Did you know that you can get paid to read books? This one is for the avid readers and book lovers out there!
There is no shortage of options if you want to make money by doing what you love.
We all know that the first step in life is to find something we enjoy, but sometimes we forget about the second step: making money from it.
This article will show you 19+ fun ways to get paid to read books and find the lazy job of your dream!
Let’s find you some sites that pay book reviewers and more.
Table of Contents
Side Hustles: How to Get Paid To Read Books
Some of these make for great side hustles, while others are more like small businesses.
Either way, there are ways to make money here for everyone!
Just to be clear, these are not some get-rich-quick schemes.
However small it may be, if you dedicate yourself to each of these activities then they will pay off eventually.
1. Become an Online Proofreader
You can get paid to write as a freelancer, but you can also earn money for reading books and blogs!
Proofreading jobs aren’t much different than what you already do in your own life or even at school, so this would be the perfect side hustle or summer job for teachers.
You simply read the work of someone who needs help and corrects any errors that appear in it.
It’s sometimes about grammar, but usually, it’s checking for inaccurate details or conflicting information.
Like making sure the protagonist doesn’t suddenly have different colored eyes or the town description doesn’t change with no explanation!
This is not only a great way to get paid to read books, but also to improve your own writing skills.
The company (or blogger) will most likely provide suggestions too, so your skills will be polished even further.
Check out this FREE 76 Minute Online Proofreading Workshop to get started making money today!
2. Copy Editor
A copy editor is a bit different though they also deal with the written text after the proofread is finished and the details are set in stone.
The book or article should basically be about 90% done and just needs that little bit of fine-tuning before it gets published.
You don’t check the fine details of what happened- like check somebody’s math or history facts- but book reviewers need to have a fine eye for text mistakes.
They also work on grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, format, spelling errors, and more.
You can even get paid to edit books or blog posts before they are published!
3. Editor
An editor deals with the written text and their job is to make sure that the content is interesting, flows properly, and has a proper structure.
This is great if you are someone who likes reading and reviewing writing samples.
They also work closely with the author or blogger to provide suggestions on how to improve certain parts of the book or post.
They don’t actually do all the corrections themselves- they’ll recommend structure changes, titles edits, or highlight unclear areas that the author needs to work on.
This means that their job is to make sure any changes are correct and in accordance with publishing standards, and does the little fixes here and there.
Getting paid even a $20 hourly rate ($25 in some areas) for editing books and blog posts is a pretty good deal.
4. Translator
As a translator, you get paid to translate books from one language into another, which can be very entertaining if you’re a lingual person.
This is also a great way to practice and hone your foreign language skills while making some money at the same time.
The skills required for this job are pretty expansive because there are so many things a business or publisher might need to be translated.
You need to be very fluent in order to be successful as a translator!
You at least need to know 2 languages, the one of your native country and one more- meaning, the one you’re translating from and the language you’re translating to.
The most common languages you’d need as a translator in the U.S. are English, Spanish, and Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, etc.), so if you know those 3 languages like the back of your hand, you may be perfect for the job.
5. Voice Actor
A great way to get paid to read books is by being a voice actor. Your voice is your tool in bringing characters and sounds to life for shows, movies, or any type of video clip.
You may not always be reading books, but reading scripts and getting to act can be the best of both worlds if you like entertainment.
Not everyone likes to read books aloud, but with a nice voice, you can make money reading books!
You can record audio versions of your favorite books or any other text and make some extra cash in the process.
Some of these jobs pay well, but there are also a lot of inconsiderate companies out there who will pay peanuts when you’re not well known in the field.
So if you’re a beginner in this field, then you’ll need a lot of patience and persistence to get good jobs.
Interestingly, voice acting has gained a lot of popularity- even TikTok has fun voice acting challenges, which would be a great way to display your talent and gain some practice!
6. Narrator
A narrator is someone who tells a story instead of “acting” it out. It’s like reading a book out loud to your kids, except for money!
This job is great if you like telling stories and getting paid to do so!
You can make money by reading scripts for movies or shows, or even create your own audiobook (and be an audiobook narrator) on your YouTube channel and get paid from the ads on that channel.
You can find jobs that pay you to read books aloud, and companies like Voice Bunny and ACX are places to check out!
7. Graphic Designer
If you’re good at Photoshop, Illustrator, or any other graphic design software then you might consider doing some paid work for local companies.
They often need vector images or even flyers to advertise their business and they are willing to pay high prices for it. It will take time before this starts bringing in income, but once it does, it will be worth it.
8. Book Publisher
If you have your own blog, then you can publish your book on Amazon Kindle. This will bring in royalties for each book you sell and it is a great way to get paid to read books while doing something you love.
The tough part of this job comes afterward though. You’ll need to market your e-book so that people know about it and buy it.
This is not an impossible task though, so if you’re serious about your book then there should be no problems.
9. Become a Freelancer
Fiverr is a great resource if you want to get paid to read books and be an active book reviewer.
There are hundreds of people who need small tasks done and most of them are willing to pay good money for it.
The site works like this: the client posts the task that needs to be done, then all freelancers bid on it with their offer. If your bid is chosen then you will do the task and get paid for it. It’s really that simple!
Learn how to start making money as a Virtual Assistant here.
Sites: Get Paid To Read Books
Let’s take a look at some sites where you can get paid to read books and even review books:
1. Online Book Club
Online Book Club is the largest community dedicated to reading books online. This site allows you to read books and get paid as a book reviewer, and even connect with other avid readers.
Online Book Club is a community of readers and book lovers.
They pay members to read books with them, discuss their thoughts on the work in forums, write book reviews online for other people, or talk about what they learned from this experience as part of an interview series.
Pay: $5 – $60
2. Women’s Review of Books
Women’s Review of Books is a community that would hire you as a book reviewer.
They are looking for an honest review of books written by women, particularly works of fiction.
Women’s Review of Books is an independent newsletter about books written by women and was founded in 1976.
They are dedicated to reviewing contemporary novels of distinction and welcome all genres including literary fiction, mystery, romance, science-fiction/fantasy/horror/magical realism, young adult fiction, and biography/memoir.
Pay rates for Women’s Review of Books vary depending on the length of the review (normally $50), but they pay within 30 days after your review has been accepted.
Pay: $0.14 per word
3. Kirkus Media
Kirkus Media offers paid reviews for people in exchange for a link back to their site.
They offer paid reviews for people in exchange for a link back to their site.
The reviews on Kirkus Media must not exceed 500 words and should be submitted within 1-2 months of the book’s publication date, or as soon as possible after purchase.
Please note that they don’t accept self-published books.
Pay: Freelance basis
4. Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly is an American publishing business that offers to pay you for writing book reviews for non-fiction books. They’re known for their weekly news magazine, so they have plenty of work to be reviewed.
They offer a variety of services including:
- Surveys to understand and measure the experience and attitudes about various aspects of reading, writing, literature professionals (authors), librarians)
- Book review excerpts published in PW Daily or as op-eds elsewhere; these are typically 400 words long but might be longer depending on reviewers needs/requests
- In-person events with Publishers Weekly Bookstore and/or author
Pay: $200 – $1,000 per book review
5. Upwork
Upwork is an online job board that allows you to find freelancing work.
They allow you to set up ‘Hire Me’ profiles which enable people looking for writers, editors, and translators to find your services.
Upwork is an online job board where people can find freelance work. You can advertise it as translation or writing jobs, depending on what you are qualified for.
This site is great because they have thousands of new tenders every day which gives you a lot of opportunities to earn money by reading books.
Pay: $15 per hour average for this type of work but pay varies from low paid tasks to high paid ones offering around $100 per hour
6. Reedsy Discovery
Reedsy Discovery is a free platform that helps authors find the right professional to create their books. They offer a variety of services for writers including:
- Cover design
- Book editing
- Book marketing and PR
- Interior layout/typesetting
Reedsy Discovery is a platform where authors can find designers, editors, and marketers. As a reader, you can be part of this community as a reviewer or editor!
You can also get paid to read e-books on this site! Pay rates vary depending on the type of work but you can set up your pay rate per hour. It doesn’t matter if you have experience in these areas, they will train you so go ahead and apply
Pay: Tips from the authors. You could get $1, $3, or $5
7. Writerful Books
Writerful Books is a place where you can get paid to read books and write book reviews for their bookstore.
Any book that has been published in the last 10 years is accepted. Writerful Books asks for an average of 400 words per review. They also offer one free e-book for each paid review you complete, so you will have the chance to build up your library too!
It’s worth noting that Writerful Books is very selective about which reviewers they accept.
Pay: $10 – $50 per book review
8. U.S. Review of Books
U.S. Review of Books is a paid book review magazine that has been in publication since 1988 and its mission is to publish honest and unbiased reviews of new fiction and non-fiction books as well as classic works of literature.
U.S. Review of Books also offers interviews, essays, author profiles, and first chapter previews for its readers. Any book that has been published within the last 30 days can be submitted for consideration.
All genres (and sub-genres) are considered as long as they fall under general fiction or non-fiction categories i.e.: children’s picture books, romance novels, memoirs, etc.
Pay: Freelance
9. Booklist Publications
Booklist Publications is a free-trade publication for librarians in the U.S., published by the American Library Association.
Booklist Publications accepts freelance submissions from critics, reviewers, feature writers, columnists, and correspondents who have both print and web publishing experience.
They are always accepting general book reviews in all subject areas to publish in their weekly product called “Booklist”.
Pay: $15 per review, plus a free subscription to Booklist.
However, if book reviewers reject a title, Booklist will charge a rejection fee of $5.
10. Instaread
Instaread is a book summaries website that pays you to read books.
It’s like an online book club! You can apply to become one of their ‘Book Summaries’ by registering on the site, reading some samples, and then submit your application to them directly.
Instaread is a book summaries website that pays for each book summary you write. You can choose from over 100 titles at this time and must describe the author’s purpose, the main theme/message of the book, its setting/time period, its style/tone, etc.
Pay: $100 per Summary (1000 – 1500 words)
Read Books For Amazon
Kindle Books By Amazon
If you haven’t heard of a Kindle e-reader, you must live under a rock!
They’re an amazing product- not only are they for reading books for entertainment, but you can also get paid to read Amazon books and provide reviews or proofread them!
Amazon has many self-published books besides just well-known authors, so they’re always looking for freelance reviews.
Proofread Products
Another job on Amazon is proofreading product descriptions. You check the accuracy of the text as well as making sure the layout is sales-ready and the images are attractive to consumers.
Blog Reviews
If you like reading books and writing reviews, you can always make money doing it on a blog!
In this case, you could write reviews of Amazon books and review them for money.
If you learn anything from The Savvy Couple, it’s that making a blog for what you love can be worthwhile and very rewarding!
And you can be earning money from affiliate marketing as well- Blogging For Books is one way to get free books for posting a review per book.
Tips For Freelance Reading
Don’t forget about Job Sites!
Book reviewers can earn money through other places too, not just a book publishing business.
Here are some sites where you can find jobs for freelance reading:
- Flexjobs – offers a job bank for people with part-time or flexible work schedules
- Contena – they provide candidates with the best contract opportunities
- Upwork – offers freelancing and remote work that connects freelancers with employers globally
Freelance On Even More Sites!
If you truly want to get into the freelance reading market, then go ahead and create a profile on all of these sites (and more)
- textbroker – offers writing opportunities in over 20+ categories, such as news articles, product descriptions, social media posts, etc.
- Scribd – offers book reviews for fiction and non-fiction books written by top authors at a pay rate of 0.005$ per word
- Zerys – offers book reviews for fiction and non-fiction books written by top authors at a pay rate of $20-$40 per review
- Subreddit: r/reviewcircle – highly active subreddit dedicated to book reviews, and you never know what you’re going to find on Reddit
Be Prepared For Critical Thinking
Remember, you are technically getting paid to read BUT many sites are paying for your takeaways and book reviews.
So if you’re going on a website to get paid to read as a book reviewer, make sure there is some sort of qualifications or requirements for what you need before accepting a book.
In It For Free Books?
Another option for writing book reviews is to simply sign up for free books!
Here are some websites and apps that will pay you in free books rather than cash:
1. Book Browse
Book Browse allows readers to find new books by browsing through 50 different genres/categories.
If you are accepted, members will also have access to promo codes for authors’ promotions and giveaways.
You must first apply as a reader on their website before applying to the “book reviewer” section. They look for people with very good English skills because they do receive many submissions every month to review (the approval rate is about 20%).
2. Moody Press
Moody Press is a Christian-based publisher that reviews books for potential publication.
Moody Press will pay you in free books for reviews or promotions. You can suggest a book to them and if they select it, you’ll get a copy of the book to read and review.
3. Net Gallery
Net Gallery is a digital website library that pays readers in prizes.
Net Gallery will pay you to read books, write reviews, and share/sell your book collection.
They have lots of new releases and classics for you to choose from within their catalog.
You can also get paid up to $1 every time somebody signs up from one of the links you’ve provided on your website/blog/social media pages.
4. Bethany House
Bethany House is a Christian-based publisher that reviews books for potential publication.
Bethany House will pay you in free books for reviews or promotions.
You can suggest a book to them and if they select it, you’ll get a copy of the book to read and review.
5. New Pages
NewPages .com is a book review website that will not only pay you in reads, but they’ll also provide you with access to their digital library.
You can read as many books as possible and write reviews of those books. Plus, New Pages gives away 10 free eBooks each month! You can even earn extra money submitting reviews on your blog or website.
Our Thoughts
This is one of the most enjoyable side hustles we’ve ever seen!
Kelan is a huge fan of taking surveys and watching videos, but I have always enjoyed a good book so reading jobs are perfect for me.
Book reviewing online is a great pastime and a great way to earn some cash- so get started today!
The biggest problem here is what website to use when you have so many good options. If you have the time, why not sign up for a few?
Some of these are specific publishing companies so you might have to be in their sphere already. If not, try looking at some job boards for reading work or freelancing jobs.
Remember that many of these sites pay with free books vs cash! You’re most likely going to get something out of this besides your writing experience.
Just depending on where you live, getting new fiction novels can cost quite a bit of money nowadays so getting them for free makes these sites very appealing.
People who live in a small town where the library is ridiculously expensive might just find all their book “happiness” from places like this.
The key here is making sure your skillset matches up with what a company wants and offering your services accordingly.
If not, you’ll find yourself disappointed with not being compensated enough or at all rather than benefiting from the reading experience.
