How to Publish an Audiobook on Kobo

Kobo is one of the largest audiobook and ebook retailers outside Amazon, with a global reader base and a self-publishing side that many independent authors already use for ebooks. If you have narrated your book with AI and want it on Kobo, the good news is that the store sells AI-narrated audiobooks the same way it sells any other audio title. What trips people up is the path: AudioProducer makes the audio file, and then you get that file onto Kobo through Kobo's own publishing portal or through a wide distributor that lists to the Kobo store. This guide walks through both the export side and the Kobo side so you know exactly what to prepare.

Can you publish an AI-narrated audiobook on Kobo?

Yes. Kobo does not require a human narrator, and an audiobook you produced with AI narration is a normal audio product as far as the store is concerned. The only real requirement is that you have the rights to everything in the file: the text you are narrating and the voice you are using. If you cloned a voice in AudioProducer, that clone has to be your own voice or a voice you have written permission to use. Kobo will ask you to confirm you hold distribution rights during setup, so keep your consent records handy.

One thing to check before you plan a release date: Kobo's audiobook publishing options have changed over the years, and direct audiobook upload is not always open to every account in every territory. Sign in to your Kobo Writing Life dashboard and look for the audiobook option first. If it is available to you, you can upload directly. If it is not, you can still reach Kobo readers through a wide audiobook distributor that feeds the Kobo store. Either way, the audio file you produce is the same.

Exporting your MP3 from AudioProducer

AudioProducer's job ends when you have a finished audio file on your computer. We export a completed MP3 that you download and own. We do not distribute, publish, or host your audiobook to Kobo, Audible, Spotify, or any store or library, so think of AudioProducer as the studio and Kobo as the shelf you place the finished product on.

To get there, paste or upload your manuscript, pick a narration voice, and generate the audio. New accounts get 1,200 words free with no card required so you can hear how a chapter sounds before committing, and paid plans start from $39.99 per month when you are ready to produce a full-length book. Once the render finishes, download the MP3. If you plan to submit per chapter, export each chapter as its own file and name them in reading order, for example 01-introduction, 02-chapter-one, and so on, so the upload step stays organized.

Setting up Kobo Writing Life audiobook distribution

Kobo Writing Life, usually shortened to KWL, is Kobo's free self-publishing portal. If you already sell ebooks there, you use the same login. Create an account at the Kobo Writing Life site if you do not have one, confirm your author and payment details, and open a new title.

When you start an audiobook listing, KWL walks you through title metadata, the audio files, and a cover. Because the exact fields and any territorial availability can shift, follow the prompts in your current dashboard rather than a checklist from a blog post, including this one. If KWL does not show an audiobook option for your account, do not force it. Set the same title up through a distributor that lists to Kobo instead, and let that service handle delivery into the store. Your AudioProducer MP3 works in both cases.

Files, cover, and metadata Kobo needs

Whichever path you take, prepare the same core assets before you start the upload so you are not scrambling mid-form:

• Audio files. Your exported MP3s, typically one per chapter, in reading order. Confirm the accepted format and bitrate in your KWL or distributor dashboard before you submit, since audio specs are the most common reason a file gets kicked back.
• A square cover. Audiobook covers are square, not the tall rectangle used for ebooks. Export a clean square image at the resolution your dashboard requests. Good audiobook metadata and ID3 tags on your files help players display the title and author correctly.
• Metadata. Title, subtitle, author, narrator credit, series information if any, a category, and a description. Write the description for a listener browsing on their phone, and be honest that the narration is AI produced if that matters to your audience.

Getting these right the first time saves a review cycle, because both KWL and distributors run a validation pass before a title goes live.

Pricing, royalties, and reach

Kobo lets you set your own list price within the store's allowed range, and your earnings depend on that price and the current KWL or distributor terms. We are not going to quote a royalty percentage here because those terms change and vary by path and territory; read the current rate on your KWL payment page or in your distributor agreement before you set a price. What is worth knowing is why Kobo is a useful shelf. It reaches readers in markets where Amazon is not dominant, it powers audiobook catalogs for several library and retail partners, and going wide means one production can sell in more places than an Amazon-only release. If you are weighing exclusive against wide, our guide to publishing your audiobook wide and non-exclusive lays out the trade-off, and audiobook royalties explained covers how the money actually works.

Kobo also sits alongside other non-Amazon stores you can reach with the same file. If you are building a wide release, our walkthrough on selling your audiobook on Spotify and Google Play pairs well with a Kobo listing. And if this is your first time producing audio at all, start with how to make an audiobook with AI before you worry about distribution.

FAQ

Does AudioProducer upload my audiobook to Kobo for me? No. AudioProducer exports a finished MP3 that you download. You upload that file to Kobo Writing Life yourself, or send it through a distributor that lists to the Kobo store.

Do I need a human narrator to sell on Kobo? No. Kobo sells AI-narrated audiobooks. You just need the rights to the text and to the voice you used, and any cloned voice must be your own or one you have permission to use.

What files does Kobo want for an audiobook? Generally your chapter audio files in reading order, a square cover image, and complete metadata. Confirm the exact format, bitrate, and cover resolution in your current KWL or distributor dashboard, since those specs are updated from time to time.