How to Publish an Audiobook on Audible
The ACX route step by step, what Audible pays under its 2026 royalty model, and where AI narration does and doesn’t fit.
In this article
Audible is the biggest audiobook store there is, so it’s the first place most authors want their book. To publish an audiobook on Audible, you claim your Kindle ebook on ACX, choose “Use my own audio files”, upload one file per chapter with a square cover, pick exclusive or non-exclusive distribution, and submit it for a quality check. About two weeks later, it’s on sale on Audible, Amazon and Apple Books.
This guide walks through each step, explains what Audible pays under its new 2026 royalty model, and is honest about AI narration, which ACX doesn’t accept from indie authors.
Before you start: what you need
- An ACX account. ACX is open to individuals and companies living in the US, UK, Canada or Ireland, with a local tax number and bank account. You choose Author, Publisher or Agent when you sign up, and you can’t change it later.
- Your ebook on Amazon.com. You claim your audiobook by finding your ebook on ACX, so it has to be live on Amazon first.
- The audio rights. If you self-published, you almost always have them. If a publisher released your book, check your contract.
- A finished, human-narrated audiobook, or a plan to make one. More on narration below.
Can you publish an AI-narrated audiobook on Audible?
Not through ACX, as of October 2026. ACX’s audio requirements say your audiobook “must be narrated by a human unless otherwise authorized” and that “unauthorized use of text-to-speech, AI, or automated recordings in ACX titles is prohibited.”
There are two authorized exceptions, both run by Amazon:
- Virtual Voice. Kindle Direct Publishing can turn an eligible ebook into an AI-narrated audiobook for free. It’s an invite-only beta in the US, for ebooks in English, Spanish, French or Italian that don’t already have an audiobook. You set a price from $3.99 to $14.99 and earn 40%.
- Voice Replica. A limited beta where an ACX narrator’s own voice is cloned. It’s for narrators, not for audio you make elsewhere.
ACX also says Audible “is working to accept third-party TTS content” and will share more on timing later. Until then, if your audiobook is AI-narrated, publish it on stores that accept it, such as Spotify, Kobo and Google Play, and on your own shop.
How to publish your audiobook on Audible, step by step
1. Create your ACX account
Go to acx.com, sign in with your Amazon account, and choose your profile: Author, Publisher or Agent. Add your tax and bank details so you can be paid.
2. Claim your title
Search for your ebook by title, author or ASIN, and claim it. This links your audiobook to your Kindle book on Amazon.
3. Choose “Use my own audio files”
ACX gives you two paths. You can find a narrator through ACX and pay them by the hour or with a royalty share, or you can upload an audiobook you’ve already made. If yours is finished, choose Use my own audio files.
4. Pick your territories and distribution
Choose where you hold the rights (worldwide is common), then choose exclusive or non-exclusive distribution. See royalties and exclusivity below before you decide.
5. Upload your files
Upload one file per chapter, plus separate files for your opening and closing credits. Each file must start by saying its section, such as “Chapter 1”. Then add your cover and a retail sample of up to five minutes, and fill in your copyright details.
6. Submit for review
ACX’s quality team checks every audiobook “within 10 business days”. If something needs fixing, they email you what to change and you resubmit. Once approved, your book goes on sale on Audible, Amazon and Apple Books.
ACX file requirements
ACX is strict about audio, and most rejections come from these specs. Check every file before you upload.
| What | ACX requirement |
|---|---|
| Format | MP3, 192 kbps or higher, constant bit rate, 44.1 kHz |
| Channels | All mono or all stereo, never mixed |
| Loudness | Between −23 dB and −18 dB RMS |
| Peaks | No higher than −3 dB |
| Noise floor | Below −60 dB RMS |
| Room tone | 1 to 5 seconds at the start and end of each file |
| File length | 120 minutes at most per file |
| Credits | Opening and closing credits as separate files |
| Sample | 5 minutes or less, from the audiobook itself |
| Cover | Square, at least 2400 × 2400 px, JPG, PNG or TIF, RGB, 8 MB or less |
Your cover must show the title and author, and must not include Audible logos, prices, barcodes, website addresses or photos of a printed book.
Selling on Audible: royalties, pricing and exclusivity
Audible changed how it pays authors in 2026. Titles claimed after May 26, 2026 go straight onto the new model, and the old one ends by the end of the year.
| Exclusive | Non-exclusive | |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 50% | 30% |
| Where it sells | Audible, Amazon and Apple Books, and nowhere else | Audible’s stores, plus anywhere else you like |
| Term | 7 years | 7 years |
| Can you switch? | Once, to non-exclusive, after 90 days on sale | n/a |
How you’re paid when members listen. Most Audible listening comes from members, not single purchases. Under the new model, each member’s monthly fee is shared among the books they listened to, weighted by each book’s price, and then your royalty rate applies. So you earn something every time a member listens, but the amount per listen varies.
Who sets the price. Audible does. You can suggest a price, but Audible decides it based on length and other factors. Its current ranges look like this:
| Length | Price range |
|---|---|
| Under 1 hour | Under $7.40 |
| 1 to 3 hours | $5.55 to $13.20 |
| 3 to 5 hours | $7.55 to $15.55 |
| 5 to 10 hours | $11.15 to $20.65 |
| 10 to 20 hours | $12.95 to $24.90 |
| Over 20 hours | $16.40 to $32.95 |
Exclusive or not? Choose exclusive if your readers mostly buy on Audible and you don’t plan to sell anywhere else. Choose non-exclusive if you also want to sell on Spotify, Kobo, Google Play or your own website. Most authors with a direct audience choose non-exclusive.
Other ways onto Audible
You don’t have to use ACX to reach Audible. Voices by INaudio (formerly Findaway Voices) and Author’s Republic can deliver human-narrated audiobooks to Audible as part of wider distribution, as long as the book isn’t already claimed on ACX. They don’t give AI-narrated audiobooks a way onto Audible either.
Common mistakes that get audiobooks rejected
- Missing copyright details, section titles, cover or retail sample. ACX names these four as the most common blockers.
- Files that break the audio specs, such as variable bit rate, peaks above −3 dB or mixed mono and stereo files.
- No spoken chapter heading at the start of each file.
- Credits that don’t match the title, author and narrator on the cover and listing.
- A cover with a price, barcode or website, or one smaller than 2400 × 2400.
- Choosing exclusive without reading the terms. It lasts seven years, and you can switch only once.
- Uploading AI narration. It isn’t allowed and can get your book removed.
FAQ
How do I get my audiobook on Audible?
Claim your Kindle ebook on ACX, choose “Use my own audio files”, upload your chapter files, cover and sample, pick exclusive or non-exclusive distribution, and submit. ACX reviews it within about 10 business days, then it goes on sale on Audible, Amazon and Apple Books.
How much does Audible pay authors?
On the new royalty model, ACX pays 50% if you’re exclusive to Audible and 30% if you’re not. Member listening is paid from a share of each member’s monthly fee, so earnings per listen vary.
Can I publish an AI-narrated audiobook on Audible?
Not through ACX. It requires human narration unless Audible authorizes otherwise. Amazon’s Virtual Voice can make an AI audiobook from some Kindle ebooks, but it’s an invite-only beta in the US.
Do I need my ebook on Amazon to publish on Audible?
Yes. ACX finds your audiobook through your ebook’s listing on Amazon.com, so the ebook needs to be live there first.
Can I sell my audiobook on Audible if I live outside the US?
ACX is open to residents of the US, UK, Canada and Ireland. Authors elsewhere can reach Audible through a distributor such as Voices by INaudio, with a human-narrated audiobook.
How long does ACX take to approve an audiobook?
ACX says its quality team reviews audiobooks within 10 business days. Plan for about two weeks, plus more if anything needs fixing.
Can I set my own price on Audible?
You can suggest one, but Audible sets the final price based on length and other factors.
Ready to publish?
If your audiobook is human-narrated, ACX is a straightforward route to the biggest audiobook store. If it’s AI-narrated, Audible isn’t open to it yet, but Spotify, Google Play, Apple Books and Kobo are, and so is your own shop. If you need your audiobook made for those stores, our AI audiobook generator makes store-ready files, with your first chapter free.
Philip Ghezelbash is the founder of Audiobook Generator and the author of The Stoic Body, which has sold over 10,000 copies on Amazon. He writes about making, publishing and selling audiobooks.
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