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BookBaby Audiobook Publishing for Independent Authors
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BookBaby>Audiobooks

Produce Your Own Audiobook

Create affordable, high-quality audiobooks and earn 75% royalty rates.

Start your project

Want to hear how great your audiobook will sound?
Order a 5-minute sample for $49

Audiobooks for Self-Published Authors

Make an impact through audiobook creation

It's every author's dream to create and sell a book that readers can not only read, but listen to as well. BookBaby makes it a reality.

Self-published authors can convert their eBooks or printed books into audiobooks without spending $10,000+ and taking months of production time. Offering over 60 different voices in 96 different languages and dialects, BookBaby's exclusive audiobook publishing process is fast and easy. Beyond helping you create an audiobook, BookBaby provides the opportunity to sell your audiobook through Bookshop, where authors earn the highest royalties in the marketplace.

Make an audiobook for just $599
Here’s what's included:

  • Your choice of up to 60 professional narrator voices (depending on language selection)
  • 96 different languages and dialects to choose from
  • Two rounds of corrections (if needed) after the first proof (three total proofs)
  • Creation of your audiobook file
  • Free Bookshop page to sell your audiobook (includes Google-powered analytics for page traffic and sales information)
  • Royalty payments of 75%
  • Lifetime customer service support
BookBaby Audiobooks

Affordable and easy to create

Traditional audiobooks are recorded by human narrators. They're expensive and often take weeks or months to complete a first audiobook recording proof. BookBaby audiobooks offer an inexpensive process which is designed to meet the needs of self-published authors.

With just a few clicks, an indie author can upload their manuscript and select a voice in one of the 96 languages and dialects offered by BookBaby. Audio files will be sent for review and approval within just a few days. BookBaby authors retain creative control through every step of the process.

How it works

The process for publishing audiobooks is as follows:

Upload your manuscript

Upload your manuscript in word docs (.docx) or epub (.epub) format

Choose the voices

Choose your language and audiobook narrator voice

Review & approve your proofs

Review & approve your proofs

Make 75% royalties from every sale!

Make 75% royalties from every Bookshop™ audiobook sale

Is it AI or human? You can’t tell the difference

Computer voices were once easy to distinguish from human voices due to their robotic, monotonous, and lifeless sound. But those days are over.

BookBaby has partnered with Speechki and its innovative technology that creates natural-sounding, realistic voices. Years of research and work have produced a program capable of mimicking human-like speech that generates full-length, near-perfect audio narrations. You can even choose different accents! The result is a seamless, pleasant listening experience for every audiobook listener. Hear it for yourself in our voice samples below.

Don't Marry

Don't Marry

by James Donovan

Narrator: Mason Jackson (US)

Narrator: Juliet Baker (US)

Childhood Development

Childhood Development

by Group of Authors

Narrator: Walter Brown (Conversational, US)

Narrator: Tina Woods (US)

Utopia

Utopia

by Thomas More

Narrator: Hubert Grant (UK)

Narrator: Carly Owen (UK)

¡Si yo fuera rico!

¡Si yo fuera rico!

by Don Luis Mariano de Larra

Narrator: Pedro Garcia (SP)

Narrator: Paola Moreno (SP)

Ready to create your audiobook?

Start your project

Audiobook cover design

Your audiobook may be digital, but it still needs a compelling cover. Our expert book cover designers are here to help create your custom audiobook cover. This service is available to anyone who is ordering an audiobook with us for an additional $599.

Audiobook cover design
Find new readers with audiobooks

Book sales by format (2022)

Find new readers with audiobooks

Sales in the audiobook market are growing 40% per year, making it the fastest-growing segment of the book industry. Traditionally published authors know audiobooks bring in sizable revenue, along with new readers and listeners. Now, self-published authors can cash in themselves by offering premium quality audiobooks alongside their printed books and eBooks. Simply put: It’s worth considering publishing audiobooks as the next must-have book format for every author.

Any book can become an audiobook

It doesn’t matter if you've never published a book with BookBaby. We can take care of your audiobook publishing needs even if your book is already on Amazon through another publisher, including a traditional publishing house or audiobook distributor. Call our Publishing Specialists at 877-961-6878 to get the process started.

Already a BookBaby-published author and want to add an audiobook? It's simple to start the process. Log in, select "Manage/Reorder My Books,” then select "Add Audiobook." Or, you can call us to get started.

BookBaby Audiobooks
Reasons you’ll love our audiobooks

Reasons you’ll love our audiobooks

Unmatched voice quality

Our text-to-speech technology is powered by state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms that deliver crystal-clear audio with human-like inflection and emotion. By partnering with best-in-class tech companies, we provide the most innovative technology on the market.

Diverse voice library

Choose from a wide range of voices that cater to different languages, accents, gender identities, and narration styles. Whether you're looking for a friendly voice for your e-learning course or a professional voice for your business presentation, we've got you covered.

Streamlined audiobook production

Our user-friendly platform simplifies the process of audiobook recording. Trust our skilled proof-listeners to meticulously review, ensuring accuracy and quality of every word in your audiobook. You’ll receive the final, polished audio within just a few days.

Audiobook specialists since 2018

Our partner, Speechki, is the only US-based company that has been exclusively dedicated to audiobooks since 2018. They possess unparalleled expertise in addressing the unique demands of the audiobook market. This experience and focus have us equipped to meet and exceed the specific needs of our authors.

Audiobooks Comparison Chart

BookBaby Audiobooks Traditional Audiobooks
Choose language Choose one of 96 different languages and dialects offered within a few minutes. Non-English language book narrators are difficult to find and even more challenging to schedule.
Choose voice Choose up to 60 voice and accent options (depending on language selection) within a few minutes. Audition and negotiate with various voices. Book production time can be months in advance.
Cost of narrator Included in the price of a BookBaby audiobook package. Audiobook narrators’ costs range from $50 per finished hour up to $400 or more, depending upon the narrator's skill, experience, and reputation. The average traditional audiobook will cost $6,000 to $10,000, depending on the number of words.
Time to record Production time is typically 4 to 6 working days, with a first proof delivered to your BookBaby dashboard for review. Scheduling can stretch 6 to 8 weeks in advance, depending on the popularity of the narrator. Narration time can be 10 to 15 days depending on the number of words.
Proofing time The BookBaby author is completely in control of the review process and can make notes for revisions. From 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the availability of the studio and the original narrator.
Ease of finalizing file The BookBaby author approves the file for distribution on the dashboard. The process involves a lot of back-and-forth communication with the studio and distributor to verify the finished audio file.
Royalties Royalties are Included with each BookBaby audiobook package price. BookBaby authors receive 75% royalties on every audiobook sold through BookBaby Bookshop. ACX/Audible pays 25% to 40% royalties to authors.

Bring your audiobook to life

Start your project

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my own audiobook?

There are two ways to go about making your own audiobook. First, you could record your own audiobook recording. This involves having a wide range of knowledge about recording technology, having the right equipment, then knowing how and where to distribute your recorded book.

The second way, however, is much less time-consuming. You can have your audiobook professionally recorded and distributed for you by using BookBaby’s audiobook package. With a wide variety of voice options and languages, as well as audiobook file creation, lifetime customer support, and much more, BookBaby provides everything you need to create, distribute, and get paid for your audiobook. Get started here!

Are audiobooks profitable?

Yes! Audiobooks are continue to grow in popularity. In fact, they’re currently the fastest-growing aspect of the book industry. Now is the time to have your book available for readers to listen to anywhere.

When you publish an audiobook with BookBaby, you’ll receive the highest royalties in the market – 75% on every audiobook sold! That’s a significant increase from ACX/Audible’s 25-40% payout. Plus, you’ll get your own author page on Bookshop where you can sell your audiobook directly to readers.

Can I self-publish an audiobook?

Just like with printed books and eBooks, you can absolutely self-publish an audiobook. And when you self-publish with BookBaby, you’ll have everything you need in one place – including Print On Demand services, editing services, Facebook advertising, and much more! Check out our self-publishing packages to get started.

How much does it cost to make an audiobook?

The cost of creating an audiobook can vary, depending on which platform you choose. When you make your audiobook through BookBaby, you can opt for the Audiobooks Package for $999. This option includes everything you need to create and distribute your audiobook – including narration, and production time.

Where will my audiobook be available for purchase?

Your audiobook will be available for purchase at the BookBaby Bookshop, the internet's most author-friendly bookstore! This allows us to give the greatest percentage of royalties back to you, the author.

Can I publish my audiobook in another language?

Yes. you can find a full list of the languages and dialects available for audiobooks here . Please note that your chosen audiobook language must match the language of your manuscript. Additional information on our translation services can be found here.