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What is Prime Reading? A guide to Amazon’s free Kindle book library
Prime Reading offers a library of Kindle books free to Amazon Prime members, find out more and how to use it.
Prime Reading is one of the many benefits that come with having an Amazon Prime membership. It’s simple – you get Prime Video for movies, Amazon Music for songs, Prime Gaming for video games, and Prime Reading for books.
You can find a library of books and magazines free to read with Prime Reading for Prime members. The selection on offer is varied with plenty of different genres being covered but it is limited. You can find romance books such as the million-copy bestseller, One Long Weekend by Shari Low as well as fantasy titles like the Harry Potter series. There are regular updates to the library with titles being added and removed.
The service has some similarities to an online library, you have access to a range of books and must return them once you’ve read them. There’s a limit of 10 books you can download at one time onto your device. Once you download a book it’s yours to keep until you’ve finished reading it, don’t worry there’s no time limit. It’s up to you to decide when you want to return the book.
Prime Reading is a benefit for Prime members, so you need to have a subscription to access this library of books. Amazon Prime costs £8.99 a month, there’s a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial currently on offer if you want to try out Prime Reading. Students can also get a 6-month free trial of Prime Student, then enjoy 50% off from then onwards.
If you’re thinking that Prime Reading sounds similar to Kindle Unlimited, in some ways you would be correct. So let’s take a closer look.
- How to use Prime Reading?
- Prime Reading vs Kindle Unlimited
- Best Prime Reading books – What to read?
- Prime Reading FAQs
How to use Prime Reading?
This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Amazon Prime’s free Kindle book service.
- Use your Kindle or the Kindle app
You can read books via Prime Reading by using either your Kindle or iOS and Android devices with the Kindle app.
- Log in to your Amazon account
First, you must make sure you’re logged into your Amazon Prime account on your Kindle or the app.
- Find a Prime Reading book
In my opinion, it’s easiest to browse the books available through the service by going to the dedicated page on Amazon’s website.
- Make sure the book is free
Once you’ve found a book you would like to read, it should say ‘This title is included with Prime’. Then you can click on ‘Read for free’ or ‘Borrow for free’ and it will be downloaded to your library.
- Start reading
On your Kindle or Kindle app, the book should now be in your library, click on it and start reading.
Prime Reading vs Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited is a book subscription service offered by Amazon that gives you access to a library of thousands of books, magazines and more for a monthly fee of £9.49. The service is not free for Prime members as they must pay the same flat fee. As with Amazon Prime Reading, you can access Kindle Unlimited on a Kindle or any device (iOS or Android) with the Kindle app.
Unlike with Prime Reading, Prime member or not, anyone can use Kindle Unlimited. Along with the much wider range of books on offer, the fact that Kindle Unlimited is not free sets it apart from Prime Reading UK. To summarise here are the main takeaways from Kindle Unlimited:
- A much larger library of books and magazines
- Users must pay a monthly fee
- Available on Kindle and app
Best Prime Reading books – What to read?
If you’re wondering what exactly can you read on Prime Reading, look no further. Whilst the library is a little smaller and it doesn’t have as many popular authors or bestsellers as the likes of Kindle Unlimited, there’s still plenty on offer. All genres are covered, from fantasy, thrillers and even cookbooks. Here are a few of the best books on Amazon Prime Reading:
If you’re looking for something to read on your Kindle here are all the best deals on cheap or free Kindle books right now:
Prime Reading FAQs
How do you return Prime Reading books?
To return a Prime Reading book on a Kindle simply tap the Menu icon (the three dots) and then select ‘Return book’. To confirm tap on ‘Return’ and the book should be removed from your library.
Is Prime Reading the same as Kindle Unlimited?
No, Prime Reading is an extra benefit that comes with a Prime membership. Whereas Kindle Unlimited is a much more extensive book subscription service that comes with a monthly fee for Prime and non-Prime members.
Is Prime Reading free?
Yes, if you’re a Prime member then Prime Reading is free for you as it’s a Prime benefit much like Prime Video and Amazon Music. Non-Prime members can’t access the library.
Which devices can you use Prime Reading on?
Prime Reading can be accessed on a Kindle or via the Kindle app on iOS and Android devices such as a phone or tablet.
How to access Prime Reading?
To access Prime Reading, on your Kindle or the Kindle app make sure you are logged into your Prime account. This means you’ll be able to access the service’s exclusive library.
For all of the best Kindle book deals be sure to check out hotukdeals. We also have an article dedicated to the best monthly Kindle book deals, if you want to find your next read.
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