ACX

ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) is Amazon's audiobook production and distribution hub — the gateway to Audible, still the largest US audiobook retailer at roughly 60% share, though that lead is narrowing as Spotify scales its audiobook tier. Authors upload finished audio (or hire narrators through ACX's marketplace) and ACX distributes to Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. The platform overhauled its royalty model on May 26, 2026, raising exclusive payouts to 50% and non-exclusive to 30% — but the percentages now apply to pooled "Member Value" (a listener's monthly subscription fee split across the titles they engaged with) rather than list price.

• Best for: Authors prioritizing reach into Audible, especially those willing to accept exclusivity for the higher royalty tier
• Key features: Marketplace of 300,000+ voice artists, royalty-share narration arrangements, audition-based casting, automatic distribution to Audible/Amazon/Apple Books, suggested retail pricing and all-you-can-listen (AYCL) opt-in for titles on the new model
• Pricing: Free to use; pay narrators directly (~$100–$400+ per finished hour, SAG-AFTRA minimum $250) or split royalties 50/50 via royalty share
• Action required in 2026: Titles claimed after May 26, 2026 enroll in the new model automatically, but existing titles do not — rights holders must log in and accept the new terms before the legacy 40%/25% model is discontinued at the end of 2026, or pull the audiobook from distribution
• Limitations: US/Canada/UK/Ireland residents only; no library distribution (no OverDrive/Hoopla); an Amazon ebook or print edition must already be on sale before you can claim audio rights; royalty-share and royalty-share-plus contracts force ACX exclusivity for their full 7-year term; Audible sets the final price regardless of your suggestion
• Why authors love it: Single most direct path to Audible's massive listener base — non-exclusive distribution leaves the door open to pair ACX with Voices by INaudio or Author's Republic for full wide reach