If you’re keen on English language eBooks and audiobooks, there’s an interesting new subscription service available in Norway. Here’s what you should know about Kobo Plus.
Are you a heavy reader? Me too! For non-fiction titles I tend to read in print, but when it comes to fiction, I’m all in on eBooks and audiobooks.
As I walk a lot in Trondheim, audiobooks are the perfect accompaniment. When I travel, it’s so much easier to pack just one lightweight tablet rather than one or two heavy books.
Subscription services for books have become big business in recent years. But for those of living outside the major markets, there’s been a problem. Some of the biggest (Kindle Unlimited, Kobo Plus) have not been available in Norway.
There are several audiobook subscription services in Norway available to us, but these are focused on the Norwegian market. That means they’re packed full of Norwegian titles, with only selected big name titles available in English.
That’s understandable, but I much prefer listening to fiction in English as I find it far more relaxing. Also, many books in the genres I prefer to read, especially self-published titles, are only available in English.
Introducing Kobo Plus
Kobo Plus is a subscription service from Kobo that’s just become available in the Nordic countries, including Norway. It offers unlimited reading of eBooks and/or audiobooks in its catalogue for one monthly fee.
Kobo is a Canadian retailer of eBooks that has recently expanded into audiobooks. It’s one of the main competitors to the Amazon Kindle in English speaking markets, with more than one million eBooks and 120,000 audiobooks.
As with Amazon’s Kindle, you don’t need a Kobo digital reader to read Kobo eBooks. You can download the Kobo reading app for iPads and Android tablets, or even on smartphones if that’s how you prefer to read.
“With over a decade of pioneering efforts in the digital reading space, we have discovered that there’s nothing quite as thrilling for book lovers than saying ‘read as much as you want,’ which is exactly what our Kobo Plus service offers. We are delighted to extend our reading experience to Scandinavian booklovers,” said Bart Robers, Director, Audiobooks and Global Subscriptions, Rakuten Kobo.
Kobo Plus in Norway
So, how does it work, and most importantly, how much does it cost? Let’s look at the details.
The eBook-only plan costs NOK 169 per month, as does the audiobook-only plan. If you want access to both eBooks and audiobooks, the cost is NOK 189 per month. All plans come with a 30-day free trial.
I think for heavy readers living in Norway who like to read in English, that’s a pretty good deal. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
