How to get Kindle Unlimited without paying full price

Key Takeaways

• A Kindle Unlimited subscription for $11.99/month provides access to millions of books, audio, and magazines.
• New subscribers can get discounts and even free months, but existing members are not eligible.
• Consider a 30-day free trial, student or military options, gift subscriptions, or potential discounts during key purchase dates.

The original Amazon Kindle played an important role in making it possible to buy books without ever stepping inside a physical store. But Kindle Unlimited takes that idea even further, creating a kind of Netflix of books where readers can choose from millions of titles by paying a monthly subscription fee. But, last year, subscriptions jumped by nearly $2 to $11.99 a month, leaving many readers wondering how to get Kindle Unlimited deals.

Kindle Unlimited discounts — even free months — aren’t really that hard to find. Amazon often runs introductory offers that lower monthly costs. Kindle Unlimited is available free for 30 days. Getting caught? These deals are usually only available to new subscribers, not existing members. But, there are many options to lower that price a bit.

If you’re thinking about adding a reading subscription to your monthly budget, here’s how to get Kindle Unlimited deals and even a free month (or three).

How much is Kindle Unlimited?

Kindle Unlimited requires a monthly subscription of $11.99. A subscription gives readers access to millions of books within the Kindle Unlimited library. While that doesn’t include every book sold on Amazon, the subscription is known to include many popular best-selling authors. Unlike borrowing an eBook from the library, there are no waiting periods or return dates with Kindle Unlimited, and readers are only allowed to borrow up to 20 titles at a time.

Although the service is most popular for eBooks, Kindle Unlimited also includes audiobooks and some magazines. The subscription includes fiction and non-fiction for both adults and children.

How to Get Kindle Unlimited for Free

Amazon currently offers a 30-day free trial of Kindle Unlimited. Similar to Amazon Prime’s free trial, signing up for this trial allows readers 30 days to see if the service is right for them. After those 30 days, a monthly fee of $11.99 kicks in, with automatic renewal if the trial is not canceled.

Finding a free tutoring service after those 30 days is hard work — but 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 a subscription.

Finally, there’s a little-known way to get Kindle Unlimited for free: Amazon sells Kindle Unlimited gift subscriptions. If someone asks what’s on your wish list or maybe your love language is giving your spouse a not-so-obvious gift, you can request a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Gift subscriptions are available in six-month, one-year, or two-year options.

How to get Kindle Unlimited deals and discounts

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

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

Amazon doesn’t advertise any student or military discounts for the reading service, although Senior Reader includes two free months of Kindle Unlimited.

Bargain hunters will have more success finding discounted subscriptions during key shopping days, including Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. This past Big Day, for example, Prime Members can get three months free when they sign up for Kindle Unlimited. Amazon offered a similar deal on Black Friday.

While most deals are for new signups only, there’s another hack to discount a service Reddit readers have been using for years: they’re giving away a signup gift. The landing page for Kindle Unlimited only allows you to sign up on a monthly basis. However, you can purchase a gift subscription for six months, one year, or two years. If you gift a subscription, the price drops by about $1 each month.

The bottom line is that, while there are a number of deals and free trials surrounding Kindle Unlimited, these discounts are temporary. Free trials and deals are usually reserved for new subscribers only. After the initial contract expires, Kindle Unlimited reverts to the $11.99 monthly fee, unless canceled.

Is Kindle Unlimited worth it?

The free 30-day trial, with no cancellation penalties, is designed so readers can decide if Kindle Unlimited is a good fit. Readers should also ask themselves a few questions before deciding whether Kindle Unlimited is the best option:

• How fast do you devour books? If you read a few books a month, a subscription may be more affordable.
• Are you spending more than $11.99 a month on Kindle books? See what you learned 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 the list of Kindle Unlimited titles to see if your favorite authors and genres are available.
• Do you already have a Kindle? Kindle Unlimited is the standard subscription for Amazon’s eReaders product, 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 Kindle Unlimited subscriptions 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 your Kindle Unlimited subscription, sign in to Amazon and navigate to the Manage Unlimited Membership page.

How to find more eBook deals

While the Kindle Unlimited free trial 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 free travel prime membership, you have free access to Prime Reading. While this service has thousands of free titles rather than millions within Kindle Unlimited, Prime Reading has no additional fees other than the cost of a prime membership. Although Prime Reading has fewer titles available, the books available rotate, so you don’t get stuck re-reading the same titles over and over again.

Many local libraries offer free ebook loans through an app called Libby. Just like checking out a real physical book, you’ll need a library card, you can’t keep a book forever, and you may have to hold on to the most popular titles. But, unlike a library book, you can check out a book in your pajamas at 2 am 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 that the publisher hopes you’ll like enough to buy a second book.