How to Get Kindle Unlimited for FREE? [Complete Guide!]

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If you are fond of reading books, Kindle Unlimited is definitely one of the best ways to reduce the cost of books for reading! While Kindle Unlimited promises access to unlimited reading on a monthly subscription, you can make this deal even sweeter by getting Kindle Unlimited for FREE or a discounted price!

In this article, I’ll share with you two ways in which you can get Kindle Unlimited for FREE, albeit for a short period of time. I’ll also share with you a secret way to get Kindle Unlimited for a discount, especially if you want to use the service for a longer duration!

So, without further delay, let’s get started!

Quick Tip! Check out this special deal on Amazon that offers 3-months of Kindle Unlimited for FREE with this Kindle model! You can also try Kindle Unlimited for 30 days for FREE (no strings attached!)

2 Ways to Get Kindle Unlimited for Free

Amazon does come out with a promotional service from time to time that offers free access to Kindle Unlimited for a limited period of time (usually up to two months). However, this is difficult to predict even though the timing is usually around Prime Day, which happens in July. 

Furthermore, there is no guarantee that Amazon will indeed make the promotion available during a particular year.

Nevertheless, the following two methods are almost guaranteed to get you access to Kindle Unlimited for free year round! So, let’s check them out!

Method 1 – Get Kindle Unlimited Free for 30 Days

This first method is quite straightforward. Simply click on this link to avail the Kindle Unlimited Membership free for 30 days. 

Once you click on the link, click on the “Start Your 30-Day Free Trial” option. Make sure that you sign in to your Amazon account beforehand. 

Furthermore, if you don’t have a credit card added to your account, you may be asked to add a credit card. Don’t worry, you won’t be charged for the subscription for the first 30 days. You can easily cancel the Kindle Unlimited membership before the first 30 days are completed. 

However, do note that if you fail to cancel, you will be charged the $9.99 monthly fee after the 30-day cycle is complete. That said, if you do cancel before the 30-day period, you will still be able to access Kindle Unlimited until the free period is completed.

Method 2 – Kindle Unlimited Free for 3 Months

This second method allows you access to Kindle Unlimited for three months. So basically, you will be able to get $29.97 worth of Kindle Unlimited subscriptions for free.

Here’s how it works – 

  1. Log in to your Amazon account.
  2. Select and add a Kindle (Paperwhite, Signature Edition, or Oasis) to your cart.
  3. Make sure you click on the “With 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited” option
  4. Make the payment and complete the purchase

This method is best suited if you plan to buy a new Kindle sometime soon from Amazon! So, this method may not work well for everyone, especially if you don’t plan to buy a new Kindle.

Nevertheless, even if you aren’t able to avail of Kindle Unlimited for free using the aforementioned options, there is really cool way in which you can save money by paying for Kindle Unlimited in advance!

How to Get Kindle Unlimited at a Discount?

Amazon offers Kindle Unlimited, usually only with a monthly payment option. As a result, if you choose the default option, you’ll typically pay $9.99 monthly for the subscription. Amazon does not offer a yearly subscription option for Kindle Unlimited.

However, there is a really cool hack to get Kindle Unlimited yearly subscription and save money! It is not a traditional option, so you must leverage the Kindle Unlimited Gift option.

To take advantage of this workaround, you will need access to an Amazon account other than your own. You can request a friend, spouse, or any other family member to either allow you access to their account or follow the steps mentioned below!

I’ve highlighted the detailed step-by-step process on how to gift Kindle Unlimited membership to yourself in another article. Make sure that you check out that article for full details.

Nevertheless, here’s are the brief steps on how this method works – 

  1. Sign in to an Amazon account. Make sure this is not your own account.
  2. Open the “Gift Kindle Unlimited” page by clicking on the link.
  3. Next, choose the duration from 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month options
  4. On the next page, you’ll need to enter the email address to whom you need to gift the Kindle Unlimited membership. Enter your personal email address here. Make sure you enter the email address associated with your Kindle account.
  5. On the next page, proceed to make the payment and complete the purchase
  6. You’ll then receive an email on your account with the instructions to redeem the membership!

That’s it! You’ll now be able to access Kindle Unlimited at a discounted price!

Here’s how much you will save using this method – 

  • For the 6-month plan –
    • Usually costs – $59.94
    • You pay – $47.86
    • Savings – $12.08 (20%)
  • For the 12-month plan
    • Usually costs – $119.88
    • You pay – $80.30
    • Savings – $39.58 (33%)
  • For the 24-month plan
    • Usually costs – $239.76
    • You pay – $143.80
    • Savings – $95.96 (40%)

Is Kindle Unlimited Free for Prime Members?

Kindle Unlimited is not free for Amazon Prime members as the two are completely independent services offered by Amazon. You will have to pay a $9.99 subscription fee even if you are a Prime member.

If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can either get Kindle Unlimited for free or at a discounted price using any of the methods mentioned above. Alternatively, you can also access the Prime Reading service offered specifically for Amazon Prime members, which also provides options to read books for free.

That said, there is a vast difference between Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited. One of the major differences is the selection and the number of books each service offers. Additionally, you have to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited separately, whereas Prime Reading is an additional benefit offered to Amazon Prime members.

Is Audible Included in Kindle Unlimited?

Access to audible is not included in the Kindle Unlimited subscription service. However, you do get access to thousands of books in Kindle Unlimited with narration and whispersync technology allowing you to listen to books.

If you prefer listening to books in addition to reading them, you can get access to Audible for a period of 30 days using this link.

Additionally, just like you can with Kindle Unlimited, you can also gift an Audible Membership to your loved ones for a period of 1-month, 3-months, 6-months, or 12-months.

Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?

There are several benefits and drawbacks of Kindle Unlimited. However, whether the service is worth it for you or not depends on several factors. It is rather difficult to cover this topic in just a small paragraph or two.

But, here’s my take on this topic – 

Kindle Unlimited is worth it if you are read a lot of books, are willing to explore new authors, or prefer paying a fixed cost to access several books rather than paying for books individually.

I plan to write a detailed article on this topic where I shall dive into the costs and break down the actual value of the service. I’ll be sure to leave a link here to that article once it is complete.

Edit – I’ve published the article. Please check out my other article on “Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?“.

Credit to Balázs Kétyi on Unsplash for the featured image of the article.

About the Author

Akansha is a former business journalist and a seasoned communications professional. She is the founder of TheBookBuff, an avid storyteller, and a lifelong biblophile! Check out her profile page to know more about Akansha.

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