How to get Kindle Unlimited without paying full price

The original Amazon Kindle played a key role in making it possible to purchase books without stepping inside a physical store. But Kindle Unlimited takes that idea even further, creating a sort of Netflix for books where readers can choose from millions of titles by paying a monthly subscription cost. But, last year, the subscription jumped by about $2 up to $11.99 a month, leaving many readers wondering how to find Kindle Unlimited deals.

Kindle Unlimited discounts — and even free months — aren’t actually very difficult to come by. Amazon regularly launches introductory offers that discount the monthly cost. Kindle Unlimited is even available free for 30 days. The catch? These deals are typically only available for new subscribers, not existing members. But, there are more options to drop that price a bit.

If you are considering adding the reading subscription to your monthly budget, here’s how to find Kindle Unlimited deals and even a free month (or three).

How much is Kindle Unlimited?

Kindle Unlimited requires a $11.99 monthly subscription. The subscription gives readers access to millions of books within the Kindle Unlimited library. While that doesn’t include every single book for sale on Amazon, the subscription is known for including many popular bestselling authors. Unlike loaning an eBook from a library, there’s no wait time or return dates with Kindle Unlimited, with readers allowed to borrow up to 20 titles at a time.

While the service is most popular for eBooks, Kindle Unlimited also includes audiobooks and even some magazines. The subscription includes fiction and nonfiction for both adults and kids.

How to get Kindle Unlimited for Free

Amazon currently offers a free 30-day trial to Kindle Unlimited. Similar to a free trial of Amazon Prime, signing up for the trial allows readers 30 days to see if the service is the right fit for them. After those 30 days, the $11.99 monthly cost comes into play, with automatic renewals if the trial isn’t canceled.

Finding the reading service for free after those 30 days is a difficult task — but it’s not impossible. Some new and refurbished Kindle eReaders include three months of Kindle Unlimited for free. This introductory offer for new Kindle owners is designed to introduce readers to the benefits of the subscription.

Finally, there’s a lesser-known way of getting Kindle Unlimited for free: Amazon sells gift subscriptions of Kindle Unlimited. If someone asks what’s on your wish list or perhaps your love language is giving not-so-subtle-gift-hints to your spouse, you can ask for a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Gift subscriptions are available in six months, one-year, or two-year options.

How to find Kindle Unlimited deals and discounts

While Amazon’s free Kindle Unlimited trial is a great way to test out the program, what if you fall in love and want to access those eBooks all year long? Amazon occasionally offers deals and discounts. In most cases, however, current subscribers do not qualify for the promotions.

To look for Kindle Unlimited deals, start with Amazon’s landing page for the subscription, which lists any current deals. For example, as of this writing, new subscribers can get two months for $4.99 before the price goes to the standard $11.99.

Amazon does not advertise any student or military discounts for the reading service, though Prime Student includes two free months of Kindle Unlimited.

Deal hunters will likely have more success in finding a discounted subscription around key shopping days, including Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. This past Prime Day, for example, Prime members could get three months free if they signed up for Kindle Unlimited. Amazon offered a similar deal around Black Friday.

While most deals are only for new subscriptions, there’s another hack to discount the service that readers on Reddit have been using for years: gifting themselves a subscription. The Kindle Unlimited landing page only allows you to subscribe month-to-month. But, you can purchase a gift subscription for six months, one year, or two years. If you gift a subscription to yourself, the price drops by around $1 each month.

The bottom line is that, while there are a number of deals and free trials around Kindle Unlimited, these discounts are temporary. The free trials and deals are typically reserved for new subscribers only. After the initial deal has passed, Kindle Unlimited reverts back up to the $11.99 a month cost, unless it is canceled.

Is Kindle Unlimited worth it?

The free 30-day trial, with no penalties for cancelation, is designed so readers can determine if Kindle Unlimited is the right fit. Readers should also ask themselves a few questions before determining if Kindle Unlimited is the best approach:

• How quickly do you devour books? If you are reading several books a month, the subscription may be significantly more affordable.
• Do you spend more than $11.99 a month on purchasing Kindle books? Look at what you read last month and how much it cost.
• Are your favorite authors among the Kindle Unlimited titles? Not all books participate in the program, so browse through the list of Kindle Unlimited titles to see if your favorite authors and genres are there.
• Do you already own a Kindle? Kindle Unlimited is the ideal subscription for Amazon’s brand of eReaders, but other brands like Kobo have their own subscription options. Everand is another option for iOS and Android devices.

How to cancel a Kindle Unlimited free trial

Amazon says that a Kindle Unlimited subscription can be canceled at any time. The company also notes that, once you cancel the membership, you will still have access to the service until the end of the billing cycle.

To cancel a Kindle Unlimited subscription, log in to Amazon and navigate to the Manage Kindle Unlimited Membership page.

How to find other free eBook deals

While the free trial of Kindle Unlimited is a great way to read a few eBooks for free, it’s not the only way to read free books on your Kindle.

If you already have a Prime membership for the free shipping, you have free access to Prime Reading. While this service has free titles that number in the thousands rather than the millions inside Kindle Unlimited, Prime Reading doesn’t have an additional fees outside of the cost of a Prime membership. While Prime Reading has fewer titles available, the available books rotate, so you won’t be stuck rereading the same titles over again.

Many local libraries offer free ebook loans through an app called Libby. Like checking out an actual physical book, you’ll need a library card, you can’t keep the book forever, and you may have to place a hold on the most popular titles. But, unlike a physical library book, you can check out a book in your pajamas at 2am without leaving your house.

Finally, Amazon’s Kindle store often has a list of free titles available. These books are often classics with expired copyrights or series starters where the publisher is hoping you’ll love it enough to buy the second book.