What is the best audiobook distributor?
- ACX distributes to Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.
- ACX can be exclusive (higher royalty) or non-exclusive.
- Findaway Voices and others distribute wide to many retailers.
- Wide reaches libraries and non-Audible stores.
- The choice mirrors the exclusive-vs-wide ebook decision.
The best audiobook distributor depends on whether you prioritize Audible or wide reach. ACX feeds Audible, Amazon, and iTunes — the dominant audio market — and offers a higher royalty if you go exclusive (locking to those outlets) or a lower one non-exclusively. Findaway Voices (and similar aggregators) distribute wide to many audio retailers and, importantly, libraries. The decision mirrors the exclusive-versus-wide ebook choice: Audible exclusivity for its royalty and reach, or wide distribution for broader retailer and library presence.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Audiobook distribution shapes where your audio edition is available and what you earn, and the core choice — Audible exclusivity via ACX versus wide distribution via aggregators — has real trade-offs in royalty, reach, and library access. Understanding the options lets authors decide deliberately rather than defaulting to ACX exclusivity without realizing what wide distribution offers (especially library reach). It is the audio equivalent of the wide-versus-exclusive decision that significantly affects an audiobook's reach and income.
Chapter ii·What to include
- ACX for Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.
- ACX exclusive (higher royalty) vs non-exclusive.
- Findaway Voices and wide aggregators.
- Library and non-Audible reach.
- The exclusive-vs-wide parallel.
- A choice based on reach and royalty goals.
Chapter iii·Example
An author weighing audiobook distribution chooses non-exclusive so she can use ACX for Audible reach and also distribute wide through Findaway Voices to libraries and other retailers. A peer prioritizing Audible's royalty goes ACX-exclusive. Each made the exclusive-versus-wide audio choice deliberately, matched to their reach and income goals.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom keeps your audio edition and channels organized, so audiobook distribution stays a deliberate choice.
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