Spotify is significantly expanding its audiobook business, bringing audiobook access to more than 180 markets across Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
The rollout begins this week and will continue over the coming months, potentially giving more than 750 million Spotify users access to audiobooks.
Until now, Spotify’s audiobook offering was mainly available in English-speaking markets such as the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, along with Germany. The broader expansion puts Spotify in a stronger position to compete with dedicated audiobook platforms such as Audible.
Spotify says its expanded audiobook catalog includes more than 350,000 titles and now covers over 120 languages. In Spain, for example, users will gain access to more than 45,000 Spanish-language titles. The company is working with more than 300 publishers worldwide, including Planeta and Mondadori, to expand local-language content.
Premium subscribers in eligible countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway, and Peru, will receive 12 hours of audiobook listening each month. Spotify is also offering an Audiobook+ standalone subscription with a 15-hour monthly allowance, while users can purchase individual audiobook titles separately.
The company plans to introduce an Audiobook+ add-on for student plans in selected markets in November. Spotify said Audiobook+ has already surpassed 1 million subscribers since launching last year and has generated more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue.
Spotify has also been adding new features to strengthen its audiobook platform. In February, it introduced Page Match, which allows users to scan a page from a physical book and jump to the corresponding section in the audiobook. Spotify says about 1 million people now use the feature each month.
The company reported that monthly audiobook listeners have increased by 40% over the past year, while total listening hours have grown by 30%. Spotify has also introduced Audiobook Charts to help users discover popular titles and launched an AI-powered tool that allows authors to create audiobooks using ElevenLabs technology.
Beyond streaming, Spotify has begun experimenting with selling physical books through its platform in markets including the U.S. and U.K. With the latest international expansion, the company is positioning audiobooks as a much bigger part of its global audio strategy.
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