Audible is a household name and arguably one of the best platforms to experience the magic of audiobooks.
Audible offers credits that users can spend on audiobooks. However, many users want to understand how exactly these credit work and how long they will last.
In this article, we take a look a the shelf life of an Audible credit and how you can ensure you don’t get caught out by expiration dates.
Here’s What You Need to Know about Audible Credits:
While Audible books purchased with credits are yours forever, unused credits have an expiration date. Generally, unused credits expire after 1 year, though there are exceptions. Unused credits cannot be transferred to another user and will be lost if a member chooses to terminate their membership.
1. Do You Lose Audible Credits if You Don’t Use them?
Audible credits are extremely valuable for Audible users and can be used to purchase audiobooks to keep forever. However, Audible credits do not last forever.
Audible credits will generally expire after 12 months from the date they were received, with the exception of those that were gained via membership plans created on the Audible iOS app and Google Play.
Users should also keep in mind the limit on the number of credits their plan allows them to hold onto, as unused credits that exceed the limit can be lost, too.
Check also: Why does Audible only offer me 1 credit?
2. How Long can You Keep Audible Books You Buy with Credits?
Credits allow Audible users to purchase any book from the enormous selection that Audible offers.
Credits work in exactly the same way as credit card payments. In fact, credits are used instead of having to pay using a credit card.
You’ll see the option to pay using Audible credits on the audiobook’s titles page. Simply choosing this option allows you to make the purchase of the selected audiobook with 1 credit.
Many users have wondered whether purchasing a book on Audible with a credit will have any drawbacks, however, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Audible credits are a fantastic incentive to purchase books on Audible.
Here are the benefits of using Audible credits:
- An Audible credit will purchase a book, no matter how much the book costs in real-term value.
- Once a user purchases a book using a credit, they own it.
- Audible books purchased with a credit are available even if the user cancels their subscription.
Audible users can count on the fact that any book they purchase using a credit as their payment option is theirs to keep forever. You’ll find the title in your library and can access it from both the mobile app and the Audible website.
You can also download these credit-bought titles to any device.
It’s also important to remember that even if you cancel your monthly payments to Audible, you can still access your Audible library, which means you still have the ability to access the books you bought with credits.
If you buy a book with Audible using a credit, then you don’t have to worry about how long you’ll get to keep it.
Check out our easy answer guide to the question, Do Audible Books Expire?
3. Can You get Your Money Back for Unused Credits?
As you have come to realize, credits on Audible are a fantastic way to get your hands on your next new audiobook.
Audible audiobooks vary in price (between $10 – $25), but irrespective of the price of the audiobook you have your eye on, 1 credit will always be enough to make a purchase. This gives the impression that Audible credits have a real monetary value.
However, Audible credits are an exclusive part of the Audible user experience and cannot be transferred or changed into cash.
This is why it is impossible to get your money back for unused credits. As Audible explains this in more detail within their terms and conditions, stating:
” Credits may only be redeemed on the Service, have no cash value, are non-transferrable and non-refundable. All Credits are valid for a limited time as described in the applicable membership and promotional terms and conditions.”
[Source: Audible.com]
This is why it is very important that you redeem your unused Audible credits by spending them on new audiobooks for you to keep forever. Also, Audible DOES renew automatically so you keep your stuff.
If your credits are due to expire or you cancel your membership plan, you’ll lose out on the benefits of those unused credits. Spending them is key because there is no refund available if you don’t use them.
However, you can get credits back if you want a refund on a book you bought.
If you purchase an audiobook from Audible, but you find that it is not to your taste, you can ask for a refund.
To be eligible for a refund, you must be a Premium Plus member and have purchased the title in question with a credit.
Refunds will be given so long as the date of returning the book is within the 365 day window from the date of purchase.
Once the book has been returned you should instantly receive the credit you spent on it. However, Audible reserves the right to issue a refund.
If a user is seen to be abusing the returns policy and simply listening to multiple audiobooks and returning them to gain their credits back to spend again, then the right to return Audible books may be terminated.
Audible also recommends a few options for users who have unused credits, which include:
- Using a credit to gift someone else an audiobook.
- Change to another membership plan that allows you to hold onto more credits before they expire.
- Place your membership on hold so that you do not accrue more credits than you can spend.
- Discover a brand new series of audiobooks.
- Try an educational audiobook to learn a new language or develop your knowledge of a new subject.
- Take a look at your personalized recommendations or ask Audible for help.
4. Can You Transfer Unused Credits to Another Audible Account?
If you’re trying to find a way to transfer the credits that you’ve accumulated with your Audible membership to another member, then there are a few things you need to know.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to simply transfer credits.
However, there are a few ways in which you can allow another account to reap the rewards of what credits do.
For example, you can gift a book to another member using one of your own unused credits and send the book to the lucky recipient.
It is also possible to gift a membership to an existing member.
Take a look at the list below for more information on this:
- If a current member of Audible receives a membership gift from you, they will gain credits.
- If, for example, you gifted a member a 1-month subscription to Audible, they will receive one free credit to spend straight away.
- If you gifted someone a membership that lasts 12 months, and that special someone already has a membership, they will receive all 12 credits at once.
- By doing this process of gifting a membership to somebody, you are, in effect, buying credits for them.
If you have unused credits, the best option you have is to use them to purchase new books to either keep for yourself or gift to a friend.
If you want to transfer unused credits to another member/account because you are thinking of canceling your membership plan, then you need to keep in mind that once you cancel with Audible, all of your credits will disappear.
Remember, all unused credits will be inaccessible once your membership is canceled.
However, for those users who signed up for their membership with Audible’s Google Play or iOS app, the unused credits will not be removed.
5. How Many Credits Can You Hold on Audible?
Audible credits are valuable, there’s no doubt about it. However, before you start to hoard credits and wait it out before you go on credit spending spree, you may want to pause for thought. It depends on whether you cancel Audible or put the membership on pause.
It’s crucial to understand how many credits you can hold onto and for how long you can keep them before they expire.
Audible credits last a year from the date they were received.
Audible’s Premium Plus members receive credits each month, or for annual subscribers, every year. The number of credits received will depend on your specific Audible Premium Plus membership plan.
Moreover, the amount of credits that you can hold onto is also determined by the plan you are currently on.
It is possible to change your plan at any time to avoid losing credits if your current membership plan will not allow you to hold onto your the amount you’ve accumulated.
Take a look at the specific limits for each membership plan:
- Standard Audible Premium Plus allows for a maximum of 6 credits to be held per month.
- Audible Premium Plus Annual subscription with 12 credits included will allow for a maximum of 18 credits to be held per year.
- Audible Premium Plus with 2 credits per month will allow users to hold onto a maximum of 12 credits per month.
- Audible Premium Plus Annual subscription with 24 credits will allow users to hold onto a maximum of 36 credits per year.
Any credits that fall outside of your membership plan, such as those that you purchased separately, do not count toward your plan’s limit.
How to check the expiry time of your credits:
- Head to your Audible Membership Profile.
- Navigate to your credit summary page.
- Here you can see how many credits you currently have and the expiration dates on them.
This is a useful trick to know so that you can ensure you use up your credits by the time you need to.
Please also read our article about Audible sales and discounts!
6. How often do you get New Audible Credits?
It’s likely that you’ll want to purchase more great books with credits in the future, but knowing when you’ll receive them allows you to plan when you’ll get to spend them.
You’ll receive your credits at the same time every month or year, depending on whether you’re on a monthly subscription or an annual plan.
The date you’ll receive the credits will be the date that you first signed up with the plan that you are on.
Remember, you will only receive new credits if you are currently on a Premium Plus plan with Audible.
How to check your credit renewal date:
- Go to ‘Your Membership’ on the desktop site.
- If you are on the mobile app, tap the menu and then ‘My Account’.
Here you’ll be able to view your current plan, how many credits you should receive, how many you have, and when the next new credit is due to arrive.
Sources
How Many Credits Can I Roll Over Under my Plan?