Kindle Unlimited Price Hike

Fat Abe · 05-11-2023, 10:09 PM

Announced in an email this morning:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for being a Kindle Unlimited member.

We are writing to let you know that the price of a monthly Kindle Unlimited membership increased from $9.99 to $11.99 on May 11, 2023. The new price will apply to you after June 18, 2023, on the date of your next monthly renewal.

Since the launch of Kindle Unlimited in 2014, we have grown our eBook catalog from 600,000 titles to over 4 million titles today, introduced digital magazine subscriptions, and improved selection quality across genres. Kindle Unlimited members have unparalleled access to read as much as they want from a rich catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and comics. We continue to invest in making Kindle Unlimited even more valuable for members.

Until July 31, 2023, you have the option to lock in your current price ($9.99/month) by purchasing upfront 6 months or 12 months of Kindle Unlimited. The lock-in price will take effect on the next billing date after the offer is purchased.

Decisions, decisions. It was already difficult choosing enough books on the service to read each month.

issybird · 05-12-2023, 07:51 AM

That's a lot of money for books that overall aren't very good and tend to be cheap to purchase. I thought that about $9.99 also, but going over $10 crosses a psychological barrier. You could join a couple of out-of-state OverDrive libraries and still have money left over.

Dr. Drib · 05-12-2023, 08:11 AM

Poor Amazon....We should help them out...Perhaps a drive to raise $100 billion for 2023...Join me, please.

jhowell · 05-12-2023, 08:56 AM

Those who want to continue using Kindle Unlimited may be interested in giving themselves a gift subscription to KU. That provides a significant saving with the drawback of having to pre-pay.

The best deal is 24 months for $172.66 which works out to $7.19 per month.

cane · 05-12-2023, 10:00 AM

I received the same email message this morning

time to look at other sites
Cane

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Abe

Announced in an email this morning:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for being a Kindle Unlimited member.

We are writing to let you know that the price of a monthly Kindle Unlimited membership increased from $9.99 to $11.99 on May 11, 2023. The new price will apply to you after June 18, 2023, on the date of your next monthly renewal.

Since the launch of Kindle Unlimited in 2014, we have grown our eBook catalog from 600,000 titles to over 4 million titles today, introduced digital magazine subscriptions, and improved selection quality across genres. Kindle Unlimited members have unparalleled access to read as much as they want from a rich catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and comics. We continue to invest in making Kindle Unlimited even more valuable for members.

Until July 31, 2023, you have the option to lock in your current price ($9.99/month) by purchasing upfront 6 months or 12 months of Kindle Unlimited. The lock-in price will take effect on the next billing date after the offer is purchased.

Decisions, decisions. It was already difficult choosing enough books on the service to read each month.

issybird · 05-12-2023, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhowell

Those who want to continue using Kindle Unlimited may be interested in giving themselves a gift subscription to KU. That provides a significant saving with the drawback of having to pre-pay.

The best deal is 24 months for $172.66 which works out to $7.19 per month.

I'm quibbling, but that's the only gift subscription deal. The six- and 12-month KU gifts work out to the current renewal price of $9.99/month.

CAFlanny · 05-12-2023, 10:15 AM

I hope they continue the Prime Day gift subscription. Otherwise, I would be paying almost twice as much per month.

SleepyBob · 05-12-2023, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm quibbling, but that's the only gift subscription deal. The six- and 12-month KU gifts work out to the current renewal price of $9.99/month.

Which is $2/month cheaper than the cost will be if you don't buy yourself a gift subscription, right?

Deskisamess · 05-12-2023, 10:20 AM

I'll be paying for 12 months before the price hike hits my membership. I've been going through 3-5 KU books per week when I'm working on sewing projects. Between KU and the library, I've always got something to read/listen to via speak screen.

Most of the books are not great literature, but that's ok for my casual reads.

issybird · 05-12-2023, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

Which is $2/month cheaper than the cost will be if you don't buy yourself a gift subscription, right?

Not if you renew now, as per the email.

Quoth · 05-12-2023, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm quibbling, but that's the only gift subscription deal. The six- and 12-month KU gifts work out to the current renewal price of $9.99/month.

About $144 per year. I might or might not buy that amount from Amazon in a year. I'd want to read about two or three "free" KU ebooks a week to justify that. Likely cost more here.

issybird · 05-12-2023, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Most of the books are not great literature, but that's ok for my casual reads.

I wasn't knocking the quality -- well, ok, I was -- but there's nothing wrong with that. As you note, it can work. I did two complimentary KU memberships because there are a lot of self-pubbed books (and not a lot of trad-pubbed) in a genre I like. The reality was that my reading satisfaction overall went down significantly, even though I DNFed the worst of them. Just the same, I was glad to have read the books; still, my gut reaction is that $144/year is a lot of money for not-very-good books even in quantity. Your point, however, about making use of Alexa to read KU books is excellent and could tip the balance.

ZodWallop · 05-12-2023, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Poor Amazon....We should help them out...Perhaps a drive to raise $100 billion for 2023...Join me, please.

Now I'm thinking of Sally Struthers pleading with me to donate to help Amazon's worthy cause.

Dr. Drib · 05-12-2023, 12:24 PM

And, of course, we all know that this increase in the subscription price will be passed on to the authors.

haertig · 05-12-2023, 01:10 PM

For me, $9.99 per month was too much given my slow reading speed. I acknowledge Amazon's efforts here, but unfortunately $11.99 is still too much. I'll wait until they hit at least $15.99 per month before I reconsider.

05-11-2023, 10:09 PM	#1
Fat Abe Man Who Stares at Books Posts: 1,816 Karma: 10606722 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: 50th State, USA. Also, PA, NY, CA, and elsewhere. Device: All of the Above	Kindle Unlimited Price Hike Announced in an email this morning: Dear Customer, Thank you for being a Kindle Unlimited member. We are writing to let you know that the price of a monthly Kindle Unlimited membership increased from $9.99 to $11.99 on May 11, 2023. The new price will apply to you after June 18, 2023, on the date of your next monthly renewal. Since the launch of Kindle Unlimited in 2014, we have grown our eBook catalog from 600,000 titles to over 4 million titles today, introduced digital magazine subscriptions, and improved selection quality across genres. Kindle Unlimited members have unparalleled access to read as much as they want from a rich catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and comics. We continue to invest in making Kindle Unlimited even more valuable for members. Until July 31, 2023, you have the option to lock in your current price ($9.99/month) by purchasing upfront 6 months or 12 months of Kindle Unlimited. The lock-in price will take effect on the next billing date after the offer is purchased. Decisions, decisions. It was already difficult choosing enough books on the service to read each month.

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05-12-2023, 07:51 AM	#2
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,229 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	That's a lot of money for books that overall aren't very good and tend to be cheap to purchase. I thought that about $9.99 also, but going over $10 crosses a psychological barrier. You could join a couple of out-of-state OverDrive libraries and still have money left over.

05-12-2023, 08:11 AM	#3
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,748 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Poor Amazon....We should help them out...Perhaps a drive to raise $100 billion for 2023...Join me, please.

05-12-2023, 08:56 AM	#4
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,497 Karma: 84420419 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tampa Bay, Florida Device: Kindles	Those who want to continue using Kindle Unlimited may be interested in giving themselves a gift subscription to KU. That provides a significant saving with the drawback of having to pre-pay. The best deal is 24 months for $172.66 which works out to $7.19 per month.

05-12-2023, 10:15 AM	#7
CAFlanny Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 2332848 Join Date: May 2021 Device: Kobo Libra H2O, Meebook P78 Pro, Kindles: PW5, Voyage, & Keyboard	I hope they continue the Prime Day gift subscription. Otherwise, I would be paying almost twice as much per month.

05-12-2023, 10:20 AM	#9
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,609 Karma: 42697471 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 7+, iPad mini, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8"	I'll be paying for 12 months before the price hike hits my membership. I've been going through 3-5 KU books per week when I'm working on sewing projects. Between KU and the library, I've always got something to read/listen to via speak screen. Most of the books are not great literature, but that's ok for my casual reads.

05-12-2023, 12:24 PM	#14
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,748 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	And, of course, we all know that this increase in the subscription price will be passed on to the authors.

05-12-2023, 01:10 PM	#15
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,738 Karma: 26006874 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	For me, $9.99 per month was too much given my slow reading speed. I acknowledge Amazon's efforts here, but unfortunately $11.99 is still too much. I'll wait until they hit at least $15.99 per month before I reconsider.

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