AudibooksNow: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
If you’ve hit the paywall on AudiobooksNow and wondered whether the upgrade is worth your money, the answer depends entirely on how you listen. The upgrade isn’t a single tier — it’s a set of perks that matter a lot to some listeners and almost nothing to others. Here’s what you’re actually paying for, and how to tell which camp you’re in before you hand over your card details.
The Upgrade Breakdown: What Changes Beyond the Paywall
AudiobooksNow’s premium membership runs on a credit system, similar to what you’d see on other audiobook platforms. The core benefit is straightforward: you get access to member pricing on titles, which typically runs 20–30% below the non-member retail price. For a $25 audiobook, that’s a $5–7 saving per title.
But the more interesting upgrade perk is the member-exclusive sales. AudiobooksNow runs monthly promotions where select titles drop to $4.99–$9.99 for members only. If you listen to a lot of genre fiction — thrillers, romance, sci-fi — these sales can pay for the membership within two or three purchases.
The upgrade also unlocks daily deals, which are exactly what they sound like: one title per day at a steep discount. The catch is that the daily deal is only available to members, and the title rotates at midnight Eastern. If you’re a commuter who listens during a fixed window, you can check the deal before you start your drive.
One thing the upgrade does not do is give you access to a subscription catalog. AudiobooksNow is a purchase-based model, not a “listen all you want” service like Audible Plus or Scribd. If that’s what you’re hoping for, the upgrade won’t deliver it — and no amount of member pricing will change that fundamental structure.
What this means for your decision: If your primary goal is unlimited listening for a flat monthly fee, stop here. The AudiobooksNow upgrade will not satisfy that need, and you’d be better served by Audible’s Plus catalog or a library app like Hoopla. If your goal is owning specific titles at a discount, the upgrade has real value — but only if you’ll actually buy enough books to offset the membership cost.
How AudiobooksNow Compares to Audible’s Credit System
The most common reason people look at AudiobooksNow is to escape Audible’s ecosystem lock-in. AudiobooksNow sells DRM-free MP3 files, which means you own your audiobooks outright. You can play them in any app, back them up to your own drive, and keep them forever — even if you cancel your account.
Audible, by contrast, ties your library to its ecosystem. You can download titles for offline listening, but they’re protected by DRM, and you need an Audible app to play them. You can’t easily move them to a different platform.
Here’s the trade-off: Audible’s Plus catalog gives you access to thousands of titles included with your membership — no credits required. AudiobooksNow has no equivalent. You’re paying per title, always.
For a concrete comparison: if you listen to 12 audiobooks a year, Audible’s 12-credit plan costs around $150, and you get 12 titles plus the Plus catalog. On AudiobooksNow, 12 titles at member pricing might run you $180–240, depending on the titles. But you own those files outright, and you can shop sales to bring the average down.
The mismatch most people don’t see coming: If you’re a heavy Audible Plus user — someone who listens to 20+ titles a year from the included catalog without spending credits — switching to AudiobooksNow will feel like a severe downgrade. You’ll go from “free” listening to paying $10–25 per title. The DRM-free ownership is real, but it only matters if you actually need that portability. For many listeners, the Plus catalog’s volume outweighs the ownership advantage.
If you value ownership and flexibility, the AudiobooksNow upgrade makes sense. If you want maximum volume for a fixed price, Audible’s credit system is hard to beat.
Try Audible Free for 30 Days — Start your free trial on Amazon and get two free audiobooks.
The Real Cost of the Upgrade: Per-Credit Math
Let’s get specific about pricing. AudiobooksNow’s membership typically runs around $14.95 per month, and that includes one credit per month. Additional credits can be purchased in bundles — usually three credits for around $35, which works out to roughly $11.67 per credit.
Compare that to Audible’s standard pricing: one credit per month for $14.95, or 12 credits upfront for about $149.50 ($12.46 per credit). The per-credit costs are close, but the value diverges when you factor in what you can do with those credits.
AudiobooksNow credits can be applied to any title in their catalog, including new releases and bestsellers. There’s no “premium selection” restriction like some platforms have. That’s a genuine advantage if you tend to buy new releases at full price.
The other cost consideration is the cash purchase option. AudiobooksNow lets you buy titles outright without using a credit, and members get a discount on those purchases. If you’re the type of listener who only buys 2–3 audiobooks a year, the upgrade’s monthly fee is probably not worth it — you’d be better off just paying retail for those few titles.
How to verify the math for your situation: Before upgrading, open AudiobooksNow and check the member pricing on three titles you actually want to buy. Compare those prices to the non-member retail price. If the total discount across those three titles is less than $14.95, the membership won’t pay for itself in a single month. If you’re buying more than one title per month, the math shifts in your favor — but only if you’re consistently buying at member prices rather than using credits on everything.
Who Should Upgrade: Three Listener Profiles
The Commuter Binge-Listener: If you go through 2+ audiobooks a month and primarily listen during your commute, the upgrade pays for itself through the monthly credit plus member pricing on additional purchases. The daily deals are a bonus if you’re willing to check them regularly.
The Ownership Purist: If you’ve been burned by DRM restrictions or you like to keep a personal archive of your audiobooks, the upgrade is worth it for the DRM-free files alone. You can back up your library to an external drive and never worry about platform changes. This is the one profile where the upgrade’s value is hard to quantify in dollars — it’s about peace of mind.
The Occasional Listener: If you listen to 3–4 audiobooks a year, skip the upgrade. The monthly fee will cost you more than the discounts you’d earn. Just buy titles at retail when you need them.
The profile that doesn’t fit: If you’re someone who primarily listens through library apps like Libby or Hoopla and only occasionally buys audiobooks, the upgrade is a poor fit. You’d be paying $14.95/month for member pricing on purchases you rarely make, while the free library apps already cover most of your listening. The upgrade only makes sense if you’re buying — not borrowing — on a regular basis.
What the Upgrade Doesn’t Fix
AudiobooksNow’s catalog is smaller than Audible’s — noticeably so. If you’re looking for niche indie titles or very recent releases, you might not find them. The platform also lacks the social features and book club integrations that Audible offers, which matters if you’re the type of listener who likes to discuss what you’re reading.
The app experience is functional but not polished. Reviews frequently mention that the AudiobooksNow app lacks the playback controls and library organization features you’d find in Audible or Libby. If you’re someone who listens at 1.5x speed and jumps between chapters frequently, the app might feel clunky.
There’s also no Whispersync equivalent. If you like switching between reading an ebook and listening to the audiobook, AudiobooksNow won’t sync your progress across formats. That’s a significant loss for hybrid readers.
A concrete failure mode to watch for: The catalog gap is most painful with new releases. If you follow a specific author and want their latest book on release day, AudiobooksNow often lags behind Audible by weeks or months — or doesn’t carry the title at all. Before committing to the upgrade, search for three recent titles you’re planning to buy in the next 60 days. If any of them aren’t in the catalog, factor in the cost of buying those elsewhere at full retail. That extra expense can wipe out your membership savings.
Making the Call: A Decision Framework
Ask yourself three questions before upgrading:
1. How many audiobooks do I buy per year? If it’s more than 10, the member discount on cash purchases plus the monthly credit will likely save you money.
2. Do I care about DRM and file ownership? If you’ve ever lost access to a digital library due to a platform change, the DRM-free files are worth a lot.
3. Do I use the Audible Plus catalog or Whispersync? If those features are part of your regular listening routine, switching to AudiobooksNow will feel like a downgrade.
The upgrade is a good deal for a specific type of listener: someone who buys a lot of audiobooks, wants to own them outright, and doesn’t rely on subscription catalogs or cross-format syncing. For everyone else, the math doesn’t work out.
If you’re on the fence, start with a single month. Buy one title you’ve been wanting, check the daily deals, and see if the member pricing changes how you shop. If you find yourself checking the sales page more than once a week, the upgrade is probably worth it.
FAQ
Does the AudiobooksNow upgrade include a subscription catalog like Audible Plus?
No. The upgrade gives you member pricing, a monthly credit, and access to member-exclusive sales. You still purchase titles individually — there’s no “all-you-can-listen” catalog.
Can I keep my AudiobooksNow purchases if I cancel the membership?
Yes. AudiobooksNow sells DRM-free MP3 files, so your purchases are yours permanently, regardless of membership status.
Is AudiobooksNow cheaper than Audible for the same number of audiobooks?
It depends on your listening habits. For 12+ titles per year, Audible’s credit system is usually cheaper per title. But AudiobooksNow’s member sales can bring costs down if you’re flexible about what you buy.
Does AudiobooksNow support Whispersync or cross-format syncing?
No. AudiobooksNow doesn’t have a feature that syncs your progress between an ebook and an audiobook, so you’ll need to track your place manually if you switch formats.
What happens if a title I want isn’t in the AudiobooksNow catalog?
You’ll need to buy it elsewhere. AudiobooksNow’s catalog is smaller than Audible’s, so you may need to check multiple platforms for niche or very recent releases.
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