Authors need to go through ACX in order to publish and distribute their audiobooks on Audible (Amazon’s Audiobook platform) across the globe.
Audible Royalty Structure for Authors
Authors can either hire voice actors available on ACX platform to produce their audiobooks, or they can arrange to produce their own audio files and upload them directly.
Author Royalty varies based on a few factors as listed below,
- Pay for Production – You pay a one-time cost to access ACX’s professional voice actors. They read your book and upload it according to Audible’s policies. In this case, Authors get 40% of their book price as royalty for each audiobook sold IF the audiobook is exclusively available on Audible. If it is not exclusive, authors get 20%.
- No Upfront Investment (Revenue Share with ACX’s Voice Actors) – You still hire a voice actor from ACX to read and upload your book, but you don’t pay anything upfront. Instead, you share half of your royalties for each audiobook sold with the voice actor reading your book. In this case, Authors get 20% of their book price as royalty for each audiobook sold.
- Produce and Upload your Own Audiobook File – You can narrate your own audiobook or you can arrange to hire voice actors from external sources to read and produce your audiobook. In this case, authors get 40% royalty for each audiobook sold IF the audiobook is exclusive to Audible. Otherwise, they get 25%.
What happens when an Audiobook is borrowed using Membership Credits?
As most Audible audiobooks are bought using monthly membership credits, and not the list price, this factor is important. However, ACX doesn’t say the share given to authors in this case.
But according to certain third-party analysis, we assume that the royalty calculation is the same as the above, but it will be based on the membership credit cost and not the actual price of the book.
Is ACX available for Authors from Across the World?
No. Currently, ACX production and distribution of audiobooks are available only for authors from USA, Canada, UK, and Ireland, according to ACX’s information page on this topic.
Can a Publisher or Agent produce and sell their audiobooks through ACX?
Yes. The procedure and royalties are similar irrespective of who engages with ACX. However, it is mentioned that only the entity with the right to produce and sell audiobooks should upload and sell their Audiobooks through ACX – irrespective of whether they are authors, agents, or publishers.
ACX will take down the audiobook temporarily or permanently if someone else claims rights to the audiobook and can prove it. So it’s better to check those contracts, renegotiate them if needed, or consult an attorney if you are not sure.
Is the Audiobook published immediately upon Uploading to ACX?
No. ACX editors will check multiple aspects of your audiobook submission, including all the technical aspects as mentioned on the ACX Audio Submission Requirements.
It might take up to 30-days for your book to be approved and be available for readers to buy on Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.
Does Audible give Promo Codes to Authors for distributing their books for free?
Yes, on successful publication, authors/publishers receive up to 50 promo codes per marketplace. They can give these free codes to reviewers or early adopters for their audiobooks to gain visibility and traction quickly on the Audible platform.
Where can I find a Step-by-Step Action Plan to produce and distribute Audiobooks on ACX from Start to Finish?
And here are some useful video lessons and resources for each step.
Note: This blog post has been written with reference to ACX’s current policies for publishing audiobooks through ACX. These are subject to change anytime, so be sure to refer ACX.com and check for any changes.