Audible vs Kobo Plus: Which Is Worth It in 2026?
Audible costs $14.95/mo and Kobo Plus costs $9.99/mo. At 10 hours a month that is $1.49/hour vs $1.00/hour — but price is only half the story.
Verdict: Kobo Plus is the better pick for most people
- At 10 hours/month, Kobo Plus works out to $1.00 per hour vs $1.49 for Audible.
- Kobo Plus is $4.96/mo cheaper ($9.99/mo vs $14.95/mo).
- Kobo Plus is best for: kobo e-reader owners and listeners outside the amazon ecosystem.
- Still pick Audible if your priority is: serious audiobook listeners who want new releases and bestsellers.
Audible
$14.95/mo
The largest premium audiobook catalog (500,000+ titles) plus Audible Originals and the Plus Catalog of included listens.
- Formats
- Audiobooks
- Credits / limits
- 1 credit/month — credit books are yours to keep, even if you cancel
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial with 1 free credit
Kobo Plus
$9.99/mo
1.3M+ ebooks and 150,000+ audiobooks, unlimited-style. Strong indie catalog; pairs naturally with Kobo e-readers.
- Formats
- Audiobooks, Ebooks
- Credits / limits
- No credits — unlimited listening and reading on the Plus catalog
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial
How Audible and Kobo Plus actually differ
The structural difference matters more than the price gap: Audible is a credit system where the audiobooks you buy are yours forever, while Kobo Plus is an all-you-can-listen buffet where access ends if you cancel. Audible’s catalog is the deepest in the industry and gets big new releases on day one; Kobo Plus’s 150,000+ audiobook catalog is strong on indie and backlist titles but regularly misses front-list bestsellers.
Kobo Plus is also the natural pick if you deliberately avoid the Amazon ecosystem or already own a Kobo e-reader — its ebook tier folds into the same subscription. Audible is the pick when specific titles matter: if your listening list is built from new releases and bestsellers, an unlimited plan that doesn’t carry them saves you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kobo Plus really unlimited?
Yes — within its catalog. You can listen to as many included titles as you like while subscribed, but titles leave your library if you cancel, and front-list bestsellers are often not included.
Which has the bigger audiobook catalog?
Audible, by a wide margin — 500,000+ titles including nearly all major new releases, versus roughly 150,000+ on Kobo Plus with an indie/backlist skew.
Can I keep audiobooks if I cancel?
On Audible, yes — anything bought with credits stays in your library permanently. On Kobo Plus, no — it is access-based, like a streaming service.
Run your own numbers
The verdict above assumes 10 hours of listening or watching a month. Set your real usage — or swap in a different service — and the math updates instantly.
| Audible | Kobo Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.95/mo | $9.99/mo |
| Cost per hour (10 hrs/mo) | $1.49 | $1.00 |
| Content fit | Audiobooks | Audiobooks, Ebooks |
| Credits / limits | 1 credit/month — credit books are yours to keep, even if you cancel | No credits — unlimited listening and reading on the Plus catalog |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial with 1 free credit | 30-day free trial |
Kobo Plus is the better pick for most people
- At 10 hours/month, Kobo Plus works out to $1.00 per hour vs $1.49 for Audible.
- Kobo Plus is $4.96/mo cheaper ($9.99/mo vs $14.95/mo).
- Kobo Plus is best for: kobo e-reader owners and listeners outside the amazon ecosystem.
- Still pick Audible if your priority is: serious audiobook listeners who want new releases and bestsellers.