Why Kobo belongs in an audiobook plan
Kobo, owned by Rakuten, runs ebook and audiobook stores in many countries and is especially popular in Canada and several markets outside the US. Its audiobooks are sold in the Kobo app, and Kobo Plus, its subscription service, has included audiobooks in some markets.
For independent authors the appeal is direct access: you upload yourself, keep control of price and metadata, and can sell the same files elsewhere. For AI editions it is one of the clearer options, because Kobo has said it accepts digitally narrated audiobooks as long as listeners are told. Confirm that in Kobo Writing Life’s current help pages before you rely on it.
How to publish an audiobook on Kobo Writing Life
- 1
Sign in to Kobo Writing Life
Create a free account, add tax and payment details, and check that audiobooks are available for your account and country.
- 2
Create the audiobook
Start a new audiobook title. Enter title, series, author, narrator, description, language and categories, matching your ebook where there is one.
- 3
Upload cover and chapters
Add a square cover and the chapter MP3s in order, naming each one as it appears in the table of contents.
- 4
Label the narration
Declare AI narration where Kobo asks, and credit the narrator in the form Kobo specifies for synthetic voices.
- 5
Set rights, price, publish
Choose territories, set prices, decide about Kobo Plus and publish. The title is reviewed before it goes on sale.
Kobo audiobook fields and what to enter
| Field | What to enter | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Title and subtitle | Exactly as on the ebook and cover | No “audiobook” or extra keywords in the title |
| Series and number | The series name and the book’s place in it | Same spelling as the other books |
| Narrator | A credit that makes AI narration clear | Kobo’s wording for synthetic voices |
| Description | A short pitch plus a line about the narration | Mention the full cast if you used one |
| Audio ISBN | One you own, if Kobo asks for it | Never reuse the ebook or print ISBN |
| Territories | Countries where you hold audio rights | Regions licensed to someone else |
| Price | A list price per currency, or one converted price | How Kobo Plus and promotions affect it |
Field names and requirements change. Kobo Writing Life’s help pages are the reference on the day you publish.
Kobo audiobook file checklist
Kobo publishes its audiobook specs in its help centre. These are the points to confirm before you upload.
- MP3 chapter files. Kobo has asked for MP3s, one per chapter or section, in reading order. Keep the M4B for your own store; M4B vs MP3 explains the split.
- A table of contents that matches. Chapter names in the upload should match the book, so listeners can find their place.
- Even levels and no clipping. Listeners move between chapters often, and a sudden jump in volume earns bad reviews.
- Opening and closing credits. Title, author and narrator at the start; a short closing line at the end.
- A square cover. High resolution with large, readable text. The audiobook cover size guide has the details.
- A retail sample, if requested. A few minutes of story with dialogue, not front matter. See audiobook sample chapter for how to choose it.
Labelling AI narration on Kobo
At the time of writing, Kobo accepts AI-narrated audiobooks as long as the narration is clearly identified, both in the metadata and to listeners. Use the narrator wording Kobo asks for and add a plain sentence to the description, such as “Narrated by a cast of AI voices.” Readers who know what they are getting are far less likely to ask for refunds.
Casting still decides reviews. Choose a narrator voice that suits hours of listening and give the main characters clearly different voices. The AI audiobook generator casts speakers from the dialogue tags automatically, and you can swap any voice and preview it before you generate a chapter.
Pricing, promotions and Kobo Plus
You set the list price and can join Kobo’s promotions when they are offered to your account. Kobo Plus pays authors from subscription listening rather than per sale, under rules that differ by market. Including an audiobook is a trade off between reach and earnings per listen, so read Kobo’s current terms and consider testing one title first.
Royalty rates and price thresholds are set out in your Kobo Writing Life agreement. Read them there, because they vary by price, territory and program and are updated from time to time.
Kobo audiobooks in a wide release
Kobo does not ask for exclusivity at the time of writing, so the files you upload can also go to Google Play Books, to Spotify through its author tools or a distributor, and to your own website. Keep the metadata identical across stores so the editions are easy to match. Publish audiobook on Google Play covers the store many authors add next.
If you also use a distributor, make sure it does not deliver a second copy to Kobo, which can create duplicate listings. Pick one route per store and note it in your records.
