Amazon Kindle Unlimited Review for Authors and Readers (2023)

Amazon Kindle Unlimited, also known as KU in the Amazon community, is a hub for e-readers andWriters trying to reach digital readers.

What started as an online bookstore in Jeff Bezos' basement in 1995 has grown into a global leader, not just for the online shopping experience, but for authors and business owners alike.

Amazon Kindle Unlimitedit's just a program that attracts book lovers and authors from all over the world. The Kindle Unlimited program is available for many devices (not just Kindle readers or tablets) and can be used to access eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, comics and other literature.

So is Kindle Unlimited a subscription service that you should sign up for?

Here's what we'll cover in our Kindle Unlimited review:

1. What is Kindle Unlimited (KU)?
2. How much does Kindle Unlimited cost?
3. Kindle Unlimited Trial for Authors
4. Kindle Unlimited ou KDP Select?
5. How does Kindle Unlimited work for authors?
7. Kindle Unlimited Review for Readers
8. How does Kindle Unlimited work for readers?
10. Additional e-book reading services
11. Is Kindle Unlimited worth it for readers?

Kindle Unlimited for Readers and Authors

You probably have a lot of questions about KU before deciding to: 1. Subscribe as a monthly subscriber, or; 2. Use it as a funnelBuild your book publishing business.

as a reader, you probably want to know everything about this subscription service before committing to a monthly fee.

As a self-publishing author, you might be wondering if you can benefit from Kindle Unlimited and if it's worth signing up for the program.

We will address all these issues shortly. To make our purpose clear here, let's approach it from two angles:

1. As someone who loves books/audiobooks and wants to read/listen to a lot of them (You can borrow up to ten media at the same time).

2. As an author whoself-publish your own booksand wants as many readers as possible to read his material.

But before you sign up and hand more money over to Amazon, let's cover the basics of what KU is and why you should (or shouldn't) sign up for their monthly subscription service.

Introduction to Kindle Unlimited

First you need to create aAmazon-Kontobefore you can loginunlimited kindle. This is easy to set up.

Next, you must reside in the United States to join Amazon.com. Otherwise, you may receive a message similar to this one:

But wait... yeahKindle Unlimited only available in the US?

In fact, KU is a subscription service currently available to customers in the US, UK, Italy, Spain, Brazil, France, Mexico, Canada, Germany, India, Australia and Japan.

In the future, the subscription service will also be available to residents of other countries as Amazon continues to expand.

What is Kindle Unlimited (KU)?

unlimited kindleis Amazon's book subscription service that allows users to "borrow" books, magazines or audiobooks with no limit on borrowing time. It's a virtual library that you can pay to access.

With KU you have access to an extensive library of books, audiobooks and/or magazines with no loan term limit.

However, you can only borrow up to ten items at a time.If you borrow ten books and then return one, you can borrow another one, but the amount can never exceed ten.

There are two specific types of customers who subscribe to Kindle Unlimited:

1.voracious readerswho love compulsive book reading.

2.Authors (mostly self-published)trying to attract a hungry audience, and there are many avid readers who subscribe to KU.

Kindle Unlimited works for readers and authors: readers can borrow the book they love and read it anywhere. Authors can publish the books they've worked so hard to create and showcase their creations to the millions of readers who subscribe to Kindle United.It's a win-win situation.

How much does Kindle Unlimited cost?

For readers, the membership price is 9.99 per month, payable at the end of each month. I think it's very reasonable considering how much you have available to stream and enjoylow investment cost.

There is a 30-day free option to try it out before committing to the $9.99 monthly fee. You can check thosemembership plans.

Prime Members: Is Kindle Unlimited Free?

Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service separate from Amazon Prime, which also means you don't have to be a Prime member to get Unlimited.

There is another loan service called exclusive and FREE for Prime membersfirst reading. This is similar to Kindle Unlimited but offers a smaller selection of content.

Kindle Unlimited Trial for Authors

First, let's take a look at Amazon's Kindle Unlimited from an author's point of view.

In this section, we'll cover what KU is, how it works, the pros and cons, and whether it's worth signing up as an author.

What's the difference between Kindle Unlimited and KDP Select?

unlimited kindleis the book signing servicewhile KDP Select is a programAuthors can apply for additional perks that grant Amazon exclusive rights to sell an ebook only on the Kindle Store.

As an author, one of the options (and benefits) of publishing on AmazonKindle Direct Publishing(KDP) Select Program is your access to promotional tools and the opportunity to be selected for special promotions that Amazon runs from time to time.

If you are listing your eBook exclusively for the Kindle Store, which is a requirement when registering your book in KDP Select, the book will also be includedKindle Unlimited (KU). When you join KDP as an author and have that level of access to millions of readers, you can build your platform in many ways.

Here's how authors who apply will benefit from KDP Select:

1. Brings in hundreds or thousands of new leads and grows your subscriber list. Amazon doesn't share email data with authors, so you don't know who it is.buy your books. Offer a free distribution on your books and ask readers to sign up for your list. It's the beginning of her journey with you.

2. You can earn a share ofKDP Select Global Fundbased on how many pages of your book Kindle Unlimited customers have read. Imagine you have a set of books on KDP and your readers have access to your books through KU and you reach a goal of 250,000 pages read by readers each month. This is a tremendous boost and can really generate a nice income when leveraged.

3. If you decide to work with Kindle Unlimited, you can do thisself-publish and reach a large number of Amazon readers. As mentioned, the best incentive is that youBook will be widely distributedfor Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

How does Kindle Unlimited work for authors?

When authors publish their books on Amazon's KDP, they have the option to enroll in KDP Select. With KDP Select,your e-bookis exclusive to the Kindle Store because Amazon owns the rights to your book. However, this means that Amazon offers authors top-notch marketing perks and tools, one of which is Kindle Unlimited registration.

The KDP Select Global fund is basically the money that Amazon sets aside every month. It calculates KDP Select authors' earnings based on factors such as the number of books withdrawn and the number of pages read each month.

If you're an author and self-publish your book on Amazon, you might be wondering if submitting your book to Amazon's KU program is right for you.

As a self-publisher, access to this program can be a huge advantage if you want to get your book in front of a larger audience.

For example, fiction writers who publish tons of books and work for themBuilding a book seriescan make huge profits on Kindle Unlimited when subscribers read their books.

Through AmazonKDP Global Select-Fonds, you are entitled to Kindle Unlimited royaltiesfor pages a single customer reads for the first time in your book.

Imagine this: if you have a series of books with 12 to 15 titlesamazon marketWith an average of 200 pages per book, that could mean a good amount of money every month as subscribers read your stuff.

Do authors receive money from Kindle Unlimited?

Yes, authors who submit their work to Kindle Unlimited receive royalties based on certain criteria, including book size, number of copies taken, and number of pages read for the first time.

A customer canread your bookas many times as you want, but only on Amazonpay royalties to the authorfor the number of pages read when the client first reads them. It also doesn't matter how long it takes the customer to read the book, you will still be paid if the KDP Select subscription period expires and you decide not to resubscribe.

Here's how Amazon calculates your monthly royalty payments:

1. An author receives a combined royalty payment for KU and KOLL. Amazon revises the size of the KDP Select Global Fund every month, making it attractive enough for authors to submit their books to KDP Select.
2. Funding amount will be announced on the community forum at kdp.amazon.com. The proportion of funds distributed to each country varies based on several factors, such as: B. Local exchange rates and subscription prices.

Here is an example of how funds are distributed based on authorsBook size x number of loans x number of pages read. This is based on a global fund of $10,000,000.

• Author with a 100 page bookborrowed and read in full 100 times would fetch $1,000 ($10 million multiplied by 10,000 pages for that author divided by 100,000,000 total pages).
• Author of a 200 page bookborrowed and read in full 100 times would fetch $2,000 ($10 million multiplied by 20,000 pages for this author divided by 100,000,000 total pages).
• Author of a 200 page bookthat was checked 100 times but read only halfway would, on average, net $1,000 ($10 million multiplied by 10,000 pages for that author divided by 100,000,000 total pages).

As you can see, having lots of quality books with great covers and a series that builds on Kindle Unlimited readers can pay off.

Pros and cons for authors

A cross-channel controversy revolves around the question: Is KU really bringing authors or Amazon? The answer - depending on who you ask - is both.

Here are the main benefits of Kindle Unlimited for authors:

1. Less competition.Major publishers don't use KU. This significantly reduces your competition. You can discover an audience you never had before with Kindle Unlimited if you're willing to put in the work.
2. Amazon prefers books on Kindle Unlimited. This is really some kind of "myth", but if you check this outAmazon's Top 100 Books, you will see several titles registered with KU.
3. Potentially larger audience and earning potential.Of course, this depends on a number of factors, including what your book is about, the genre, and how often you publish. Authors can make their book available to millions of readers. This means the potential to collect more reviews and build a larger following through email subscriptions.

Here are the main cons of Kindle Unlimited:

1. Authors don't get paid for books that readers check out and never read.Amazon only pays for pages read and nothing else. This can do little for readers who stop reading your book. Authors are not paid for books that readers no longer read.
2. You must write and publish frequently for Kindle Unlimited to be a financial benefit.When it comes to being a successful writer on KU, it all comes down to how much material you can market to readers, hoping they'll be interested in your work. Then, once you hook them, keep writing for that market.
3. You cannot sell your book on other platformssince you are exclusive to Kindle Unlimited
4. The free aspect can be stereotyped as “lesser value”.As an author, your book may be seen as inferior by readers if it is free. But hey, Harry Potter is available on KU!

There are many authors and publishers who are strongly opposed to the system that Amazon has implemented with KU, claiming that Publisher Goliath is teaching customers to read for free. When readers start using the subscription service instead of buying books directly, it meansLess money for authors. While some authors prefer KU and earn well from the subscription platform, not all do.

You can weigh the pros and cons and decide for yourself - as an author and self-publisher - whether KU is right for you. This decision is really up to you.Business template for your book business.

If you only have 1-2 titles and can earn more directly from book sales, you might be better off staying away from KU anduse your platformafter selling the book.

Kindle Unlimited Review for Readers

Now let's take a look at Amazon's Kindle Unlimited from an avid reader's perspective.

In this section, we'll cover what Kindle Unlimited is, how it works, the pros and cons, and whether it's worth signing up for readers.

How does Kindle Unlimited work for readers?

Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service for readers that gives you access to a huge selection of titles from the Kindle Store by renting up to ten titles per month for as long as you need.

Once you've dived in and signed in, you can access the titles in your Kindle Unlimited Library at any time by selecting Your Kindle Unlimited from the Account & Lists drop-down menu on the Home page.

Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service separate from Amazon Prime. You don't need to be a Prime member to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited.

You can also access your eBooks from any device. An Amazon device or Kindle tablet is not required.

When you enroll in KU, you'll see a badge next to the book enrolled in KDP Select, indicating that the book you want is available on KU. This works no matter what country you reside in, as long as KU is available.

How to cancel Kindle Unlimited

You can cancel your subscription by visiting your account athttps://www.amazon.com/ihraccountand adjusting your membership preferences.

It's easy to do. You can cancel at any time. This is a unique feature that, unlike other subscription services, allows you to suspend your subscription at any time.

To cancel your Kindle Unlimited subscription:

1. On the Your Kindle Unlimited page, there is a Manage Subscription button with an option to Cancel Kindle Unlimited Subscription.
2. The following page will tell you how long your benefits will remain active and will give you the option to 'Continue Membership' or 'End Membership'. It's your choice.
3. To resume your Kindle Unlimited subscription in the future, return to Your Kindle Unlimited page. In the "Manage Subscription" field, there is an option to "Continue Unlimited Kindle Subscription".
4. When canceling your subscription, you will receive an email confirming the cancellation of the subscription.
5. Remember, if you paid for a long-term subscription and cancel several months of your annual subscription, you will be refunded for the remaining months. Please note, however, that you cannot restart your subscription at a later date. So if you decide to cancel, please make sure you want to do so.

Pros and cons for readers

Kindle Unlimited membership has pros and cons for bibliophiles worldwide.

Let's take a look at what they are and then you can decide whether you want to invest in them.

Remember there is a 30 day free trial periodSo it's a no-brainer to try this service if that's an issue.

Here are the main benefits of Kindle Unlimited for readers:

1. Access to over 1,000,000 titlesevery month, plus current magazines and audio books.
2. Up to ten titlescan be borrowed at any time. This might be a limitation for some, but how many books and/or audiobooks do you need at once?
3. Download the app on any device:Your PC, phone or iPad. And you have full access to your library as long as you have an internet connection. You don't need any special "only for Amazon" devices.
4. audio book versionsfor most titlesare offered to subscribers. That means thousands of hours listening to your favorite books.
5. Cancel your subscription at any time. It doesn't lock you into long-term membership fees. You have the option to sign up for an annual subscription.
6. More title availabilityfor readers than the industry's competition offers. There is also a large collection of genre literature, from thrillers to science fiction, romance and even children's books.
7. Instant access to thousands of high-quality self-published bookson the Amazon platform. With a monthly loan of 3 to 5 books, the service pays for itself.
8. Excellent customer support team, as seems to be the case with all of Amazon's platforms.

Now let's see the cons, because yes, even with this program and all that it's worth, there are some negatives that might change your opinion about KU.

The main cons of Kindle Unlimited for readers:

1. New releases are usually not availableimmediately (if any) to KU. If you're interested in the latest chart-topping books, you'll be waiting a long time for them to be released on KU.
2. Mostly independent books, or those written by independent or independent authors. While there are many quality self-published books out there, if you like big commercial books, KU is not for you.
3. Ongoing monthly feeto remain an active member. But for the price it's still better than buying more stuff.
4. Complex navigation functionthis is not always easy to navigate.
5. TKU service is NOT freefor Prime members.

Additional e-book reading services

It's good to know that while Amazon has a big chunk of the digital book market, it's not the only one in the market. There are other reading subscription services that offer similar services with a few minor differences.

Here, in addition to Kindle Unlimited, we can recommend three other unlimited reading services that might interest you. If Kindle Unlimited hasn't piqued your interest, one of these other options may be available.

1.24 Symbol

24symbols is a borderless digital reading service. You pay a small monthly fee - $7.99 per month - and you can download and read any book in the catalog on any device.

24 Symbols has over a million books available in multiple languages ​​and the service can be canceled at any time. With 24symbols app you can read online or download your favorite books on your best device

2.ScribdGenericName

Slightly cheaper than Kindle Unlimited - at $8.99 per month - Scribd claims to offer access to over a million titles with around 70 million subscribers on board. It has a worldwide presence, with the subscription service available in several countries.

However, Scribd's support team is considered weak and the reputation of this online book company is not the best. They offer "unlimited" reading, but there are actually limits to what you can access and what you can download.

3.book companion

Bookmate is a subscription-based e-book service that makes reading accessible to anyone in the world with a cell phone.

Bookmate has a special feature that makes it stand out:It is unique in the way it presents its social element.Subscribers can create custom profiles and follow friends to see what books they like and what's on their TBR "shelves".

As the market leader in Russia, Bookmate is now available in English, Spanish, Turkish, Swedish and many other languages.

Bookmate is free for 7 days, and if you like the experience, you can continue for a monthly subscription of $9.99/month.

Is Kindle Unlimited worth it for readers?

The price is right and unsubscribing is easy. It all boils down to one simple question: what do you like to read?

Kindle Unlimited titles have a strong focus on self-published books. If your taste tends towards the greaterTop 100 Best Sellers on Amazon, you might be disappointed.

While there are some books published by KU that were published by the Big 5, such asHarry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling, many of the books you want may not be included in your subscription service.

Kindle Unlimited is the perfect type of service for those who like to read... and read a lot! If you enjoy reading 1-2 titles a week, there's no reason to hesitate to sign up for Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program. You will get your money's worth within the first few months.

Also mentioned, for magazine lovers and audiobook fans, you can also access this material.

If you are one of those busy people on the run, managing a busy schedule, taking care of the family and you need instant access to a wide platform that you can access instantly when you find time, then KU is for you. If you're a traveler or someone who spends a lot of time on the road, you might hear themaudio bookstraveling.

If you're looking for a way to access a large number of books or are interested in reaching more readers and don't mind being an Amazon exclusive, Kindle Unlimited is your best option.

What is your experience with Kindle Unlimited?