Audiobooks aren’t an add-on anymore.
They’re how a growing chunk of readers prefer to experience books. On a commute. On a walk. While doing dishes. They press play more than they flip pages.
But breaking into audio still feels like a gated space for most authors.
Narrators cost real money. Production takes weeks. And unless you’re confident the book will earn it back, it’s hard to justify the investment.
ElevenLabs thinks they’ve solved that.
They’ve rolled out ElevenReader Publishing, a platform that lets you generate an audiobook with AI narration and publish it directly to ElevenReader, their listening app (with optional distribution to Spotify through Findaway Voices by Spotify).
In short: creation and distribution under one roof.
But here’s the real question:
Is ElevenReader Publishing actually worth using, or is it just another shiny tool built for press releases instead of authors?
That’s what we'll dig into in this review.
What Is ElevenReader Publishing?
ElevenReader Publishing is the creator-facing side of ElevenLabs’ audiobook ecosystem.
Instead of hiring a narrator and uploading finished audio files somewhere else, you can:
- Paste in your book’s text
- Generate the narration using ElevenLabs’ AI voices
- Publish directly to ElevenReader, the companion audiobook app
- Optionally push your audiobook to Spotify and other retailers through Findaway Voices by Spotify
It’s meant to be an all-in-one pipeline, from raw manuscript to finished audiobook sitting on a platform where listeners can actually buy it.
No juggling files. No waiting weeks for narration. No praying your narrator doesn’t disappear halfway through chapter twelve.
That’s the pitch.
Whether it lives up to that promise is what we’ll get into next.
How It Works
Using ElevenReader Publishing follows a simple path:
- You add your book’s text. You can paste it in or upload it. Chapters are organized inside the dashboard.
- You choose a voice model. ElevenLabs offers AI voices in multiple languages, with optional “Studio” tools if you want more control over pacing, pauses, or pronunciation.
- You generate the audio. Your ElevenLabs credits are used here — more on cost in the pricing section.
- You publish to ElevenReader. Once approved, your audiobook goes live in the ElevenReader app, where listeners can either buy it outright or access it through their subscription.
- Optional: push to Spotify via Findaway Voices by Spotify. If you enable distribution, the audiobook is sent through Findaway’s system to Spotify and other connected retailers. Titles go through a review step before appearing.
Everything is managed from one dashboard. You see your titles, status, pricing, and earnings in the same place.
It feels more like uploading a product than “submitting” a book (which may be a good thing or bad thing, depending on your point of view).
That’s the workflow.
It's clean on paper, but using a tool and trusting it are two different things.
So, let’s look at how it actually holds up.
ElevenReader Publishing Review: Pros, Cons, & Verdict Snapshot
ElevenReader Publishing does what most platforms don’t by handling both creation and distribution.
That alone makes it interesting in a sea of “upload your finished files and wait” audiobook platforms.
But like any new tool in the indie space, it has strengths worth using… and weak spots you’ll want to know about before you commit your time or credits.
Where It Stands Out
- Faster than traditional audiobook production. No auditions, no narration delays, no waiting weeks for edits.
- Built-in distribution to an actual listening app. You’re publishing into a real marketplace with buy/stream options.
- Optional Spotify reach through Findaway Voices by Spotify. That gives you immediate access to the biggest audiobook listener base outside Audible, without managing a separate distributor account.
- Low barrier to experimentation. You can test side projects, novellas, serial fiction, or translated versions without sinking thousands into production.
Where It Still Shows Its Age
- Discovery inside ElevenReader is limited. Readers can listen, but the ecosystem isn’t built like Audible or Spotify where browsing and recommendation systems are well established.
- Voice control depends on how deep you’re willing to go. Quick generation sounds good, but if you want narration that breathes like a human performance, you'll need to spend time fine-tuning in ElevenLabs Studio.
- Payout structure looks better at first glance than it is in practice. The revenue split has changed since early launch (more on that in the pricing section), so it’s important to know what you’re really earning.
Verdict Snapshot (For Skimmers)
If you want a fast way to get your audiobook live and you’re comfortable with AI narration sounding “clean” rather than dramatic, ElevenReader Publishing is one of the most accessible platforms right now.
If you’re aiming for rich, performance-style narration or rely on organic platform discovery for sales, it won’t replace a full ACX/Findaway production run just yet.
Pricing, Credits & the Real Cost to Publish
You don’t pay to list your audiobook on ElevenReader. The cost comes earlier, when you generate the narration.
How Credits Work (The Real Cost)
ElevenLabs runs on a credit system. When you generate narration, every character you convert to audio burns through your available credits. The exact credit draw depends on the voice model you use:
- Standard voices = fewer credits per character
- Higher-end/”Studio” voices = more
- Translations or non-English outputs can also increase usage
They don’t market it like this, but the simplest way to think about it is: longer books + premium voices = more credits = higher cost.
Royalties: What You Actually Earn Back
When your audiobook goes live, you choose one of two earning models:
| Option | What You Earn | Who It Fits Best |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Sales (60% of net revenue) | Paid per purchase inside the ElevenReader app | Authors who expect individual sales |
| Engaged Listener Payout ($1.10 per qualified listener) | Paid once per listener who streams a significant portion of your audiobook | Authors with shorter works or those built for binge listening/serial content |
If you enable distribution to Spotify through Findaway Voices by Spotify, your audiobook is treated like any other Findaway title (payments on those platforms follow Findaway’s existing royalty structure, minus a processing cut from ElevenLabs).
Bottom Line on Price
You won't lose money publishing (the platform itself doesn’t charge listing fees), but credit usage becomes your “production cost,” and payout rates matter more now that the split has shifted downward from launch hype.
For Readers/Listeners: What the ElevenReader App Actually Offers
ElevenReader functions as a listening app built around AI-driven audio. Readers can use it to browse audiobooks, yes, but that’s only part of how the platform works in practice.
Here’s what listeners get when they download it:
- They can buy audiobooks directly or access them through an ElevenReader Plus subscription (currently around $8/month).
- Playback is what you’d expect: saved progress, a basic library, simple bookmarking.
- Readers can also import files (PDFs, Kindle books, ebooks) and have the app read them aloud using ElevenLabs voices, even if that title isn’t officially published as an audiobook.
What That Means for Authors
Your audiobook appears in a mixed environment. Some content is officially published through ElevenReader Publishing, while other audio in the app is just user-generated TTS from imported files.
It’s a functional app, but discovery is still light. There’s no full recommendation engine or deep category browsing like Audible or Spotify. For now, most listeners will only see your audiobook if you send them there or if ElevenReader surfaces it in a curated collection.
The foundation is promising. It just hasn’t matured into a discovery marketplace yet.
Smart Ways Authors Can Use ElevenReader Publishing
Most authors will use the platform to turn a finished book into an audiobook.
That’s the obvious play.
But there are more creative ways to squeeze value out of what ElevenReader offers, especially if you treat audio as a format for testing, not just distribution.
1. Release Short-Form or Side Fiction Without a Full Production Cycle
Not every idea needs a 300-page release. If you’ve got a side story, a world-building extra, or a novella that never quite fit your main series, you can publish it as audio-first and see if readers care.
Lower time commitment. Faster feedback.
2. Explore Other Language Markets Without Translation Costs
ElevenLabs can generate narration in multiple languages. That means you can run an experiment… take a segment of your book, generate a Spanish or German version, publish it, and watch for engagement.
If listeners show up, you’ve validated a market before paying for translation.
3. Turn Existing Content Into a Monetizable Audio Asset
If you’ve ever run a course, written a high-performing blog series, or have an email sequence readers rave about, you can stitch that material into an audio product and list it.
It won’t feel like a traditional audiobook, but readers who prefer audio won’t mind if the content delivers.
4. Use It as a Low-Stakes Sandbox
Traditional audiobooks lock you in. Once you’ve paid a narrator and published, edits are expensive.
With ElevenReader, you can revise, regenerate, and relaunch without blowing your budget. That makes it a useful testing ground for pacing, structure, and even tone, especially for fast-releasing authors.
How to Sign Up for ElevenReader Publishing (If You Want to Try It Yourself)
If you want to test the platform, getting set up doesn’t take long. You’ll need an active ElevenLabs account with enough credits to generate audio.
After that, the process is straightforward:
- Go to ElevenReader Publishing on the ElevenLabs site.
- Sign in with your ElevenLabs account or create one if you're new.
- Once inside the dashboard, add your manuscript or paste it in.
- Choose a voice and generate a chapter preview before committing full credits.
- When the audiobook is ready, hit Publish to ElevenReader.
- Toggle Spotify distribution if you want it sent through Findaway Voices by Spotify.
That’s all it takes to list a title.
No separate ISBN purchase, no distributor setup, no metadata spreadsheets.
Where the Platform Still Falls Short (and What We'd Love to See in the Future)
ElevenReader Publishing is promising, but it’s not without friction. A few areas still feel underdeveloped compared to mature audiobook platforms:
1. Limited Discovery Inside the App
Right now, authors don’t get much help getting seen. The app doesn't have a robust discovery layer… no real recommendation engine, limited categorization, and minimal search depth.
It functions more like a playback tool than a marketplace with reader intent behind it.
2. Reader Engagement Tools are Bare-Bones
There’s no way to add bonus content, author notes, or extras that might help with branding or reader connection.
The listening experience works, but it doesn’t offer many ways for authors to stand out once the audio is live.
3. Data is Still Light
Authors don’t yet get insight into listener behavior beyond basic revenue reports. You can’t see completion rates, skip data, or which chapters lose attention (the kind of feedback loop that would help refine future releases).
4. A Strong Foundation, But Not Fully Built Out Yet
The engine is impressive and the publishing flow is smooth, but ElevenReader still feels like a platform in its early growth phase.
If they build stronger discovery, better reader insights, and give authors tools to shape the listening experience, it could mature into a serious ecosystem.
Final Thoughts on ElevenReader Publishing (For Now…)
ElevenReader Publishing is one of the more interesting developments in the audiobook space.
It gives indie authors something they don’t usually get: a way to create audio, publish it, and distribute it without juggling multiple platforms or spending thousands upfront.
It won’t replace a full production run with a human narrator, of course. It won’t magically surface your book to listeners without effort on your part. And it’s still growing into what it wants to be.
But if you’re willing to experiment…
Or you’ve been holding back on audio plans because of cost…
ElevenReader Publishing is a viable way to get your work into listeners’ ears without waiting for permission or a budget.
Worth exploring? Absolutely.
Just treat it like any other tool — useful when used intentionally, not a shortcut to instant sales.
