ACX vs. Findaway Voices (Now INaudio): Which Audiobook Distributor Should You Choose?

For indie authors publishing audiobooks, the classic choice has been ACX or Findaway Voices. Both are still the main routes, but both have changed. ACX moved to a new royalty model on May 26, 2026, and Findaway Voices left Spotify on August 1, 2025 to become an independent company, INaudio, whose author platform is called Voices by INaudio.

The decision itself is the same as ever: concentrate on Audible through ACX, or go wide through a distributor. This guide compares the two as they work today, covering reach, royalties, exclusivity, production and how most authors combine them.

At a glance

Reach: where your audiobook lands

ACX sells through three storefronts: Audible, Amazon and Apple Books. That sounds narrow, but Audible is the largest audiobook store in many markets, and its membership credits keep listeners buying month after month.

Voices by INaudio reaches more than 30 platforms in over 180 countries. Named partners include Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Everand, Storytel, Chirp, Libro.fm, Spotify and library platforms such as OverDrive (Libby), Hoopla and Bibliotheca. Most authors still reach Audible through ACX rather than a distributor.

Apple Books appears on both lists, so if you use ACX non-exclusive and INaudio together, deliver to Apple through only one of them.

ACX's new royalty model

From May 26, 2026, new ACX titles, new users and titles that enroll in the new model earn 50% for exclusive distribution and 30% for non-exclusive. Titles not enrolled keep the legacy rates of 40% and 25% only until year-end, when ACX says the legacy model ends.

The base changed too. For listening by Audible members, royalties are calculated on what ACX calls Member Value: the member's monthly plan revenue after taxes and fees, divided among the titles they listened to in proportion to each title's price. Your royalty is your share of that value times your rate. Some authors earn more under the new model, others less, so watch your reports after enrolling.

How Voices by INaudio pays

INaudio keeps 20% of the royalties it receives and pays you 80%, with no upfront or subscription fees. Each partner takes its cut first. INaudio's support pages put a la carte partner rates at 40% to 50% of list price, subscription rates at 30% to 40%, and revenue-share deals at 25% to 45% of receipts. On a $20 audiobook through a store paying 50%, you receive about $8.

There is no INaudio fee on Spotify sales made through it. Spotify also runs its own portal, Spotify for Authors, if you prefer to deal with Spotify directly.

The exclusivity decision

This is the choice that matters most. ACX exclusive pays 50% but keeps your audiobook off every other platform, including libraries and Spotify. ACX non-exclusive pays 30% on Audible, Amazon and Apple Books and lets you add Voices by INaudio for everything else.

• Exclusive tends to win when nearly all your readers buy on Amazon and listen on Audible, or when a narrator works on royalty share.
• Non-exclusive plus INaudio tends to win when your ebooks are wide, your genre does well in libraries, or many readers listen on Spotify, Kobo or subscription apps.

Exclusive DIY and pay-per-finished-hour titles can switch to non-exclusive any time after 90 days on sale by asking ACX, though the change is one-way. Royalty share titles cannot switch, because the narrator deal depends on exclusivity.

Production and narrators

ACX includes a narrator marketplace. You post your book, audition narrators and choose either a fee per finished hour or royalty share. Royalty share costs nothing upfront, but the narrator receives half your royalties for seven years (25% each on an exclusive title under the new model) and the title must stay exclusive.

Voices by INaudio is primarily a distribution service now, and some Findaway-era production services are still being rebuilt. Most authors arrive with finished files, from a narrator paid per finished hour or from narrating themselves. Typical PFH rates run from about $100 to $500 or more depending on experience, and an 80,000 to 100,000-word novel usually runs eight to ten finished hours. See the INaudio cost guide for worked budgets.

Payments and reporting

ACX pays monthly by electronic payment from Audible, in US dollars, pounds, euros or Canadian dollars depending on your region. If royalties for a period are under $50, Audible may carry them forward to the next payment. Reports show sales and membership listening separately, which matters now that membership listening is paid on Member Value.

Voices by INaudio reports sales by partner and pays your 80% share through its own payment schedule; check your account for current thresholds and methods. Because each partner reports on its own timeline, some sales take a while to appear.

Pricing and promotions

Audible sets the retail price of ACX titles largely by length, so you have little direct control over price there, and promotions are run by Audible. Through Voices by INaudio, you set your list price and can join partner promotions where available, such as discount programs on deal platforms. Wide distribution gives you more pricing levers but no single store with Audible's volume, so treat wide promotions as a steady, cumulative effort rather than a one-off spike.

Switching later

Plan your first choice carefully, because switching is not always simple. Moving from exclusive to non-exclusive on ACX is possible for DIY and pay-per-finished-hour titles after 90 days on sale, but royalty share titles stay bound to the narrator deal. Moving from wide to ACX exclusive means withdrawing the audiobook from every other platform first. Owning your finished files outright, by paying a narrator per finished hour or narrating yourself, keeps both paths open.

The common combination

Most wide audio authors run both:

1. Produce the audiobook with a PFH narrator or by narrating yourself, so you own the files outright.
2. Publish on ACX non-exclusive for Audible and Amazon.
3. Distribute through Voices by INaudio to libraries, subscription apps and other stores, excluding any storefront ACX already covers.
4. Choose one route for Spotify: INaudio or Spotify for Authors.
5. Review reports after three months and compare against what exclusive would have paid.

Decision guide

Frequently asked questions

Is Findaway Voices still owned by Spotify? No. On August 1, 2025, Findaway's co-founders bought the business back, and it now operates independently as INaudio, with the author platform called Voices by INaudio.

What does ACX pay in 2026? Under its model from May 26, 2026, 50% for exclusive and 30% for non-exclusive distribution. Legacy rates of 40% and 25% end at year-end.

Can I use ACX and Voices by INaudio together? Yes, if your ACX title is non-exclusive. Avoid sending the same audiobook to Apple Books through both.

Which pays more per sale? It depends on the store. ACX exclusive pays 50% on Audible, Amazon and Apple Books; through INaudio you receive 80% of what each partner pays, often around 32% to 40% of list price on a la carte sales.

Can I put my audiobook in libraries through ACX? No. ACX sells through Audible, Amazon and Apple Books only. Library platforms such as OverDrive and Hoopla are reached through a distributor like Voices by INaudio, which requires a non-exclusive ACX title or no ACX title at all.

Do I need an ISBN for my audiobook? ACX does not need one for Audible. Some wide partners reached through Voices by INaudio may ask for one, so check during setup.

Does either charge upfront fees? No. Both earn from sales. Your main upfront cost is narration.

The bottom line

ACX and Findaway Voices, now Voices by INaudio, still answer different questions. ACX maximizes Audible income, especially exclusive at the new 50% rate. Voices by INaudio puts your audiobook in libraries and dozens of other stores. For most wide authors, ACX non-exclusive plus INaudio remains the standard setup, and the right answer for you depends on where your readers listen.

When your manuscript is ready, LiberScript formats the ebook and print editions, so those can go on sale while the audiobook is in production.