Should You Make an Audiobook? Costs, Benefits, and When It’s Worth It
Audiobooks have become one of the most important ways readers find and enjoy books. Millions of people now “read” during commutes, workouts, chores, and walks, and many of them seldom pick up a print book at all.
For authors, that creates a real opportunity, and a real decision. Producing an audiobook takes time and money, and it isn’t the right move for every book at every stage. This guide covers the audiobook market, the benefits, what production costs, your narration options, distribution and royalties, and how to decide whether an audiobook makes sense for your book.
The audiobook market in numbers
U.S. audiobook sales reached $2.43 billion in 2025, up 9% from the year before. (Audio Publishers Association)
51% of U.S. adults, about 134 million people, have listened to an audiobook. (APA)
Library audiobook checkouts grew 13% in 2025, compared with 3% for ebooks. (OverDrive)
More than 750,000 audiobook titles were active in 2025, up 43% in a single year. (APA)
The takeaway: audio is a growing format with a large audience, and an increasingly crowded one.
More data: Publishing Industry Statistics
The benefits of an audiobook
Reach readers who mostly listen. Many audiobook fans rarely read print or ebooks. Without an audio edition, your book is invisible to them.
Get into library audio collections. Library audiobook borrowing is growing quickly, and libraries can only lend your book in audio if an edition exists and is distributed to them.
Make your book more accessible. Audiobooks serve readers with visual impairments, dyslexia, and other print disabilities, as well as anyone who simply processes stories better by ear.
Earn from an additional format. An audiobook is another product attached to the same manuscript. It can earn for years after release.
Strengthen nonfiction and memoir. Listeners often prefer to hear memoirs and personal nonfiction in the author’s own voice, which builds a strong sense of connection and credibility.
Support your marketing. Audio samples, listening clips, and audiobook-specific promotions give you new material to share and new places to be discovered.
What does it cost to produce an audiobook?
Professional narrators are usually paid per finished hour (PFH), meaning per hour of final, edited audio, not per hour of recording time. A common rule of thumb is about 9,300 words per finished hour. (Authors Republic)
| Book length | Approx. finished length | At $100 PFH | At $250 PFH | At $400 PFH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50,000 words | ~5.4 hours | ~$540 | ~$1,350 | ~$2,160 |
| 80,000 words | ~8.6 hours | ~$860 | ~$2,150 | ~$3,440 |
| 100,000 words | ~10.8 hours | ~$1,080 | ~$2,700 | ~$4,320 |
PFH rates typically range from about $100 for newer narrators to $300–$1,000+ for highly experienced or union narrators. Depending on the arrangement, you may also need to budget for:
➜ audio editing, proofing, and mastering, if not included in the narrator’s rate
➜ audiobook cover art (audiobooks use a square cover format)
➜ distribution fees, depending on the platform
➜ promotion for the audio edition
Royalty share instead of upfront payment: On ACX, some narrators agree to split royalties 50/50 with the author instead of charging upfront. That lowers the initial cost, but it requires exclusive distribution through ACX, and you’ll share a significant portion of your audiobook income for the length of the agreement.
Your narration options
Option 1: A professional narrator
Best for: fiction, most nonfiction, and any author who wants the highest-quality listening experience.
A skilled narrator brings characters, pacing, and emotion to life, and handles accents, dialogue, and tone in ways that keep listeners engaged for hours. Professional production also helps your audiobook meet the technical standards retailers require.
Pros: highest quality; listeners strongly associate good narration with a good audiobook; meets platform standards
Cons: the highest upfront cost; finding the right voice takes time
Option 2: Narrating it yourself
Best for: memoir, personal nonfiction, and authors with strong speaking skills or a public platform.
Listeners often love hearing a memoir in the author’s own voice. But narration is a skill: reading for 8–10 hours with consistent energy, pacing, and clean audio is harder than it sounds. Most authors who narrate still work with a studio or audio engineer.
Pros: authenticity and personal connection; can lower narration costs
Cons: time-intensive; requires professional-quality recording and editing; not every author’s voice suits long-form listening
Option 3: AI narration
Best for: authors with tight budgets, backlist titles, or simple nonfiction, as long as they understand the trade-offs.
AI narration has improved quickly, and several platforms now offer it:
➜ Amazon’s KDP Virtual Voice offers free AI narration for eligible ebooks. These audiobooks are generally limited to Amazon’s own ecosystem, and the audio files can’t be taken elsewhere.
➜ Spotify for Authors, Google Play Books, and some other platforms accept AI-narrated audiobooks, usually with a required disclosure to listeners.
➜ ACX does not accept fully AI-narrated audiobooks through its standard submission process.
About 16% of audiobook listeners have tried an AI-narrated title. (APA)
Pros: very low or no production cost; fast turnaround
Cons: limited emotional range and character work; some listeners avoid AI-narrated titles; distribution restrictions on major platforms; rules and policies are still changing
The bottom line on AI: It can be a practical option for some nonfiction or backlist titles. For fiction, memoir, and any book where voice and emotion matter, human narration still offers a noticeably better listening experience, and it remains the standard most listeners expect.
Distribution and royalties
Where your audiobook is sold affects both your reach and your income.
ACX (Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books)
As of May 2026, ACX moved to a new royalty model:
Exclusive distribution: 50% royalty, sold through Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books, with a 90-day minimum term
Non-exclusive distribution: 30% royalty, with the freedom to distribute your audiobook through other platforms as well
Under the new model, royalties are based on a share of listeners’ membership value rather than a fixed percentage of each sale. Earnings depend partly on how much your title is listened to. Titles still on the old model must move to the new terms by the end of 2026. (ScribeCount; Twin Flames Studios)
Wide distribution
Distributing wide, through aggregators and platforms like Spotify for Authors, Google Play, Kobo, and others, puts your audiobook in more storefronts and library systems. That can matter a lot, given how fast library audiobook lending is growing.
Exclusive or wide?
Exclusive can make sense if most of your readers buy on Amazon and Audible and you want the simplest setup and the higher ACX royalty rate.
Wide can make sense if libraries, international readers, or platforms beyond Audible are important to your audience.
When an audiobook is worth it, and when to wait
An audiobook is likely worth it if:
➜ your book is fiction in a popular audio genre (thriller, mystery, romance, fantasy, sci-fi) or memoir, self-help, business, or narrative nonfiction
➜ you write a series, since listeners who enjoy book one often buy the rest
➜ your print or ebook is already selling steadily or getting strong reviews
➜ you have speaking engagements, a podcast, or a platform where listeners already hear your voice
➜ library sales are part of your plan
➜ your book is text-driven and works well read aloud
It may be worth waiting if:
➜ your budget is limited and professional editing or cover design for the print edition isn’t done yet
➜ your book is highly visual (heavily illustrated, many charts, cookbooks, workbooks) and doesn’t translate easily to audio
➜ your book is very short, making the audio edition hard to price well
➜ you’re planning a major revision or new edition soon
Many authors publish print and ebook first, then add an audiobook once the book has early reviews and momentum. Others launch all three formats together to make the most of launch-week attention. Either approach can work.
Tips for a successful audiobook
✦ Audition several narrators and choose a voice that fits your genre, tone, and main character.
✦ Provide a pronunciation guide for names, places, and specialized terms.
✦ Listen to every chapter before approval, or hire a proofer to catch errors.
✦ Create a square audiobook cover that’s adapted from, but optimized beyond, your print design.
✦ Promote the audio edition separately with sample clips, giveaways of promo codes, and mentions in your newsletter and on your website.
✦ Pitch audio-specific reviewers and podcasts, and ask libraries to add your audiobook.
Should I Make an Audiobook? FAQ
Do I need an audiobook to be a successful author?
No, but it can significantly expand your audience. Audiobooks reach listeners who rarely read print, and they’re increasingly important for library sales.
How much does it cost to make an audiobook?
With a professional narrator, costs typically range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on length and the narrator’s rate. At about 9,300 words per finished hour, an 80,000-word book runs roughly 8–9 hours.
Can I narrate my own audiobook?
Yes. It works especially well for memoir and personal nonfiction. You’ll need strong reading skills, a quiet recording space or studio, and professional editing and mastering to meet retailer standards.
Is AI narration a good option?
It can be for some budget-conscious or backlist nonfiction titles. However, AI narration has distribution limits (ACX doesn’t accept fully AI-narrated audiobooks), some listeners avoid it, and it generally lacks the emotional range of a skilled human narrator.
What royalties do audiobooks earn?
On ACX, as of 2026, royalties are 50% for exclusive distribution and 30% for non-exclusive, calculated under Audible’s new membership-value model. Other platforms and aggregators have their own rates.
Should I release the audiobook at the same time as my print book?
It depends on your budget and goals. Simultaneous release makes the most of launch momentum. Releasing later lets you use early sales and reviews to judge demand.
Bring your book to listeners
An audiobook can open your work to millions of readers who prefer to listen, and done well, it can become one of your book’s most valuable editions.
Atmosphere Press offers professional audiobook production and distribution, including narrator auditions with multiple voice talents, professional production, and distribution to major platforms such as Audible, Apple Books, Google Play, and Spotify.
Learn about audiobook production and distribution →
Last Updated: October 6, 2026
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