Spotify is launching an audiobook service in Italy. Starting this month, the portal will provide over 350,000 titles, with more than 14,000 in Italian. The Italian launch is a component of a much broader expansion strategy: the service will expand from 22 markets to over 180 by the end of 2026. Spotify has secured deals to launch in Italy with Gruppo Mondadori, Giunti Editore, Emons Audio, il Narratore audiolibri, Fazi Editore, L'Orma Editore, Marcos y Marcos, Area51 Publishing, and Giuntina. The platform states that these collaborations are not exclusive, and the network of participating publishers is likely to grow. These agreements are supplemented by a global partnership with StreetLib, which will distribute audiobooks from publishers in its catalog on Spotify in Italy and other markets where the service is offered. For StreetLib, this is a new international distribution method that enables platform authors to reach Spotify's audience without having to sign a direct arrangement with the service. Eligible Premium plans feature 12 hours of listening per month; this offer is valid for Individual, Family, and Duo plan customers. Audiobooks+ offers additional listening hours, while users will also be able to purchase individual titles and keep them in their digital libraries.
In 2025, 15% of Italians said they had listened to at least part of an audiobook, equivalent to around 6.7 million people.