For authors
The ACX alternative that leaves your rights alone
ACX trades your audiobook rights for distribution: a 7-year exclusivity term, a 40% royalty ceiling, and thousands of dollars in narration costs before you sell a single copy. Lex produces a cinematic audiobook — narration, music, ambience, and sound effects — for a one-time fee starting at $49, and everything you earn afterward is yours.
ACX vs. Lex, side by side
| ACX | Lex | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost (10-hour book) | $2,000–$4,000 (PFH) or $0 with Royalty Share | From $49 one-time; Publisher quoted per book |
| Royalties you keep | 40% (exclusive) / 25% (non-exclusive), halved again on Royalty Share | Full author share on Spotify; 80% of net elsewhere. Lex takes none |
| Exclusivity | 7-year term on exclusive contracts | None |
| Turnaround | Weeks to months (narrator auditions, production, QA) | First chapter in about a day; full book in days |
| Music & sound design | Not included (narration only) | Included in Studio and Publisher packages |
| Where it sells | Audible, Amazon, iTunes | Audible, Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, libraries, Lex Premium |
| Narration | Human narrators (AI not accepted) | Studio-grade AI narration, multi-voice casting, disclosure handled |
ACX figures reflect published ACX terms and typical per-finished-hour narrator rates as of 2026.
The honest tradeoff
ACX still gets human-narrated titles onto Audible through its marketplace, and Audible is still the single biggest audiobook retailer. If you want a human ACX exclusive and have the budget for it, that path is unchanged.
Lex Publisher titles also go to Audible/Amazon under Lex's publisher agreement, without a 7-year ACX lock-in. The same pack covers Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, and library platforms like Hoopla. Going wide means Lex takes no royalties, versus 25–40% at ACX, no exclusivity term, and a production cost measured in tens of dollars instead of thousands.
Lex handles the whole pipeline: casting (including multiple voices per book), narration engineered for consistency across chapters, a full musical score with ambience and sound effects, retailer-compliant AI disclosure, and distribution. You approve the audio before anything ships.
What it costs
Voiceover
$49 once
10 hours of finished narration — multi-voice casting, commercial license, 320kbps downloads
Studio
$99 once
10 hours fully scored — music beds, ambience, and SFX mixed in
Publisher
Custom once
10 hours fully scored plus done-for-you distribution: Audible, Spotify, Google Play, Apple Books, Kobo, Everand, Storytel, Chirp, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive/Libby, Hoopla, and library networks. AI-narration disclosure handled.
Compare that to $2,500–$6,000 for a typical human-narrated production. Full cost breakdown here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to ACX for audiobook production?
For authors who want to keep full rights and royalties, producing the audiobook independently and distributing wide is the main alternative to ACX. Lex produces studio-grade AI-narrated audiobooks (narration, music, and sound design) starting at $49 for 10 finished hours, with no exclusivity. The Publisher package includes distribution to Audible, Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, and library platforms; Lex takes no royalties.
How much does ACX audiobook production cost?
On ACX you either pay a narrator per finished hour (typically $200–$400 PFH, so $2,000–$4,000 for a 10-hour book) or use Royalty Share, which costs nothing upfront but halves your royalties for the life of the contract. Exclusive ACX distribution pays 40% royalties with a 7-year term; non-exclusive pays 25%.
Does ACX accept AI-narrated audiobooks?
No. ACX requires human narration for titles submitted through its marketplace (Audible’s separate Virtual Voice program is limited to eligible KDP ebooks). Lex Publisher titles still reach Audible/Amazon under Lex’s publisher agreement, plus Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, and major library platforms, with proper AI-narration disclosure.
Do I keep my rights and royalties with Lex?
Yes. Lex production is a one-time purchase, not a royalty split. You own the finished audio with a commercial license, and there is no exclusivity term. Lex takes no royalties. On Spotify you keep the full author share. On every other store the distribution partner keeps 20% of net.
How fast can I hear what my book sounds like?
Send your first chapter and Lex delivers the finished, fully-produced audio to your inbox in about a day, free, with no card required.
Hear your book before you spend a dollar
Send your first chapter. Finished, fully-produced audio in your inbox in about a day. Free, no card.
Start with chapter one