YouTube could soon join the audiobook market

Your next romantasy obsession could soon show up beside your favorite 47-minute video essay about why the McDonald's ice cream machine is always broken.

YouTube is in talks with publishers about developing an audiobook feature that could launch as early as 2027, per a new WSJ report, potentially putting the video-sharing giant in direct competition with Amazon's Audible and Spotify.

The industry has a story worth telling

US audiobook sales have boomed in recent years, reaching a record $2.43 billion in 2025 on the back of 9% annual growth, per data from the Audio Publishers Association.

• Spotify says audiobook listening hours jumped 60% year-over-year as of May 2026, while its Audiobooks+ add-on has surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue.
• Amazon-owned Audible reported double-digit growth in total listening time worldwide over the past year, with its audiobooks reaching listeners in more than 225 countries and territories.

How would it work on a video streamer?...Details are still being ironed out, but YouTube is reportedly considering bundling audiobooks into its existing Premium subscription, which starts at $15.99/month in the US.

It's currently unclear whether users would receive unlimited listening, a monthly allotment of hours (like Spotify), or the option to purchase individual titles (like Audible).

YouTube already has a built-in audience. A recent industry survey found 45% of audiobook listeners had listened to a free audiobook copy on YouTube in the past year, giving the platform an opportunity to turn existing listeners into paying customers.