Spotify is expanding its audiobook service from 22 markets to more than 180 by the end of 2026, bringing the offering to Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana as the streaming company pushes deeper into digital books.
The expansion will make audiobooks available to more than 750 million people worldwide, with listeners gaining access to more than 350,000 titles across more than 120 languages.
Spotify announced the expansion at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest gathering for the publishing industry, as it seeks to make audiobooks available alongside the music and podcasts already offered on its platform.
The rollout covers a broad range of African markets, including Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal and Zimbabwe.
“Books change how we see the world, and the people in it,” said Owen Smith, vice president of Audiobooks at Spotify. “Bringing audiobooks to more than 180 markets means millions more people can discover that, and authors and publishers can reach readers they’ve never been able to reach before.”
Spotify introduces different audiobook access models
Access to audiobooks will vary by market, with Spotify offering a combination of subscription-based listening, paid add-ons and individual purchases.
In markets including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway and Peru, eligible Premium subscribers will receive 12 hours of audiobook listening each month as part of their existing plan.
Spotify will use Audiobooks+ as the primary access model in markets across Africa, Asia and Argentina.
Audiobooks+ allows listeners to purchase additional audiobook listening time on top of their existing Premium subscription. Premium Family and Duo subscribers can also receive 15 hours of audiobook listening each month through a recurring Audiobooks+ add-on.
Users who want a particular book will also be able to purchase individual titles directly and keep them.
Spotify said pricing and access models will vary by market.
Spotify adds Page Match
The global expansion comes with an update to Page Match, Spotify’s feature for moving between printed books, e-books and audiobooks.
The feature allows users to read a book and then continue listening to the same title in audio format from where they stopped.
Spotify said more than 1 million readers have used Page Match since it launched in February. The company is now adding page numbers, allowing users to scan a book’s ISBN barcode and use the page number to find their position in the audiobook.
Page Match supports more than 30 languages, helping Spotify extend the feature as audiobook access expands into new markets.
Audiobooks+ adds more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue
Spotify is also expanding Audiobooks+ to Student plans in Ireland, Belgium, Austria and Finland from November.
The company said Audiobooks+ has attracted more than 1 million subscribers since launching just over a year ago and generates more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue.
Spotify plans to extend Audiobooks+ to Student plans in additional markets next year.
The expansion comes as demand for audiobooks continues to grow on Spotify. The company said monthly audiobook listeners increased by nearly 40% over the past year, while audiobook listening hours rose by more than 30%.
Spotify first introduced audiobooks to Premium three years ago as it sought to broaden its platform beyond music and podcasts.
The company said its audiobook partnerships are non-exclusive, allowing authors and publishers to distribute their books through other platforms while using Spotify to reach additional audiences.
By the end of 2026, Spotify expects audiobooks to be available across more than 180 markets, including countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
