You finally did it, your audiobook is ready. You recorded, edited, and polished it. Now what? Uploading it to Audible is a start, but it’s not the finish line. If you stop at one platform, you might miss out on reaching new listeners and earning more from your effort.

In this guide, we’ll dig into audiobook monetization beyond just Audible. You’ll get clear steps, examples, and real data showing how to use multiple platforms without spinning your wheels. We’ll explore what good monetization really looks like, where to publish, how to price smartly, and how to see what’s actually working. So, let’s get started!

Key Takeaways

• Audiobook monetization means earning money from your audiobook in different ways — through sales, streaming, bundles, and direct downloads.
• Use platforms like INaudio, Authors Republic, ACX, Spotify, BookBaby, and Kobo Writing Life to reach different audiences.
• Each platform pays differently, so learn how royalties work before choosing where to publish.
• Know your total costs and set a price that helps you make a profit.
• Keep track of your sales, reviews, and listener activity to see what’s working.

What Real Audiobook Monetization Looks Like

So, what does “monetizing” an audiobook really mean? It’s more than just selling a copy on Audible and hoping for the best. Real monetization is about turning that audio content into multiple income paths, maximizing reach, and letting you control more of your earnings.

Here’s what real audiobook monetization can include:

1. Royalties from retailers and platforms: You get a cut when someone buys or streams your audiobook.
2. Direct sales. You can sell it yourself on your website or through services like Payhip or BookFunnel, so you keep a higher margin.
3. Licensing deals: Letting apps, companies, or courses license your audio for use (e.g., meditation apps, training platforms).
4. Subscription or streaming revenue. When listeners access your audiobook via subscription services (Spotify, Audible Plus).
5. Upsells and bundles. Pair your audiobook with bonuses (PDFs, companion guides) and sell it as a package.

Did you know?

The audiobook market is expected to make about $9.84 billion in 2025 and will grow by about 6.2% each year, reaching $13.3 billion by 2030.

Audiobook Monetization: Best Platforms to Distribute and Earn

1. INaudio (Formerly Findaway Voices)

If you want to reach as many audiobook listeners as possible without being stuck in just one store, Findaway Voices — now part of Spotify’s INaudio — is a solid choice. It’s made for independent authors who want wide distribution and more control.

Distribution

This platform allows you to send your audiobook to over 40 platforms at once. That includes big names like Spotify, Apple Books, Chirp, Google Play, libraries, and more.

Royalties

You get to keep 80% of what the retailer pays for your audiobook. So, if your audiobook sells for $10 and the retailer pays $6, you keep $4.80.

Cost

It’s free to distribute if your audiobook is ready to upload. If you want to hire a narrator through them, they offer that too—but at an extra cost.

Overall, if you’re serious about monetization, Findaway/INaudio is a strong, flexible place to start. It’s the best audiobook platform for indie authors who want global reach without exclusivity.

2. Authors Republic

This is another popular platform that helps authors like you get their audiobooks into lots of stores—without needing to do the hard work yourself.

Distribution

When you upload your audiobook to Authors Republic, they distribute it to over 50 retailers and library services. That includes Audible, Apple Books, Google Play, Spotify, and many more. You don’t have to apply or upload to each one; they handle it all.

Royalties

You’ll receive about 70% to 80% of the net amount after the retailer takes their cut. It’s slightly lower than Findaway’s 80%, but still fair considering how many platforms they help you access.

Cost

There’s no upfront fee to distribute. You only pay by sharing a portion of your royalties.

If you’re looking for an easy, low-stress way to handle audiobook distribution, Authors Republic is a dependable option.

3. ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange)

If you’ve heard of Audible, you’ve already heard of ACX—it’s Amazon’s official audiobook platform. It connects authors, narrators, and publishers, making it one of the simplest ways to publish an audiobook and get it on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books.

Distribution

When you publish through ACX, your audiobook automatically appears on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. You can choose to make it exclusive to ACX or non-exclusive if you want to distribute elsewhere, too.

Royalties

Exclusive authors earn 40% of the retail price per sale. Non-exclusive authors earn 25%. While this is lower than that of some wide distributors, Audible’s massive audience often makes up for it.

Cost

Uploading is free, and ACX even lets you find narrators through its “Royalty Share” program—where you split profits with the narrator instead of paying upfront.

ACX is perfect if you’re just starting your audiobook monetization journey and want quick exposure with minimal setup.

Did You Know?

Many of the best audiobooks narrated by authors themselves – like Becoming by Michelle Obama – are released through ACX, since it makes it easy for writers who prefer to use their own voice to record and upload directly to Audible and Amazon.

4. Spotify Audiobooks

You probably think of Spotify as a place for music or podcasts. However, this platform is teaming up with big audiobook publishers, quickly growing its collection, and becoming a serious home for audiobooks too.

Distribution

Spotify makes your audiobook available to its massive audience of over 500 million users worldwide. It’s included as part of Spotify Premium in some countries and is also available for standalone purchase in others. Distribution is handled automatically through Findaway.

Royalties

If a listener buys your audiobook outright, you earn a percentage of the sale (similar to other platforms). If they listen through Premium, you get streaming royalties based on listening time. These are smaller per listen but add up with volume.

Cost

There’s no extra fee to be listed on Spotify. Just make sure your audiobook is distributed through Findaway/INaudio. Findaway dropped its 20% fee for Spotify sales, meaning more money goes directly to you.

If your goal is to reach, exposure, and build listener loyalty, Spotify is absolutely worth including in your strategy.

5. BookBaby

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop that helps you create and distribute your audiobook, this might be a good fit. It’s especially helpful for authors who want support with everything from narration to uploading.

Distribution

It sends your audiobook to major platforms like Audible, Apple Books, Spotify, and more. They handle the technical side of things so you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Royalties

Your royalty rates depend on each retailer’s policies. BookBaby doesn’t take a cut of your royalties, but you’ll pay upfront for the service. Once your book sells, you keep what the platforms give you—usually around 25% to 80% depending on where it’s sold.

Cost

This is where BookBaby is different. They charge a flat fee for their services. The more help you need (like narration or mastering), the more you’ll pay. Expect to spend $1,500 to $3,000 or more, depending on your package.

You can also use their audiobook narration services if you’d rather not handle the recording yourself—ideal for authors who want a studio-quality sound without managing freelancers.

6. Kobo Writing Life

This is an often-overlooked platform, but it’s a gem if you want to reach international listeners—especially in Canada, Europe, and even some library systems. It’s also known for being author-friendly and having helpful tools.

Distribution

Your audiobook will appear in the Kobo store, on Walmart’s digital shelves in the U.S., and in library systems via OverDrive. That gives you both retail and library exposure with one upload.

Royalties

Kobo offers up to 45%–70% royalties, depending on pricing and the country of sale. That’s competitive and fair, especially for direct sales through Kobo itself.

Cost

It’s completely free to upload and publish. You just need to meet Kobo’s formatting and quality standards, like you would anywhere else.

While Kobo doesn’t produce the audio itself, many authors pair it with the best audiobook creation services available online to prepare polished files before uploading.

How Does It Help the Authors?

Most authors aren’t rolling in money from their books alone. So, when an audiobook has the potential to bring in extra income every month, why leave it sitting on just one platform?

Distributing your audiobook widely gives you more than just variety—it gives you options, flexibility, and control. Here’s how it actually helps:

More Income Streams

Instead of just one check from Audible, you could be earning from 5 to 10 places. One listener buys it on Apple Books, another streams it on Spotify. A third picks it up through a Chirp discount. It adds up. Even if you work with affordable audiobook creation services, your production costs can be recovered faster when income flows from multiple stores at once.

Greater Audience Reach

Some readers prefer Apple. Others who are Spotify listeners might stumble across your book while browsing. When you’re everywhere, you’re more likely to get discovered. In fact, Statista reports that 41% of audiobook consumers in the U.S. prefer streaming platforms over downloads.

Stronger Personal Branding

When people find your audiobook in more than one place, it builds trust and visibility. Some platforms even allow custom branding, giving you more control over how your content is presented.

How to Price, Publish, and Profit (Without Guessing)

Alright, you’ve got your audiobook created and distributed (one way or another). Now comes one of the trickiest parts:

• How much do you charge?
• How do you publish it?
• How do you make sure it’s profitable?

Let me walk you through a clear, practical method using real examples and numbers, so you don’t just guess—and lose money.

1. Understand Royalty Models and Platform Rules

Before you pick a price, you need to know how much of that price you’ll actually keep. Each platform has its own royalty system, and those cut into your earnings.

• ACX / Audible: Exclusive authors earn about 40%, while non-exclusive authors get 25% of the list price.
• Wide distributors (like Findaway or Authors Republic): You usually keep around 80% of what retailers pay after their cuts.
• Pricing control: Some platforms let you set your own price, while others (like Audible) may adjust it automatically.

So, the price you pick is only part of the equation; what you get from that price is the rest.

2. Estimate Your Costs and Breakeven Point

You wouldn’t run a business without knowing your costs. Same with audiobooks.

1. Add up everything: narration, editing, mastering, recording gear, proofing. For example, a 10-hour audiobook might cost $2,500 to $4,500 or more, depending on how professional you go. You can seek help from professional audiobook services. They may cost a little more initially, but guarantee quality and approval.
2. Decide how many units you need to sell to break even. If your total cost is $3,000 and you plan to keep $8 per sale (after platform cuts), you need about 375 sales to cover your expenses.
3. Use this break-even target as a floor for pricing decisions (you don’t want to price below what makes sense for your business).

3. Choose a Smart Price Range

Now, using industry benchmarks and your cost structure, you can pick a price range that makes sense.

• Length: Longer audiobooks generally command higher prices. For instance, Scribe Media suggests books between 5 and 10 hours often land in the $15–$25 range.
• Genre: Look at comparable audiobooks in your field, see what listeners pay. If your book is self-help or business, you might price it higher than a short romance novella.
• Platform: On Audible/ACX, you might not have full control over the list price.
• Promotion: You can run temporary discounts, limited-time sales, or offer bundled deals (audio + PDF, for example).

Example: Suppose you set your book at $19.95. On a wide distributor, after cuts, you get $12. If your cost is $3,000, you’d need ~250 sales to cover costs. If you priced it at $14.95, your margin per sale is lower, so you’d need more volume. These numbers vary depending on the platform.

4. Profit Strategies (Beyond Just Passive Sales)

To push your income higher:

• Bundle deals: pair your audiobook with extras (PDF guide, workbook, mini-course).
• Direct sales: sell via your website or newsletter with discount codes, giving you more margin.
• Limited-time promos: temporary discounts or flash sales on one platform to boost visibility.
• Licensing: allow podcasts, courses, or apps to license your audio for extra income.

How to Track Sales and Know What’s Working

Now that your audiobook is live across platforms, the fun (and the work) begins: tracking what’s actually happening, learning from data, and tweaking your strategy. If you don’t watch the numbers, you’re flying blind.

Not all stats are equally useful. Concentrate on:

• Downloads / Purchases: How many paid units did you move?
• Streams & listening time: For subscription models (Spotify, Audible Plus), how long do people stay engaged?
• Completion rate: What percent of your listeners make it to the end? If only 20% finish, there’s a problem in pacing or audio.
• Returns/refunds: Too many returns can hurt algorithmic favor or revenue.
• Ratings & reviews: Positive feedback helps new listeners trust your book.
• Revenue per platform: You want to see which platform gives you the best return (after costs).
• Trends over time: Look at week-to-week or month-to-month changes, not just raw numbers.

These metrics let you answer: Is that “sale spike” real? Is Spotify bringing in listeners? Or is a discount campaign just burning margin?

How to Interpret the Data and Act on It

Here’s where the real improvement happens:

• If one platform is underperforming (low ratio of downloads per impressions), try changing your sample clip or cover art there.
• If completion rates are low in the middle chapters, consider reworking pacing or re-narrating tricky parts.
• Use high-earning platforms as your “core” and funnel promotions there.
• Pause or reconsider platforms that consistently underdeliver or cost more to maintain than they return.
• Track listener feedback trends—if many mention audio noise or editing drops, act immediately.

Wrap Up

You’ve got more power than you might’ve believed when you first hit “record.” Distributing wisely, and then tracking what’s working, lets your audiobook be more than a one-platform bet.

That’s the real power of smart audiobook monetization: earning from your story long after the launch excitement fades.

Don’t feel like you have to do everything perfectly on day one. Pick one new platform to add or test one promotional move, and build from there. Each small step can multiply. Your voice, your story—they deserve more than obscurity. Go beyond Audible. Turn your audiobook into a lasting, growing income stream!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I distribute my audiobook if I recorded it at home?

Yes! As long as the sound quality meets basic standards (no echo, good levels), many platforms will accept it. You can also hire someone to clean it up for you.

How long does it take to get paid after a sale?

It depends on the platform. Some pay monthly (like Findaway), while others take up to 90 days. Check your dashboard for payout timelines.

Are there platforms that let me sell audiobooks directly to listeners?

Yep. You can use tools like BookFunnel, Payhip, or your own website. Direct sales often let you keep a much bigger cut of the profits.

What’s a budget-friendly way to turn a book into audio?

Many audiobook creation services online offer affordable packages for recording, editing, and distribution.

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only suggest tools we trust and find useful. Thanks for your support!

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About Author

Hi My name is Micheal Adams, When I am not watching horror movies and helping my kids with homework or reading my favorite fantasy/supernatural novels – I’m writing to guide aspiring authors. I focus on exploring and simplifying both the technical aspects and the often-overlooked details of book writing and publishing so I can empower new writers to climb the Amazon bestseller list and connect with more readers