Spotify was a go-to source of music streaming for years, but it has ventured into podcasts and audiobooks in recent times. Fans were overjoyed when Spotify announced that Premium users would get access to audiobooks as part of the plan. The concept was simple: 15 free listening hours per month from Spotify’s library of audiobooks.
But here’s the thing—the majority of subscribers open an audiobook and are met with “Locked” or “Pay to access this content” when they’re already paying for Premium. This confuses and angers people. Is it a glitch? A geographical block? Or just a misinterpretation of how Spotify set things up?
Let’s dive deeper on why free audiobooks won’t always be found on Spotify Premium and what you can actually do about it.
1. Not All Premium Plans Are the Same
Spotify’s Premium plan is not the same across the board, and that has a direct relationship to audiobook access. Here’s what you receive:
Premium Individual – Offers 15 hours of audiobook listening per month.
Premium Family and Duo – Audiobooks are limited to the plan manager only, and not shared with other members. If you’re just a member on another person’s plan, access to audiobooks won’t be apparent to you.
Premium Student – Free audiobook hours are not included at all.
So if you’re on a Family or Duo plan and you’re not the main account holder, you’ll likely see locked books even though you’re paying for Premium.
2. Audiobooks Use Time-Based Credits
Spotify doesn’t offer unlimited audiobook listening with Premium. Instead, you’re given a 15-hour monthly allowance.
A few things to keep in mind:
The allowance replenishes each month, but accrued hours do not carry over.
When you listen to a 10-hour book, Spotify removes the entire 10 hours-even if you play it 2x speed.
Repeatedly listening to a single book removes hours again.
That is, frequent users of audiobooks may run through hours in a rush. After you run out of your allowance, all other books will seem to be locked up until your allowance is replenished or you purchase more hours.
3. Why Some Audiobooks Are Locked
Even if you’re the plan manager and haven’t used up your hours, you’ll still see some books remain locked. The reason being licensing.
All audiobooks are not part of the free pool of Spotify. It only consists of those marked as “Included in Premium.”
Other publishers don’t allow their books to be streamed under Spotify’s pay-for model, so one needs to purchase those separately.
For others, previously available books under Premium have been put behind a paywall due to changes in licenses.
So, the lock is not necessarily a mistake—it simply means the title is not part of Spotify’s free collection.
4. Regional Restrictions
Spotify’s library of audiobooks is not the same across the globe. What’s available in one nation may be absent in another.
Some nations lack audiobook availability altogether, even with Premium.
Licensing agreements differ across regions, which means certain titles can be locked depending on your location.
Users in places like Thailand or India, for example, often report seeing the audiobook tab but no ability to actually play titles.
If you’ve moved abroad or are traveling, this might explain why your audiobooks are suddenly locked.
5. Spotify’s New Audiobook Add-On Options
Spotify realizes that 15 hours may not be sufficient for all, and it has begun to test new add-on features:
Audiobooks+ – Offers an additional 15 listening hours per month on top of your standard quota. Available for Individual members or Family/Duo plan administrators.
Audiobooks+ for Plan Members – Gives Family or Duo members (not just the administrator) to have their own 15-hour allowance if the plan owner is subscribed.
One-time 10-hour Top-Ups – If you exhaust your hours halfway through a month, you can buy extra hours without signing up for a monthly regular add-on.
These are being introduced in some countries like the UK, Australia, and Europe, with the U.S. to introduce them next.
6. How to Play Eligible Audiobooks
If you are qualified to play audiobooks but are unable to play them regardless, some troubleshooting is to be done:
Search the right section – Go to Search → Browse All → Audiobooks and scroll down to the “Included in Premium” section.
Desktop vs. Mobile – On desktop, hit “Get” to add eligible audiobooks to your library. On mobile, eligible books should show a playable button.
Refresh the app – Restart or log out and log in again if books still remain locked.
Use the web version – Some customers more easily access audiobooks using Spotify’s web player.
7. What Users Are Saying
The user feedback leaves no doubt that Spotify’s audiobook rollout was perplexing
Only the Family plan manager can use the 15 free hours. Even if you are the plan manager, not all audiobooks qualify.” – Reddit user, r/truespotify
“I’m the Family plan manager, and it still says most titles are locked. I have 15 hours in reserve but only a select list of books is actually covered.” – Spotify user in Australia
These frustrations typically come down to plan type, burned-up listening hours, or licensing limits.
8. Quick Reference: Why an Audiobook May Be Locked
Here’s a brief summary table to make it simple:
Reason\\tExplanation
Plan Restriction
Only Individual Premium or Family/Duo plan managers get audiobook hours.
No Hours Left
Locked after your 15-hour monthly limit is used up.
Not in Subscriber Catalog
Only books marked “Included in Premium” count. Others are paid.
Regional Restrictions
Some features in books or audiobook features are not in every country.
By way of change, titles can be pulled or moved behind paywalls at some point.
9. What This Means for Premium Users
So, does Premium really include free audiobooks? It does, but with very special conditions:
Who gets them? Only Individual Premium subscribers and Family/Duo plan managers.
How many? 15 hours a month, with no rollover.
Which books? Only those with the designation “Included in Premium.”
Where? Depends on local licensing—some countries aren’t supported for full audiobooks yet.
If you’re running into locked titles, chances are it’s not a bug but a deliberate part of Spotify’s setup.
Conclusion
Spotify’s audiobook entrance is thrilling, but it is not without caveats. Premium members don’t have unlimited access to audiobooks, and most individuals misinterpret the functionality. Between plan limits, time limits, local regulations, and licensing deals, it is no wonder there are so many books locked.
For casual audiobook listeners, the included 15 hours may be enough. But if you’re serious about audiobooks, you’ll either need to buy add-ons like Audiobooks+ or consider dedicated platforms such as Audible or Libro.fm.
In short: free audiobooks are available on Spotify Premium—but only if you’re eligible, only for a limited time each month, and only for certain titles.