Press release —
BookBeat grows 13% – strong momentum in Germany and growth across all markets
During the first three quarters of 2026, audiobook and e-book streaming service BookBeat increased its revenue by 13%, adjusted for currency effects (11% unadjusted). The growth is driven by an increasing number of paying users. Performance has been particularly strong in Germany, where growth is accelerating as competition and investment in the audiobook market intensify. During the third quarter, BookBeat reached the milestone of 1.5 billion hours spent listening to and reading books on the service since its launch in 2015. BookBeat's revenue is expected to reach SEK 1.7 billion for the full year 2026.
“We continue to deliver double-digit growth, we are growing in all ten of our markets, and at our current pace, we are aiming to reach SEK 1.7 billion in revenue for the full year 2026. Continuing to make progress despite increasingly intense competition would not be possible without a team that dares to challenge and improve what we do every day, with the ambition of offering users the leading book streaming service in our markets,” says Niclas Sandin, CEO of BookBeat.
BookBeat's more than 1.2 million paying users spend close to 1 million hours listening to and reading books every day. During the third quarter, their combined listening and reading since BookBeat's launch surpassed the milestone of 1.5 billion hours.
Of BookBeat's ten markets, Germany has seen the largest increase in new users so far in 2026 compared with 2025, driving accelerating growth in both users and revenue. This has happened amid intensifying competition from global players investing more than ever to encourage more Germans to start listening to books.
“Every market has its own dynamics. In our more mature Nordic markets, competition from global players has affected our growth rate, although we continue to attract a strong influx of new users. In Germany, where the audiobook market has not yet reached the same level of digital maturity, we are seeing a very different development. Increased investment in the market by more players has contributed to a sharp rise in demand. So far, we have managed to compete successfully with a service entirely focused on books, allowing us to accelerate our growth,” says Niclas Sandin.
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BookBeat is one of Europe’s leading streaming services for audiobooks and e-books, with nearly 1,200,000 paying users. Since its founding in 2015, the company has grown rapidly both in Sweden and internationally. In 2025, revenues amounted to SEK 1.54 billion. The largest markets are Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Poland.
More than 160 people work across the organization, with the headquarters located at Sveavägen 56 in Stockholm. Local offices are based in Karlstad, Helsinki, Berlin, Oslo, and Warsaw. BookBeat is owned by Bonnier Books, which has been creating, refining, and sharing stories for over a hundred years.
