Typical per‑finished‑hour rates for audiobook narration across the English‑speaking markets — in your local currency, updated as you choose.
United States
$250
per finished hour · intermediate narrator
Typical market range
Lower
$100
Average
$250
Upper
$400
USD per finished hour
ACX and indie work starts low; publishers and SAG‑AFTRA union titles pay $250–$400+, with top talent above $500.
Work out finished hours and total pay in the recording calculator.
Rates shown in USD. We cover the five main English‑speaking audiobook markets.
A solid catalogue and repeat clients (30+ titles).
Almost all audiobook narration is priced per finished hour (PFH) — one hour of final, edited audio, regardless of how long it took to record. Because each finished hour takes roughly three to six hours of studio and editing time to produce, the PFH rate has to absorb performance, re‑reads, punch‑and‑roll corrections, editing and mastering.
Rates rise with experience. Newer narrators building a catalogue sit near the lower band; narrators with dozens of titles and repeat clients reach the average; and established professionals doing publisher and direct work command the upper band and beyond. Union work (SAG‑AFTRA in the US) and direct‑to‑publisher contracts typically pay more than open marketplaces like ACX.
The other major model is royalty share, where the narrator takes no upfront fee and instead splits the book’s sales with the author — usually 50/50. Royalty Share Plus (a hybrid) pairs a reduced PFH fee with a smaller royalty split. Royalty deals can pay off on a bestseller, but most titles sell modestly, so experienced narrators are cautious about taking them on.
One important caveat when comparing countries: in the US and UK the PFH figure usually covers narration only, with editing sometimes quoted separately, whereas Australian and New Zealand figures are more often for a fully finished, retail‑ready file that includes the studio and editor. Always confirm exactly what a quote covers before comparing.
These ranges are compiled from published industry rate guides and narrator community discussion, then expressed in each market’s local currency. Key sources include the Gravy For The Brain Rate Guide, the GVAA Rate Guide, Brian Wiggins’ Narrator Rate Guide, Backstage, Voices.com, ACX, aussienarrator.com, StarNow and the New Zealand Publishers Association audiobook guide.
Rates move with experience, genre, marketplace and exchange rates, and individual narrators vary widely. Treat every figure here as a starting point for your own research and negotiation — not a quote. If you are weighing an offer, run it through the recording time & earnings calculator to see your effective hourly rate after studio time.
It depends on your market and experience. In the US, $100 PFH is an entry point, $250 is a solid mid‑career rate, and $400+ is experienced/publisher territory. In the UK, indie work clusters around £65–£105 PFH. Australia and New Zealand quote higher local figures because they usually cover a fully finished, retail‑ready file.
Two reasons. First, the local currencies are weaker than the US dollar, so the nominal numbers look bigger. Second, AU/NZ quotes are more often for a complete, retail‑ready production — narrator, studio and editor — whereas some US/UK PFH figures are for narration only.
PFH pays you a fixed rate for each finished hour, up front and regardless of sales. Royalty share pays nothing up front and instead gives you a percentage (usually 50%) of the book’s sales. Royalty Share Plus is a hybrid — a smaller PFH fee plus a smaller royalty split.
Not always. In the US and UK, a PFH rate sometimes covers narration only, with editing and proofing quoted separately (often $50–$100 PFH extra). Australian and New Zealand figures usually include editing in a single retail‑ready rate. Always confirm what a quote covers.
Multiply the PFH rate by the number of finished hours. A 10‑hour audiobook at $250 PFH pays $2,500. Use this tool’s project‑length field for a quick estimate, or the recording calculator to work out finished hours from your page count.
The figures here are non‑union, independent‑market guidelines. Union work — for example SAG‑AFTRA in the US — sets its own minimums that are generally higher, and major publishers often produce under union agreements.
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