Rakuten Kobo Launches Kobo Plus in Singapore and Malaysia

SINGAPORE, March 18, 2025 – Leading digital reading retailer and publisher Rakuten Kobo today launched Kobo Plus in Singapore & Malaysia – the all-you-can-read subscription offering book lovers unlimited access to over 2 million eBooks and over 300,000 audiobooks at from an affordable monthly fee of just SGD 9.99 / MYR 27.00. 

Avid readers and book lovers across Singapore & Malaysia – including more than 300,000 existing Kobo members – can now access Kobo Plus via the Kobo Books App for iOS or Android and directly on Kobo eReaders to begin discovering new authors and genres.

The global eBook market is valued at USD 18.02 billion this year and is projected to grow to USD 22.76 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.78%. The driving force of growth is expected to come from Asia, and the launch of Kobo Plus in Singapore & Malaysia strategically aligns with the region’s increasing demand for digital reading. This expansion positions Kobo to tap into emerging opportunities across Asia, catering to a new generation of readers who prioritize affordability, accessibility, and convenience.

The Kobo Plus eBook and audiobook collection features a breadth of stories, including the latest bestsellers, beloved literary classics, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, sweeping romances, thought-provoking nonfiction, and more.

“eBooks have never been more popular, driven by changing reading habits, increased smartphone usage, and a shift towards digital content," said Michael Tamblyn, President & CEO, Rakuten Kobo. “With Kobo Plus, we’re making reading more accessible and flexible than ever, giving book lovers the freedom to explore a vast and diverse catalogue without limits. Whether it’s discovering new authors, diving into different genres, or reading across multiple devices, Kobo Plus is designed to fit seamlessly into the way Singaporeans read today—and how they’ll read tomorrow.”

The Kobo Plus catalogue is ever-growing, with more titles being added to the collection each month. The service has three budget-friendly subscription plan offers:

• Kobo Plus Read: Unlimited eBooks for SGD 9.99 / MYR 27 per month
• Kobo Plus Listen: Unlimited audiobooks for SGD 9.99  / MYR 27.00 per month
• Kobo Plus Read and Listen: Unlimited eBooks and audiobooks for SGD 12.99 / RM 35.00 per month

With unlimited reading for one low monthly fee, The Kobo Plus subscription is the perfect choice for avid readers who go through multiple books a month, as well as those who like to sample a few chapters before committing. With a Kobo eReader or the free Kobo reading app, there’s never been a better time to explore new authors and series.

Kobo’s portfolio of eReaders — which includes Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Clara Colour, Kobo Clara BW, Kobo Elipsa 2E, and Kobo Sage – with their innovative features such as waterproofing and ComfortLight PRO for blue light reduction, along with stylus compatibility and page-turn buttons in the higher-end models, further enhance the Kobo Plus reading experience for modern booklovers on the go.  

For KWL authors –

Kobo Writing Life authors can opt their books into Kobo Plus via the Rights and Distribution tab in their KWL Dashboard. For each book, there’s an option to choose all available territories or only specific countries. Singapore & Malaysia will now be included in this list. Authors should note that there is no exclusivity required to take advantage of this opportunity for earning revenue from a new demographic of customer that, prior to Kobo Plus, wasn’t being served. For more detailed information, see Kobo Writing Life’s Terms of Service.

Through the new sales dashboard, authors and publishers can easily monitor data on the sales trends for their books sold in the Kobo store and also gain insights into the books read through Kobo Plus. The dashboard now includes options for tracking your data in these regions as a part of this launch. Remember – if your books are already opted into Kobo Plus in all current and future locations, no further action is necessary! Your titles will already be available in Singapore & Malaysia.

To learn more about Kobo Plus, check out these articles:

• What is Kobo Plus?
• Kobo Plus FAQ
• How does Kobo Plus pay?
• How do I add or remove my books from Kobo Plus?
• Where are my Kobo Plus sales reported?

If you have any questions about these exciting new launches, please email us at [email protected].