Audible is an audiobook service owned by Amazon. Don Katz founded it in 1995, and it sold one of the first portable digital audio players in 1997. Amazon bought the company in 2008. It is based in Newark, New Jersey, and runs local stores for the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France and other countries.
Members listen to audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals on their phone, computer or Kindle. The app tracks progress, syncs across devices and lets listeners change playback speed, set a sleep timer and add bookmarks. A large catalogue of titles is included in membership at no extra cost. Audible also produces its own audio dramas and exclusive recordings, and it works with authors and narrators through ACX, its audiobook production marketplace.
Audible works on a subscription. The standard plan gives members one credit each month that they can use on any title, and the books stay in their library after they cancel. Members can also buy extra titles at a discount. Audible runs on iOS, Android, the web, Alexa devices and Kindle. It is the largest audiobook seller in the US and the UK.