Kindle Unlimited grants you unlimited access to over 1 million ebook and audiobook titles for $9.99 per month. It‘s a reading paradise for book lovers! However, there may come a time when you need to cancel your Kindle Unlimited subscription whether it‘s due to costs or wanting to explore other platforms.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about cancelling Kindle Unlimited smoothly and answer common questions around alternatives, your library access and more.
A Quick Look at Kindle Unlimited
First, let‘s start with an overview of Kindle Unlimited and its history for some useful context before diving into cancellation specifics.
What Kindle Unlimited Offers
Kindle Unlimited, launched by Amazon in July 2014, grants paying subscribers unlimited access to over 1 million Kindle ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and more for a flat monthly fee of $9.99.
As soon as you sign up, you can instantly borrow from a rotating selection of titles with no limits or wait lists. It‘s all accessible from any device through the Kindle app or Audible for audiobook playback. There are always thousands of bestsellers and new releases to choose from.
Here are some key perks of a Kindle Unlimited subscription:
- No due dates – Keep books as long as you want
- Simultaneous device access – Read on any phone, tablet or e-reader
- Curated selections – Discover new reads from personalized recommendations
- Audiobook access – 170000+ audiobooks now included
- Current magazines – Stay updated with leading periodicals
- Kids content – Thousands of children‘s books with age filters
- Unlimited downloads – No caps on monthly consumption
The Growth of Kindle Unlimited
Since first launching in 2014 with just 600,000 titles, the Kindle Unlimited library has rapidly expanded over 6x to surpass 1 million publications in 2022.
Amazon continues pouring resources into Kindle Unlimited – Audible narration was added in 2016 and KENPC 2.0 changed payout structure to reward longer reads. As more exclusives get funnelled into Kindle Unlimited, many power readers have found its flat fee very cost effective.
According to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, over 90 million Americans now subscribe to Amazon services like Kindle Unlimited and that segment is growing 30% year over year.
Below charts the immense growth of Kindle Unlimited‘s library size since inception:
| Year | Total Titles |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 600,000 |
| 2016 | 1.8 million |
| 2019 | 2 million |
| 2022 | Over 1 million |
In terms of market share, Kindle Unlimited leads the unlimited ebook subscription space. Research from Codex Group revealed KU holds 61% share compared to rivals like Scribd at 22% and Apple Books at 15%.
So in review, Kindle Unlimited grants unlimited access to over 1 million titles spanning ebooks, audiobooks and more for a flat $9.99 monthly fee. It has proven wildly popular, now claiming over 90 million subscribers in 2022.
Next, let‘s explore the reasons you may be considering cancelling your Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Why Cancel Kindle Unlimited?
Kindle Unlimited is beloved by avid ebook readers but there‘s still several common reasons you may want to cancel the service:
To Save Money
For light or moderate readers that only read 1-2 books monthly, it may be cheaper to just purchase titles individually as needed rather than paying a recurring $9.99 fee.
Based on Amazon‘s standard $9.99 pricing per ebook, frequent readers that enjoy more than 2 books per month tend to save money with Kindle Unlimited versus buying separately. See the math here:
| Monthly Books Consumed | Purchase Individually | Kindle Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| 1 book | $9.99 | $9.99 |
| 3 books | $29.97 | $9.99 |
| 10 books | $99.90 | $9.99 |
So if you don‘t have as much time to read lately or have switched to print books, cancelling Kindle Unlimited could make financial sense. However, if you read 2+ books consistently, the subscription remains the cheaper route.
To Change Reading Behavior
For some, Kindle Unlimited‘s limitless all-you-can-read access actually triggers overconsumption rather than focused reading. The monthly credits model of public libraries, for example, can incentivize more intentional reading habits for certain personalities.
So modifying your environment by cancelling Kindle Unlimited may help reinforce deliberate reading rather than binging every title that seems vaguely interesting.
To Find More Titles
While expansive at over 1 million publications and growing, there‘s still notable omissions from Kindle Unlimited‘s catalogue driven by publisher decisions. So heavy readers that plow through lots of titles may better be served supplementing with public libraries, buying additional titles or exploring competitor platforms.
For example, popular authors like Stephen King, John Grisham and Malcolm Gladwell largely keep their works off unlimited plans to maximize sales. So if you wish to read certain big-name authors, you likely need to buy those titles separately.
Now that we‘ve explored why you may want to cancel, let‘s walk through the quick and easy cancellation process step-by-step.
How to Cancel Kindle Unlimited on Amazon
Ready to end your subscription? Cancelling Kindle Unlimited is fast and straightforward whether on desktop or mobile. Here‘s a step-by-step walkthrough:
On the Amazon Website:
- Navigate to www.amazon.com and login your account
- Click Accounts & Lists dropdown and select Memberships & Subscriptions
- Locate Kindle Unlimited and click Cancel subscription button
- Confirm cancellation on the next page
That‘s all it takes! Just a few clicks and your upcoming renewal will be cancelled through Amazon‘s self-serve process.
On the Mobile App:
You can also cancel conveniently through Amazon‘s iOS or Android app:
- Open app and tap the hamburger icon ≡ on bottom right
- Choose Your Account then Memberships & Subscriptions
- Tap Kindle Unlimited row
- Select Cancel Kindle Unlimited Membership
- Confirm cancellation
Once again, by confirmig a few quick prompts, you‘ve smoothly cancelled your Kindle Unlimited plan via mobile.
Both options will immediately stop upcoming automatic renewal charges while still granting access until the current month closes. And you can always restart Kindle Unlimited later on if desired!
Next, let‘s review what happens after cancelling your subscription and what access remains.
What Occurs After Cancelling Kindle Unlimited
Once you successfully cancel Kindle Unlimited, your subscription will remain active until it expires at the end of your current billing period. For example:
- If you cancel April 16th, subscription continues until April 30th when it will terminate and upcoming May renewal charge will be avoided.
Until expiry, it remains business as usual with full reading access across devices. You can continue borrowing new books with no restrictions. This gives you a window to download anything you‘re still meaning to read before losing subscription benefits.
What Content Stays Accessible Post-Cancellation?
Any previously downloaded Kindle Unlimited books will remain on all devices after cancelling. You retain full reading rights to those ebooks. This even applies if you‘re midway through a title – you can pick up where you left off.
The key difference is that once your subscription terminates after the billing cycle closes, you will lose browsing and borrowing abilities:
✔️ Previously downloaded ebooks stay accessible
❌ Can no longer browse Kindle Unlimited catalogue and borrow new titles
This means any content you wanted to read but didn‘t yet download will no longer be available after cancellation takes effect. So be sure to borrow your last books in the closing weeks of your membership.
Downloaded magazine issues also stay readable but you do lose interactive elements only active subscribers can access like links, media and advertisements.
And remember – you bought books, audiobooks or Kindle Originals outside the subscription aren‘t impacted at all. Those remain completely accessible just like always as purchases aren‘t tied to your Kindle Unlimited membership status.
Do I Get a Refund for Unused Time?
-
If you pre-paid for Kindle Unlimited annually, you will receive prorated refund to your original payment method reflecting any unused months remaining on the subscription.
-
However, if you paid month-to-month, there are no refunds issues as charges simply stop with upcoming renewal cancellation.
Can I Restart Kindle Unlimited Later On?
No problem! You can resume your Kindle Unlimited membership anytime with ease.
To do so just navigate back to the Kindle Unlimited for your country under Amazon Memberships and reenroll. Your previous preferences like favorite genres should all still be waiting for you when you return.
And now, let‘s explore alternatives beyond Kindle Unlimited for acquiring ebooks and audiobooks.
Top Kindle Unlimited Alternatives
If you‘re looking to move on from Kindle Unlimited, many good options exist including:
- Public library apps
- Retail ebook stores
- Competitor subscription plans
Let‘s compare the pros and cons of each alternative:
Public Library Lending Apps
Public libraries have vastly expanded their digital collections enabling free ebook and audiobook borrowing from apps like Libby and Overdrive.
It provides access too all the latest bestsellers entirely free. The only catch is waits can occur for the hottest new releases. Here‘s an overview:
| Public Library Apps | |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free |
| Size | 10+ million across libraries |
| Availability | Wait lists on hottest titles |
| Limits | Limited monthly borrows |
Pros of this option include free access, support for local libraries and strong bestseller availability. Downsides are having to wait for super popular titles sometimes and caps on monthly downloads depending on your card‘s terms.
Overall though, library apps provide free access to millions of ebooks, so are worth exploring before paying for other services.
Retail Ebook Stores
Rather than paying for unlimited access with Kindle Unlimited or subscribing elsewhere, you could instead just buy ebooks directly on a per title basis from major stores like:
- Amazon Kindle
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble Nook
- Google Play Books
- Kobo
- Independent sellers
This pay-as-you go model often delivers the lowest cost if you read 1-2 titles monthly. For less frequent reading, just buy specific books you want rather than paying an ongoing subscription fee. Pricing is generally between $5-$15 per ebook depending on newness.
Downsides are the costs add up quickly for avid readers that plow through a few books weekly. So evaluate your monthly volume.
Competitor Unlimited Plans
If still looking for unlimited access, alternatives to explore include:
-
Scribd – Extensive library of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and documents for $11.99 monthly. Can access many top publishers other than just Amazon imprints.
-
Amazon Prime Reading – Free for existing Prime members. Rotating selection of over a thousand titles as part-perk. More limited scope but can supplement Kindle Unlimited potentially to expand breadth.
-
Apple Books+ – For $9.99 monthly through Apple devices, enjoy unlimited modern and popular ebooks, spanning best sellers and new releases mainly. More focused catalogue of newer titles. Audiobooks cost extra.
-
Kobo Plus – $9.99 a month for unlimited Kobo ebooks and discounts on additional audiobook purchases. Popular in Canada.
-
Storytel – A European audiobooks unlimited plan allowing constant streaming through apps and web for around $12.99/month .
-
Comixology Unlimited – Unlimited comic books for $6 a month. Massive catalogue of over 25,000 graphic novels if you prefer pictoral reads.
When comparing competitors, assess library size but also availability of any specific authors or titles most desirable to you.
For example, Stephen King the best selling author chooses to only provide a handful of titles to competing unlimited plans, favoring Kindle Unlimited and standlone sales. So your access to preferred authors may vary.
Cancelling During Free Trial Periods
Many services offer initial free trials ranging from 7-30 days to entice sign-ups. Handy tip – be sure to cancel before that trial ends to avoid unwanted charges!
Here is the cancellation process if wanting to cancel during the free period:
- Navigate to Amazon account online or in app
- Click End Free Trial Early button visible during free window
- Confirm cancellation
Easy right? So be sure to action this before the deadline hits if you tried out Kindle Unlimited but feel it not a fit.
Avoiding Accidental Reactivation
Depending how you original enrolled, it can be easy to accidentally reactivate your account:
- If you started with a free trial, it will automatically roll into paid membership unless you cancelled early as covered above.
- If you cancel but have 1-Click ordering enabled on Amazon, it may reenroll you in just one-click by mistake in the future.
To be safest:
- Turn off 1-Click Ordering in Your Account settings to require manual entry of payment info.
- Also cancel subscription early if you initially took a free trial.
That will best protect against accidental charges down the road!
Cancel Anytime Without Risks!
As summarized above, you can cancel Kindle Unlimited anytime penalty-free:
✔️ Enjoy service until billing cycle ends
✔️ Keep all downloaded books and ability to borrow more until final date
✔️ Get prorated refunds if had prepaid annually
Don‘t hesitate to cancel if your reading needs change! Rejoin month later on if desired.
Now let‘s answer some frequently asked questions around cancelling Kindle Unlimited.
Kindle Unlimited Cancellation FAQs
Let‘s review answers to common Kindle Unlimited cancellation questions:
What happens to the KU books I downloaded when I cancel my subscription?
You‘ll retain full access on all devices to all previously downloaded books, magazines or audiobooks after cancellation. Lose ability to browse catalogue and borrow NEW content only.
Can I restart my subscription later?
Absolutely! You can resume your membership any time by reenrolling in Kindle Unlimited if wanted. Just sign-up again as a returning reader.
How do I ensure I don‘t get accidentally charged if I cancel?
Disable 1-Click ordering which can cause accidental renewals. Also be sure to cancel early during any free trials before roll over to paid membership.
Do I lose everything I had saved if I cancel then return?
No – favorites, wish lists, bookmarks and all other data will persist if you cancel and later rejoin. You resume just as before!
What happens during my current billing cycle after cancellation?
You retain FULL unlimited abilities until expiry date. Keep downloading new books until then!
As you can see, you can feel comfortable cancelling Kindle Unlimited anytime knowing you have full access until renewal. Rejoin down the road if wanted!
We hope this guide gave you everything needed to smoothly manage your Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy exploring new ebook subscriptions or reading avenues!
Update: This article was originally published in January 2023 and has been completely revised for accuracy and comprehensiveness as of March 2023 reflecting the latest Kindle Unlimited catalogue size, market share statistics and competitor assessment.
