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Narrator Cost Calculator

Estimate what your audiobook will cost to produce, from the narrator’s rate per finished hour to proofing, mastering and a buffer for pickups.

  • Free
  • No upload
  • No sign-up

Finished length

Narrators quote per finished hour (PFH): the length of the final audiobook, not the time spent recording.

Rates per finished hour

Rates vary widely with experience, genre and union status. Many professional narrators quote a few hundred per finished hour; always confirm with your narrator.

Estimated production cost

$2,750

about $275 per finished hour, all in

AUDIOBOOK PRODUCTION

10.0 FINISHED HOURS · ESTIMATE

Narration10.0 h × $250$2,500.00
Contingency10% for pickups$250.00
TOTAL$2,750.00

THANK YOU · AUDIOBOOK.TOOLS

Check the length

Where it runs

Works in any current browser, on a computer, phone or tablet. Nothing to install, and nothing you type is sent anywhere.

How to use it

4 simple steps.

  1. 01

    Enter the length

    Use finished hours, or type the word count and we convert it at 155 words per minute.

  2. 02

    Add the rates

    Enter the narrator’s rate per finished hour, plus proofing or editing if billed separately.

  3. 03

    Allow for extras

    Add flat fees like a retail sample or studio time, and a buffer for pickups.

  4. 04

    Read the receipt

    See the total, the cost per finished hour and a line-by-line breakdown to share.

How audiobook narration is priced

Most narrators and producers quote a rate per finished hour (PFH): the length of the final audiobook. The total is simply:

cost = finished hours × rate per finished hour + any separately billed work + extras

Because a finished hour usually takes several hours of recording, editing and proofing to make, PFH rates are much higher than an hourly wage might suggest.

Example budgets

Finished lengthat 150 PFHat 250 PFHat 400 PFH
5 hours7501,2502,000
8 hours1,2002,0003,200
10 hours1,5002,5004,000
15 hours2,2503,7506,000

These examples show narration only, in any currency, before proofing, editing, extras or contingency.

Flat fee or royalty share?

Paying a flat PFH fee means you keep all of your royalties. Royalty share costs nothing upfront, but the narrator receives part of every sale for the length of the agreement. Model both here by setting the narration rate to zero for royalty share.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

How much does it cost to narrate an audiobook?

Multiply the finished length in hours by the narrator’s rate per finished hour (PFH). A 10-hour book at 250 per finished hour is 2,500 before any separate proofing, editing or extras. Rates vary widely with experience, genre and union status, so always get a quote.

What does per finished hour (PFH) mean?

PFH means the rate is charged per hour of the final, edited audiobook, not per hour of studio time. Recording, editing and retakes usually take several times longer than the finished length, and a PFH rate is meant to cover that work.

Does the PFH rate include editing and mastering?

Often, but not always. Many narrators deliver a finished, mastered production for their PFH rate; others bill proofing, editing or mastering separately. Enter those as separate per-hour rates only if your quote lists them.

What is royalty share?

On ACX, royalty share means the narrator is paid a share of the audiobook’s royalties instead of an upfront fee. Set the narration rate to zero to model a royalty-share deal; the calculator then shows only your other costs.

Why add a contingency?

Pickups (re-recording lines after review), text changes and extra review rounds can add cost. A 5–15% buffer keeps a production budget realistic.

How do I find the finished length?

Use the audiobook length calculator, or type the word count here. At an average 155 words per minute, every 9,300 words is about one finished hour.

Read the guide

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