Already Have an Audiobook? How to Publish It Everywhere

If your audiobook is already recorded, you can publish it to Audible, Apple Books, Spotify, libraries and dozens of other stores without recording a word again. Check that it isn't locked into an exclusive deal, make sure the files meet the stores' audio specs, then send it through a distributor yourself or have someone publish it for you. With Academy Voices that's a one-time $150.

Below are your options side by side, how to check your rights, what the stores need from your files, what it costs, and how long it takes to go live.

Your options for a finished audiobook

There are four common ways to sell an audiobook you already have. They differ in reach, cost and how much of the work is yours.

None of these is wrong. The right one depends on where your readers buy, whether you want libraries, and how much time you want to spend on uploads, metadata and reports.

First, check that your audiobook can go wide

Before you upload anywhere, make sure you're free to. Three things can stop you.

• An exclusive ACX deal. When an audiobook goes up through ACX, the rights holder chooses exclusive or non-exclusive distribution. ACX says exclusive means the book is sold only through Audible, Amazon and Apple Books, and its pages describe a seven-year distribution term. Check your ACX dashboard: each title shows Exclusive or Non-exclusive.
• A royalty share deal with your narrator. On ACX, a royalty share title has to stay exclusive for the length of the deal. We explain the details in what changed at ACX in 2026.
• Who owns the audio. If you paid a narrator or producer, your agreement should say you own the recording. If a publisher or producer owns it, they decide where it's sold.

Another quick test: if the only places you can find your audiobook are Audible, Amazon and Apple Books, it's probably exclusive. Our guide to where to sell your audiobook besides Audible walks through it step by step.

What stores need from your files

Every store checks the audio before it goes on sale, and a rejected file sends you back to the start of the review. Most stores follow the same standard as ACX, which lists its audio submission requirements in full. The main ones:

You'll also need a square cover. Most stores want at least 2400 by 2400 pixels, and the title and author name on it should match your metadata exactly.

Not sure your files pass? Our free audiobook file checker tests each file against these rules and tells you what to fix.

Why finished audiobooks get rejected

Most rejections come from a short list of problems, and almost all of them are quick to fix once you know where to look.

• Too much or too little silence. A chapter that starts the instant the file opens, or trails off with ten seconds of nothing, fails the room tone check. Trim or add silence so every file starts and ends cleanly.
• Uneven loudness. One chapter recorded on a different day sits quieter than the rest. Listeners notice it, and so do the stores. Mastering every file to the same level fixes it.
• Background noise. A fridge, an air vent or computer fans raise the noise floor. Noise reduction helps, but heavy noise reduction makes a voice sound watery, so use it lightly.
• Credits that don't match. If the opening credits say one title and the cover says another, or the narrator's name is spelled differently, the book is sent back.
• Missing or extra files. A skipped chapter, a chapter uploaded twice, or files out of order. Check the file list against your table of contents before you submit.
• A long file. Any file over 120 minutes has to be split into parts.

Before you upload: a checklist

Run through this list once and you'll avoid most of the back and forth.

1. Confirm the audiobook isn't under an exclusive deal, and that you own or control the audio.
2. Collect the files: opening credits, every chapter in order, closing credits and a retail sample.
3. Name the files so the order is obvious, for example 01 Opening Credits, 02 Chapter 1.
4. Check every file for loudness, peaks, noise and room tone.
5. Make a square cover at least 2400 by 2400 pixels, with the title and author exactly as in your metadata.
6. Write a description of a few short paragraphs, and pick two or three categories that fit.
7. Write down the narrator's name exactly as it should appear on every store.

How publishing everywhere with Academy Voices works

If you'd rather not handle the uploads, metadata and store reports yourself, we publish the finished audiobook for you. It's a one-time $150.

1. Create a free account and tell us about your audiobook: title, description, cover and narrator.
2. Upload your files. Each one is checked against the audio standard as it arrives, so you see a problem right away instead of weeks later.
3. Our team listens, checks the credits against your cover and metadata, and sends it out.
4. It goes to nearly 50 stores, libraries and apps, including Audible, Apple Books, Spotify and Libby, and into our own store.

You keep 80% of net royalties and 20% goes to Academy Voices. You're paid quarterly by PayPal with a sales report, you see sales on your dashboard, and you get 25 free listening codes a month to hand to fans and reviewers. You keep ownership of the audio.

We only publish audiobooks read by a real person, in their own voice. Every one carries our Certified Human Voice badge.

Or list it in our store only, free

Maybe your audiobook already sells on other stores and you just want another place to sell it. You can list it in the Academy Voices store for free.

• Free to list. No fee and no card needed.
• You keep 70% of every sale, after sales tax and the card fee.
• Not exclusive, no term. Keep selling it everywhere else, and take it down whenever you like.
• Priced by length, from $4.99 for a short listen to $19.99 for 15 hours and up, so the store stays simple for listeners.

Listeners buy it once, with no subscription and no credits, and play it on their phone or computer. See how listing works.

Doing it yourself vs paying $150

You can absolutely publish a finished audiobook yourself. Distributors such as Authors Republic, and Spotify for Authors for Spotify alone, let you upload directly. Doing it yourself makes sense if you enjoy the setup and want full control over every store account.

Here's what the $150 covers, so you can decide whether it's worth it to you:

• A person listens before anything goes out, so obvious problems are caught before a store rejects them.
• Metadata, categories and credits are set up once and checked against your cover.
• Your book is in our store and app too, with its own page and a free sample.
• One dashboard and one quarterly payment, instead of a report from every store.
• 25 listening codes a month for fans and reviewers.

If your audiobook was recorded somewhere that only lets you sell on Audible, the $150 is also how you get it in front of library and Spotify listeners once you're free to.

How long until it's in stores?

Once the files are sent, each store reviews them on its own schedule. Authors Republic, the distributor we use for stores and libraries, says a title can go on sale anywhere from about 5 to 60 business days after it's sent. In our experience most of the big stores list a book in 2 to 4 weeks. Files that pass the checks the first time go fastest. For the full picture, read how long it takes to make an audiobook.

Questions authors ask about publishing a finished audiobook

Can I publish an audiobook I already recorded?

Yes, as long as you own or control the audio rights and it isn't under an exclusive deal. Check your ACX dashboard if it went up there first.

How much does it cost to publish a finished audiobook?

Publishing it to nearly 50 stores, libraries and apps through Academy Voices is a one-time $150, and you keep 80% of net royalties. Listing it in our store only is free, and you keep 70%.

Can I move my audiobook off Audible exclusive?

Only when your ACX terms allow it. A royalty share title has to stay exclusive for the length of the deal. Check your agreement and dashboard before you list it anywhere else.

Do I need to re-record anything?

Usually not. If a file fails a check, the fix is often a small edit: room tone, loudness or a missing credit. Our file checker shows exactly which file and what to change.

Will my audiobook be in libraries?

Yes. Publishing everywhere through Academy Voices includes library services such as Libby.

Do you accept audiobooks made with a computer-generated voice?

No. We only publish and sell audiobooks read by a real person, in their own voice.

Ready to publish yours? See both offers side by side, or read how Academy Voices works if you still need a narrator for your next book.

ACX requirements, store review times and Academy Voices prices are from ACX, Authors Republic and our own site, as of October 2026. We'll update this post if they change.