You may get paid to learn audiobooks on Amazon by narrating books by way of ACX, the Audiobook Creation Trade run by Audible, which is an Amazon firm.
Authors submit books that want a voice, you audition, and in the event that they choose you, you receives a commission both a flat price for every completed hour or a share of the e-book’s royalties.
Receives a commission to learn audiobooks on Amazon: fast information
- Platform: ACX (Audiobook Creation Trade), the place authors and publishers discover audiobook narrators.
- The way you receives a commission: A flat price per completed hour, a share of royalties for seven years, or a mixture of each.
- Potential pay: ACX listings provide charges starting from $50-$100 to $400-$1,000 per completed hour, relying on the mission.
- Who can apply: Eligible residents of the US, UK, Canada, and Eire who meet ACX’s account necessities.
- Value to affix: Free. You don’t pay to create an ACX narrator profile.
I’ve an ACX account, and in October 2026 I reviewed open audiobook initiatives to see what authors have been really providing, together with their budgets and e-book lengths.
Narrating is one in all a number of methods to get paid to read books. On this information, I’ll present you learn how to develop into an audiobook narrator on ACX, how a lot you possibly can earn, what tools you want, and learn how to meet ACX’s audio necessities. I’ll additionally clarify the distinction between upfront pay and royalties so you possibly can resolve which initiatives are price your time.
What Is ACX and How Does It Work?
ACX (Audiobook Creation Trade) is Audible’s market for creating audiobooks, and narrating for it’s one method to make money on Audible.
It connects authors and publishers who need to flip their books into audiobooks with narrators and producers who can do the recording.
Right here’s how the method works
An creator lists a e-book on ACX and gives a pattern script.
You submit an audition, and the creator chooses a narrator. In the event you’re employed, you report the e-book, edit the audio, and submit the completed information for approval.
As soon as the creator approves your work, Audible checks the audio towards its technical necessities.
After the audiobook passes evaluation, it may be launched on the market by way of Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books, relying on the distribution phrases.
In the event you’re searching for Amazon audiobook narrator jobs or voice-over do business from home, ACX is an efficient place to begin, although there are different places to find audiobook narrator jobs.
You may browse obtainable initiatives, audition for books that suit your voice, and select initiatives with fee phrases that go well with you.
How A lot Can You Make Studying Audiobooks on Amazon?
You may earn anyplace from $50 to $1,000 per completed hour narrating audiobooks on ACX, primarily based on the pay ranges listed for open initiatives.
What you really earn is dependent upon the mission, the fee deal, and the way lengthy the audiobook takes you to report and edit.
First, perceive what “per completed hour” (PFH) means. It’s the size of the finished audiobook, not the variety of hours you spend engaged on it. A one-hour audiobook may take you 4 to seven hours to report and edit, particularly whenever you’re beginning out.
ACX fee choices and funds ranges
ACX enables you to filter initiatives by their fee phrases.
Right here’s what you’ll see:
- Unspecified PFH: The creator pays per completed hour however hasn’t listed a price.
- Per completed hour bands: $50-$100, $100-$200, $200-$400, and $400-$1,000
- Royalty Share: No upfront fee. You earn a share of royalties from audiobook gross sales.
- Royalty Share Plus: You get a price whenever you ship the completed audiobook, plus a share of royalties.
What I discovered in ACX listings
I reviewed open ACX initiatives in October 2026.
Right here’s what stood out to me:
- Principally upfront funds: Most listings I noticed provided upfront pay per completed hour somewhat than Royalty Share.
- Frequent funds ranges: The most typical funds ranges I seen have been $100-$200 and $200-$400 per completed hour. I additionally discovered a number of initiatives providing $400-$1,000.
- Ebook lengths diverse: The initiatives I noticed ranged from about 3 completed hours to 10 or 15 hours.
These figures replicate the provides I noticed, not assured earnings or the typical pay for all ACX narrators. A listed funds additionally doesn’t inform you how a lot you’ll earn per hour of your precise working time, which is the quantity to make use of whenever you compare what side hustles really pay.
Per-finished-hour pay
With per-finished-hour (PFH) pay, the creator agrees to pay you a flat price for every hour of completed audiobook audio.
Right here’s what that appears like:
| Completed audiobook | Charge | Complete pay |
|---|---|---|
| 3 hours | $200 PFH | $600 |
| 6 hours | $200 PFH | $1,200 |
| 10 hours | $200 PFH | $2,000 |
The creator pays you straight inside 30 days of approving your completed audiobook, utilizing a technique you each agree on, corresponding to PayPal or a examine. You then verify on ACX that you simply’ve obtained fee earlier than the audiobook is launched.
With this deal, you obtain the agreed price somewhat than a share of future gross sales.
What price do you have to cost?
In Backstage’s guide to audiobook narration rates, narrator Kevin Kemp suggests round $200 per completed hour for narrators with few credit and $300 PFH for many who are reserving work steadily.
These are one narrator’s suggestions, not official ACX charges. Your expertise, the mission, and the quantity of modifying required can all have an effect on what price is sensible.
How lengthy one completed hour takes to report
ACX says one completed hour takes about 4 hours of labor: two hours studying and two hours modifying.
In the event you’re new to audiobook narration, plan on 5 to 7 hours per completed hour when you study the method.
Right here’s what meaning in your pay:
- At $200 per completed hour, you earn $200 for the finished audio.
- If it takes you 5 hours, that’s $40 per hour of labor.
- If it takes you 7 hours, that’s about $29 per hour of labor.
For a tough concept of how a lot textual content you’re recording, an older ACX weblog submit estimated that one completed hour incorporates about 9,300 phrases. The precise phrase depend varies with the narrator’s tempo and the fabric.
Royalty Share
With Royalty Share, you don’t receives a commission upfront. As an alternative, you and the creator cut up the royalties from audiobook gross sales.
Beneath Audible’s royalty rules on ACX, the royalty on an unique e-book underneath the brand new mannequin is 50%, so that you and the creator every get 25%.
ACX says the brand new mannequin applies to new customers beginning Might 26, 2026. Accounts lined by the older mannequin obtain 20% every, however that mannequin is scheduled to finish by the tip of 2026.
Your earnings depend upon precise gross sales. You may’t merely take 25% of the audiobook’s listed worth as a result of gross sales to Audible members could also be calculated utilizing a measure referred to as Member Worth, somewhat than the listing worth.
The principle downside: You might spend weeks recording and modifying an audiobook and earn little or nothing if gross sales are low. Your royalty funds additionally finish when the seven-year Royalty Share time period expires.
Royalty Share Plus
Royalty Share Plus combines a price with royalties.
The creator pays you a smaller price per completed hour when you ship the completed audiobook, and also you additionally earn a share of the audiobook’s royalties when it sells.
This provides you some assured pay in your work, plus the possibility to earn extra from future gross sales.
How and When ACX Narrators Get Paid
While you receives a commission is dependent upon the deal you settle for.
Right here’s how every possibility works:
| Deal sort | Who pays you | While you receives a commission | How lengthy it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-finished-hour | The creator | Inside 30 days of approval | One fee |
| Royalty Share | Audible | Month-to-month | 7 years |
| Royalty Share Plus | Writer and Audible | Charge on supply, then month-to-month | 7 years |
Audible sends royalties in your native foreign money, often within the final week of the month after the gross sales month. It solely sends a fee when a month’s earnings are over $10. In the event that they’re $10 or much less, the cash carries over till your stability reaches $50.
Paying taxes on narration earnings
In the event you earn cash narrating audiobooks as a self-employed employee, you could have to report that earnings in your tax return.
The IRS self-employed tax center says you usually should file an earnings tax return in case your web earnings from self-employment are $400 or extra.
Hold data of your narration earnings and eligible enterprise bills. Chances are you’ll owe earnings tax and self-employment tax, relying in your circumstances.
House Studio Gear You Want
You don’t want an expert recording studio to relate audiobooks.
However you do want an excellent microphone, headphones, recording software program, and a quiet place to work.
ACX’s tools guides identify a number of choices for constructing a house studio, and the identical setup works for different voice-over jobs from home.
Right here’s what to think about.
| Gear | Notes | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| USB mic | Best setup, plugs into your pc | Blue Snowball iCE, Audio-Technica ATR2500x, RØDE NT-USB |
| XLR mic | Wants an audio interface | RØDE NT1, Audio-Technica AT2020PK, AKG C214 |
| Audio interface | For XLR mics solely | Focusrite Scarlett Solo or 2i2, Mackie Onyx Artist 1×2 |
| Headphones | Closed-back, so that you hear noise and clicks | Sony MDR-7506, Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO |
| Pop filter and stand | Cuts onerous P and B sounds, holds the mic regular | Any pop filter and stand or increase arm |
| Recording software program | Audacity is free, REAPER has a free trial | Audacity, REAPER ($60 discounted license) |
How one can arrange a recording house at residence
Your room issues as a lot as your microphone. A great mic can’t repair site visitors noise, a loud pc fan, or echo from naked partitions.
You can begin with a bed room or one other quiet room.
Attempt these steps:
- Report away from home windows, busy streets, and noisy home equipment.
- Use thick blankets or different appropriate sound-absorbing supplies to cut back echo.
- Hold your pc’s fan as removed from the microphone as sensible.
- Flip off something noisy that you simply don’t want whereas recording.
Insider ideas: A walk-in closet full of garments is a typical starter sales space, as a result of the garments take in echo. That’s how I really report my voiceovers for my YouTube movies!
How one can Grow to be an Audiobook Narrator on ACX
Getting began takes a number of steps, and also you don’t want any credit to start.
Right here’s the trail from sign-up to your first launched e-book.
Step 1: Examine that you simply qualify
ACX accepts narrators who reside within the US, UK, Canada, or Eire and meet its handle, tax ID, and banking necessities.
Step 2: Arrange a quiet recording house
Get your microphone, headphones, and recording software program working earlier than you audition. Select a quiet place the place you possibly can report clear audio.
Step 3: Create a free ACX account
Join ACX utilizing your Amazon login or create an account. Select the Narrator function when prompted.
Step 4: Fill out your profile
Add your expertise or coaching, a headshot, and an outline of your recording setup.
Step 5: Add audio samples
You want a minimum of one pattern tagged along with your accent and voice sort. ACX recommends importing 5 to 10 samples.
Step 6: Discover audiobook initiatives
Go to “Discover Tasks” and filter listings by funds and e-book size.
Step 7: Submit an audition
Authors submit a 2- to 3-page script, and your completed audition ought to run 3 to five minutes. Embody a brief notice saying whenever you’re obtainable and what price you’re charging.
Step 8: Evaluate the provide
A proposal lists the due dates and fee phrases. You may settle for it or decline and ship a counteroffer by message.
Step 9: Report the primary quarter-hour checkpoint
The creator evaluations this pattern, referred to as the “15 Minute Checkpoint,” earlier than you report the remainder of the e-book.
Step 10: End and submit the audiobook
When you add the total e-book, the creator can ask for as much as two full rounds of modifications. Approval begins your fee on a per-finished-hour deal. Audible then checks the information inside 10 enterprise days earlier than launch.
While you open a list just like the one above, learn the funds, size, and due dates earlier than you audition. That means, you solely spend time on books that suit your schedule and your price.
How one can Cross ACX High quality Checks
Each e-book has to satisfy ACX’s audio submission requirements earlier than it goes on sale, and Audible checks each e-book towards them.
Right here’s what your audio information have to move:
- Loudness (RMS): between -23dB and -18dB.
- Peaks: beneath -3dB.
- Noise ground: beneath -60dB RMS.
- Room tone: ACX recommends 1 to five seconds of quiet initially and finish of every file, and gaps can’t be longer than 5 seconds.
- File format: MP3 at 192 kbps or increased, fixed bit price, 44.1kHz, with each file in mono or each file in stereo.
- Recordsdata: one chapter per file, 120 minutes at most, with the opening and shutting credit in their very own information.
- Retail pattern: 5 minutes or much less.
- Human voice: until it’s been permitted, AI or text-to-speech narration isn’t allowed.
Professional tip: ACX has a free device referred to as ACX Audio Lab that checks your uploads towards these guidelines, together with loudness, peaks and pattern price. Run your information by way of it earlier than you ship something to the creator.
Audiobook Narrator FAQs
Do you want expertise to relate on ACX?
No. ACX doesn’t require earlier expertise to affix. In the event you don’t have any audiobook credit but, you possibly can report samples from a public area e-book.
Is ACX free to affix?
Sure. Creating an ACX profile is free, and you’ll join utilizing your Amazon login.
How lengthy does it take to report an audiobook?
ACX estimates about 4 hours of labor for each completed hour of audio. In the event you’re new, it may take 5 to 7 hours per completed hour. Which means an 8-hour audiobook may take 32 to 56 hours to finish.
Is AI narration a risk to audiobook narrators?
AI narration is altering the audiobook market, however ACX requires human narration until AI narration has been permitted.
Amazon can be testing KDP’s Virtual Voice, an invite-only beta that turns some Kindle ebooks into computer-voiced audiobooks bought on Amazon and Audible within the US.
How I Researched This
To write down this information, I created my very own ACX account and explored the mission search, funds filters, and open listings to see what authors have been providing audiobook narrators. I did this in October 2026, and the pay ranges and mission lengths on this article replicate what I discovered.
I used major sources to confirm the opposite particulars. I checked ACX’s assist heart for pay, payouts, eligibility, and audio necessities; Audible’s royalty pages for fee phrases; ACX’s weblog and equipment guides for recording tools; Amazon KDP’s assist web page for Digital Voice; REAPER’s and Audacity’s official web sites for recording software program; and the IRS for tax data.
I additionally used ACX’s estimate of 5 to 7 hours of labor per completed hour to calculate what a $200 per completed hour (PFH) price may imply for a brand new narrator’s hourly earnings.
Begin Narrating Audiobooks on ACX
Your first step is to create a free ACX narrator profile and add 5 to 10 robust samples, even in case you haven’t narrated a paid audiobook earlier than. Then seek for paid initiatives that suit your voice, schedule, and price.
Select a mission fastidiously, submit an audition, and ensure your recording high quality meets ACX’s requirements. That’s the way you begin getting paid to learn audiobooks on Amazon, one audition at a time.
