Detailed Comparison

Glassboxx.com

MySoundwise.com

Skip straight to the Summary

Skip straight to the Summary

Ease of signup

• Signup is free.
• Glassboxx will contact you via email prior to granting access.
• Click here if you’d like us to manage your Glassboxx participation.

• Join via AppSumo for the current offer of $59 for lifetime membership at the lowest tier (The alternative is to pay the lowest-tier subscription fee of $12 a month).
• Signup is immediate (once email is verified).
• Start using immediately.

Ease of use as a rights’ holder.

• Dashboard and upload process is a little confusing at first, but doesn’t take long to get up to speed
• Simultaneous upload of multiple audio files
• (If you don’t want the trouble of managing your own glassboxx account and upload process, we are trialling as service where authors or narrators  can piggy-back off our Glassboxx account)

• Dashboard and upload process are fairly straightforward, once you realise each audiobook is a Soundcast and each audio file is a Track inside the relevant Soundcast.
• Unless on one of the higher-cost subscription tiers, the uploading process is long and tedious, as each audio file must be uploaded and named individually.

Ease of uploading

• Designed for audiobooks
• User dashboard takes a little getting used to
• Dashboard, upload process and jargon can take a little while to get your head around.

• Designed for podcasts and music (though works well for audiobooks)
• Each audiobook is a ‘Soundcast’ (similar to a music album) To upload an audiobook, start a Soundcast; then each audio file/chapter is a separate Track in that Soundcast
• Upload your audio files/tracks in reverse order – end credits first; opening credits last so tracks appear in the correct order. (Otherwise you’ll need to drag and drop to rearrange).

Ability to upload files in bulk

• Three methods of audiobook upload
• Manually upload multiple files at once in a single audiobook
• Files appear on dashboard in a few hours
• Includes two bulk upload systems: (1) upload up to five books at once with ONIX / CSV protocols; (2) automatic uploader for higher volumes.
• (We’ve not yet tried either bulk upload, so cannot comment)

• Bulk upload only available with higher-cost subscription tiers
• Lower-cost clients must upload a file at a time
• (We’ve not yet tried bulk upload, so cannot comment)

User experience

• Listening app is like Audible or Authors Direct apps.
• App includes variable playback speed, sleep function, 10 seconds forwards/back; next chapter/last chapter buttons.
• Purchase links take you to the audiobook’s purchase page at Glassboxx, where an “Add to Basket” button makes it obvious how to purchase.
• For those outside the US or UK, it may not be obvious how to change currencies (there is a currency choice at the top right of the screen).
• Each audiobook is downloaded to the listener’s device for listening (rather than being streamed from the internet).
• Since files are downloaded, listeners can listen anytime in the app, including offline and away from a data connection.
• Listeners need to wait for the initial download of at least the first file before seamless listening is possible.

• Listening app is like Audible or Authors Direct apps.
• App includes variable playback speed, sleep function, 10 seconds forwards/back; next chapter/last chapter buttons.
• Purchase links take you to the audiobook’s purchase page at MySoundwise, but how to purchase isn’t immediately apparent.  The purchase button says “Get Access” rather than “Buy Now” or “Purchase” or “Add to Cart”.
• Audiobooks are streamed live to the listener’s device, requiring a stable internet connection.
• Listeners can stream the audiobook immediately and don’t need to wait for any files to download.
• Files may be downloaded for listening offline using the app.
• Users may be logged in at multiple locations/devices (we see this as a concern!)

Bundles

• Boxed sets or bundles must be uploaded as an audiobook in their own right.

• Ability to bundle multiple audiobooks (or Soundcasts) into a ‘bundle’ without having to re-upload all the files.

Your Royalties

• The first component of your audiobook’s sales price is taken by the online payment provider (Paypal, Stripe, etc). Payment providers typically take 30 cents plus around 2.9%. This rises to 30 cents plus around 6% if seller and buyer are in different countries or using different currencies.
• Glassboxx receives the remainder, and holds it until paying you in a lump sum the following month, at which time they deduct 20% commission for themselves, then pass the rest on to you.
• As Glassboxx pays out monthly in a lump sum, costs of payment processing on that lump sum may be minimised, as it’s one larger payment instead of many small payments, but we haven’t yet tested this in practice.
• So you’ll lose a percentage to the payment processor, then 20% of the remainder to Glassboxx – leaving you with around 70 to 75% of the sale price. Audiobooks sales have a tax component marked on the Glassboxx checkout, but whether this tax component is passed on to you as royalty or passed on to the tax department we are not yet sure.

• The first component of your audiobook’s sales price is taken by the online payment provider, in this case, Stripe.
• Stripe costs (as listed on the MySoundwise website) are 2.9% plus 30 cents for every transaction.
• MySoundwise appears to charge in USD. If your Stripe account is not in USD, then you’ll pay an additional 1% for each Stripe payment, then an additional 1 to 2% when withdrawing to your own currency.
• St AudioFriendlies, we’ve so far only used the $69 lifetime low-tier MySoundwise plan. So far, we’ve had no commission taken out by MySoundwise on any audiobook sale (although this page states MySoundwise may take a 5% commission on audiobook sales).  So at this point, for our $59 initial outlay, we’ve been paid royalties of 90% to 95% for audiobook sales through MySoundwise – better by far than any other method of delivery audiobooks to the public that we’ve found!

Discount codes and Free Promo codes

• You can make as many different multiple-use discount codes as you wish.
• Each discount code can be used multiple times (these are NOT single-use codes like Audible and Authors Direct)
• Each discount code can give either a set percentage off or a set dollar figure off the full price.
• Each discount code can be set as ongoing, or be valid only until a set date.
• You can make a code to give 100% off (making your audiobook free, just like Audible or Author’s Direct promo codes) however Glassboxx will charge you 50 pence (around 70 US cents) for each free copy given away.

• You can make as many different multiple-use discount codes as you wish.
• Each discount code can be used multiple times (these are NOT single-use codes like Audible and Authors Direct)
• Each discount code can give either a set percentage off or a set dollar figure off the full price.
• Each discount code can be set as ongoing, or be valid only until a set date.
• Giving out Free copies (via 100% discount coupons or by setting your book’s price to 0.00) is easy to do and costs nothing at MySoundwise. This allows you to give out unlimited free copies.

Payment Schedule

• Paid monthly in a lump sum, in the month following each audiobook sale.
• This may result in lower costs lost via payment merchant fees, however there may be more frequent currency conversion fees, (since Glassboxx receives GBP and the majority of audiobook sales are likely to be in USD), but we’ve yet to test this in practice.
• You will lose something in merchant fees (which are taken out prior to Glassboxx receiving payments on your behalf). Then Glassboxx will deduct 20% commission on the amounts they receive on your behalf, before forwarding the remaining 80% to you each month. We estimate this means you receive 70 to 75% of your book’s sale price.

• Your Stripe account is credited each time a sale is made. Stripe’s costs are listed as 1.9% plus 30 cents for each transaction if both seller and purchaser are in the same country, or 2.9% plus 30 cents if the purchaser and seller are in different countries. If currency conversion is required (if your bank account is in a different currency than the purchaser’s), you will lose an additional 1 to 2% during currency conversion.
• We haven’t been charged a commission by MySoundwise so far for our audiobook sales (since MySoundwise charges you upon sign-up, rather than as a commission on sales), however it is stated on this page that MySoundwise may take a 5% commission on audiobook sales)
• We estimate you receive 90 to 95% of your audiobook’s sales price PRIOR to any currency conversion required to get payments into your local currency/bank account.

Payment Method

• You supply bank account details to Glassboxx on your dashboard

• You must sign up for a Stripe account to be paid. Your Stripe account will be credited immediately upon each audiobook sale.

International Currencies

• Payments are converted to Great British Pounds upon purchase.
• Glassboxx pays out monthly in Great British Pounds.
• If you do not have a bank account capable of receiving GBP, your bank may convert your payment to your local currency, which could incur bank charges and/or currency conversions up to 4% above mid-market currency rates.
• (If your bank account isn’t in GBP, we suggest setting up a Wise account – formerly TransferWise – allowing you a virtual GBP account to hold GBP then convert or withdraw it into your local currency with lower fees and conversion ratios than most other methods)

• Because MySoundwise pays out using Stripe, each payment will be sent immediately to your Stripe account, and any currency conversions (and any associated costs) will happen according to the available currencies in your Stripe account.

Retailer website

• No retailer website where listeners can browse your audiobooks.
• Glassboxx does NOT list your book for sale on their website or app.
• Links are provided to a checkout page for each of your audiobooks.
• You must market your books (through AudioFriendlies and your own channels) to drive purchases through Glassboxx.

• No retailer website where listeners can browse for audiobooks.
• MySoundwise DOES list your book for sale on their app, however you have to choose ‘Discover’ at the bottom of the app, and then type in a string of text to find your audiobook.
• Links are provided to a checkout page for each of your audiobooks.
• You must market your books (through AudioFriendlies and your own channels) to drive purchases through MySoundwise.
• You do have a page at MySoundwise listing all your audiobooks on the one page.

What about ebooks?

• Glassboxx can sell your ebooks as well as audiobooks, again taking 20% commission, after payment processing fees.

• MySoundwise can sell audiobooks only.

Subscriptions for multiple audiobooks

• Does not offer the ability to charge your listeners for an ongoing subscription service.

• Because MySoundwise is designed with music and podcasts in mind, it has the ability for you to create your own subscription service, offering access to any number (or all) your audiobooks for an onoing subscription price.

DRM protection and safety from pirates

• DRM protection included in dedicated listening app.
• Dashboard allows you to set the number of times an audiobook can be downloaded by a listener to a device (default number is 6). This puts a cap on the number of devices a listener can use to access your audiobook, which provides some protection against multiple people using the same account to listen to your audiobook without purchasing it themselves.

• DRM protection included in dedicated listening app.
• Unless you’re on one of the more expensive tiers (at least Pro at $97/month) then there is nothing to stop multiple people logging in simultaneously to the one listening account and listening to the audiobooks on that account. There is no protection against multiple people using the same account login details to listen to your audiobook without purchasing it themselves. We see this as a major concern, as it opens the door to an unlimited number of people being able to listen to your work without paying. This can be a plus for less critical works for which you want widespread access, such as loss leaders, newsletter/website magnets, first in series and audiobook samplers.

Reputation and Safety

• Part of firstygroup.com, a reputable, established company with good contacts in the industry.
• Work with reputable publishers, including Hachette, Macmillan Education, Ulverscroft Publishing and Edinburgh University Press. Easy to contact, and we’ve spoken at length (via video call) to Glassboxx representatives.

• Knowledge about this company is difficult to find.
• In our experience, this company is difficult to contact. We sent three emails over two months before they finally replied to our third email.

Location

• Glassboxx is located in the UK, and all audio file hosting appears to be on their UK servers.

• MySoundwise appears to be located in the USA.

More Info

• https://glassboxx.com/glassboxx-overview-2/
• https://glassboxx.com/glassboxx-features/

• https://mysoundwise.com/faqs
• https://mysoundwise.com/audible-acx-alternative

Summary

• Receive 70 to 75% of the purchase price of each audiobook sale, paid monthly in a lump sum.
• Reputable, safe, organised and here for the long haul.
• Charge you 50 pence (around 70 US cents) for every free promo code copy.
• Can sell eBooks as well as Audiobooks.
• No ability to split payments across multiple parties, making it difficult/impossible to use for Royalty Share / RS Plus audiobooks. (though you can piggy-back for RS off our Glassboxx account)
• There is a cap on the number of times an audiobook can be downloaded, minimising the danger of multiple people listening via the one account.

• Receive 90 to 95% of the purchase price of each audiobook sale, paid immediately into your Stripe account.
• No ability to split payments across multiple parties, making it difficult/impossible for Royalty Share / RS Plus audiobooks.
• Unless you’re on a $97/month or higher subscription, multiple listeners can sign in under the same account login and all listen to the same library of books with only one of them having paid for access. This opens the door for authors and narrators’ work being accessed on a widespread scale without payment, or the possibility of global access if login details were available online.
• Turn the above negative into a positive by using for less critical, low-return works and audiobooks you don’t mind having widely available for marketing purposes, for example, loss leaders, newsletter/website magnets, first in series or sampler audiobooks. In these cases, widespread free access from multiple listeners using the one account may be beneficial in gaining you new fans.
• Consider using for limited-time Free Advanced Review Copies where you send a ‘100% off’ discount code to your trusted reviewer team, advising the advanced review copy will only be available until X date. Once that date arrives, DELETE or UNPUBLISH the title from your MySoundwise account so the audiobook can no longer be seen, bought or streamed, and only those who’ve downloaded the files to their device for offline listening will retain access.