Spotify Expands Audiobooks to Over 180 Markets by 2026
Spotify will offer audiobooks in more than 180 markets by the end of 2026, up from 22 today, as announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Wednesday. The global rollout will reach 750 million people, with books available alongside music and podcasts.
Key Points:
- Market Expansion: Includes Italy, Spain, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, and over 120 languages.
- Subscription Model: In some markets, eligible Premium subscribers will get 12 hours of audiobooks a month; others will use the Audiobooks+ paid add-on.
- Author Freedom: All publishing deals are non-exclusive, allowing authors to sell books on rival services.
- Page Match Update: Readers can scan a book's barcode to jump to the right page between printed, e-book, and audio versions.
- Student Access: Coming to Ireland, Belgium, Austria, and Finland in November, with more countries planned for next year.
Monthly audiobook listeners grew by nearly 40% in a year, while listening hours rose by more than 30%, according to Spotify.
By Darius Popa, Technology enthusiast and intern at The Next Web