Did you know, the easiest way to read is to listen. Well, you could now as Amazon India has launched Audible, the audiobook services in India. If you’re hearing about it for the first time then, its as simple as saying someone narrating books to you. You could listen to your favourite books, narrated by great performers. With over 200,000 audiobooks covering both Indian and international titles, you have a great collection to listen.
Amazon’s Audible audiobooks service is currently in a beta launch in India. Similar to Prime subscription, you would need to take a subscription to explore and listen to your favourite audiobooks. Audible India subscription starts at Rs 199 per month. However, you will get a 30-days free trial to first try out the service before getting charged. Some users are also seeing 90-day free trial option, so do try your luck.
Apart from the monthly recurring membership plan, there is also pre-paid Audible India membership plans to choose from. You could choose the one month pre-paid plan starting at Rs 299. The 6 months plan cost Rs 1,345 which is currently discounted from its original price of Rs 1,794. There is also a 12 months plan priced at Rs 2,332, which is discounted from the original price of Rs 3,588. With each of this pre-paid Audible India membership plan, you would get one credit per month. But do note that Audible India pre-paid membership plans are non-refundable.
Coming to the benefits under Audible membership, as a member, you would get one credit or one free audiobook title of your choice a month. Once the audiobook is added to your Audible Library you could keep it forever, even if you cancel the membership. In case, after listening for a few minutes didn’t like the audiobook, you could easily exchange for a new one for free. Members can also purchase addition audiobooks at a flat 30 per cent discount on the book’s listed price.
Once you have the Audible India subscription and selected an audiobook, you can start listening to it on your Android or iOS device by downloading the Audible app or on the web through Audible India website. Its key features include offline support allowing you to download your audiobooks and listen without using any data. Using the app, you could adjust the narration speed from 0.5x to 3x, based on your pace. The “Sleep Timer” allows you to pause listening after a few hours or until the end of the chapter. There is also a car mode which allows you to listen to audiobooks while commute to work or back home.
Audible India Member Benefits
- Over 200,000 Indian and international audiobooks to listen.
- Rs 199 per month subscription after 30-days or 90-days free trial.
- One credit every month, which translates to one audiobook regardless of duration or price.
- All purchased audiobooks in your Audible library have lifetime validity. You could listen to it even if you have cancelled the membership.
- Listen on the go with Audible App (available on both Android and iOS devices) or directly via Audible India website.
- Buy additional audiobooks for 30 per cent off the list price.
- Didn’t like the audiobook? Exchange it and choose another for free.
- Rollover up to six unused credits to the next month.
Audible India has a great collection of both Indian and international audiobooks narrated by great performers. Some of the popular Indian audiobooks include the Ashwin Sanghi’s -The Krishna Key narrated by Nikesh Patel and Amish’s – Scion of Ikshvaku narrated by Sagar Arya and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness narrated by Arundhati Roy itself.
Amazon India had launched and pretty much have great success with its Prime services in India. Started at an introductory price of Rs 499, the membership rate later doubled to Rs 999. With fast delivery, early access to deals and extra discount on the product in its e-commerce store, Prime subscribers also get premium access to Prime Video, Amazon Music and Prime Reading. Though Audible India is a not part of Prime benefits, Amazon India wants it to be as appealing and popular as it Prime service.