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Summary
What Is Prime Reading?
As you might expect from the name,Prime Readingis a service that’s included for free with an Amazon Prime subscription. It’s one of themany perks that Amazon throws in alongside free shipping, but not as well known asPrime VideoorAmazon Music Prime.
With Prime Reading, you can borrow up to 10 eBooks, comics, magazine issues, and audiobooks at a time. You can access these titles from theKindle appon iPhone, iPad, Android,Fire tablets, and on Kindle eReaders. Amazon doesn’t share the exact number of titles included in Prime Reading, but it’s estimated to be around 1,000–3,000, and titles are rotated in and out periodically.
What Is Kindle Unlimited?
Like Prime Reading, Kindle Unlimited titles can be accessed from theKindle appon iPhone, iPad, Android, Fire tablets, and onKindle eReaders. You can borrow up to 20 titles at a time. Some see that as a restrictive limitation, but it’s important to understand it’s not 20 titlesper month; it’s 20 titlesat a time. Once you return something you’ve finished, you can check out a new title.
Do Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited Work the Same?
Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited essentially wok the same. Prime Reading is a benefit of having a Prime membership, whereas Kindle Unlimited is a specialized service for Kindle users. However, using each service is exactly the same.
Whether you’re a Prime member or you pay for Kindle Unlimited, the titles included can be accessed through the Kindle app on iPhone, iPad, Android, Fire tablets, and on Kindle eReaders. Look for the “Prime Reading” or “Kindle Unlimited” labels to know whether you’re able to grab a title.
Over 4 million
Single issues only
10 at a time
20 at a time
$11.99 per month
How Much Is Kindle Unlimited?
Which Is the Better Deal?
Unsurprisingly, there’s not a clear winner here—it depends on how much you read. If you’re looking for an “all-you-can-eat buffet” type experience for reading, Kindle Unlimited is your best bet. 20 titles at a time isa lot, and you can easily read more than that if you fly through books and audiobooks.
Prime Reading has a much, much smaller library, but no one is signing up for a Prime membership to get it. You already have Prime, and the free books are a nice little bonus. For light readers, Prime Reading and alibrary card with the Libby appwould offer a great selection of free books and audiobooks.
That being said, Kindle Unlimited is a pretty great deal if you read even just a few books per month. An eBook from the Kindle Store will typically run from $1 to $12, so it would not take much at all to get $11.99 worth of books each month. Get out there and read!
