Get Paid to Read: 15 Sites To Help You Earn Money Today
If you’re an avid reader, you might be able to make money from your favorite leisure activity.
Several companies will pay you in cash and even give you free books in exchange for your opinion on the books you are reading.
Good book reviews help publishers, writers, and readers. Publishers use quality reviews to help advertise their books. Authors need reviews as a form of word of mouth marketing to inspire readers to purchase their books. Readers rely on reviews to decide if they want to read a book.
Therefore, quality reviews are highly sought after and often pay well.
Whether you love reading fiction, non-fiction, or even comics, there is an outlet that will pay you to read and review books for them. Here’s our list of 15 sites to help you get paid to read.
Earn Cash for Your Reviews
If you’re looking for the perfect side hustle that pays cash, then you can get started earning money for your reviews on these sites today.
Kirkus Media
Pay: Freelance, typically between $5 and $60 per review
Kirkus Media is one of the most respected sources of reviews on the market. When you read blurbs on bookselling websites such as Amazon, you are often reading a Kirkus Review. These well-written blurbs and reviews are often sourced from their paid book reviewers.
If you can write in English or Spanish and are willing to review specific titles, then this is the company for you. They typically give their reviewers a title to review, then ask for a 350-word review within two weeks. You can apply on their website by sending in your writing samples and a resume.
Online Book Club
Pay: $5 to $60
To be a part of the Online Book Club, you must first apply on their website. Then, they will send you a free copy of the book they would like you to review. Once you’ve submitted your quality review, you will also get paid for your review.
They are transparent about their payment rates upfront before you agree to review a book and typically pay between $5 to $60. The rate per book depends on the complexity of the review they need and the popularity of that book.
Women’s Review of Books
Pay: $100 per review
The Wellesley Centers for Women owns Women’s Review of Books and is a well-respected reviewing source for feminists. To apply, reviewers send the company an email with your credentials and a writing sample.
Once you’re an approved book reviewer, you can start requesting book reviews. Most of the books they review are academic and informative texts. Therefore, the review writers are also academics, journalists, or professional book reviewers.
Therefore, be sure that you are interested in the subject matter before applying for this high-paying gig.
U.S. Review of Books
Pay: Freelance, typically between $5-30
If you’re open to writing 250-300-word reviews on books of all kinds, then you might want to consider writing for the U.S. Review of Books. Reviewers are paid monthly for all their past month’s work, and users get to choose which books they’d like to review.
Once you’ve chosen a book to review, the company will send you the book for free. After receiving your book, you will be expected to review it within two to three weeks.
Booklist Publications
Pay: $15 per review
The American Library Association created Booklist Publications as a journal for librarians. When users sign up for this review site, they ask that users are familiar with the Booklist Publication outlets, including Booklist magazine and their blog. They also ask that users are familiar with their writing style.
After you’ve been selected to write for Booklist and send you something to review, reviews are no longer than 175 words. The best part? Even if your review is rejected, they will pay you $5 for your time.
Instaread
Pay: $100 per review
If you’re more interested in recapping books rather than giving a critical perspective, then you might want to sign up for Instaread. This website asks users to write reviews that are 1000-1500 words and provide detailed insights.
All the books are non-fiction, so you get to learn something new while reviewing these books. In exchange for your lengthy review, they pay reviewers $100. This is more than most book review sites on the market.
Upwork
Pay: Freelance, varies
Not sure where to start getting book review opportunities? Start with Upwork. This website allows people who need their independent publications reviewed for posting ‘wanted’ ads. Then, people like you can apply to write reviews for them. While these opportunities might only pay a few dollars, they can help you build up your writing samples.
Typically, these opportunities are one-time gigs. Depending on the quality of your writing and the publisher's needs, you might be able to turn it into a recurring review.
Any Subject Books
Pay: Freelance, unspecified
Any Subject Books is a self-publishing service. The people who self-publish need reviews to help sell their books and thus pay on a book-by-book basis. This service requires users to submit in-depth reviews. Users can select what genre of books they want to review, and they have dozens of niches to choose from.
Publishers Weekly
Pay: Freelance, unspecified
This weekly magazine pays book reviewers to review fiction and non-fiction books. To apply, users must submit a resume as well as a 200-word writing sample.
The sample must be of a recently published book. Once accepted, reviewers might be asked to review fiction or non-fiction books.
Earn Books for Your Reviews
If you’re starting, it might be challenging to get paid to write book reviews.
Therefore, if you want some practice and get your books for free, you can start writing for these companies.
Book Browse
Pay: Free books
Book Browse created the First Impressions program to get Advance Readers’ Copies (ARCs) into reviewers' hands. These copies are created before mainstream publication to help authors advertise their books via word of mouth marketing through reviews.
There are only a handful of titles to choose from each month, and there are only 25 copies offered from each book. Members can request these books to review if they find a title they are interested in.
Reviewers are asked to submit 100-300-word reviews. This site will give you the book for free but will not pay users for their reviews.
Chicago Book Reviews
Pay: Free books
The Chicago Book Review is a popular website that highlights Chicago’s publishing world. Chicago has over 125 publishing companies, and quality reviews help these companies to get good publicity.
Reviewers are asked to write quality reviews that are about 100 words long or more. In exchange, they receive free books.
Moody Press
Pay: Free reader’s copy
Moody Press specializes in publishing Christian titles as well as bible study resources. They need reviewers to receive free copies of books in exchange for reviews. In exchange for free materials, they ask that reviewers return their opinions within 60 days of receiving the material.
They have a Facebook group to help their reviewers and bloggers connect and work out any technical issues together.
Book Browse
Pay: Free books
This website will give users free books in exchange for writing a review. This online magazine explicitly created for book lovers allows users to browse opportunities for reviews.
The schedule and content available vary, so users are often encouraged to check back on the website to see if there is a book they are interested in.
Bethany House
Pay: Free books
This holistic Christian publisher requires reviewers to authorize that their work is published on the Bethany House blog. Once users register on the Bethany House website, they can select both fiction and non-fiction books available for review.
Reviews must be 75 words plus a plot synopsis. Once a review is written, users are asked to publish their reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
My Reader Rewards Club
Pay: Points for shopping on Tyndale Publishers and NavPress websites
Tyndale Publishers and NavPress created My Reader Rewards Club as a means for reviewers to earn free books. They can use the points they earn to purchase new books on the publisher’s websites.
In addition to earning points by writing reviews, users can earn points by referring friends to the program or taking surveys.
The Bottom Line
Avid readers can earn money by merely doing what they love. Many websites will offer readers free books and cash in exchange for their reviews. While this won’t make you rich, writing book reviews can help you get books for free, thus saving you money on your hobby.
Additionally, some niche book reviewers can earn $100 or more for their content.
If you’re interested in other side gigs to help you start earning money today, be sure to check out our website. There are opportunities to make money from your phone and other means of earning money from the comfort of your home.
