How much does an audiobook cost per finished hour?
One finished hour is roughly 9,300 words at the retail pace of 155 words a minute. Priced off the manuscript at 7.000000000000001% of word count, one finished hour of audio works out to about $651 — and a film book hour to about $1,116.
Work it out yourself, free
The Forge →Build your own edition station by station and watch the number form as you choose.
What 'per finished hour' means
PFH prices the delivered runtime, not the studio time. A narrator may spend three to six hours of work for every finished hour, which is why the number looks high.
To convert: divide your word count by 9,300. A 90,000-word novel is about 9h 41m finished — call it ten hours.
PFH quotes hide a trap: the runtime is unknown until the book is recorded, so the final invoice is unknown when you sign.
Why this house prices off the word count instead
The word count is known on the day you ask. The price is therefore known on the day you ask, and it does not move because a narrator read slowly.
7.000000000000001% of the word count for an audio book, 12% for a film book. 90,000 words is $6,300 listenable, $10,800 watchable.
Add-ons are also drawn off the word count, so every figure on your Charter comes from one number you already have.
Comparing quotes fairly
Ask any studio for the same three things: the assumed words per minute, whether editing and mastering are included, and whether the quote is capped.
A cheap PFH rate with editing billed separately is often dearer than a single, published percentage.
Asked and answered
- How many words is one finished hour of audio?
- About 9,300 words, at 155 words to the finished minute.
- What is a typical per-finished-hour price?
- Quotes vary widely across the industry. Priced off the manuscript here, an audio hour works out near $651.
- Does a film book run the same length as the audio book?
- Yes — both vessels follow the same law of 155 words to the finished minute.
- Can my final price change after recording?
- Not here. The Charter is sealed from your word count and your chosen add-ons before any work begins.
Also asked
Every answer in the hall
- How much does it cost to make an audiobook?
- What is a film book?
- How long is an audiobook by word count?
- Book trailers: how do you make one, what does it cost, and how is it different from a film book?
- How many voices does an audiobook need?
- How do you turn a book into a video?
- Can I narrate my own audiobook?
- How long does it take to make an audiobook?
- How do you make an audiobook?
- Should I use ACX or a professional audiobook producer?
- How much does a film book cost?
- How do I get my audiobook on Audible and Spotify?
- What does audiobook production for indie authors involve?
- How much does an audiobook narrator cost?
- How do I record an audiobook?
- How do I publish an audiobook?
- What do book marketing services actually do?
- How do I self-publish a book?
- How many words are in a novel?
- How do I copyright a book?
- What is BookTok?
- How much do authors make per book?
- How long does it take to write a book?
- How do I find the best narrator for my audiobook?
- How do I get reviews for my book?
- What should be on my book launch checklist?
- How do I write a book blurb?
- Will AI replace authors?
- Is AI narration good enough for my audiobook?
- Do I have to disclose that I used AI?
- Can I copyright a book written with AI?
- Is AI voice cloning safe for authors?
- How do I market my book?
- What is an author platform and how do I build one?
- How do I grow an email list as an author?
- How do I use video to sell my book?
- How do I promote my book with no money?
- How much does it cost to publish a book?
- How do I get an ISBN?
- How do I write a query letter?
- How many chapters should a book have?
- KDP or IngramSpark — which should I use?
- Do I need an ebook formatting service?
- How much does a book cover cost?
- How should I price my book?
- How many pages is 1,000 words?
- How much does book editing cost?
- Traditional publishing vs self-publishing — which is better?
- How do I find a literary agent?
- How do audiobook royalties work?
- How do Amazon ads work for authors?
- What is a video book?
- How do I make a video book?
- What should an author website include?
- What do audiobook narration services actually include?
- How much does a book trailer cost?
- How do I turn my book into a movie?
- How do I choose an audiobook production company?
- Should I make an audiobook or a video book?
- How long does it take to make a video book?
- How do I make a video of my children's book?
- How do I turn my book into social media content?
- Can I turn my novel into a video game?
- How much does a book-to-game adaptation cost?
Strength and Solidarity LLC — 65 answers kept in this hall