There are plenty of online platforms and companies you can work with to get paid to read books aloud. Some of these platforms specialize in different genres, offer audiobooks in different languages or work with narrators with different levels of experience. Learning about the platforms you can work with can help you choose the right one and find well-paying audiobook narrator jobs. If you have a great voice, you may use this experience to begin your career as a professional voice actor and expand your career into other voice-over work, such as commercial, e-learning or video games. Here are 12 platforms you can explore to get started:
ACX is one of the most popular online platforms that pay people to read books aloud. Any books you narrate for this platform can appear on other popular platforms, such as iTunes and Audible. To get started, sign up for an ACX account. Then follow the ACX guidelines to upload high-quality samples to your profile and set your hourly rate. This can help authors and publishers find you and review your work.If they like your style, they can select you to narrate one of their audiobooks. In addition to being paid hourly for your work, you may be eligible to earn up to 20% of the book's royalties, which are split between you and anyone who holds rights to the book.
Voices offers audiobook narrators the opportunity to work with well-known brands like Shopify and The History Channel. To get started, record several high-quality demos and audio samples. Then create a Voices profile to upload them and look for open jobs. This may include podcasts, commercials and instructional videos. If you find a job that looks interesting, you can audition for it online. While the pay for each job varies, you may be able to earn between $200 and $300 for each finished hour of audio narrative.
Spoken Realms is a platform that focuses on bringing experienced storytellers together to create a professional community. This company is an independent producer of audiobooks and handles distribution through a network of smaller companies. If you enjoy reading graphic novels or want to narrate your own podcast, this platform may be for you. Narrators who work with Spoken Realms receive payment for each finished hour of narration they complete. They may also receive a percentage of the authors' royalties, depending on the type of audio production.
Voice Jungle specializes in producing audiobooks for the e-learning industry and narration for podcasts. Before you apply to work for Voice Jungle, make sure you meet the company's basic requirements. This includes having a home studio and the ability to complete projects within 24 hours if requested. They may also require you to submit a demo for review to ensure they meet Voice Jungle's audio quality requirements. If Voice Jungle approves your demo, they may contact you directly to start assigning you jobs. Once a client approves your work, Voice Jungle processes the payment automatically.
VO Planet works with professional voice-over actors to create audio files for clients quickly and has been in business since 1967. There are a wide variety of jobs you can audition for on this platform once VO Planet approves your profile. To get started, make sure you have access to a professional studio with recording equipment. Then submit your application and a few high-quality demos for review. VO Planet charges an annual subscription fee of $199 but doesn't take a cut of your project earnings. This platform also doesn't limit how many jobs you can apply for at one time, which may be beneficial if you're looking to pursue a career as a full-time freelance audiobook narrator.