Rakuten Kobo launches its all-you-can-read subscription service in Australia

Kobo e-readers are a relatively successful alternative to Amazon Kindle devices and although their success in Australia has been limited they are moving to improve that with the launch of their all-you-can-read eBook subscription service Kobo Plus in Australia.

The new Kobo Plus aims to offer readers anything they want to read through the Kobo partnership with Australia’s biggest eBook retailer, Booktopia. It will be available through the Booktopia App for iOS and Android — so you don’t need a Kobo e-reader to use the service — or through Kobo e-readers sold directly from Booktopia.com.au.

“Digital reading is only increasing in popularity. It’s why we are so excited to introduce Kobo Plus, the
next evolution in digital reading that enables our Australian customers to read more and discover new,
exciting books that seamlessly integrate with their Kobo eReaders and apps, all for a low monthly
price,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo. “Our mission is straightforward: make a reader’s life
better. By working with an incredible partner like Booktopia, we can reach more Australian readers
than ever before.”

Those wanting to check out the new subscription service can sign up for a 30-day trial, giving them access to more than 580,000 eBooks on Kobo Plus catalogue, with more being added each month. After the free trial, the service will cost $13.99 per month.

After signing up you can add as many titles as you want from the Kobo Plus Read catalogue, which will add them to your app/Kobo e-reader but offline access is limited — you will need to sync your reader every 30 days.

“You can read a maximum of 15 Kobo Plus books while offline over a 30-day period on a Kobo eReader or in the Kobo App. Once you’ve opened 15 books, or reached the end of the 30-day period of offline reading, you’ll need to reconnect to Wi Fi and sync your eReader or app. You’ll then be able to open up to 15 Kobo Plus books for another 30 days.”

Finally, there may well be a decent competitor to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited here in Australia and for those who do own a Kindle or would prefer to try something different head on over to the Kobo Plus eBook Subscription | Rakuten Kobo website and check it out.