Side by side

Cost on 90,000 words: audio $7,200, film $22,500.

Runtime on 90,000 words: about 9h 41m in either vessel.

Audience: listeners commute, walk and work; watchers scroll and sit. They are not the same people, and neither is larger by default.

Reusable material: a film book gives you picture as well as sound, which is what short-form platforms reward.

Choose the audio book first if

Your book is carried by voice — interiority, humour, a strong first-person narrator.

Your readers already buy audio in your genre.

You want the lowest-cost route to a second storefront edition.

Choose the film book first if

Your book is visual — worldbuilding, action, atmosphere, or a young audience.

You intend to post consistently, and need footage rather than graphics.

You want one commission to produce both vessels: a matching audio book edition rides with every film book, included at no additional production fee.

Asked and answered

Which is cheaper?

The audio book, at a $5,000 studio floor plus $0.08 per word beyond 30,000 against a $15,000 studio floor plus $0.25 per word beyond 30,000 for the film book.

Do they run the same length?

Yes — both follow the house law of 155 words to one finished minute.

Can I do both?

Yes. A matching audio book edition can ride with a film book build rather than being commissioned separately.

Which one earns more?

That depends on your genre and your audience; no honest house will predict it for you.