What is Kobo
If you’ve heard the name Kobo tossed around in audiobook discussions but never dug into what it actually is, here’s the short version: Kobo is a Canadian company owned by Rakuten that makes e-readers and runs a competitive audiobook store. For listeners who’ve only ever known Audible, Kobo represents a genuinely different approach to how you pay for and access audiobooks — one that solves a specific frustration for high-volume listeners while introducing trade-offs you should understand before committing.
The Core Difference: Ownership vs. Unlimited Access
The most important thing to understand about Kobo’s audiobook service is that it operates on a fundamentally different model than Audible. Audible sells you individual titles through a monthly credit system — you pay roughly $14.95 USD per month, get one credit, and you own that audiobook permanently, even if you cancel your subscription. Kobo Plus, by contrast, is a flat-fee subscription that gives you unlimited listening access to its catalog for as long as you keep paying.
Here’s what that means in practical terms:
- Audible: You build a permanent library, one credit at a time. Cancel your subscription and you keep everything.
- Kobo Plus: You get unlimited access to everything in the catalog for a monthly fee. Stop paying and you lose access to all of it.
This distinction matters more than any other feature comparison. If you’re the type of listener who treats your audiobook collection as an asset — something you’ll revisit years from now — Kobo Plus will feel like renting instead of owning. But if you listen to books once and move on, the flat-fee model can save you a significant amount of money.
Consider the math: Kobo Plus costs $9.99 CAD per month for audiobooks alone. A listener who finishes five audiobooks per month would pay roughly $75 CAD for those same titles on Audible’s credit system. That’s a sevenfold difference. The catch is that Kobo’s catalog is smaller, and you don’t keep anything if you unsubscribe.
Kobo Plus vs. Audible Credits: Which Model Fits Your Habits?
The subscription model question isn’t about which service is “better” — it’s about which one matches how you actually listen.
If you’re a listener who averages one audiobook per month or fewer, Audible’s credit system works in your favor. You pay for one book, you own it forever, and you never feel pressure to “use up” your subscription. The permanent ownership also means you can build a library over years without ongoing costs.
If you’re someone who burns through three or more audiobooks monthly, Kobo Plus becomes dramatically more cost-effective. The flat fee doesn’t punish heavy listening — in fact, the more you listen, the better the value becomes. This is especially appealing for genre fiction fans who consume romance, mystery, or sci-fi series at a rapid pace.
Here’s a concrete example: the Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells, narrated by Kevin R. Free, is available on Kobo Plus. If you wanted to listen to all seven novellas and novels in the series, you’d pay a single month’s subscription fee on Kobo Plus versus roughly $100+ in Audible credits. For a binge listener, that difference is impossible to ignore.
The trade-off is that Kobo’s catalog doesn’t match Audible’s depth. Major titles remain Audible exclusives, and you’ll occasionally search for a book you assumed would be available only to find it missing. Before committing to Kobo Plus, check whether the specific authors and series you follow are actually in their catalog.
Try Audible Free for 30 Days — Start your free trial on Amazon and get two free audiobooks.
The Kobo App Experience: What Works and What Doesn’t
The Kobo Books app is functional but not flashy. You get the essentials: variable playback speed up to 2x, a sleep timer, chapter navigation, and bookmarking. The interface is clean and straightforward, and most listeners will find it easy to navigate within a few minutes.
The standout feature is Kobo’s ebook/audiobook integration. If you purchase a title that has both formats, the app syncs your progress between them. You can read a chapter on your phone during lunch, then switch to the audiobook on your commute and pick up exactly where you left off. This is genuinely useful for commuters who split their reading between formats throughout the day. For example, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, narrated by Ray Porter, supports this seamless switching — read a few chapters, then listen to the rest without losing your place.
However, there are real limitations. The app lacks Audible’s immersive audio features and its social sharing tools. Library management is more basic — you can’t create custom collections, and the search function occasionally misses titles that are actually in the catalog. The player itself is serviceable but doesn’t offer the same polish as Audible’s.
One practical verification step: before subscribing, download the Kobo Books app and browse the catalog for three or four titles you’re currently interested in. If they’re missing, that’s a signal that Kobo’s selection may not match your listening habits. The app is free to browse, so you can confirm fit before paying anything.
Kobo E-Readers: The Bluetooth Audiobook Advantage
Kobo’s e-readers offer something Kindle devices don’t: built-in audiobook support. The Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Sage both support Bluetooth, allowing you to pair wireless earbuds and listen to audiobooks directly from the device. Kindle e-readers, by contrast, don’t support Audible playback at all — you need a phone or tablet for that.
For commuters who want to carry one device instead of two, this is a genuine advantage. You can read on the bus, then switch to the audiobook version of the same title without pulling out your phone. The integration is seamless because Kobo’s e-readers and the Kobo Books app share the same ecosystem.
The trade-off: Kobo’s e-readers are slower and clunkier than their Kindle counterparts for audiobook playback. Browsing your audiobook library on the device is less intuitive than using the phone app, and the interface feels dated. If you’re primarily an audiobook listener who occasionally reads ebooks, the phone app is the better experience. The e-reader makes sense only if you split your time roughly evenly between formats.
There’s also a regional limitation to consider. Kobo’s audiobook store isn’t available in every market. The service is strongest in Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia, but availability varies by region. Check your local Kobo site before purchasing a device or subscribing — there’s nothing worse than buying an e-reader for its audiobook features only to discover the service isn’t offered in your country.
Making the Call: Should You Switch, Supplement, or Stay?
The honest answer is that Kobo isn’t a universal Audible replacement. It’s a better fit for specific listening profiles, and it’s a worse fit for others.
Choose Kobo Plus if:
- You listen to more than three audiobooks per month and want unlimited access for a flat fee
- You don’t care about permanently owning your audiobooks
- You want the ebook/audiobook switching feature
- You want an e-reader that can also play audiobooks via Bluetooth
- You’re outside the US and want an alternative to Audible’s ecosystem
Stick with Audible if:
- You value permanent ownership of your audiobook library
- You want access to the largest catalog, including Audible exclusives
- You use Whispersync to switch between Kindle ebooks and Audible audiobooks
- You’re already invested in the Audible ecosystem and don’t want to manage two platforms
The practical answer for most listeners is that you don’t have to choose. Many people maintain an Audible subscription for exclusive titles and permanent purchases while using Kobo Plus for high-volume listening of genre fiction. It’s a dual-platform approach that gives you the best of both models without feeling locked into either one.
Before you commit to either service, take five minutes to browse Kobo’s catalog for the specific authors and series you follow. That single step will tell you more about whether Kobo fits your habits than any feature comparison. If your favorites are there, the subscription model is worth serious consideration. If they’re not, you’ve saved yourself the hassle of managing a second platform that doesn’t serve your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kobo owned by Amazon?
No, Kobo is owned by Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce company. It’s a direct competitor to Amazon’s Kindle and Audible services, not a subsidiary.
Can I listen to Kobo audiobooks on my phone?
Yes, Kobo audiobooks can be played through the Kobo Books app on iOS and Android devices. The app is free to download and includes access to the full catalog.
Does Kobo Plus include audiobooks?
Yes, Kobo Plus offers separate tiers for audiobooks, ebooks, or both. The audiobook-only tier gives you unlimited listening for a flat monthly fee, while the combined tier adds ebook access.
Are Kobo audiobooks DRM-protected?
Yes, Kobo audiobooks use DRM protection, which means you can’t transfer them to other apps or devices outside the Kobo ecosystem. This is similar to Audible’s DRM restrictions.
Can I switch between reading and listening on Kobo?
Yes, if you own both the ebook and audiobook version of a title, the Kobo app syncs your progress so you can switch formats mid-chapter without losing your place.
<!– cluster-navigation –>
Explore This Topic
- Back to Guides & Overviews
- Back to Time-Pressed Multitasker
Related guides in this cluster: