How to Cancel Your Amazon Audible Membership: An In-Depth 2021 Guide

Audible boasts millions of dedicated fans who rely on their subscription for a regular stream of audiobook enjoyment. Yet despite Audible‘s surging popularity, a portion of members inevitably come to the decision that it‘s time to cancel their membership for various reasons.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll analyze the cancellation process from start to finish – outlining steps to take along with usage data insights to inform your decision.

Why Listeners Cancel Their Audible Memberships

Prior to running through the cancellation process itself, it‘s helpful to understand why people decide to leave Audible in the first place. According to consumer research, here are the most commonly cited cancellation factors:

• Cost – 29% said the monthly fee is difficult to justify long-term.
• Lack of time to listen – 23% reported not having enough time for audiobooks.
• Wanting to trim expenses – 19% mentioned budget cuts being necessary.
• Using credits too slowly – 16% aren‘t redeeming credits fast enough before they expire.
• Prefer reading ebooks – 13% find reading faster and more convenient.

So in summary, affordability concerns, lack of listening time, and alternative preferences rank among the leading reasons for abandoning Audible memberships – though motives vary widely.

Cancellation Rate Statistics

How many members actually follow through and cancel their subscriptions? Audible does not publicly disclose detailed retention and cancellation figures. However, third-party consumer research suggests that approximately 23% of members cancel within the first year. This rate declines year-over-year as longer-tenured users tend to remain sticky.

Below is a data visualization of Audible‘s estimated cancellation rates over time:

This indicates that while a considerable percentage bail early on, longer-term subscribers tend to stay committed Audible users. Nevertheless, even long-time Audible patrons may still come to the difficult choice of leaving their beloved audiobook subscription behind.

Next, now that we‘ve explored key cancellation drivers and trends, let‘s run through the nuts and bolts of actually closing your Audible account.

Step-by-Step Guide to Canceling Audible

You can cancel your Audible membership through the website or mobile apps with just a few clicks. Before starting, consider pausing your account instead if you think you may return in the near future.

Here is an expanded walkthrough of cancellation best practices:

On the Audible Website:

1. Check account details page – Review recent listening stats, unused credits, pending charges etc. to inform cancellation decision. Redeem credits beforehand.

2. Login at Audible.com and click your username.

3. Select "Cancel Membership" – Scroll to Membership section and click.

4. Choose cancellation reason – Pick from list or write your own. This step is optional.

5. Confirm cancellation – Carefully review and click “Yes, Cancel” to complete.

Once canceled successfully, you will receive an immediate email confirmation from Audible.

Through the Mobile App:

1. Open app menu – Tap ≡ icon to bring up menu.

2. Check account details – Review listening insights and unused credits.

3. Tap "Cancel Membership" – Select from Account Details screen.

4. Pick cancellation reason – Optional step to provide reason.

5. Confirm cancellation – Review prompt carefully and finalize cancellation.

You will then receive a confirmation email as soon as the cancellation is processed.

And that covers the simple step-by-step process! Audible makes it quite straightforward to manage memberships directly through their site or apps.

Audible Account Cancellation Impacts

Now let‘s explore what happens after you cancel Audible in terms of account changes:

The key takeaway is that previously downloaded purchases are yours to keep indefinitely with no strings attached, despite losing other benefits. Think twice before surrendering unused credits as well.

Can I reactivate my cancelled Audible membership later on?

Absolutely – resubscribing in the future is straightforward since your account profile data remains saved even after prolonged absences.

Simply login again anytime, choose your preferred monthly plan, and pick up wherever you left off! Of course, credits and downloads may expire if inactive too long, usually around one year without engaging the account.

But Audible makes it seamless bounce back whether away for a few months or several years.

Pausing vs. Canceling Audible Explained

Rather than completely shutting down your account, you can alternatively pause the membership for up to 3 months while retaining some features:

Pausing Perks:

• Safeguard unused credits.
• Maintain downloads access.
• Easily reactive membership later.
• Avoid rebuilding entire library if return.

Reasons for only pausing instead of fully canceling include:

• Temporary loss of listening time
• Short-term budget constraints
• Expect to resume soon

If unsure about leaving Audible permanently, pausing buys flexibility to take a break and still ping the account alive every so often. You can always cancel for good down the road.

Let‘s compare the key differences between pausing and completely canceling Audible:

Evaluating this comparison shows that pausing is preferable if you want temporary leave while a full cancellation makes sense for indefinite departures. Choose wisely based on your intentions!

Next let‘s explore Audible customer service assistance options if you require extra support canceling or pausing your account.

Getting Help from Audible Customer Support

Audible offers customer support resources if questions or issues arise during cancellation:

Phone: Call 1-888-283-5051 24/7

Chat: Live chat from Audible site during business hours

Email: Reach out anytime at [email protected]

When contacting Audible support, provide key account details like username, passwords, and recent order information to help expedite assistance.

Below are common cancellation-related scenarios to call about:

• Trouble fully canceling account through normal channels
• Wanting to understand pausing versus full closure better
• Forgotten details needed to access account
• Confirm if unused credits expire after closing account
• Having accidental/unauthorized charges after believing membership was cancelled

Equipped with your core account specifics, Audible reps can swiftly track activity, unlock access, refund charges, or override stubborn cancellations. Don‘t hesitate to lean on their assistance working through cancellation roadblocks.

Now that we‘ve wrapped a deep dive into successfully canceling Audible, let‘s survey some audiobook alternatives to consider migrating towards next.

Top Audible Alternatives and Competitors

Once cancelled, what other audiobook services help fill the void left behind? While no direct replacement perfectly mirrors Audible’s unmatched scope, many worthwhile competitors exist at often cheaper price points.

Here is an overview of key Audible alternative services on the market today:

Let‘s analyze the pros and cons of the most popular Audible alternatives:

Scribd

With strong ebook and audiobook selection at just $11.99 per month, Scribd is the top cost-saving replacement. Drawbacks include limited inventory of latest bestsellers and inability to own titles permanently.

Overall, Scribd best suits casual listeners fine without newest releases. Savings over Audible can be substantial for light users.

Chirp

For deal-focused bargain hunters not needing unlimited consumption, Chirp‘s rotating daily sales may appeal most without any monthly fees. Just don‘t expect a deep bench of recognizable bestselling titles.

As a supplementary option to Audible rather than standalone alternative, Chirp wins on price alone.

Local Libraries

Your local library branches likely offer a free audiobook catalog through apps like OverDrive. Selection suffers and wait lists abound for bestsellers. But for those on tight budgets, libraries are invaluable for free audiobook access.

Casual listeners and families may find libraries fully satisfy their needs though power users will hunger for more options.

There you have it! The Audible alternatives realm caters to varied preferences from free to discounted monthly plans. Consider your listening habits, costs, and convenience needs when selecting the best post-Audible path forward.

And you can always return to Audible later on if alternatives ultimately fail to completely plug the audiobook gap left behind.

Key Takeaways: Smoothly Canceling Your Audible Membership

Ready to take the plunge and cancel Audible once and for all? Here are the key insights to remember:

• Cost and lack of time rank among the top reasons for canceling Audible.
• Around 23% of members cancel in the first year, declining thereafter.
• Cancelling through the website or app takes just minutes.
• Previously purchased books remain securely in your permanent Audible library.
• Pausing the account provides flexibility if wanting temporary leave.
• Customer service reps can help troubleshoot any cancellation issues.
• Many cheaper Audible alternatives exist for audiobook enjoyment post-cancellation.

Armed with this intel, you can now effortlessly wave farewell to Audible confidently knowing what to expect. Audible makes it virtually painless to cancel or pause accounts anytime as needed.

Just tap that “Cancel My Membership” button without hesitation, ready to explore new audiobook pastures going forward!