Setting The MSRP Of Your Audiobook

September 24, 2021

Yet another perk of distributing your audiobook with Author’s Republic: you get to set your own MSRP.

What is MSRP?

It’s the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. You, the manufacturer of your audiobook, get to suggest the list price of your work.

We take the MSRP you set and calculate the bulk library rental price for you automatically. Most retailers will honour the MSRP you set but it may vary slightly. Some retailers offer fixed pricing, and some (like Audible) price books automatically based on length.

Audible pricing guidelines based on audiobook length:

  • Under 1 hour: under $7
  • 1 - 3 hours: $7 - $10
  • 3 - 5 hours: $10 - $20
  • 5 - 10 hours: $15 - $25
  • 10 - 20 hours: $20 - $30
  • over 20 hours: $25 - 35

We’re here to support authors. So in (nearly) every single case the price that you set is what we submit to our partners. If the MSRP is set to something outlandish like $500 for a 5-minute short story, that will definitely raise some red flags, but who are we to judge? Maybe it is indeed worth hundreds!

The Perfect Formula

We get lots of questions about how to set the list price of your audiobook; here are some questions for you to consider:

  • What do you think your audiobook is worth? What did it take to get your book out into the world? Are you or your narrator well known?

  • What is the list price of similar audiobooks in your genre? Browse through audiobooks in your genre and compare the pricing. Who is your target demographic and what will they typically pay for an audiobook?

  • How many hours is your audiobook? Though the length of your audiobook definitely isn’t the only thing to take into consideration, we recommend a minimum of $1.50 to $3.00 per hour.

  • What is the price of your eBook or print book? Typically, an audiobook is priced around 2x that of the ebook. If the other formats were available prior to your audiobook release, are they selling well at their list price? You might speculate why or why not and adjust your audiobook MSRP accordingly.

So while there may not be a perfect formula to determine the ideal list price, take these questions into consideration, do a bit of research, and then go with your gut!

Additional Resources