Understand the scope before comparing quotes.
A useful estimate separates narration, post-production and delivery rather than treating all audiobooks as interchangeable.
What determines the cost of producing an audiobook?
There is no single price for every title. Costs depend on the length of the finished audiobook, the narrator you choose, how much work is required to edit and repair recordings, manuscript proof listening, pickups, mastering, and the delivery specification. A professional quote should describe exactly which of these steps are included.
Estimate your audiobook's finished length
For planning, this tool uses 8,000–10,000 narrated words per finished hour, with 9,000 as a midpoint. These are production planning assumptions, not a promised speaking speed or a price quote.
60,000 words gives a planning range of 6–7.5 finished hours. Narration pace and content affect the actual length.
Any cost shown multiplies your entered rate by the estimated runtime. It excludes extra fees and taxes and is not a Vantage Point Audio quotation.
Request a tailored production quoteWhat does “per finished hour” mean?
A finished hour (PFH) is one hour of completed audiobook audio, not one hour of studio work. A 60,000-word manuscript might yield roughly 6–8 hours of finished narration depending on speaking pace and content. That is only a planning estimate, not a runtime guarantee.
If a hypothetical service rate were $200 PFH, a seven-hour finished audiobook would have a $1,400 line item at that rate. This is an illustration of the calculation, not a Vantage Point Audio price quotation. Casting, proof listening, revisions, pickups and distribution support may be separately scoped.
Full production versus editing a recording you already have
Full audiobook production can involve planning, narrator casting, recording direction, editing, proof listening and final mastering. If you are the narrator or already have finished raw chapters, you may need only post-production. That can substantially change the scope, but poorly recorded audio may still require re-recording or additional cleanup.
How to request a quote you can compare
Send the final word count, genre, desired narration language, whether you need a narrator, sample recording quality if applicable, deadline and intended distribution platform. Ask each provider whether the quote includes proof listening against the text, pickups, mastering, final chapter files and revisions.
For international authors, also identify whether the English translation is finalized and which English accent suits the audience.
What should you do next?
For a custom estimate, share the book details. If you already recorded chapters, send up to ten representative minutes to discuss a sample edit. We recommend confirming deliverables and milestones before paying for full production.
Your next chapter