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ACX Audiobook Royalty Calculator

Free ACX / Audible audiobook royalty calculator. Enter distribution model, retail price, monthly sales, and narrator royalty-share percentage; outputs royalty per sale and monthly/annual earnings split between author and narrator.

Cuándo usarlo

Use when deciding between exclusive and non-exclusive ACX distribution, or when negotiating a royalty-share percentage with a narrator before signing a production agreement.

Cómo se compara

ACX's own royalty documentation explains the percentages, but this tool does the author/narrator split and monthly projection math for you in one place.

Enter your values below. Calculations run locally as you type.

Cómo funciona

Royalty per sale = retail price × 40% (exclusive/Audible-only distribution) or × 25% (non-exclusive, multi-platform distribution).

That royalty is then split between author and narrator using the narrator royalty-share percentage you enter (default 50/50).

Monthly and annual totals multiply the per-sale author and narrator shares by your estimated monthly unit sales.

Preguntas frecuentes

Exclusive or non-exclusive distribution — which pays more?

Exclusive distribution through ACX/Audible pays a 40% royalty share but locks you into Audible-only sales for the term of the agreement. Non-exclusive distribution pays only 25% but lets you also sell through other platforms like Apple Books and Spotify, which can add up to more total sales.

What's the difference between royalty share and pay-per-finished-hour?

A royalty-share deal pays no upfront fee but splits ongoing royalties (often 50/50) with the narrator for the life of the audiobook. Paying per-finished-hour costs money upfront but lets you keep 100% of the royalty afterward — this calculator models the royalty-share arrangement.

Why split royalty with a narrator instead of paying them a flat fee?

Many authors can't afford a narrator's per-finished-hour rate (often $200–$400+/hour) upfront, especially for a first audiobook. A royalty-share deal shifts that risk onto the narrator in exchange for a long-term cut of sales, which is why 50/50 is a common default split.

Ejemplo práctico

Entrada

Exclusive distribution, $19.95 retail price, 10 sales/mo, 50% narrator share.

Salida

Royalty $7.98/sale → $3.99 to you, $3.99 to narrator → ~$39.90/mo your share, ~$478.80/yr.

$19.95 × 0.40 = $7.98 total royalty per sale; split 50/50 with the narrator gives each party $3.99 per sale, times 10 monthly sales for the monthly totals.

Errores comunes

  • Assumes a simple royalty-share deal — pay-per-finished-hour arrangements have different, upfront-cost economics not modeled here.
  • Real royalties can be affected by returns, promotional pricing, and bundle/membership credit redemptions, which pay out differently than a straight retail sale.
  • Non-exclusive distribution opens other retailers beyond Audible, but this calculator only models the ACX/Audible royalty rate, not combined multi-platform totals.

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