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The best way to make an audiobook, compared.

Five routes, side by side on cost, royalties, stores, speed, who does the work, and who owns the files. Verified October 2026.

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Audiobook options at a glance.

Figures are for a typical 75,000-word novel, about 8 finished hours. Bracketed numbers point to the sources below.

Human narrator (ACX pay per hour)

You pay a narrator a fixed rate per finished hour and keep the rest of the royalties.

Upfront cost
$200 to $400 per finished hour for narration, plus $75 to $150 per finished hour for editing, proofing, and mastering. About $2,400 to $5,850 for a 75,000-word novel. [1]
Royalties you keep
50% of ACX royalties if exclusive, 30% if non-exclusive. [2]
Where it can be sold
Exclusive: ACX channels (Audible, Amazon, Apple Books). Non-exclusive: other stores stay open. [2]
Time to finished audio
Weeks to months. [1]
Who does the work
A narrator records; an editor proofs and masters. You review. [1]
Music and sound
Not included in the quoted narration and post-production rates. [1]
Files you own
Yes. Distribution depends on the exclusivity you choose. [1]

ACX royalty share

No upfront fee; the narrator takes half your royalties for seven years.

Upfront cost
$0. [1]
Royalties you keep
Half your royalties for 7 years, which is 25% effective on the 50% exclusive rate. [1][2]
Where it can be sold
Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books only, for the 7-year term. [1]
Time to finished audio
Weeks to months, plus finding a narrator who accepts the deal. [1]
Who does the work
The narrator records; you audition and approve. [1]
Music and sound
Not part of the deal. [1]
Files you own
Yes, but distribution is locked to ACX channels for the term. [1]

Amazon KDP Virtual Voice

Amazon generates audio from your Kindle ebook inside KDP, for free.

Upfront cost
Free. [3]
Royalties you keep
40% of list price, on Amazon and Audible only, within Amazon's allowed price band. [3]
Where it can be sold
Amazon and Audible only. [3]
Time to finished audio
Set by Amazon's preview and publishing process. [3]
Who does the work
Amazon generates it from your ebook in one automated pass; you preview and edit. [3]
Music and sound
Voice only. [3]
Files you own
No. The audio cannot be downloaded or sold elsewhere. Invite-only beta for eligible KDP authors. [3]

DIY AI text-to-speech tools

A self-serve voice engine or studio editor; you produce the audiobook yourself.

Upfront cost
Free tiers, monthly credit plans, or per-word pricing, plus your own time. [4]
Royalties you keep
You keep what each store pays. No production share.
Where it can be sold
Anywhere you upload yourself. ACX does not accept externally produced AI narration. [4]
Time to finished audio
Your own hours of generation, checking, and fixing. [4]
Who does the work
You: chunking, voice settings, pronunciation, seams, loudness, and retail file prep. [4]
Music and sound
Usually not in the audiobook path. [4]
Files you own
You download the exports. Head and tail silence, loudness, peaks, and credits are yours to prepare. Check each tool's license terms. [4]

Lex packages

Voiceover $49, Scored $99, or Publisher, a production studio that delivers the finished book.

Upfront cost
Voiceover $49 or Scored $99, one time, for 10 finished hours. Publisher is quoted per book. Extra hours at a flat per-hour rate. [5]
Royalties you keep
Lex takes no royalties. On Publisher, the distribution partner keeps 20% of net on stores other than Audible and Spotify. [5]
Where it can be sold
Voiceover and Scored: anywhere you upload. Publisher: Audible, Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Everand, Storytel, libraries, and the Lex Store. [5]
Time to finished audio
First chapter in about a day, full book in days. [5]
Who does the work
Lex: casting, direction, pronunciation review, mixing, mastering, and retail QC. You review and approve. [5]
Music and sound
Licensed music, ambience, and sound effects on Scored and Publisher. [5]
Files you own
Yes. Mastered chapter files with a commercial license, no term, no reversion, and no exclusivity. [5]
  1. [1] Lex's production cost figures, audiobook production cost.
  2. [2] Audible's 2026 royalty model as reported by Kindlepreneur, Audible royalty changes.
  3. [3] Amazon's KDP help pages, Virtual Voice overview.
  4. [4] Public pricing and export behavior of self-serve AI audiobook tools, summarized on Lex's self-serve tools comparison.
  5. [5] Lex's current packages, pricing.

Which should you choose?

  • If a specific human performance is the product, hire a human narrator, and decide on exclusivity before you sign.
  • If you have no budget and want a first test on Amazon, try Virtual Voice or ACX royalty share, knowing the audio stays inside Amazon's channels.
  • If you want to learn the tools and have the hours, a DIY AI tool gives you full control, and you do the production and QC.
  • If you want a finished, retail-ready book you own, at a flat price, Lex is $49 to $99 for 10 finished hours, with no royalty share.

Go deeper: production cost, Virtual Voice alternative, self-serve AI tools, distribution, and Lex pricing.

Audiobook comparison questions

What is the best way to make an audiobook?
It depends on your budget and how much work you want to do. A human narrator costs about $200 to $400 per finished hour plus editing and mastering. ACX royalty share costs $0 upfront but gives the narrator half your royalties for seven years. Amazon Virtual Voice is free but stays on Amazon. DIY AI tools make you the producer. Lex produces the finished book for $49 (narration) or $99 (scored) for 10 finished hours, and takes no royalties.
How much does it cost to make an audiobook?
A human-narrated 75,000-word novel runs $2,400 to $5,850 produced. ACX royalty share is $0 upfront. Amazon Virtual Voice is free. Lex is $49 for narration or $99 fully scored, one time, for 10 finished hours. Use the audiobook calculator to price your own word count.
Which AI audiobook services let me sell on more than Amazon?
Amazon Virtual Voice audio stays on Amazon and Audible. DIY AI tools give you files you can upload wherever stores accept them, but ACX does not accept externally produced AI narration. Lex delivers mastered files you own, and its Publisher package submits to Audible, Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Everand, Storytel, libraries, and the Lex Store.
Does Lex take a share of my audiobook royalties?
No. Lex takes no royalties. The package price is the whole Lex fee. On the Publisher package, the distribution partner keeps 20% of net on stores other than Audible and Spotify.

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