How to Make Money Online with ElevenLabs

A step-by-step guide to earning £3,000/month by licensing your voice and creating AI audiobooks

Want to make money online without showing your face, working 9 to 5, or investing thousands up front?

AI voice tools are making that possible — especially with platforms like ElevenLabs. Whether you’re a content creator, freelancer, or just someone curious about passive income, ElevenLabs can help you build a real online income stream.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through two proven ways to earn money using ElevenLabs:

1. Licensing your AI voice to earn passive income
2. Creating and selling audiobooks with AI voiceovers

You don’t need experience. You don’t need a following. Just a decent mic, a few hours of focus, and a strategy. Let’s dive in.

What Is ElevenLabs, and Why Should You Care?

ElevenLabs is an AI voice platform that lets you clone your voice and turn any written script into ultra-realistic audio. It’s used by YouTubers, audiobook publishers, indie game developers, educators — pretty much anyone who needs a high-quality voiceover but doesn’t want to hire a full-time narrator.

Here’s what makes ElevenLabs special:

• You can license your AI voice and get paid every time someone uses it
• You can generate audiobooks, voiceovers, or full podcast episodes using text
• You keep full control over your voice, pricing, and earnings
• It’s beginner-friendly and affordable, starting at $5/month (though $22/month is best to get started)

Option 1: Make Passive Income by Licensing Your AI Voice

A Reddit user named hijoshua made $164 in his first month, then grew to $451.35/month by month three.

Another user, Particular-Card-4807, earned over CA$20,000 (around £10,500) in 11 months using just two voices.

This isn’t theory. It works.

1. Create an ElevenLabs Account

Go to ElevenLabs here and create your account.
Start with the Creator Tier ($22/month) so you can upload and license your voice.

2. Record Your Voice (Properly)

• Use a quality mic (like the Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica AT2020)
• Record in a quiet space — your closet can actually work great
• Read ElevenLabs’ built-in sample scripts
• Record at least 30 minutes, ideally 2–3 hours, to train your voice accurately

Be consistent in tone, energy, and pace. The more stable your voice, the better the clone.

3. Upload and Clone Your Voice

• Go to the ElevenLabs Studio
• Upload your recordings and wait a few hours for processing
• Once done, test how it sounds and make improvements if needed

4. Set Your Usage Rate

• You’ll earn based on how often people use your voice
• A good starting price is around $0.03 per 1,000 credits
• You can adjust your rate later based on demand

5. Publish and Share Your Voice

• Add your voice to ElevenLabs’ Voice Library
• Promote it on Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, and creator communities
• You can also reach out directly to creators on Fiverr, YouTube, or indie dev forums

6. Monitor Payouts and Scale Up

• ElevenLabs pays you weekly via Stripe
• Track which voices are performing best
• Want to grow faster? Clone more voices with different styles, accents, or characters
• Some creators make separate ElevenLabs accounts to host more voices

Tip: There’s demand for character voices, cartoon tones, non-English accents, and niche narrator types. Study what’s already in the library and offer something unique.

Option 2: Create and Sell AI-Generated Audiobooks

Audiobooks are booming — and you no longer need a professional studio or expensive narrator to make one.

With ElevenLabs, you can produce high-quality audiobooks at home, using AI voices. Then, publish them on platforms like Audible or Google Play Books and earn royalties on every sale.

Leeanna Morgan, a bestselling author, created 21 audiobooks using ElevenLabs.
She estimates saving NZ$147,000+ and dramatically increased her sales.

1. Pick a Book

Start with public domain books (free to use and sell). Great choices include:

• The Art of War
• Frankenstein
• Pride and Prejudice
• Sherlock Holmes

2. Clean and Format the Text

• Break it into chapters or sections
• Remove any irrelevant front/back matter
• Prepare it for smooth narration

3. Choose or Create Your Narrator Voice

• Use ElevenLabs’ built-in voices or clone your own
• Adjust pitch, tone, pace, and breathing for realism
• Match the voice to the story (e.g., dramatic for mystery, calm for nonfiction)

4. Generate the Audio

• Use ElevenLabs Studio to turn each chapter into audio
• Check for errors and fix mispronunciations
• Add natural pauses and flow

5. Edit and Finalize

• Use Audacity (free) or GarageBand to polish
• Add intro/outro music if needed
• Export in 192–256 kbps MP3 format to meet platform specs

6. Publish to Major Platforms

Upload your audiobook to:

• Audible via ACX
• Google Play Books
• Kobo Writing Life

Add a compelling cover using Canva and write a clear, searchable description.

7. Promote and Build Your Catalog

• Share your audiobooks on social media and niche communities
• Offer a free sample chapter to build your email list
• Run simple ads or connect with book bloggers and YouTube reviewers
• Keep releasing new titles to grow your income

Want to hit £3,000/month? Just 6 audiobooks making £500/month each can get you there.

FAQ: Quick Answers to Common Questions

Can I really make passive income with ElevenLabs?
Yes. Creators are earning between £150–£1,000+ per voice per month.

Do I need a subscription to earn?

Yes. You’ll need at least the Creator Tier ($22/month) to publish your voice and earn royalties.

How many voices can I create?

One per account by default. Some creators use multiple accounts to host more voices.

Where do I sell my audiobooks?

Audible (via ACX), Google Play Books, and Kobo are great options. They all offer royalties on every sale.

Final Tips for Long-Term Success

• Prioritize sound quality — it’s the biggest factor in success
• Keep experimenting — try different voices, styles, accents, and genres
• Track what works — double down on what’s making you money
• Join the community — check out Reddit, Discord, and Facebook groups around ElevenLabs and voiceover work
• Stay consistent — the more assets you build, the more your income compounds

Ready to Start?

You don’t need a YouTube channel. You don’t need thousands of followers. And you definitely don’t need to go broke trying to launch something.

You just need your voice, a quiet room, and a plan.

Start small. License your first voice. Create one audiobook.
And grow from there.

Start your journey with ElevenLabs here

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