If you’ve been searching for Kindle Unlimited, you might have noticed it’s changed its name. In October 2026, Amazon renamed it Kindle+. It’s the same idea: you pay a monthly fee and borrow ebooks instead of buying them. The question is whether it’s actually worth the money.
I’d rather have ten books for £10 than one book for £15, so I’ve looked at this from a cheapskate’s point of view.
The short answer
Kindle+ is worth it if you read a lot, especially if you get through several books a month that you’d otherwise buy at full price. If you read fewer than about ten books a month and mostly buy the 99p Kindle deals, it’s cheaper to just buy them, and you get to keep them.
What Kindle+ (formerly Kindle Unlimited) is
It’s Amazon’s reading subscription. For a monthly fee you can borrow from a catalogue of millions of ebooks, including thousands with audio narration, plus hundreds of magazines. It works on any Kindle and in the free Kindle app on your phone, tablet or computer, so you don’t need a Kindle device.
There’s no due date on borrowed books, but you can only hold up to 20 titles at a time. Return one to borrow another.
Not every book is included, so check before you sign up. Look for the Kindle+ icon on a book’s page, or the “Read for free” button. The selection changes over time too.
What it costs
In the UK, Kindle+ costs £9.49 a month (as of November 2026). The price didn’t change with the rename.
Amazon often offers new members a free trial, and 30 days is the usual one. Every now and then there’s a cheap multi-month deal as well, such as 2 months for £3.99. The offer you’re shown when you sign up is the one that counts, and you may not get a trial if you’ve had one before.
Does the maths work?
Here’s how many books you’d need to read in a month for Kindle+ at £9.49 to beat buying them, depending on what you’d normally pay per ebook:
| What you’d normally pay per ebook | Books a month to break even |
|---|---|
| 99p | 10 |
| £1.99 | 5 |
| £2.99 | 4 |
| £4.99 | 2 |
| £7.99 | 2 |
| £9.99 | 1 |
That assumes the books you want are actually in Kindle+, and that you’ll read what you borrow. It also matters that borrowed books go away when you stop paying, whereas a book you buy is yours to keep.
How I’d use it: the free trial method
I treat it as a short-term deal rather than a permanent subscription. I wait for an offer like “30 days for free” or “2 months for £3.99”, sign up, read as much as I can, and then set a reminder on my phone to cancel before the full price kicks in. It’s a bit of a game, but it works. It’s one of the five tips in how I fill my Kindle without spending a fortune.
If you try the same, make a list of what you want to read first and check each book is included. Only borrow what you’ll actually start, and set your cancel reminder on day one.
Who it’s worth it for
It makes sense if:
- You read several books a month, and most of them aren’t 99p.
- You like binge-reading a series or a genre.
- You’ll use the audio narration or the magazines too.
Skip it if:
- You read fewer than a handful of books a month.
- You mostly buy 99p deals, which are cheaper and yours to keep.
- You like owning your books.
- You want one specific new release. Check it’s included first.
How to cancel Kindle+ (or Kindle Unlimited)
- Sign in to Amazon and go to Your Memberships & Subscriptions.
- Select Cancel Kindle+ Subscription and follow the prompts.
- Check that you get the confirmation email.
Amazon says your membership stays active until your next billing date, after which you lose access to your Kindle+ titles. You don’t get a refund for fees you’ve already paid, so cancel before a payment rather than after.
Quick answers
Is Kindle Unlimited the same as Kindle+? Yes. It’s the same subscription with a new name.
Do I need a Kindle? No. You can read in the free Kindle app on a phone, tablet or computer.
How many books can I borrow at once? Up to 20.
Can I read for free without a subscription? Yes. See my guides to free classics for Kindle and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks from your library.
If you’d like to try it, you can see Amazon’s current Kindle+ offer here. Otherwise, this month’s 99p Kindle deals are updated on the 1st.
More ways to read for less
- The best 99p Kindle books this month
- How I fill my Kindle without spending a fortune
- Amazon Prime First Reads: your free monthly book
- Libby and BorrowBox: free ebooks and audiobooks
This page uses affiliate links, which means if you sign up or buy through them I may earn a small commission. This happens at no extra cost to you and helps to support this blog.
[…] to read for less? Here’s whether Kindle Unlimited (now Kindle+) is worth it, how to borrow free ebooks and audiobooks from your library, how to claim a free book every month […]