For readers who enjoy having both audio and text versions of the books they read, one common question is: “If I buy an Audible book do I get the Kindle version too?”
The answer, in general, is no…not unless you buy both the audiobook and ebook. But if you are interested in having both the Audible and Kindle versions of a book, there are a few things you should know to help you get them for less. So read on to learn the best hacks for getting both versions while saving money!
Do Audible Books Come With Text?
Do Audible books come with ebook versions? As mentioned a moment ago, the general answer to this question is no. There are a few exceptions, however.
For instance, if you have Kindle Unlimited, then you have free access to both the Kindle ebook and Audible audiobook versions of specific titles in the KU catalog. You can learn how to access the text and audio versions with Kindle Unlimited here.
In some cases, you can also access text and audiobook versions with Prime Reading. While Audible subscriptions aren’t free with Prime, you do get access to some audiobook versions and should definitely take advantage of this.
But if you are interested in buying an Audible book and want to get the Kindle ebook thrown in for free, this is not something that Amazon usually offers. You can choose to purchase both versions side by side, but you will have to pay for both.
How to Get Both Audible and Kindle Ebook Versions for Less
While you can’t usually find a Kindle version given for free when purchasing an Audible book, there are a few handy tricks you may want to consider if you want to have both versions in your digital library.
First, keep an eye on the Kindle Daily Deals. Each day, Amazon offers a selection of Kindle ebook deals for anywhere from $0-$3.99. So if there’s a book you want or already have the Audible version of, you may be able to get it for free or heavily discounted if it shows up as a daily deal. (You can sign up for Kindle Daily Deal email alerts on this page if you don’t want to have to check the deals every day).
My second tip, and one of my all-time favorite Amazon deal hacks, is to purchase the Kindle version of the book before buying the Audible version. Doing this allows you access to the Add Audible Narration deal where you can get the audiobook version at a huge discount. Using this deal generally means you’ll pay anywhere from $0.99-$7.49 for the Audible version, which often makes it cheaper to use this hack than to use an Audible subscription credit! You can follow the step-by-step guide here to learn how to add Audible narration to the Kindle books you already own and the Kindle books you plan to buy in the future.
Also, note that you can get an even better deal on the Kindle/Audible book combo when you get a Kindle ebook on a daily deal and then purchase the Audible version using the Add Audible Narration deal. Sometimes using these two methods together means you’ll spend less than the usual cost of buying just the Kindle book, yet you’ll get both the Kindle and Audible versions!
So even though the Kindle versions aren’t automatically included when you buy an Audible book, using the tricks above can definitely help you get both the Kindle ebook and Audible book versions of a book without breaking the bank. Next time you want both ebook and audiobook copies of the same book, give these methods a try!
Have questions and need to talk with a live Amazon representative? Here’s your step-by-step guide to getting in touch with Amazon customer service!
I used to get the Kindle version at a discount when I owned the Audible, but that’s not the case any longer. Too bad. I have enough Audible credits that I’m not looking for a discount there, but getting the Kindle book cheaper after owning the Audible would be something I’d use.
It is sad that it doesn’t work both ways! If you wanted, you could always reach out to Amazon and tell them this is a feature you’d like. No guarantees that they’ll actually do it, but it can’t hurt to let them know it’s something their customers are interested in!
And while I know you said you have a lot of Audible credits to use, I just want to make sure you know that sometimes it’s actually cheaper to buy the Kindle book first and then buy the Audible book as an add on rather than using a credit and then buying the Kindle ebook. But I understand if you prefer to just use the credits since you already have them!
Appreciate this thorough answer!
I’m glad it was helpful!
what about if I just want the audible version , is this possible ?
If you just want the Audible version of a book, you can buy it on Amazon’s website or use a credit on Audible to buy it. No need to buy the Kindle version if you just want the Audible one.