Der Hörverlag
Der Hörverlag is a German audiobook publisher founded in 1993, operating as an imprint of Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe. It releases roughly 250 titles annually across CD and digital formats, distributed via Audible, Spotify, RTL+, Bookbeat, and major German retailers to DACH consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersMunich, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Der Hörverlag does
Der Hörverlag is a German audiobook publishing house founded in 1993 and operating as an imprint of Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH, which is majority-owned by Bertelsmann. The publisher releases approximately 150 new audiobook titles on CD annually and approximately 100 digital download titles per year, either as parallel digital releases alongside the CD editions or as digital-only titles. Its catalog combines globally recognized franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Harry Potter with works by prominent German and international authors including Eckart von Hirschhausen, Frank Schätzing, Peter Wohlleben, Elena Ferrante, Agatha Christie, and Lucinda Riley. The publisher is headquartered in Munich and its primary market is the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
The company distributes through a multi-channel network spanning dedicated audiobook platforms (Audible.de, Bookbeat), general audio streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, Google Play Books), entertainment subscription bundles (RTL+), online bookstores (Thalia, Hugendubel, Genialokal, eBook.de), and physical retail via Penguin Random House's established book trade infrastructure. It has no proprietary technology platform; the business is built on content rights, professional narration production, and the parent's distribution scale. Marketing is conducted through the central Penguin.de discovery hub, email newsletters, and social media accounts operated under the Penguin Random House brand (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok).
Commercially, Der Hörverlag operates a unit-pricing revenue model across three format tiers: digital audiobook downloads at €24.95 including VAT, physical paperback editions at €15.00 including VAT, and eBooks in EPUB format at €11.99. It serves two primary consumer segments — adult listeners seeking entertainment and literary content, and families with children seeking age-appropriate spoken-word and educational content. The publisher's competitive position is anchored by its content library, 30+ year brand heritage in the German audiobook market, and integration into the Penguin Random House ecosystem of 40+ imprints.
Der Hörverlag firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Der Hörverlag
- Legal name
- Der Hörverlag
- Website
- https://hoerverlag.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Der Hörverlag is a German audiobook publisher founded in 1993, operating as an imprint of Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe. It releases roughly 250 titles annually across CD and digital formats, distributed via Audible, Spotify, RTL+, Bookbeat, and major German retailers to DACH consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Der Hörverlag industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audiobook Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literary & Classics Publishing (MPAJAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Young Adult (YA) Publishing (MPAJAFAD)
Keywords
Where Der Hörverlag is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Munich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Der Hörverlag business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Audiobook Sales (Physical CD): Der Hörverlag publishes approximately 150 new audiobook titles annually on CD, generating revenue through physical media sales distributed via retail partners and bookstores across German-speaking markets.
- Audiobook Downloads (Digital): Approximately 100 titles per year are released as parallel or exclusive digital downloads through platforms like Audible.de, Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Bookbeat, and RTL+, providing a growing digital revenue stream with higher margins than physical media.
- eBook Sales: The publisher also sells eBook versions of titles in EPUB format, complementing the audiobook offerings and providing consumers with multiple format options for the same content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Audiobook Download - €24.95 including VAT |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback - €15.00 including VAT |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | eBook (EPUB) - €11.99 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels4 records
Der Hörverlag product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Der Hörverlag is a German-language audiobook publishing house that produces and distributes spoken-word content in multiple formats. The publisher releases approximately 150 new titles annually on physical CD and approximately 100 titles as digital downloads, featuring a catalog that spans fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, and fantasy from internationally acclaimed authors and German-language bestsellers.
Product overview
Der Hörverlag is a German audiobook publishing house founded in 1993, operating as one of the leading German-language audiobook publishers. The company publishes a broad program of audiobooks for children and adults across all genres. Its product portfolio consists of physical audiobook CDs (approximately 150 new titles annually) and digital download/audiobook streaming offerings (approximately 100 titles per year as parallel or exclusive digital releases). Distribution occurs through multiple channels including the company's own Penguin Random House platform, third-party streaming services (RTL+, Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Bookbeat), and retail partners (Thalia, Hugendubel, Genialokal, eBook.de). The catalog features prominent titles such as Der Herr der Ringe, Der Hobbit, and Harry Potter, along with works by notable authors including Eckart von Hirschhausen, Elena Ferrante, Agatha Christie, Frank Schätzing, Lucinda Riley, and Peter Wohlleben.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hörbuch auf CD (Physical Audiobook CD)
Companies that use Der Hörverlag
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Der Hörverlag technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Der Hörverlag partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, strategic and flagship.
- Audible.de (Amazon)corePrimary distribution partner for Der Hörverlag audiobooks. Audible.de serves as the dominant audiobook platform in German-speaking markets, providing retail access to Der Hörverlag's catalog of approximately 250 annual releases.
- SpotifycoreMajor audio streaming platform offering Der Hörverlag audiobook content alongside music and podcasts, expanding reach to Spotify's large user base in German markets.
- ThaliamajorLeading German online bookstore chain serving as both online retail channel and physical storefront for Der Hörverlag physical and digital audiobook products.
- HugendubelmajorMajor German bookseller with strong online presence and retail stores, distributing Der Hörverlag audiobooks to German consumers through multichannel retail.
- BookbeatcoreDedicated audiobook platform providing subscription and download purchase options for Der Hörverlag titles in German-speaking markets.
- Apple (iTunes/Apple Books)majorApple ecosystem audiobook distribution through iTunes and Apple Books platforms, providing access to Der Hörverlag catalog for iOS users in German markets.
- RTL+strategicGerman streaming platform partnership expanding audiobook availability to RTL+ subscribers, integrating Der Hörverlag content into a broader entertainment subscription service.
- Penguin Random House VerlagsgruppeflagshipParent company and publishing group providing distribution infrastructure, retail relationships, marketing support, and acquisition rights for Der Hörverlag. As part of one of the world's largest publishing groups, Der Hörverlag benefits from global content rights and operational synergies across 40+ imprints.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Der Hörverlag competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hörbuch Hamburg: Independent German audiobook publisher producing literary fiction, non-fiction, and children's audiobooks for the DACH market. Directly comparable to Der Hörverlag as a competing audiobook imprint competing for the same authors, narrators, and retail shelf space across German-speaking markets.
- Argon Verlag: Berlin-based German audiobook publisher known for high-profile fiction, thriller, and celebrity-narrated productions. Direct competitor to Der Hörverlag in the premium German audiobook segment with similar production quality and reliance on leading narrators and recognizable authors.
- Osterwold Audio: German audiobook publisher with strong fiction and literary catalog. Comparable niche German audiobook imprint competing in similar genres and distribution channels, though smaller in catalog scale than Der Hörverlag.
- Der Audio Verlag (DAV): Berlin-based audiobook publisher specializing in classic literature, crime fiction, and high-quality productions. Directly comparable to Der Hörverlag's literary and classics catalog, including notable authors like Agatha Christie who are also part of Der Hörverlag's roster.
- Lübbe Audio: Audiobook imprint of Bastei Lübbe, one of Germany's largest audiobook publishers. Closely comparable to Der Hörverlag in product offering (CD, download, streaming), catalog breadth, and DACH market focus, competing for the same pool of bestselling authors and premium narrators.
Broad incumbents
- Bookbeat: Leading audiobook subscription service in German-speaking markets, operated by Bonnier. Functions as a core distribution partner for Der Hörverlag but also competes indirectly by shaping consumer listening habits toward unlimited subscription models rather than transactional purchases.
- Spotify: Global audio streaming platform that has expanded aggressively into audiobooks in Germany. Competes for the same listening occasions (commute, leisure) as Der Hörverlag's titles and serves as a distribution channel while also producing/promoting competing spoken-word content.
- Penguin Random House Audio (US): Audiobook division of Penguin Random House in English-speaking markets. Sister operation under the same global parent as Der Hörverlag, providing a strategic benchmark for catalog curation, narrator relationships, and production workflows across languages.
- Audible (Amazon): Dominant audiobook platform in Germany and primary distribution partner for Der Hörverlag titles. While also a retailer, Audible produces Audible Originals and competes for consumer listening time, positioning it as both a channel partner and broad incumbent in the same end market.
Others
- Thalia: Germany's largest bookstore chain and online audiobook retailer. Functions as a major distribution partner for Der Hörverlag physical CDs and digital downloads, with comparable end-consumer relationships in the German book market though not a direct publishing competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Der Hörverlag social profiles
Digital presenceDer Hörverlag financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Der Hörverlag leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Der Hörverlag funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Der Hörverlag M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Der Hörverlag
What does Der Hörverlag do?
Der Hörverlag is a German-language audiobook publishing house that produces and distributes spoken-word content in multiple formats. The publisher releases approximately 150 new titles annually on physical CD and approximately 100 titles as digital downloads, featuring a catalog that spans fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, and fantasy from internationally acclaimed authors and German-language bestsellers.
Is Der Hörverlag a public or private company?
Der Hörverlag is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Der Hörverlag founded?
Der Hörverlag was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Der Hörverlag based?
Der Hörverlag is headquartered in Munich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Der Hörverlag make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Audiobook Sales (Physical CD) is the primary driver. The others are audiobook Downloads (Digital) and eBook Sales.
Who are Der Hörverlag's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hörbuch Hamburg, Argon Verlag, Osterwold Audio, Der Audio Verlag (DAV) and Lübbe Audio. Broad incumbents are Bookbeat, Spotify, Penguin Random House Audio (US) and Audible (Amazon). Thalia is listed as an others.
Does Der Hörverlag have an API?
No public API is recorded for Der Hörverlag.
What industry is Der Hörverlag in?
Der Hörverlag's product category is Audiobook Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAC, Literary & Classics Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAD, Young Adult (YA) Publishing. Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.