Janice R. Andrews
Amazon has revealed plans to discontinue its episodic storytelling platform, Kindle Vella, following underwhelming performance since its 2021 launch. The service, which allowed readers to consume stories in small, purchasable segments while providing writers with an additional revenue stream through KDP, will cease operations in February 2025.
The shutdown will follow a structured timeline. Authors can continue publishing new content until December 4, 2024, which also marks the final day for token purchases—the platform’s digital currency used to access episodes. While token sales will end, readers can continue using their existing tokens until the platform’s closure. Amazon confirms that previously unlocked episodes will remain accessible via the Kindle app, though web access will be discontinued. Unused tokens will be automatically refunded following the shutdown.
Throughout its run, Kindle Vella received varied responses from its user base. Despite Amazon’s efforts to boost engagement through initiatives like free initial episodes and author incentives, the platform failed to achieve desired growth levels. While some writers valued the serialized revenue model, reader preference often leaned toward traditional complete book formats over episode-by-episode purchases.
As this chapter closes for Kindle Vella, Amazon maintains its commitment to other KDP services, giving users several months to engage with the platform before its final shutdown.
