Spotify is accelerating its expansion into the audiobook , announcing a highly ambitious plan that is expected to significantly change the service's presence in this sector. By the end of 2026, audiobooks will be available in more than 180 markets worldwide, up from just 22 currently.
The announcement was made at the Frankfurt International Book Fair and marks an important step for Spotify, which is attempting to transform its app from a music and podcast platform into a broader destination for all forms of audio content
More than 750 million potential users
By expanding to more markets, the company estimates that audiobooks will be able to reach a potential audience of more than 750 million people. The important thing is that the audio versions of the books will not be in a separate app, but next to the music and podcasts that listeners already use every day.
See also: Spotify offers free studios and other benefits to artists through Fresh Finds Forward
The catalog will include more than 350,000 titles in over 120 languages, with the company placing particular emphasis on boosting content in languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Polish.
The timing is also interesting. The move comes just months after Spotify warned of slowing user growth in Europe and North America, two of its most important markets. Expanding audiobooks could therefore act as another way to increase the value offered by its Premium subscription.
Different billing model per market
Access to audiobooks will not work the same way in all countries. Spotify adapts its model depending on the market and available deals.
In countries like Italy, Spain, Poland, Brazil and Mexico, eligible Premium subscribers will have up to 12 hours of listening time per month, while they will also be able to purchase specific titles individually for permanent access.
In several markets in Africa and Asia, as well as Argentina, Spotify will mainly promote Audiobooks+, an additional subscription option that offers additional hours of listening.
Spotify Audiobooks: Non-exclusive agreements with publishers
Another thing that stands out is Spotify's approach to creators and publishers. The company clarifies that the agreements it has entered into are non-exclusive.
This means that authors and publishers can make the same works available on competing services. According to Owen Smith, Spotify's vice president of audiobooks, the expansion can allow creators to reach audiences that have previously been difficult to access their works.
See also: Spotify's Running Mode syncs music to your pace
New tools connect print with audiobook
Alongside the expansion, Spotify is also investing in features that attempt to bridge the physical book experience with listening.
The Page Match allows users to move from the print or electronic version of a book to its corresponding audiobook. With the new update, readers can scan barcode and be taken directly to the correct location in the audiobook version.
More than a million users have already taken advantage of the feature since February, according to company data.
Students are also targeted
Starting in November, Spotify will open up Audiobooks+ to students in select European markets. Student plan users in Ireland, Belgium, Austria, and Finland will be able to purchase the add-on service, with the company planning to expand the program to other countries over the next year.
This choice shows that audiobooks are now seen as an important part of Spotify's overall strategy and not as a complementary feature.
See also: Spotify's Daniel Ek brings body scan clinics to the US
Audiobooks are becoming a significant source of revenue
The data so far shows that the investment is starting to pay off. Audiobooks+ now has more than a million subscribers and, according to Spotify, is generating more than $100 million, just over a year after its launch.
At the same time, the number of users listening to audiobooks each month increased by almost 40% year-on-year, while total listening hours increased by more than 30%.
The audiobook expansion is part of Spotify's broader push to offer a more personalized experience. The company recently introduced an editable Taste Profile, which gives Premium subscribers more control over the music recommendations they receive.
With more purchases, hundreds of thousands of titles, and new features that connect different forms of reading and listening, Spotify is attempting to make audiobooks a core part of users' daily experience .
