What Is Kindle Vella? All The Answers

To answer this question, picture this: you are watching a series with episodes, so you don’t get to finish up the story in one go. Each episode keeps you hooked, wanting to know what happens next. Kindle Vella works in the same way. But what exactly is it?

Kindle Vella is Amazon’s platform that allows the sharing of stories in the format of a series. Rather than authors telling their stories from start to end in a single reading, they break the stories into chunks and release them as episodes. 

Some might say that this kind of writing is a throwback to an old style of writing that old-school writers like Charles Dickens utilized.

How Does Kindle Vella Work

Kindle Vella works differently for authors and readers though the main objective is to foster a relationship between them.

For readers, they can start a story for free, but after the completion of the first episode, they have to purchase tokens and redeem them to continue reading another episode. 

When readers unlock an episode, they receive a ‘Fave.’ With a fave, readers can grant it to the story they enjoyed most. Each week, stories with the most faves are featured on a leaderboard to celebrate top picks.

In addition, searching for stories on the Kindle Vella platform is easy, as readers can use tags to find their favorite genres. And if they get a story they are interested in; they can follow it to get updated whenever a new episode is released.

Readers also get to interact with the content by giving feedback on episodes. For example, they can give an episode a thumbs up when they like an episode. 

Related: What Does Ad-Supported Kindle Mean?

How Do I Read Stories on Kindle Vella?

If you wish to read Kindle Vella stories, you can use two options.

• Through the Kindle app – Go to the ‘Discover’ tab on iOS devices or the ‘Store’ tab on android devices. Next, tap the Kindle Vella link. Here you will find a category of selections that you can choose from.
• Through the Kindle Vella store – Visit the store here. On the page that shows, you can choose from categories like Top Fave, Trending stories, Completed stories, Featured in Kindle Vella, or browse by genre. You can also search for a title of a story. 

Selecting an ebook in either of these two methods opens up the story’s first chapter, which is free to read if you like the book; you can buy tokens to open the next episode.

Can You Read Kindle Vella on Your Kindle?

Unfortunately, Kindle doesn’t work on Kindle devices. If you wish to use Kindle Vella, you can use any of these alternatives.

1. On an iOS device, download the Kindle app
2. On an Android device, download the Kindle app
3. On a PC by visiting the Kindle Vella store on Amazon.

One thing to note while using Kindle Vella is that it is only available in the US.

Kindle Vella App

The Kindle app is among the ways you can read books on the Kindle Vella platform. The Kindle app is available for download for Apple and Android users on the Apple app store and Google Play.

The Kindle app allows you to turn your smartphone into a Kindle device. It also allows you to be mobile and carry your ebooks, enabling you to enjoy them wherever you are.

You can also make in-app purchases of tokens to open up new chapters or episodes of titles.

Related: Kindle Vs. Kobo- Which Brand Should I Buy?

Kindle Vella for Android

Kindle Vella for Android is the latest platform to host the Kindle app. Previously the Kindle Vella was only available for iOS users only. Now, Android users can also enjoy Kindle Vella.

All they have to do is head into google play and look for the Amazon Kindle app by Amazon Mobile LLC. Next, click install and wait for the app to download on your android device.

With Kindle Vella for Android, you will get to enjoy features such as;

• Switching between an ebook to an audiobook
• Bookmarking pages for later use and making highlights on texts in the ebook.
• Tracking your reading progress

Is Kindle Vella Free

Kindle Vella is only free with the first episode of every ebook. Afterward, users have to buy tokens to open up new episodes of the ebook they are reading. Tokens may range from $1.99 to $9.99.

Related: How to Remove Books From Kindle Library?

Is Kindle Vella Free With Kindle Unlimited

When you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, all titles with the Kindle Unlimited badge are free, and you don’t have to incur additional costs. The only price you pay is the monthly subscription fee for Kindle Unlimited.

With Kindle Unlimited, you can access over a million Kindle Vella titles for free on your Kindle app.

Related: How to Send PDF to Kindle? Step-By-Step Tutorial

Is Kindle Vella Worth It for Readers?

Kindle Vella is worth it for readers because it has made reading ebooks a more accessible and fulfilling experience. Here are other reasons why Kindle Vella is worth it.

• Readers can interact with the content in Kindle Vella and show whether they liked it or not.
• Readers also get to see what others have picked as favorites or liked. This makes title selection easier.

Related: Kindle Oasis: A High-End Premium E-Reader (2023 Review)

Do Authors Make Money on Kindle Vella?

Yes, authors can make money through Kindle Vella. Amazon knows that good content deserves a reward, so they created the Kindle Vella royalty system. Whenever readers buy tokens to unlock episodes, the author gets paid.

This means that the more an author’s episodes are liked and unlocked, the more money they get. An author’s most significant task is to make sure that their books are captivating and motivate a reader to buy another chapter or episode. 

Is Kindle Vella Worth It for Authors?

For authors, Kindle Vella is worth it due to the following reasons

• Upcoming and budding authors get a platform to put up their content. They only have to ensure that they put up captivating content that draws readers to want more and more chapters.
• By putting up their content in Kindle Vella, authors get royalties for their books when readers use tokens to unlock episodes.

• Authors can also get feedback from readers concerning their content. This can help an author on their self-improvement journey to becoming better writers. It will also help reduce hours wasted in writing pieces that don’t resonate with the readers.
• Authors can speak directly to their readers and fans in the form of a note on the Kindle Vella platform.

Related: How to Share a Book on Kindle In a Few Easy Steps

Kindle Vella vs Wattpad

When comparing Kindle Vella and Wattpad, they seem almost similar at first glance. People viewed Kindle Vella as a new Wattpad-style platform during its launch.

However, a deeper look into the two reading platforms is when you see the differences. They include;

• For Kindle Vella authors, you can’t upload content that isn’t yours. In Wattpad, you are free to do so as long as you aren’t claiming the content as your own.
• Payment for authors in Kindle Vella is a bit more direct than Wattpad. While kindle Vella authors get paid when readers purchase tokens to view their content, Wattpad authors have to link to Patreon or Ko-Fi accounts. They also rely on securing brand sponsorships.

What Is the Point of Kindle Vella?

The whole point of Kindle Vella is to provide a platform to book fans and enthusiasts to experience a new way of reading books.

It is a win-win situation for everyone involved, from Amazon, who provides the platform, to the authors who come up with exciting content to the readers who consume the content episode by episode.

In addition, the platform enables the interaction of readers and authors, thereby enriching the reader’s experience.

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