An audiobook is one of the larger investments in a book's life, and the decision about how to produce it, and where to sell it, rests on numbers that are easy to leave vague. ACX, the audiobook marketplace connected to Audible, Amazon and Apple, offers two broad ways to produce a book. In a royalty share arrangement the narrator records the book for no upfront fee, and the two of you split the royalties equally for a set period. In a pay for production arrangement you pay the narrator a rate for each finished hour and keep the whole royalty.
Free tool · ACX Royalty Calculator
ACX Royalty Calculator that shows what an ACX audiobook can earn you
The acx royalty calculator estimates what an audiobook earns on ACX under exclusive or non-exclusive distribution, shows your royalty per copy, your monthly and yearly royalties and, if you pay a narrator by the finished hour, the production cost and the number of copies and months it takes to recover it, and it shows the split if you share royalties with a narrator. It runs in your browser and is free for authors planning an audiobook.
Use the free tool
The acx royalty calculator is free to use, with no account and nothing uploaded.
- Exclusive and non-exclusive
- Royalty share split
- Cost recovery
Key facts
- FreeNo cost, no account and no usage limit on the acx royalty calculator
- In your browserNothing that you type or paste into the acx royalty calculator is uploaded
- SecondsTypical time from opening the acx royalty calculator to a result
Free tool
ACX royalty calculator
Estimate audiobook royalties for an ACX title under exclusive or non-exclusive distribution, with an optional royalty share split with the narrator.
The acx royalty calculator needs JavaScript, and it works in your browser without sending anything that you enter to a server.
Overview
What the acx royalty calculator does and why it helps
The distribution choice matters as well. At the time of writing, ACX pays a standard royalty of 40 percent of the sale price for exclusive distribution, which means that the book is sold only through Audible, Amazon and Apple, and 25 percent for non-exclusive distribution, which allows you to sell elsewhere. The calculator applies the rate that you choose to your list price, takes your share after any narrator split, and multiplies by your monthly sales to give monthly and yearly figures.
When you pay by the finished hour, the calculator multiplies the finished hours by the hourly rate to give the production cost, then divides the cost by your royalty per copy to give the number of copies that you need to sell to recover it, and by your monthly royalty to give the months that it takes. These are planning figures. Terms, rates and rules on ACX change, and contracts differ, so check the current ACX terms and your own contract before you decide.
The ACX royalty calculator estimates what you earn from an audiobook on ACX, depending on whether you choose exclusive or non-exclusive distribution and whether you pay a narrator up front or share royalties. Authors can use this free acx royalty calculator as often as they like, and it never asks for payment. Open the acx royalty calculator online and it is ready at once, with no download. It is an acx royalty calculator for authors, so the defaults assume you are preparing a book rather than a business report. If you publish independently, treat it as an acx royalty calculator for self-published books of any length. It doubles as an acx royalty calculator for KDP, because the figures it uses match Amazon's rules. It is a acx royalty calculator no sign up tool, so there is nothing to register. Authors often look for the best acx royalty calculator, and we have tried to make this one useful by explaining each result, not only displaying it.
You can use it as an ACX royalty share calculator to see what is left after your narrator's cut.
How to use it
How to use the acx royalty calculator, step by step
Choose the distribution type
Select exclusive or non-exclusive distribution on ACX. The standard royalty rate is higher for exclusive titles, so this choice changes every result below it.
Enter your price and expected sales
Type the average sale price and the number of copies you expect to sell each month. If you have no history, start with a cautious figure and rerun the tool with a higher one.
Add a narrator split if you share royalties
If your narrator takes a share of royalties instead of a fee, enter the percentage. The tool then shows your share and the narrator's share separately.
Enter production costs if you pay by the hour
If you pay a narrator per finished hour, enter the hours and the rate. The tool adds up the cost and shows what you need to earn to recover it.
Read the royalty per copy and the totals
The tool shows your royalty on each sale and your monthly and yearly royalties. Compare them with your costs to see whether the project can pay for itself.
Test other scenarios
Change the sales, the price or the split and read the results again. A few quick comparisons show how sensitive your return is to each assumption.
How the acx royalty calculator works
Rate, split and payback
You enter the list price, the copies sold per month, whether you distribute exclusively or not and whether you share the royalty with a narrator or pay a per-hour rate. The tool applies the royalty rate for your choice and shows your share per copy, per month and per year.
If you pay a per finished hour rate, the tool also adds the production cost from the hours and the rate and shows how many copies and how many months you need to recover it. If you share the royalty, it shows that your half has no upfront fee but also no end to the split for the term of the contract.
The rates used are the standard ACX rates at the time of writing, 40 percent for exclusive and 25 percent for non-exclusive, applied to the sale price. ACX and Audible can change their terms and how sales are priced, so check the current terms before you sign anything.
- Exclusive and non-exclusive rates
- Royalty share or per-hour payment
- Payback in copies and months
Method
How the acx royalty calculator works out its answer
The royalty rate
Exclusive distribution is calculated at 40 percent of the sale price and non-exclusive at 25 percent, the standard ACX rates at the time of writing. The tool multiplies your list price by the rate to give the royalty per copy.
Royalty share
Under a royalty share arrangement, the tool halves the royalty, since the author and narrator split it equally. Under a pay for production arrangement you keep the full royalty.
Monthly and yearly royalties
Your royalty per copy is multiplied by the copies you expect to sell each month, and by twelve for the yearly figure.
Recovering production cost
With a per finished hour rate, the cost is the hours times the rate. The copies needed are the cost divided by your royalty per copy, and the months needed are the cost divided by your monthly royalty.
Tips
Getting the most from the acx royalty calculator
Model a low, a medium and a high case
Sales are uncertain, so check what happens if they are half or double your estimate. A plan that works in the low case is safe.
Check the rate on ACX's own pages
Rates and terms can change, and the tool lets you edit them so that your results stay accurate. Confirm them before you decide.
Include every cost, even small ones
A cover, proofing and a sample all add to the cost, and the break-even number should include all of them. A few minutes with the acx royalty calculator now saves time across the whole manuscript.
Need it done for you?
When the acx royalty calculator is not enough
The calculator shows what an audiobook can earn. These services design the cover, build the page that sells it and plan the release.
Audiobook Cover Design
An audiobook cover is square and has to read at a tiny size in a store, and a cover designer builds one to the specifications of the audiobook platforms.
See the service →Book Landing Page Design
A landing page can sell the ebook, the paperback and the audiobook from one place, with sample audio and a link to each store.
See the service →Self-Publishing Consultation
A publishing consultation helps you decide which formats and platforms suit your book, and plan the order in which to release them.
See the service →Before and after
Before and after using the acx royalty calculator
The same audiobook plan, first decided by instinct and then compared on the numbers.
123Before
- 1No idea what exclusivity is worth
- 2A narrator fee that might never be recovered
- 3A royalty share signed without a figure
123After
- 1A clear comparison of exclusive and non-exclusive
- 2A known number of copies to recover the cost
- 3A royalty share chosen with its value in view
- 3problems found in the first review
- 3fixes checked in the final review
- 1named specialist owning every fix
- Fixedprice confirmed in the calculator before you order
An informed choice
You see the royalty per copy under each option, so the decision between exclusive and non-exclusive rests on figures.
A realistic budget
The copies and months to recover a narrator's fee tell you whether paying by the hour is sensible for your book.
Fair negotiation
You understand what a royalty share is worth, so you and the narrator can agree on terms that suit you both.
Client reviews
What authors say about our audiobook production service
Verified reviews from authors who asked a specialist to handle the audiobook production after using the acx royalty calculator.
My YA novel needed to reach both English-language and Japanese readers. The multi-region distribution setup was handled correctly across all required platforms. International sales have exceeded my expectations.
Good publishing support overall. The KDP metadata setup was thorough. One category selection needed updating after initial launch but it was corrected promptly. The book is performing well in its target categories.
Getting historical fiction placed in the right categories on Amazon and IngramSpark required strategic metadata. The team understood the genre classification and the book reached the right readers from the first week.
My cookbook needed to be set up across multiple platforms simultaneously. The publishing support team handled every submission — KDP, IngramSpark, and Apple Books — with different requirements for each. Flawlessly executed.
Navigating IngramSpark's requirements for the first time felt overwhelming. The upload assistance handled everything — metadata, pricing setup, distribution channels. My children's book reached bookstores within two weeks.
The formatting error fix service saved my launch. My original formatter had made margin errors causing repeated rejection. Book Formatting Experts identified and fixed every issue within 48 hours. My launch was back on schedule.
Good support throughout the KDP upload process. The metadata setup and category selection were explained clearly. One pricing setting needed adjustment after initial setup but it was corrected quickly.
My KDP file was rejected with a technical error message I could not understand. Book Formatting Experts diagnosed the problem immediately — a bleed issue on three pages — and corrected it the same day. Approved first time.
The publishing readiness review identified four issues in my manuscript that would have caused rejection. Each was clearly explained and quickly resolved. My book launched without any technical complications.
As a first-time author, the technical side of self-publishing was genuinely daunting. The consultation covered every decision — platform choice, pricing strategy, metadata, and distribution. I launched with genuine confidence.
My nonfiction book had tables, charts, and detailed sidebars that needed careful layout. Every element maintained its visual hierarchy throughout. The book reads clearly and looks authoritative on the shelf.
Every intentional white space, line break, and stanza pause survived the formatting process exactly as I had written them. Poetry is where formatting can make or break the reading experience. This got it right.
Fantasy covers need to evoke a world without showing too much. The balance between atmosphere and intrigue is exactly right. My advance readers commented on the cover before I even asked for their feedback.
The website feels faith-centred without being off-putting to first-time visitors. The devotional resource section, speaking ministry page, and book store all reflect the purpose of my work clearly and respectfully.
Good quality work. The interior looked professional and the file passed KDP without issues. One revision round was needed for some heading spacing but it was fixed quickly and without any fuss.
Poetry formatting requires sensitivity to white space, line breaks, and stanza spacing that most formatters do not understand. Every poem in my collection is laid out exactly as I intended. The visual rhythm is right.
The cover redesign transformed how potential readers perceive my book. The previous version looked amateur. This one looks like it was published by a major house. My sales doubled in the month after the new cover launched.
My author website for children's books needed to be welcoming for both parents and young readers. The colourful, engaging design works perfectly for both audiences. My school visits enquiries have also increased.
More free tools
More free tools to use with the acx royalty calculator
Each of these tools is free, runs in your browser and works well alongside the acx royalty calculator.
Audiobook Sales Calculator
Free audiobook sales calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you audiobook income service.
Open the tool →Audiobook Production Cost Calculator
Free audiobook production cost calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you audiobook budget service.
Open the tool →KDP Royalty Calculator
For a audiobook production, free kdp royalty calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you KDP royalty review service.
Open the tool →Book Pricing Calculator
Free book pricing calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you pricing strategy review service.
Open the tool →Book Title Generator
Free book title generator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you title consultation service with your audiobook production.
Open the tool →Book Subtitle Generator
On this audiobook production job, free book subtitle generator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you subtitle rewrite service.
Open the tool →FAQ
ACX Royalty Calculator: questions answered
These are the questions authors ask most about the acx royalty calculator, including accuracy, privacy and what to do next. If your question about the audiobook production is missing, request a quote and a specialist will reply.
What is an ACX royalty calculator?
It is a tool that estimates how much an audiobook earns on ACX from the price, the sales, the distribution choice and the production arrangement.
What royalty does ACX pay?
At the time of writing, ACX pays 40 percent of the sale price for exclusive distribution and 25 percent for non-exclusive. Check the current ACX terms.
What is the difference between exclusive and non-exclusive?
Exclusive means the audiobook is sold only through the stores that ACX names, for a higher royalty. Non-exclusive allows you to sell elsewhere, at a lower ACX rate.
What is royalty share on ACX?
The narrator records the book at no upfront fee, and you split the royalties equally for the term of the contract.
What is pay for production?
You pay the narrator a fixed rate for each finished hour, and you keep the full royalty.
How many finished hours is my book?
A book of 80,000 words is roughly 8 to 9 hours, depending on the narrator's pace. The audiobook production cost calculator estimates it from the word count.
How many copies do I need to sell to recover a narrator fee?
Divide the production cost by your royalty per copy. The calculator does this for you.
Is royalty share a good deal?
It saves the upfront cost and halves the royalty for the contract term. Whether it is good depends on how well you expect the book to sell.
Can I sell my audiobook elsewhere if it is non-exclusive?
Yes, non-exclusive distribution allows other stores, at a lower ACX royalty. Check the current terms.
Do credit sales pay the same as cash sales?
Not always. Sales made with credits or memberships may pay a different amount, so compare the estimate with your reports.
Does the calculator include tax?
No. It shows royalties before tax, and your own tax situation depends on where you live.
Is the acx royalty calculator free?
Yes, the ACX royalty calculator costs nothing, needs no account and puts no limit on the plans you test.
How does an acx royalty calculator work?
It applies the ACX rates for your distribution choice to your retail price and expected sales.
How to use an acx royalty calculator?
Enter the audiobook price, choose your distribution and royalty share and read the estimate.
Is there an acx royalty calculator with examples?
Yes. The page includes a worked example so you can compare it with your own numbers or text. Compare exclusive and non-exclusive to see the difference.
What is the acx royalty calculator formula?
Royalty equals sale price multiplied by the rate for your distribution option, shared if you chose a royalty share deal.
Can I use a acx royalty calculator spreadsheet instead?
You can, and a acx royalty calculator spreadsheet works if you are happy to maintain the formulas yourself. This page does the maths for you and shows the working, so there is nothing to copy or update.
Work with a specialist
Turn what you learn from the acx royalty calculator into a finished book
The acx royalty calculator costs nothing, and so does asking what a specialist would do with your book. When the acx royalty calculator has done its part and you want finished files, a fixed price and one named person who owns the job, we are ready to start.