Kindle Unlimited Subscription Worth It?

Like I said before, the last thing I wanted to do was add another monthly subscription to my plate. However, for me, Kindle Unlimited is well worth the subscription cost. In the first month of my subscription alone, I read eight books, which, if purchased separately, would have come out to $41.92. So, right off the bat, my KU subscription has saved me just under $30.

While I always have and will continue to support local and independent booksellers where I can, I have found that the quantity and quality of indie authors on KU, alongside the big releases that we all want to read, is really impressive.

Long story short, for any fast readers who go through multiple books a month, a KU subscription is definitely worth it!

Great Books to Read on Kindle Unlimited

This post is a part of my What to Read series, where I share themed reading lists and book guides based on genre, time period, theme, or author.
You can peruse my What to Read reading guides here!


 *This post was originally published in March 2024. It was most recently updated on March 20, 2024.