We are going to explain what exactly Kindle Unlimited is, and also how it works, and how to access its catalog. This is Amazon’s flat-rate service, in which you subscribe by paying a monthly fee of ten euros, and in exchange, you access a catalog of more than a million books to read whatever you want.
Well, not exactly the ones you want, because as we will explain, there is a limit to the number of books you can download at the same time. The good news is that you won’t need a Kindle reader to access the books since you can also do it from PCs, tablets, and mobiles through the Kindle app.
What is Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited is Amazon’s attempt to create a kind of Netflix of books. Its operation is practically the same as streaming services, both for videos, such as Netflix or HBO and for music, such as Spotify and Apple Music. You pay a flat rate, a monthly fee of 9.99 euros, and in exchange, you have access to read all the books in the service’s catalog.
Amazon is an online store that started precisely as a bookstore, so it is not surprising that it pays special attention to books. In this context, the Kindle is one of the most popular ebook readers on the market, and its flat-rate service is, in fact, the only one that fully integrates with the company’s devices. The service arrived in Spain at the end of 2014.
You must keep in mind that the Kindle Unlimited catalog does not cover all the books that are for sale on Amazon, but rather specific ones that you can identify when you enter their profiles because, in the sales options, they include an option with the service. Even so, there are around a million books in a catalog that is receiving news and growing.
Another feature of this service is that you can not only read on Kindle devices that you have registered in your name. You will also be able to use any computer or mobile device, both Android and iPhone. To do this, you only have to download the official Kindle application to them and access the books through it.
And finally, there is the limit of simultaneous books. As you can read in the Kindle Unlimited conditions, you can only download a maximum of 10 books at a time. Therefore, when you reach that limit, you will have to finish books and remove them from the device or directly abandon and delete them to be able to download others.
How Kindle Unlimited Works
How Kindle Unlimited works is very simple. All you have to do is enter the service’s website and register. Once you sign up, you will have a free trial for the next 30 days, so you can see how convincing it is before you start paying for it.
Once you have registered, when you re-enter the web, you will directly access the catalog of available books. And if you are not registered, you will be able to know that a book is part of the catalog because a Kindle Unlimited will appear among the purchase options for the price of 0.0 euros, indicating that if you pay the monthly fee for the service, you will not have to pay separately for the book.
All you have to do is download the book you want on your device and start reading it. Both in your Kindle and in the mobile application, you will see that there is now a section called Kindle Unlimited from where you can access the entire catalog. Once inside, click on the book you want and start downloading it.
The Kindle Unlimited catalog is divided into several types of products: ebooks, audiobooks, comics, and ezines. With these three types, a catalog of more than a million titles is formed, which is increasing day by day. Magazines are a new format exclusive to Unlimited that you wouldn’t be able to get any other way, and the ones you do have are updated monthly. The rest of the titles will simply be added or removed.
Audiobooks aren’t as common as conventional books, and they’re also not compatible with Kindle readers. However, if you have the Kindle application on your mobile or tablet, then you can consume them. As for books and comics, these are available for all devices.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the books you access in Kindle Unlimited don’t become yours. They are lent to you by Amazon. This means that if you cancel your account, all program books will be deleted from your devices. But without canceling the account, you will have them downloaded, so you can also consume them offline.
And as for authors, Amazon doesn’t pay them for every book an Unlimited user downloads. Instead, it pays them for each page read by each user, a system that some authors have managed to circumvent in the past.
How to see the catalog
Unfortunately, Amazon doesn’t show you the Kindle Unlimited catalog unless you’re a subscriber. As a non-subscribed mainstream user, all you can do is find the Kindle Unlimited badge on the books you’re looking for in the online store.
And if you are a subscriber, everything is easier because, on the website amazon.es/kindle-dbs/hz/bookshelf, you will find the catalog of books that belong to the program. In addition, when you access the Amazon book catalog from your Kindle reader, you will also see, just like on your mobile device with the Kindle app, a section for Kindle Unlimited.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
