Spotify for Authors
In the world of streaming audio, Spotify is the biggest player in the game.
Even more so since entering the audiobook market in 2022. Spotify has grown its catalog to roughly 350,000 audiobook titles and counting.
Spotify has helped cut Audible’s market share to 63.4%.
As an author or small publisher looking to get in on the action and to get your audiobooks on Spotify (and Spotify Plus), it helps to know a little more about what it is and how it works.
Below is the indie author’s guide to Spotify for Authors. Don’t sleep on it!
Who listens to Audiobooks on Spotify?
Audiobooks are available on the Spotify platform to Spotify subscribers in 14 countries: the US, the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
According to Jonathan Schramm, “Since October 2023, all Spotify premium users or premium family plans have access to 15 hours of audiobook streaming a month” and “other additional subscriptions can give extra hours, pay-per-audiobook, or unlimited access.” (Source: “Spotify (SPOT): Taking Over The Audio Market.”
Spotify found that 57% of their audiobook listeners are between the ages of 18–34. So selling your audiobooks on Spotify can be an excellent way to reach a Gen Z and younger millennial audience.
Here are the most popular genres by age groups on Spotify:
18–27: Romance, Classics, and Teen/YA
28–34: Literary Fiction and Self-Development (Self-Help)
35–44: Biographies and Comedy
45+: History and Mystery
How to sell audiobooks on Spotify
Publishing an audiobook to Spotify can be done through Spotify for Authors and requires a Spotify account.
You can also reach Spotify through a distributor such as PublishDrive or Author’s Republic—This may make sense if you want to reach a number of audiobook platforms; just keep in mind that distributors charge a fee or take a cut of your royalties. (Here are the top audiobook platforms for self-publishing.)
*In 2024–25, Spotify created Spotify for Authors and made distribution to Spotify separate from that Findaway Voices by Spotify, which rebranded as Voices by INaudio.
Voices by INaudio offers distribution to a wide range of audiobook retailers, subscription services, and library platforms, but not to Spotify. Here’s a more detailed article on Voices by INAudio.
You’ll need to have your audiobook files and cover art ready to upload. Production services are not offered on the Spotify for Authors platform.
Who is eligible to publish an audiobook with Voices by INAudio?
Authors in all countries who are over age 18.
How much does it cost to publish an audiobook on Spotify?
It’s free. There is no setup fee or distribution fee to open an account, upload your audiobook, and distribute it using Spotify for Authors.
Spotify audiobook pricing for authors
Unlike ACX, you set the price of your audiobooks. Prices vary widely, so look to other books in your genre for clues.
Spotify Audiobook Royalties: How much do you get paid?
Spotify Royalties: According to Spotify for Authors Audiobook distribution terms, royalties are as follows:
Under the A La Carte distribution model, for a la carte purchases, the royalty is 50% of the suggested retail price that you set for your audiobook.
Under the Pool Subscription distribution model, when Spotify users listen to your audiobook as part of their Spotify subscription, royalties are paid out of a “shared revenue pool” based on the “pro-rata share of the total consumption of Distributed Audiobook Content, as reasonably determined by Spotify.” Note: This information is not publicly available and the rate varies from month to month.
How do you get paid on Spotify? What is the threshold for Spotify royalty payments?
“We process and pay out royalties every month, and each payment includes all royalties received from our payment partners within the past 30 days. Payments are triggered above a $100 threshold, or within 30 days following the end of each calendar year.”
Payment is by your choice of direct deposit/ACH, PayPal, check, or wire transfer.
As a nonfiction author looking to unlock the secrets to publishing success, it helps to have an expert in your corner.
Navigate the publishing process with ease and discover your publishing potential.
Upload an Audiobook to Spotify
While logged in to Spotify, from the Catalog page, you can upload your audiobook by clicking on +Upload audiobook.
(Prior to August 1, 2025, this could only be done by publishers, not self-published authors.)
It’s as simple as uploading the files and cover art and filling in the metadata fields.
Spotify Audiobook Requirements
(Source: “Uploading Audiobooks to Spotify for Authors”)
Audio files should be in mp3, WAV, and FLAC format
A sample can help draw in potential listeners
Cover art should be in 1:1 aspect ratio, and we recommend 3000 x 3000 px PNG files
Write meaningful chapter titles that allow listeners to preview the structure of your book and start listening wherever they want
Spotify audio and metadata guidelines
It is also possible to make changes to an audiobook in your catalog. From the Catalog page, click on Edit to make changes to the book’s details, metadata, or files.
Spotify Free Redemption Codes
While logged in to Spotify, on the Catalog page, you can generate “Redemption Codes to share royalty-free copies of titles with reviewers, superfans and collaborators.”
From the Catalog page, click Redemption codes, then enter the number you want to generate.
Redemption Codes can be used as a lead magnet or for giveways. They can be used to generate reviews from fans, reviewers, fellow authors, bloggers, influencers, and podcasters.
Some authors use audiobook codes for Kickstarter campaigns; Findaway Voices by Spotify has also partnered with the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. “Successfully backed Kickstarter projects get free redemption codes to fulfill backer rewards.”
Promo Cards
This feature allows you to, as Spotify puts it, “generate professional and shareable social assets for titles in just one click.”
The Promo Cards tool allows authors to create customized graphics, choose the aspect ratio (square, landscape, or portrait), and download it to share on social media or email digests.
From the Catalog page, select the audiobook you’d like to generate a promo card for, and click Create a promo card.
Spotify for Authors Profile
On the Profile page in your Spotify for Authors dashboard, you can create “customizable author profiles with social links” and update your author headshot and author bio.
Spotify for Authors Audience (Analytics)
Spotify for Authors prides itself in its analytics, which are clearly displayed and insightful.
It displays age and gender demographics data of your audience.
On the Audience page within the Spotify for Authors dashboard are two tabs: Demographics, and Interests.
The Demographics tab displays “gender and age breakdowns of your audience over the last 365 days.”
The Interests tab shows what Spotify calls “performance and insights tracking for detailed growth metrics.” More specifically, it shows the top authors in the past 30 days and the top podcast categories in the last 30 days for your audience.
Other tools for selling audiobooks on Spotify
“Listen on Spotify” buttons
Premade Listen on Spotify” buttons are available to audiobook authors for download. You can add these to your website, blog, or social media posts.
Share on Social sample copy
You can use your promo codes to generate graphics for social media posts, tag @Spotify in your posts when mentioning your book, and use the following prompts:
Big news! My book [title] is now available to listen on Spotify Premium! [+link]
Listen to [title] directly on Spotify, spoken to perfection. Press play 🎧📚 [+ link]
My book [title] goes wherever you go. Listen to [title] on @Spotify ▶️ [+ link]
Link to your audiobook
“Just navigate to your book on the Spotify Desktop app, click the three dots [...], ‘share’, ‘Embed audiobook’, and copy the code.
Do you need an ISBN to publish to Spotify?
No.
Does Spotify allow AI narration?
Spotify accepts AI-narrated audiobooks created with ElevenLabs or with Google Play Books.
ElevenLabs is fee-based (see pricing options here). Google Play Books’ digital voice-narrated content is free to create.
“For listeners, all digitally narrated titles will be clearly marked in the metadata” and “the book description will be prepended with the first sentence stating, ‘This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.’”
Spotify for Authors vs. Audible ACX
Most authors will want to sell audiobooks on both Spotify and ACX.
Distribution:
Spotify for Authors offers distribution only to Spotify.
ACX offers distribution only to Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books.
Eligibility/availability:
Spotify for Authors is available to authors worldwide. Spotify audiobooks are available to listeners in 14 countries.
ACX is only available (directly) to authors and listeners from the US, UK, Canada, and Ireland.
Narration/production:
Spotify for Authors does not offer narration or production services. It allows you to use ElevenLabs or Google Play’s digital narration tools. You must have all your files ready to go in order to publish/distribute using Spotify for Authors.
ACX and Amazon KDP offer a variety of digital narration options.
Audiobook marketing and promotion:
Spotify for Authors offers a host of features, as mentioned above, including 100 promo codes.
ACX promo codes are fewer (50), and come with more restrictions.
Is Spotify for Authors worth it?
Yes, absolutely. Spotify has a large and growing number of audiobook listeners. The dashboard is easy to navigate and the analytics are helpful. And Spotify for Authors is a platform that gets your audiobook in front of a younger audience.
Just be sure you understand and agree to the terms of service. In the past, Spotify has made changes to its terms of service that were unpopular or unclear.