How Much Does It Cost to Make an Audiobook? Comparing Top Audiobook Publishing Services

Audiobook publishing isn’t “grab a mic, boom, bestseller.” It’s budgets, choices, and a few sneaky fees waiting in the wings. If you’re an indie author or a small press sizing up audiobook publishing services, this guide is your shortcut: we’ll demystify what really drives price and show you where the money goes—from narration and editing to distribution and royalties. You’ll get straight answers to the big question, like how much does it cost to make an audiobook, plus sharper picks between platforms without the fluff. Expect practical comparisons (yes, ACX vs Findaway Voices and more), plain-English math, and tips to keep quality high while costs behave. Ready to turn pages into performances without torching your budget? Let’s press record with a plan.

TL;DR — The Quick Math:

Most projects price by per-finished-hour (PFH) of audio. Expect roughly $150–$500+ PFH for narration; add editing/mastering/QC (often bundled, otherwise $50–$150 PFH). Royalty-share deals can be $0 upfront, but you give up a cut of earnings for years. Hybrid models blend a smaller PFH with a smaller royalty share.

A typical 80,000-word book (~8–9 PFH) lands around $1,600–$5,400+ all-in, depending on narrator caliber, pickups, and post-production. Distribution/platform choices (e.g., ACX, Findaway Voices, Authors Republic) don’t set production rates but do affect fees, royalties, and reach, which changes your take-home. Bigger name? Higher PFH. Tight files? Fewer fixes.

What Actually Drives Cost (So You Don’t Overpay)

Script prep. Clean manuscripts cost less to record. Fix typos, mark pronunciations (names, jargon), and note character voices. Every ambiguity becomes a billable question later.

Casting tiers (PFH brackets). Narrators price per-finished-hour (PFH) by profile: emerging (budget-friendly), established pros (mid), and marquee voices (premium). Genre, accents, and acting range nudge the number up or down.

Pickups policy. Mistakes happen. Clarify how many pickups (re-records) are included, what triggers them (performance vs. script change), and the rate for extras. A tidy pronunciation guide = fewer do-overs.

Editing / mastering / QC. Post-production polishes breaths, room tone, and peaks, then checks retail specs. Sometimes bundled with narration; sometimes separate. Cheap edits sound cheap. Aim for clean, consistent files that pass on the first upload.

Proofing. A dedicated proofer spots misreads and continuity slips while you sleep. It’s insurance against “Wait, that character was Irish?”

Project management. Timelines, file naming, chapter checkpoints, retailer-ready packaging—someone has to herd these cats. DIY if you must; pay for it if your calendar is already groaning.

Optional add-ons. Custom music stingers, opening/closing credits, retail samples, and promo snippets add polish (and line items).

Distribution fees/commissions. Audiobook publishing platforms (ACX, Findaway Voices, Authors Republic) don’t set your PFH, but their royalties, commissions, and exclusivity rules shape take-home. Wide reach can out-earn higher platform cuts, or not, depending on your audience. Choose for strategy, not vibes.

Platform Showdown: ACX vs Findaway Voices… and Authors Republic vs Findaway Voices

ACX vs Findaway Voices (now “Voices by INaudio”)

• Casting & workflow:  ACX remains a self-serve marketplace: post your project, audition narrators, choose pay-per-finished-hour or royalty-share(+). Voices/Findaway is more “bring your finished audio or hire via their ecosystem,” with a lighter-weight casting flow than ACX’s audition bazaar.
• Distribution & exclusivity: ACX pushes you into a choice: exclusive to Audible/Amazon/Apple or non-exclusive (you can go wide). Help pages still show 40%/25% royalties, but Audible is rolling out a new model—50% exclusive / 30% non-exclusive—via early access. Confirm which you’re on before you publish. Voices/Findaway goes wide by default to dozens of retailers, libraries, and subs.
• Royalties: On Voices/Findaway you typically keep 100% of Spotify sales and 80% elsewhere (of the net paid by retailers). On ACX, rates depend on your distribution choice and whether you’re in the new model.
• Promo & reporting: ACX offers promo codes and increasingly detailed insights under the new model; timelines and tool access vary if you’re in early access. Voices/Findaway emphasizes consolidated wide sales reports and payments.
• Timelines: ACX’s marketplace adds audition/offer time; Voices/Findaway’s distro timelines depend on each retailer’s ingestion. 

Authors Republic vs Findaway Voices (Voices by INaudio)

• Aggregator strengths: Both are non-exclusive, go-wide distributors. Authors Republic touts simple intake, frequent dashboard updates, and broad retailer/library reach. 
• Retailer breadth & royalties. Findaway: wide network, 100% Spotify / 80% elsewhere. Authors Republic has publicly moved to 80% of net (now permanent for new submissions). 
• Support & reporting. Authors Republic highlights monthly payouts (threshold-based) and enhanced dashboards; it’s designed to be “hands-off” once files meet specs. Voices/Findaway offers robust self-service plus merchandising opportunities on major platforms.

Who should choose what?

• Amazon-heavy strategy & built-in casting? – ACX. especially if you want auditions, royalty-share options, and you’re comfortable with Audible-centric economics. Verify whether you qualify for the 50/30 model before deciding on exclusivity.
  
• Go-wide control, simple math, broad reach? – Voices/Findaway. Clean royalty split (100% Spotify/80% elsewhere) and huge channel footprint.
  
• Hands-off wide distro with transparent reporting and strong rate? – Authors Republic. Straightforward upload-and-earn with 80% of net and monthly payouts.

Bottom line: If you want auditions and Audible gravity, ACX fits. If you want wide with predictable splits, Voices/Findaway or Authors Republic keeps the math and the money tidier.

Pricing & Royalties Decoded: PFH, Royalty-Share, Hybrid, and “Go Wide” Math

• PFH (per-finished-hour): The classic model. Emerging talent often lands around $150–$250 PFH, seasoned pros $300–$500 PFH, marquee voices $800+ PFH. Pros: clear budget, full rights, no revenue strings. Cons: all cash up front. Tip: estimate hours = manuscript words ÷ 9,300 (ish).
• Royalty-share: Pay $0 upfront, split royalties with the narrator/producer for a set term. Pros: cash-friendly, aligns incentives. Cons: you owe a slice of every sale—even after breakeven. Great when you’ve got audience momentum but shallow pockets. Read the fine print on term length and recoup rules.
• Hybrid: A reduced PFH + smaller royalty share. Pros: less cash now, less revenue leakage later. Cons: two moving parts to negotiate. Smart when you expect steady sales but want pro quality without a full PFH bite.
• Exclusivity vs wide: Exclusive deals typically exchange higher retailer rates for platform lock-in (think: Amazon/Audible/Apple only, term-limited). Going wide distributes to many retailers, libraries, and subscription services. Pros: diversified income and discovery. Cons: your per-unit cut can vary and may be lower in some channels.
• Payment cadence & reporting: Expect monthly or quarterly payouts with a lag—retailers pay platforms, platforms pay you. Dashboards rarely match real time; plan cash flow accordingly.
• Spotify & libraries: Streaming/subscription channels (e.g., Spotify) often pay differently from à-la-carte stores—think pooled or per-stream models. Libraries (OverDrive, Hoopla, etc.) pay per checkout or by license type. Lower per-unit? Often yes. But broader reach + volume can balance the ledger.

Your breakeven math (napkin-ready):

1. Production cost = PFH × hours (or your hybrid upfront).
   
2. Per-unit royalty = list price × (retailer share after platform cut).
   
3. Units to breakeven = production cost ÷ per-unit royalty.

If that number looks scary, consider hybrid or royalty-share. If it looks comfy, PFH keeps future earnings clean—and entirely yours.

Smart Next Steps: DIY vs Pro, Hidden Fees, and a Quick Checklist

DIY vs Pro 

A good home studio can work, but only if you can keep noise floors low, room tone consistent, and your edits invisible. Expect several hours of editing for every finished hour of audio; mistakes, mouth clicks, and uneven levels multiply that. Pros save time (tight takes, clean pickups), money (fewer failed QC uploads), and sanity (they already hit retailer specs).

Hidden Fees & Gotchas 

Clarify retake limits (what’s included vs paid pickups), provide a pronunciation list early, and confirm audio specs to avoid failed submissions. Budget for metadata fixes (retailer-specific requirements), distribution changes (switching policies can incur costs), and rush fees if you’re racing a launch.

Wrapping Up With Your 7-step Estimate Checklist

1. Word count → estimated finished hours.
   
2. Casting tier → PFH (or hybrid/royalty-share terms).
   
3. Post-production quote (editing/mastering/QC).
   
4. Pickups policy in writing.
   
5. Add optional items (credits, music sting, promo sample).
   
6. Distribution choice (exclusive vs wide) + platform fees/royalties.
   
7. Breakeven math (units needed) + timeline buffer.

Micro-FAQs: 

Timeline? Small books: weeks; big/complex: longer—build in QC time. 

PFH math? Finished hours ≠ studio hours; post doubles/triples effort. 

Who owns what? PFH = you own; royalty-share/hybrid = read the contract for revenue splits/terms. 

Switching from exclusive to wide? Often possible after a term; check minimums, notice windows, and re-distribution steps.

Pick a model, lock your numbers, document policies, then record smartly. Your ears (and future royalties) will thank you.

FAQs – Pricing of Audiobook Services