Yesterday Amazon started sending out emails to Kindle Unlimited subscribers in the US notifying them about a rate increase for monthly KU plans that takes the price from $9.99 per month to $11.99 per month.
Most people don’t seem to know that there’s still a way to get Kindle Unlimited at a lower price via Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited Gift Deals, and the lower prices are always available and have been for many years. If you buy 6 months at once you can still get it for the old price of $9.99 per month. The same goes for buying 12 months. If you buy 24 months you can get it for $7.20 per month.
The price increase is going to make a lot of people unhappy, but Kindle Unlimited has been at $9.99 per month since it launched in 2014 so the price was inevitably going to increase eventually, just like the cost of Amazon Prime and everything else.
It’s interesting timing though, because Kobo just launched a competing program called Kobo Plus last month, and it’s $9.99 per month in the US for their similar ebook and audiobook plan, but Kobo has the option to subscribe to an ebook or audiobook plan individually for $7.99 per month. Because of Amazon’s exclusivity rights, Kobo doesn’t have nearly as big of a selection as Amazon, but their lower monthly price might appeal more to some readers now.
It’s still possible to get Kindle Unlimited trials for free or at a discount for those that don’t have an active membership. Like right now the 2 months free offer is still valid, and whenever you buy a new Kindle you have the option to add 3 months for free, and those will stack with an active subscription.
The Kindle Unlimited price increase to $11.99 per month officially went into effect on May 11th, 2023.
What do you think about the price hike? Is it enough to keep you from renewing or starting a Kindle Unlimited subscription?
I’m probably going to get at least a 1-year subscription or possibly 2-years. It’s still a decent value at $11.99. I like how I’ve found so many authors that I might not have if I were just browsing the Kindle store. Then again, it might be cheaper for me to just buy the books. I see that the current “boxed set” of 7 books (in one ginormous ebook would have only cost me 99 cents)… and I’ve been reading this for two months. Realistically, I just spent $19.98 and I have to return it when I’m done. Hmmmm…. Well, dang. I should have considered canceling sooner. Interesting…
My KU doesn’t expire until next January, but I’m already thinking of not renewing when that comes around. We’ll see what deals they have around Black Friday or Christmas.
I got the trial for Kobo Plus books and audio. I’m not impressed with the audio portion but the book portion I might consider keeping.
Never wanted nor have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, so it’s not going to affect me, fortunately. For those whom it does affect, they’ll have to decide if it’s worth it. I’m not a huge fan of subscription services, unless absolutely essential.
It’s not like there aren’t ABSOLUTELY TONS of great classic FREE ebooks to read or re-read when I’m in between library loans. I’m revisiting and thoroughly enjoying “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” right now. And more being added by Gutenberg.org all the time.
I’m in my mid-60s and never in my entire life have I had trouble finding my next read. It’s even easier since I started with ebooks back in 2011!
Sorry, Amazon, it’s a NOPE from me!
I’ve never paid $9.99 for it. Maybe once when I didn’t realize I hadn’t canceled it already.
I pretty much research until I get a free trial Sometimes I get one a day after the previous expires, and other times it might be a week or two. That said, I keep KU books in a list, and if I haven’t found a trial in awhile, once I have a lot of books I want to read which are not in the library, paying for a month is lots cheaper than buying. I can very easily read 20+ mysteries/month.
I just did the 2 year option which isn’t $7.20 because tax so it’s really $7.79 a month. There are so many options for free and 99c I could read forever for no more than a couple dollars a month but I’m reading a number of WWII books only available at full price. I don’t anticipate renewing and probably shouldn’t have done this. If only Amazon could be happy with hundreds of millions instead of billions we could have reasonable prices again like they promised 20 years ago when they promised no Kindle book would ever be over $9.99.
I hope you see if your library has the books. Before I buy any book – even at $. 99, I check the online library catalog.
This is what happens when companies start getting greedy. They start jacking their prices up because they see $$$ sign’s in their eyes. Well I’m here to tell them that alot of people were already on the fence about joining and now that this increase has happened it was just the nail in the coffin. I belong to several online book clubs and alot of people have already voiced their concerns and will not be renewing or signing up. So great job Amazon! If you just kept your original price customers would end up being extremely loyal to you. But they always get too greedy and it ruins everything. So it’s your funeral….
I dont care if it was 20dollars a month i would still pay it
In my opinion loyalty should be rewarded. What would happen if say people that already have the unlimited option keep getting it at the same price. Raise the price for new members if you need to, but keep others at the price they signed up for.
Price increase then up the number of books from 10 to 15.
They upped it to 20 quite a while ago.
I had just purchased Kindle and rec’d the free 3 months. I have been on the fence about renewing. What I am finding is books from my favorite authors only have a few books for free on unlimited. Then you need to pay for the rest of a series. I can get most of them at the library and read them on my Kindle. Unless they keep the $9.99 I was promised, I am going to leave. No sense paying for what I can get for free. I read a lot of books!!
I read at least 20 books a month. Even at $11.99, it’s a cheaper way for me to get books.
The Kindle Unlimited Gift Subscription price has gone up 50%!! I have been getting my 80-year-old mother a gift subscription the last few years at $80. Amazon confirmed it is now $119.
Indeed. The 12-month option is no longer as good of a deal as it used to be after they increased the monthly fee for KU to $11.99, but the 2-year plan is still 40% off (the new higher price).