Free
Reader
Account model for launch.
Membership
Start simple: free accounts and direct audiobook sales.
Sapphyre Dominion can add memberships later, but the first launch should focus on reader trust, creator payout clarity, and clean sale records.
Direct sale pool
75%
Suggested creator pool.
Referral pool
85%
Author or publisher driven.
Subscription pool
Later
Do not launch first.
AvailableBest launch option
Free Reader Account
Free
Readers can create an account, buy audiobooks directly, stream from their library, save bookmarks, and track listening progress.
✓Free account
✓Direct audiobook purchases
✓Reader library
✓Streaming access
✓Bookmarks and progress
✓Follow authors, narrators, and publishers
Creator impact
Create free accountBest for launch because each sale is simple to track and can create clear royalty payout lines.
PlannedLater option
Credit Membership
$14.99
per month
Readers pay monthly and receive audiobook credits. This can compete with Audible-style buying while keeping payout rules clearer than full subscription streaming.
✓Monthly audiobook credit
✓Member pricing placeholder
✓Credit redemption history
✓Unused credit handling
✓Creator payout on redemption
✓Cancel anytime placeholder
Creator impact
Preview credit planCleaner than unlimited listening because royalties can be calculated when a credit is redeemed.
FutureDo not launch first
Subscription Pool
$9.99
per month
Readers pay for access to a pool of included audiobooks. Creator payouts would come from a shared subscription pool based on listening activity.
✓Included listening catalog
✓Listening-minute tracking
✓Creator pool allocation
✓Anti-fraud listening checks
✓Publisher opt-in rules
✓Complex payout reporting
Creator impact
Learn why laterPowerful later, but risky early because it requires accurate listening data, fraud controls, and very clear creator reporting.
Launch with direct sales first.
Direct sales are easier to explain, easier to calculate, easier to audit, and easier for creators to trust. A subscription pool can come later after the platform has enough catalog size, listening data, fraud controls, and payout reporting.
✓ Simple checkout
✓ Clear reader ownership
✓ Straightforward sale records
✓ Cleaner creator payout lines
✓ Less payout confusion
✓ Better early trust with indie creators
Royalty models
These are mock business rules for the product design. The backend should store the exact model used on each sale so old purchases are never recalculated incorrectly.
| Sale type | Creator pool | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Direct sale | 75%+ | A normal reader purchase from the marketplace or book page. |
| Author referral | 85%+ | A reader buys through an author referral link. |
| Publisher referral | 85%+ | A reader buys through a publisher referral link. |
| Platform discovery | 70%+ | A reader discovers the book through platform browsing or recommendations. |
| Future subscription pool | 60%+ | A later shared pool where creators are paid from subscription revenue. |
See how creator payouts could work.
This mock calculator shows the key model: the sale creates a creator pool, then that pool is split between the author, narrator, publisher, and rights holder.
Creator pool
$13.50
Platform share
$4.50
Pool rate
75%
Author: Eliora Vance60% / $8.10
Narrator: Marcus Thorne20% / $2.70
Publisher: Obsidian Lantern Press10% / $1.35
Rights Holder: Static Gate Story Trust10% / $1.35
Future subscription pool logic
A future subscription pool should calculate creator payouts based on validated listening activity, not just total uploads or catalog size.
1
Subscription revenue is collected
2
Platform sets a creator pool percentage
3
Eligible titles opt into the subscription catalog
4
Listening minutes are tracked and validated
5
Fraud and repeat-loop listening are filtered
6
Creator pool is split based on qualified listening share
7
Each title still applies its author/narrator/publisher split