LONDON: Spotify has launched Audiobooks+, a monthly add-on subscription that gives listeners in Saudi Arabia and the UAE access to audiobooks alongside its music and podcast offering.
The service expands Spotify’s audiobook offering in the Kingdom, which had previously been available only to Premium Platinum subscribers.
It gives users on Free, Premium Standard, Premium Platinum and legacy plans 15 hours of audiobook listening each month.
Premium Platinum subscribers receive the additional 15 hours on top of the 12 hours already included in their plan.
“People across the Kingdom spend many hours commuting, traveling, working out or winding down, and much of that time is spent with audio,” said Akshat Harbola, managing director for MENAT+ at Spotify.
“Audiobooks turn those moments into time well spent. With Audiobooks+, we’re opening that up to everyone on Spotify, with hundreds of thousands of titles alongside the music and podcasts they already love, while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences across the region.”
Audiobooks+ costs SR29.99 ($7.99) per month. Listeners who need more time can buy a 10-hour top-up for SR31.99, an option already available to Premium Platinum subscribers. Users can also purchase individual titles without a subscription.
Listeners in Saudi Arabia can browse more than 350,000 English-language titles through a dedicated Audiobooks tab.
The launch forms part of Spotify’s global expansion of audiobook access from 22 markets to more than 180 by the end of 2026.
The company said the move would give more than 750 million people worldwide the ability to stream or purchase audiobooks on its platform.
Spotify first introduced audiobooks in 2022, positioning itself as a rival to Amazon’s Audible.
It expanded the service to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in November 2025 through a pilot for Premium Platinum subscribers.
The company has also launched Spotify for Authors in the Kingdom, allowing self-published authors to upload audiobooks, including works in local languages, and use tools to reach new audiences.
In May, Spotify introduced narrated articles from publications including Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety and Vanity Fair, with more than 650 long-form English-language articles available on the platform.
The feature uses a combination of human and artificial intelligence-generated voices as Spotify seeks to broaden its audio content.
