Enter your page count. See finished audio length, studio sessions, and what you’ll earn — all calculated in real time.
Enter your book’s page count to see results.
Default: 9,300 (~155 wpm)
Default: 4 hours (vocal health recommendation)
PFH (Per Finished Hour) is the standard audiobook payment model. You’re paid based on the length of the final, edited audio — not studio time. A 10-hour book at $200 PFH = $2,000, regardless of how long you spent recording.
Paste a page from your manuscript to measure words per page
This calculator uses the same benchmarks that audiobook producers and narration coaches rely on. The industry standard narration speed is roughly 155 words per minute — or about 9,300 words per finished hour of audio. We multiply your page count by words per page to get a total word count, then divide by narration speed to estimate your finished audio length.
From there, we apply your studio time ratio — the number of hours you spend in studio for every finished hour you deliver. This accounts for re-reads, punch-and-roll corrections, room tone, and breaks. Beginners typically run a 4:1 ratio; experienced narrators average closer to 2:1. That ratio is the single biggest factor in your effective hourly rate.
Finally, we calculate your per finished hour (PFH) earnings — the standard payment model in the audiobook industry. You’re paid based on the length of the final, mastered audio, not the time you spent recording. A 10-hour book at $200 PFH earns $2,000 regardless of how many studio hours it took. The effective rate shown in the results divides your total earnings by your total studio time, so you can see what you’re actually earning per hour of work.
Measure your actual words per page. The default of 250 works for standard novels, but trade paperbacks often run 250–300 and large print can be as low as 200. Use the Word Count Tool above — paste a representative page from your manuscript and use the exact count for a more accurate estimate.
Track your studio ratio over time. Record how long a few chapters take you and divide by their finished length. That real number is more useful than any default. As your punch-and-roll technique improves, your ratio drops — and your effective hourly rate climbs.
Compare PFH offers against studio time. A $150 PFH offer sounds low, but at a 2:1 ratio that’s $75/hour of actual work. A $300 PFH offer at 5:1 is only $60/hour. The effective rate in the results panel shows this trade-off instantly — use it when evaluating contracts.
Plan your recording schedule. The recording days estimate assumes you cap studio time to protect your voice. Most narrators work 4–5 hours per day. If you have a deadline, adjust hours per day in the advanced settings to see whether the timeline fits.
It depends on the book’s length, your narration speed, and your studio ratio. A typical 80,000-word novel produces about 8.5 finished hours of audio. At a 3:1 studio ratio and 4 hours per day, that’s roughly 7 recording days.
PFH is the industry-standard payment model for audiobook narrators. You’re paid per hour of final, edited audio — not per hour you spent recording. A 10-hour audiobook at $200 PFH pays $2,000 regardless of studio time.
Experienced narrators typically achieve a 2:1 to 3:1 ratio — meaning 2–3 hours of studio time per finished hour. Beginners often start around 4:1 or higher. Improving your punch-and-roll technique is the fastest way to lower your ratio.
250 is the standard estimate for a typical paperback novel. Trade paperbacks average 250–300 words per page; large print averages 200–225. For the most accurate results, paste a sample page into the Word Count Tool above.
Most vocal coaches and experienced narrators recommend 4 hours of studio time per day. Some experienced narrators sustain 5–6 hours, but pushing beyond that risks vocal strain and lower quality.
Divide your total PFH earnings by your total studio hours. For example, $200 PFH at a 3:1 ratio means you earn about $67 per hour of actual work. This calculator shows that number automatically in the results panel.
Punch Track is purpose-built for audiobook narrators. Punch-and-roll recording in your browser — free during beta.
Start Recordingor join our mailing list for updates