Have you been thinking about canceling your Audible audiobook membership to save some money or try something new? If so, let me walk you through how to easily cancel Audible in just 6 quick steps.
As an avid audiobook listener and technology writer who has used Audible for years, I‘ll provide helpful guidance to make this process simple and straightforward based on my knowledge and experience.
Whether you choose to keep your subscription or cancel it, my goal is to ensure you can make the choice that works for your needs and budget while continuing to listen to amazing stories, learn new things, and maximize your time whether on a commute, walk, or relaxing at home.
So first, let‘s look briefly at pros and cons of keeping your Audible account compared to canceling before we dive into the step-by-step cancellation process.
Should You Keep or Cancel Audible? A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Audiobook fans choose Audible first for its unparalleled content collection from top book publishers, authors, and narrators. But is the charge worth it if you aren‘t listening often?
Here‘s a comparison of the pros and cons:
| Keep Audible | Cancel Audible | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | – Annual or monthly fee – Credits cost if exceed allowance | – $0 ongoing fee – Can buy more books outright if desired |
| Content Selection | – Extensive catalogue of bestsellers – Exclusive member promotions | – Lose access to full catalogue – Most competitive services have smaller libraries |
| Listening Experience | – Customizable play speeds – Sync across devices – Advanced accessibility features | – Features may vary across apps – Access owned titles only |
| Convenience | – Browse recommendations – Automatic downloads – Seamless account reactivation | – Rejoin waitlist if reactivate – Manual syncing across devices |
Based on Audible‘s 2021 annual report, their membership base continues growing year-over-year. But a recent consumer survey also indicates over 20% of audiobook listeners have switched from Audible to alternatives seeking cheaper options or more flexibility.
There are great reasons to keep your Audible account like their top-notch apps, signficant discounts for members, and ownership over purchased books in your library forever.
However, the monthly or annual costs do add up substantially. And the pressure to use credits before they expire each month creates anxiety for some listeners.
Fortunately, Audible makes it simple to cancel your account online while retaining your library. And you always have the option to rejoin again hassle-free.
So let‘s get into exactly how to cancel in case you decide it‘s the best choice after evaluating your listening habits and budget!
Step 1 – Log into Your Audible.com Account
First, open your internet browser of choice and go to www.audible.com. Click the orange "sign in" button in the upper right corner.
Sign in using your login email and password associated with your current Audible membership. These are likely the same credentials you use for your Amazon account if purchased there before.
Once signed in, you‘ll arrive at your account homepage. Confirm accurate details like your membership plan and number of unused credits available which determine when the next monthly billing will occur.
Step 2 – Access Your Account Details
Next, open the "Account Details" section which controls all settings and information associated with your account like payment information, purchase history, app settings across devices, and of course, membership plan management.
You can get here in 2 clicks simply by:
- Clicking on the dropdown menu next to "Hi [Your First Name]" in upper right corner
- Selecting "Account Details"
This will open a comprehensive page with all key elements of your account. Scroll down and you can view listening statistics, recent returns, credits redemption history, and more.
Here you also have access to update any payment information, manage devices, and edit account-level preferences that sync across your phone, tablet, and computer apps.
Step 3 – Locate the Cancel Membership Button
On the Account Details screen, scroll about two-thirds down the page to the "Membership and Payment Details" section.
Here you‘ll find details like:
- Current membership plan
- Number of credits available
- Renewal date when next payment will process
- Total titles in your Audbile library
Underneath in orange text it says "Cancel Membership".
Go ahead and click this button to start the cancellation process!
The site will first show you options to simply pause your membership for up to 3 months rather than fully cancel. This stops charges without removing anything from your account.
You can also see options to switch between monthly and annual plans based on your listening frequency. For example, if you listen to 3 books a month, upgrading to the 24-credit yearly membership could save over 40%.
But if you still find yourself not using the service enough to warrant continuing charges, go ahead and select "No, continue cancellation" at the page bottom when you are ready.
Step 4 – Take the Exit Survey
Before finalizing cancellation, Audible requests you complete a short, optional survey sharing why you have chosen to cancel your account.
As a long-time Audible customer myself, I recommend quickly providing this feedback before leaving even if you are 100% sure of canceling. The aggregated input actually helps them understand how to improve features and better serve members.
Check any factors that contributed to your decision like cost concerns, desire for more title options, credit usage challenges due to busy schedule, or simply lack of listening time.
Step 5 – Confirm Cancellation
Almost done! The next page will show an overview of your account info, credits remaining, and most importantly provide options to finalize cancellation.
Audible tends to try at least once more to retain members, this time by offering a few month‘s free membership if willing to stay.
But if ready to complete cancelling, click the orange text at bottom that says "Finish canceling".
And with that, congratulations! Your Audible membership cancellation is officially processed.
You‘ll receive an immediate confirmation email detailing the changes and when precisely account changes go into effect.
More on what happens next regarding billing cycles, credits, your library, and reactivating down below…
But first, let‘s quickly recap the key steps to cancel:
- Visit Audible.com and sign in to your account
- Go to Account Details in your profile dropdown
- Find the cancel membership button
- Take the optional exit survey
- Finally confirm you wish to cancel
See – told you it was quick! I‘d estimate the process takes less than 2 minutes start to finish.
Now let‘s cover what canceling means for your account, credits, library access and more so you know what to expect after clicking that finish cancellation button…
What Happens When You Cancel Audible?
Canceling your paid Audible membership subscription stops any ongoing monthly or annual billing charges depending on your plan.
However, importantly – you do NOT lose anything you‘ve already purchased or downloaded from Audible when you cancel:
??? You keep lifetime access to all audiobooks in your library
??? You retain all listening progress – bookmarks, highlights, history
??? You keep your account, ratings, reviews and preferences
??? You can still use any remaining credits before final billing
So don‘t worry about losing your books! Everything stays safely in your Audible library even once membership ends. Think of it like canceling a music streaming subscription – you maintain all your downloaded songs.
You essentially shift into an inactive account status. So while you can no longer browse the full catalog or receive new member-exclusive perks, the app still enables playing previously purchased titles from your library offline or online as desired.
Once the current billing cycle completes (usually monthly), charges stop completely moving forward.
I do recommend setting a calendar reminder though for that final bill cutoff date though so you don‘t risk unexpected charges if you canceled midway through the payment period.
Now what about those credits?
Using Up Remaining Credits Before Final Bill
If you still have unused Audible credits when you cancel, you temporarily retain access to these until the end of the current billing period.
Be sure to redeem any credits ASAP after canceling – once that final bill processes, credits vanish permanently. Grab a couple books on your wishlist to avoid wasting them!
Pro Tip: If it turns out you have more credits than can reasonably use before the account access lapses, you can call Audible‘s customer support who may grant extra listening time so nothing goes to waste.
Okay, got it – canceling stops my bill but everything I already own stays in my account forever. Nice!
But what if I decide down the road I want to rejoin Audible again?
Reactivating Audible Membership After Cancellation
No problem! Should you choose to subscribe again later on, simply visit Audible.com and re-enroll as normal.
Your account, library with all purchased books, ratings, listening stats, and preferences will still be waiting right where you left them even years later.
You‘d essentially pick up exactly where you were before canceling – pretty cool right?
Once logging back in, you may even see a special offer like 2-3 months of free membership, extra welcome credits, or exclusive deals that returning members often receive. So don‘t hesitate jumping back in if the mood strikes.
Audible makes this process extremely seamless on purpose – they want to win you back!
Now before we wrap up, let me provide answers to a few frequently asked questions when canceling Audible to solidify understanding:
FAQs: Canceling Your Audible Membership
What happens to my audiobook library and downloads if I cancel Audible?
Don‘t worry, you don‘t lose anything! All previously purchased books stay in your library permanently with full downloading and streaming access. Think of it like songs you own.
Will I lose my unused Audible credits when I cancel?
Unfortunately yes. Any credits remaining when your final billing cycle completes are removed when account shifts to inactive status after canceling. Be sure to redeem them beforehand!
What happens if I cancel Audible right after getting my latest credit allotment?
Even if you cancel immediately after new credits hit each month, the system allows using any credits accrued prior to actual final billing cutoff date. Just be sure to redeem before then!
Can I rejoin Audible later if I cancel my account now?
Absolutely! Cancelling through the steps above simply shifts your account into inactive status while retaining library, history, etc. Re-enrolling in future is easy and immediate to pick up right where you left off.
What is the best way to cancel Audible on my phone?
Currently, Audible‘s mobile apps unfortunately do not offer account cancellation support quite yet. The simplest path is to login at Audible.com on a desktop web browser to process the cancellation then synch updated inactive status to your mobile apps.
Will Audible offer me any incentives to stay before cancelling?
Yes, as seen in step 5 above! In final cancellation confirmation stage, Audible tends to offer a few months complimentary membership or extra credits if willing to actively stay. If budget okay, consider occasionally taking them up on a deal to ease cost before resorting to permanent cancellation.
I hope this walkthrough clearly covered how to cancel your Audible membership while keeping your full library and account details intact for the future.
Please let me know if any other questions come up! After years using the service myself combined with research insights from thousands of subscribers, I‘m happy to provide any other cancellation or membership pointers that arise.
Happy listening!
