What is Kindle Unlimited & How Does it Work? (Complete Guide)

“If there is a heaven, it lies within books .If there is a hell, it lies within the world.”

(Anonymous Writer)

Key Takeaways:

• Kindle Unlimited lets you rent e-books, with a fixed monthly subscription.
• You don’t need a Kindle device to read over 4 million Kindle Unlimited (KU) e-books, magazines & comics.
• Its monthly subscription cost is 11.99 USD.
• At a time, you may rent over 20 titles without a due date.
• Scribd, Bookmate, 24Symbols, Comixology, and OverDrive are some alternatives to KU.

Every book lover knows it. Picking out the right book to read is no easy job. Especially if you have an above-average reading speed, it might become a wearing choice every now and then.

However, what’s more difficult is shelling out those hard-earned bucks to buy a book at the end of every few days. Wouldn’t it be easier to rent instead of buy? It’s at this exact point where it enters – Kindle Unlimited.

But what is Kindle Unlimited? And exactly how does Kindle Unlimited work?

In this blog, we will be sparing no effort to help you understand the workings, benefits, cost, ways to use, alternatives, and books on Kindle Unlimited.

What is Kindle Unlimited on Amazon?

Kindle Unlimited on Amazon is a subscription-based platform for renting e-books. On this platform, you can also get a catalog of over 4 million books, magazines, and comics for its subscribers.

However, there’s no need to buy a Kindle, as you just have to download the Kindle app and subscribe to the Kindle Unlimited service. Once you do that, you can easily read the content on any laptop, tablet, or phone.

Apart from the written content, this service also provides audiobooks to its users. You can even share audible books with the members of your Amazon household for free.

How Does Kindle Unlimited Work?

Now that you know its meaning, you’re likely to jump to the next big question – how does Kindle Unlimited work? To join the platform, you only need to create a free Amazon account and pay for the monthly subscription.

Once you become a subscriber, you can easily rent a book of your choice. At a time, you may rent & read over 20 books without any due date. If you want to rent another book, you’ll need to return 1 of those 20.

Suggested Reading: How Does a Kindle Work | Kindle Buying Guide 2023

Pros and Cons of Kindle Unlimited

Before opting for a separate subscription to Kindle Unlimitedyou’re more than likely to ask if it’s really worth it. After all, the membership to Prime Reading also offers e-books to read. However, it only offers over 1000 title selections, and that too is different from those offered by the Kindle services.

Following is a Pros vs. Cons list for the service to help you make a decision.

Pros	Cons
Tech-savvy easy to use platform	Some best-selling & popular books are not available
Stocking up 20 books at a time	Low quality of some self-published books
Easy swap between devices (without any need to own a Kindle)	Books missing in certain specific genres
Some exclusive books that aren’t available on other platforms	Less advanced algorithm, that might not ‘truly’ cater to your interests
Availability of local and Indie titles
No extra cost, apart from the subscription fee

Hence, with the near unlimited selections, rotating titles, and ability to share accounts among multiple users, Kindle Unlimited is surely ‘worth it’ for indie title fast readers.

However, if you’re someone who prefers new and highly popular titles, especially from the big five US publishing houses, it might not be the right fit for you.

How Much is Kindle Unlimited?

Now let’s come to another question of interest. How much exactly is Kindle Unlimited per month? In the USA, the monthly Kindle Unlimited cost is 11.99 USD plus taxes. To know about the cost in a different country, you may log in from your area.

If you’re doubtful about your decision, you may also first opt for a 30-day free trial. Even after paying the Kindle Unlimited price, you can cancel it at any time. This will terminate the service at the end of that month.

Now that you know how much is Kindle Unlimited per month, let’s find out some worth-to-read books on it.

Books on Kindle Unlimited

You may browse Kindle Unlimited books from their diverse titles selection. Following is a list of books in the most popular genres.

Romance	Fiction
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen Beautiful Disaster, by Janie McGuire Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell Gabriel’s Inferno, by Sylvain Reynard The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger	A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin The way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson Assassin’s Apprentice, by Robin Hobbs Eragon, by Christopher Paolini The Gunslinger, by Stephen King
Non-Fiction	Mystery
A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman	My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card Rebecca, by Daphne you Maurier The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Indie Contemporary	LGBTQ
Token Huntress, by Kia Carrington-Russell A Story of Yesterday, by Sergio Cobo Beatless, by Amber L. Johnson Miller Avenue Murder, by Nenny May The Light of Cabo Rojo, by Austin Star	Luck in the Shadows, by Lynn Flewelling Kushiel’s Dart, by Jacqueline Carey Change of Heart, by Mary Calmes And Playing the Role of Herself, by K.E. Lane The Gravity Between Us, by Kristen Zimmer

The above list consists of some of the very best books on Kindle Unlimited that you may read as per your taste and mood. You may even search for the popular high school books list on the platform to read.

Now, the question that seems more pertinent to ask is how exactly you get to read all these books.

How to Get Kindle Unlimited?

Wondering how to get Kindle Unlimited? Let us guide you through it.

• Open Amazon.com in your web browser.
• On the top-left side of the website, click on the three-line menu icon.
• Then go to: Kindle e-readers & books >> Kindle Unlimited >> Sign in >> Join Kindle Unlimited.

• Further, you’ll be asked to confirm your Amazon account.
• After confirmation, choose the Payment Methodand pay.

Now, you have a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Follow the steps below to rent the books of your choice.

• In the three-line Menu icon of Amazon, click on the option Kindle e-readers & books.
• Then, click on Kindle Books.
• Now go to the Search Bar, and type the name of the author or book you want to read.
• Now, on the left-hand side, ‘click check’ the Kindle Unlimited logo.
• Further, click on the book’s logo, & you will be directed to its page.
• On this page, click on the option $0.00 Kindle Unlimited.
• Select the type of device, and click on the option Read for free, on your screen’s right side.

It will now appear in your Kindle library. Enjoy reading your book on Kindle Unlimited at the place and time of your choice.

Kindle Unlimited (KU) Alternatives

Now you know what is Kindle Unlimited on Amazon, and how it works. It is time to also look for some alternatives – if not for additional features, at least for a cheaper cost. Below are 5 primary e-book subscription services for you to consider.

Service	Pros	Cons	Price (per month)
Scribd	More bestsellers than KU. Apart from e-books it also has sheet music & users’ uploaded documents. No renting limit for most publishers’ content.	Certain books are unavailable for certain regions. Renting restrictions for some publishers’ content.	11.99 USD
Bookmate	Apart from e-books, connect & follow other readers. Upload your own EPUBs and FB2 e-books. Some titles are available for free.	Limited bestsellers. Less variety in titles than KU.	10 USD
24Symbols	Rent unlimited e-books, plus graphic novels. Follow other readers. A free titles section is available.	Fewer bestsellers & mainstream titles than KU. No free trial is available.	8.99 USD
Comixology	Comics, Manga & graphic novels. Include many mainstream publishers. 30-day free trial available.	Glitchy application. Doesn’t have e-books or magazines.
OverDrive	Completely free of cost. Includes some bestsellers & audiobooks.	A limited number of titles. Less tech-savvy platform & algorithm.	Free

Therefore, you may choose from any of the above e-book reading platforms if you do not want a subscription to Kindle Unlimited.

Suggested Reading: 34 Z-Library Alternatives: Websites like Z Library for the Bibliophile in You!

To Sum it Up

With its 4 million titles and low Kindle Unlimited cost, this platform might be an ideal choice for book lovers to rent books.

However, just like there are no bounds to imagination or to a feeling, there could be no bounds to your book-reading choices. The best that we can suggest is to “never stop seeking”.

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