Audiobooks for
Self-Published Authors

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

Creating and selling a book that readers can read and listen to is every author’s dream. And now, BookBaby makes it a reality.

Self-published authors can now convert their eBooks or printed books into an audiobook without spending $10,000+ and months of production time! Offering over 20 different voices in 75 different languages, BookBaby’s exclusive audiobook process is fast and easy. Best of all, BookBaby helps you sell your book on your Bookshop page and pays out the highest royalties in the marketplace.

What's included in your $1,499 $999 BookBaby Audiobooks package:

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

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 audio proof. BookBaby audiobooks are an entirely new and inexpensive process designed to meet the needs of self-published authors.

With just a few clicks, indie authors can upload their digital manuscript and select a voice – either male or female – in one of the 75 languages offered by BookBaby. You'll receive audio files to review and approve within just a few days. Plus, you retain creative control through every step of the process.

How it works

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

Choose your language and narrator voice

Review & approve your proofs

Make 75% royalties from every Bookshop™ sale

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

Computer voices – aka "Text-to-Speech" – were once easy to distinguish from human voices: robotic, monotonous, and lifeless. 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 and pleasant listening experience for every audiobook consumer. Listen for yourself – check out the voice samples below.

Don't Marry

by James Donovan
Narrator: Mason Jackson (US)

Childhood Development

by Group of Authors
Narrator: Tina Woods (US)

Utopia

by Thomas More
Narrator: Hubert Grant (UK)

¡Si yo fuera rico!

by Don Luis Mariano de Larra
Narrator: Pedro Garcia (SP)

Ready to create your Audiobook?

Start your project

Book sales by format (2022)

Find new readers with audiobooks

Audiobook sales are growing 40% per year, making it the fastest-growing segment of the book industry. Traditionally published authors know audiobooks bring in lots of money and new readers. Now, self-published authors can cash in themselves by offering premium quality audiobooks alongside their printed books and eBooks. Simply put: It’s 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 needs even if your book is already on Amazon through another publisher – even a traditional publishing house. Just 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 into your dashboard and look for the "Manage/Reorder My Books" link and then click "Add Audiobook". Or you can always call your favorite BookBaby Publishing Specialist to get started.

Audiobooks Comparison Chart

	BookBaby Audiobooks	Traditional Audiobooks
Choose Language	Choose one of 75 languages offered within a few minutes.	Non-English language book narrators are difficult to find and even more challenging to book.
Choose Voice	Choose up to 60 voice and accent options (depending on language selection) - male or female - within a few minutes.	Audition and negotiate with both male and female voices. Book production time that can be months in advance.
Cost of Narrator	Included in the BookBaby Audiobooks Package price.	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	Completely in control of the BookBaby author to review and make notes for revisions.	From 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the availability of the studio and the original narrator.
Ease of finalizing file	BookBaby author approves the file for distribution on the dashboard.	Lots of back-and-forth with studio and distributor to verify finished file.
Royalties	Included in the BookBaby Audiobooks Package price. BookBaby authors receive 75% royalties on every audiobook sold through BookBaby Bookshop™.	ACX/Audible pays 25% to 40% royalties to authors.

Ready to create your Audiobook?

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 can record your own. This involves having a wide range of knowledge about recording technology, having the right equipment, and 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 new Audiobooks Package. With a wide variety of voice options and languages, as well as audiobook file creation, lifetime customer support, and much more, BookBaby now provides everything you need to create, distribute, and get paid for your audiobook. Simply click here to get started!

Are audiobooks profitable?

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

And when you publish with BookBaby, you’ll receive the highest royalties – 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 your 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 under one roof – including Print On Demand services, editing services, Facebook Ads for Authors, 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.

Audiobooks for Self-Published Authors

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

What's included in your $1,499 $999 BookBaby Audiobooks package:

Affordable and easy to create

How it works

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

Ready to create your Audiobook?

Find new readers with audiobooks

Any book can become an audiobook

Audiobooks Comparison Chart

Ready to create your Audiobook?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my own audiobook?

Are audiobooks profitable?

Can I self-publish an audiobook?

How much does it cost to make an audiobook?

Where will my audiobook be available for purchase?

Get access to exclusive deals

Audiobooks for
Self-Published Authors