The big picture: Spotify kicked off the New Year by sharing plans to enter an entirely new market. Back in February, the streaming giant announced a partnership with Bookshop.org that would allow listeners to purchase physical books via the Spotify app. Now after a brief wait, the service is ready to make its debut.
Physical books may seem like an odd market for a tech-first company, but it is perhaps not as far-fetched once you dig in a bit. Spotify already offers audiobooks, and has grown its library from 150,000 titles to over 700,000 in just two years. Offering another way into books complements the audiobook division.
Despite the industry's strong push toward audiobooks, most readers still prefer physical media. According to a 2025 report from Economy Insights, nearly 73% of publishing revenue still comes from physical books. It is not so much that one format is better than the other; as Spotify sees it, different formats fit different moments.
Bookshop.org connects readers with independent bookshops, and Spotify says purchases made through its app will directly support those stores as well as the authors that brought their stories to life. Spotify said it pays out hundreds of millions of dollars annually to authors and publishers. The new feature is available now to Android users in the US and UK, and will be rolling out on iOS devices starting next week.
Page Match, meanwhile, is expanding to more than 30 additional languages including German, French, and Swedish. This feature makes it easier to transition between an audiobook and its printed or e-book version, and is seemingly a hit with listeners. According to Spotify, those that have used Page Match stream an average of 55% more audiobook hours each week compared to other listeners.
Another handy feature, Audiobook Recaps, is now available on Android. Recaps afford short summaries up to the most recent listening point, allowing listeners to quickly get caught back up with a story they may not have listened to in a while.