Key Takeaways
- Kindle Unlimited offers a much more extensive library than Prime Reading, with access to millions of books, audiobooks, and magazines.
- Prime Reading is included with an Amazon Prime membership at no additional cost.
- Consider trying Prime Reading before committing to a monthly Kindle Unlimited subscription.
One often-overlooked benefit of the Amazon Prime program is Prime Reading, which provides free access to a selection of books, magazines, and other literature. In contrast, Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription service with over 3 million titles, starting at $9.99 per month.
Keep reading to learn more about Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited and discover which option best fits your reading habits.
Prime Reading
The service gives you access to thousands of titles
Amazon
Prime Reading offers instant access to thousands of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. While the selection is limited and free content changes periodically, it keeps things fresh, especially for new Amazon Prime subscribers.
Key features
- Included with Prime Membership: No separate monthly subscription cost.
- Rotating Selection: Thousands of available books, magazines, and more.
- Device Compatibility: Download the Kindle app (available on iOS and Android) and access books on any device.
- No Limits: No limits to the number of Prime Reading books you can “borrow.”
Prime Reading is known for its popular titles. Recent entries include Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. These titles are ideal for casual readers.
It also offers a broad selection of comics. Examples include Ms. Marvel: No Normal by Marvel Comics and Batman: Year One by DC Comics. With thousands of rotating comic titles, check back occasionally for availability.
While Prime Reading is included with an Amazon Prime membership and offers unlimited borrowing of over 1,000 titles, Kindle Unlimited provides access to over 4 million titles, including exclusive content, with the ability to borrow up to 10 books at a time for less than $10 a month.
Kindle Unlimited
The platform offers access to over 3 million books
Amazon
Kindle Unlimited is like Prime Reading on steroids. It is a standalone subscription service offering access to over 3 million books, audiobooks, e-books, and magazines for a nominal $9.99 monthly fee. This includes bestsellers and exclusives, accessible on iOS and Android with the Kindle app or any Kindle device.
Another benefit of Kindle Unlimited is its unlimited borrowing policy. You can borrow up to 10 titles at a time without additional fees or due dates.
Key Features
- Massive Library: Over 3 million titles, including e-books, audiobooks, and magazines.
- Available on Kindle/Kindle Apps: Access on any Kindle device or through the Kindle app.
- Up to 10 Titles at a Time: Borrow up to ten titles with no additional cost and no due dates
Kindle Unlimited provides access to millions of popular titles. Notable entries include Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover and The Harry Bosch Series by Michael Connelly, covering a wide range of genres.
An often overlooked feature of Kindle Unlimited is WhisperSync for Voice, which allows readers to switch between reading and listening seamlessly. This is ideal for those with active lifestyles, who move between different locations, or who prefer various content formats.
Kindle Unlimited also offers exclusive content, including original e-books, series, millions of self-published titles, and early Access and pre-release content.
The key differences between Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited
The pricing, library size, and borrowing limits vary
- Price
- Prime Reading: Included with an Amazon Prime membership ($139 per year or $14.99 monthly).
- Kindle Unlimited: $9.99 per month.
- Library Size
- Prime Reading: More than 3,000 rotating titles.
- Kindle Unlimited: Millions of e-books, comics, audiobooks, magazines, and more, including exclusive content not available on Prime Reading or elsewhere.
- Audiobooks
- Prime Reading: Limited selection.
- Kindle Unlimited: Vast selection of popular and exclusive titles.
- Borrowing Limits
- Prime Reading: Unlimited borrowing.
- Kindle Unlimited: Can borrow up to 10 titles at a time.
Should you try Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited?
It’s all about reading preferences
If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, consider exploring Prime Reading first. It’s free and offers up to 1,000 rotating titles. For greater variety and access to a vast library, invest in Kindle Unlimited for $9.99 per month. Remember, Kindle Unlimited is a standalone subscription, not included with Prime.
Deciding between Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited often comes down to your reading preferences and the number of titles you want access to. Both offer exceptional value, and you can’t go wrong with either.
In summary, Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited are excellent services for casual and avid readers alike. Prime Reading is free but offers a limited number of titles (approximately a thousand at any given time).
In contrast, Kindle Unlimited provides access to millions of e-books, audiobooks, and magazines for a small $9.99 monthly subscription fee.
If you want a more comprehensive service with access to over 4 million books, audiobooks, self-published titles, and magazines, Kindle Unlimited is the way to go.
Kindle Unlimited also offers unlimited borrowing (up to 10 titles at a time) and features such as Amazon’s original series, Kindle Singles, and WhisperSync, which allows seamless transitions between reading and listening. Prime Reading does not offer these features.
If you want a more comprehensive service with access to over 4 million books, audiobooks, self-published titles, and magazines, Kindle Unlimited is the way to go. If you’re a casual reader with less interest in independent or self-published titles, Prime Reading is a great option.
Unsurprisingly, Kindle Unlimited takes the cake
Both platforms are great options, depending on what you’re looking for
Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited are excellent choices for both casual and avid readers. They differ in membership cost (free vs. $9.99 monthly), the number of available titles, and text/audiobook formats through WhisperSync for Voice. Understanding these differences will help you choose the right service for your reading needs.
FAQ
Q: How do I cancel Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited?
It is easy to cancel both services. To cancel Prime Reading, cancel your Amazon Prime membership, as the service is included. To cancel Kindle Unlimited, visit Your Memberships and Subscriptions and follow the on-screen instructions to cancel.
Q: Do Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited work with Alexa and Google Assistant?
Yes, both services work with Alexa and Google Assistant, depending on the request. Alexa can read your current book and resume from where you left off. With Kindle Unlimited, you can switch seamlessly between text and audio-book versions (if the book has Audible narration). Unfortunately, Google Assistant does not offer native reading support. However, you can access your Kindle library from any Android device and use accessibility tools to read them. Alexa provides a better experience due to Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited operating within its ecosystem.
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