Audible Launches New Cheaper Monthly Standard Plan in Canada

Amazon-owned Audible is introducing a new, lower-priced subscription tier called Standard to give listeners a more affordable way to access its audiobook library. The new plan is available starting today in Canada, the United States, the UK, Australia, Germany, and France.

Priced at $8.99 CAD per month, the Standard plan allows subscribers to choose one audiobook monthly from Audible’s entire catalogue of over 900,000 titles. As long as the membership remains active, users keep access to their selected titles. The plan also includes unlimited, ad-free listening to a curated selection of Audible Originals and roughly 200 titles previously found on Wondery+, such as Dr. Death and American Scandal.

While many of these podcast titles will still be available on other platforms, certain popular series like The Shrink Next Door and Ghost Story are now exclusive to Audible members.

“The launch of our Standard plan reflects Audible’s ongoing commitment to serving the diverse preferences and listening habits of story-lovers everywhere,” said Cynthia Chu, Chief Financial and Growth Officer at Audible, in a statement to iPhone in Canada. “By expanding our membership options, we’re maximizing access for lighter listeners while enabling publishers and creators to reach new audiences.”

Audible Standard vs. Premium Plus

Audible will continue to offer its flagship Premium Plus membership for $14.95 CAD per month. The primary difference between the two tiers is how you own your content.

On the Premium Plus plan, users receive one credit per month to purchase any book, which stays in their library forever even if they cancel. The Standard plan acts more like a streaming service; users can select one book a month from the full collection, but access is only available as long as the membership is active.

Additionally, Premium Plus members get unlimited access to the entire Plus Catalogue featuring thousands of audiobooks, while Standard members are restricted to a smaller, curated selection of podcasts and Originals.

The company noted that early testing in the UK and Australia led to a double-digit percentage increase in new sign-ups, suggesting a strong appetite for this mid-tier option. The new Standard plan is available for sign-up immediately through the Audible website and app.