Lantern Audio
Boutique audiobook distributor — one-time $199 setup fee, 75% of net receipts, ~20 retail and library channels including Audible, Kobo, OverDrive, and Hoopla.
Best for: Premium fiction publishers who value boutique curation and quarterly royalty reporting, and authors comfortable trading channel breadth for white-glove service
Cheaper than 5 of 12 tools · periods vary
Tools at this price point typically fit a Professional Stack ($2,000+ total).
Details
- Service Type
- Audiobook Distributor
- Format Support
- Audiobook
- Distribution Channels
- Audible, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes Noble, Overdrive, Hoopla, Scribd, Storytel, Libro Fm, Audiobooks Com, Audiobooknow, Downpour, Walmart, Bibliotheca
- Royalty Rate
- 75% of net receipts; one-time $199 per-title setup fee
- Exclusivity Required
- No
Lantern Audio is a boutique audiobook distributor that charges a one-time $199 per-title setup fee and pays 75% of net receipts across roughly 20 retail and library channels — including Audible, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, OverDrive, Hoopla, and Libro.fm. It sits between INaudio's free-but-self-serve model and full-service production houses, with optional casting and mastering add-ons for authors who want a single vendor handling the full audiobook pipeline.
- Best for: Premium fiction publishers who value boutique curation and white-glove onboarding over the lowest commission rate
- Key features: ~20 retail + library channels (incl. Audible, Apple, OverDrive, Hoopla, Libro.fm), accepts externally produced audio, optional casting/narration/mastering services, promotional giveaway codes, quarterly royalty statements
- Pricing: $199 one-time setup fee per title; Lantern keeps 25% of net receipts (75% to author); no annual subscription
- Limitations: Higher all-in cost than INaudio (free + 20%) or Author's Republic (free + 20%); ~20 channels is roughly half of INaudio's footprint; quarterly payouts are slower than monthly competitors
- Why authors love it: Pays out when wide-aggregator self-service feels overwhelming — the curated catalog approach plus add-on production services makes Lantern feel closer to a small audiobook label than a pure pipe
More Publishing & Distribution Tools
Showing 3 of 24 alternatives
See all 24 toolsVoices by INaudio
Leading wide-distribution audiobook aggregator (formerly Findaway Voices) — 80% royalty, 40+ channels including OverDrive and Hoopla, no exclusivity.
Also offers Audiobook
- Royalty Rate:
- 80% of net receipts (INaudio keeps 20% commission, no upfront fee)
- Exclusivity Required:
- false
Author's Republic
Free audiobook aggregator with the largest channel network — 50+ retailers and libraries — at 80% royalty, no exclusivity, open to authors in 200+ countries.
Also offers Audiobook
- Royalty Rate:
- 80% of net receipts (permanent rate confirmed February 2025)
- Exclusivity Required:
- false
StreetLib
Italian-headquartered global aggregator — flat $99/year Pro plan distributes ebooks and audiobooks to 18+ channels at 85% net, including European-strong stores like Tolino, MLOL, and Storytel.
Also offers Audiobook
- Royalty Rate:
- 85% of net receipts on Pro plan (StreetLib keeps 15%); free tier covers ebook only
- Exclusivity Required:
- false
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