Get Paid to Read 21 Guarantee Ways to Make Money Reading in 2024

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Love reading and want to turn it into extra cash? You can get paid to read books, ebooks, articles, emails, and even audiobooks! This guide explores various ways to make money reading, from classic book reviews to trendy online communities.

Find your perfect reading niche, whether it’s fantasy novels, news articles, or captivating audiobooks. Ready to get started? Keep reading to discover your ideal way to get paid to read!

Table of Content

Best Sites to Make Money Reading

Best Sites To Get Paid To Read Books

Yes, there are websites that will pay you to review books. Each site varies, but you are typically paid cash via PayPal or bank transfer, and/or you may receive a free book in exchange for your review.

Yes, this means that you can get paid to review books!

Now, these websites are looking for more than positive reviews. They want to hear what you genuinely think.

Publishers and new authors often send out free copies of their books so that they can have a real review of their books. This is because readers, like you and me, want to read reviews before spending too much time diving into a book.

If you’re wondering how to read books and get paid, becoming a book reviewer and writing book summaries may be a great place to start. 

Some of the ideas below may be very easy to apply for, and others may want a resume, a sample book review or sample work, and possibly even professional references. You can click on the links below and learn more about the company, how it works, and what they’re looking for when it comes to this side gig.

You won’t get rich signing up for these websites to get paid to read books, but it can be a way to earn side income while also enjoying this hobby.

There are many more websites that will give you paid and/or free books to review books, but the list below are the most popular platforms that I was able to find. 

Trusted Sites that Paid You to Review Book

Here are the best ways to read books for money:

1. Professional Reviewer

A professional reviewer is someone whose job is to read books and write about the book’s overall quality. If you want to become a professional reviewer, consider starting a website and posting reviews of books there. 

Build your presence on Goodreads and social media, and make sure your reviews are thoughtful and target your intended audience. Once you familiarize yourself with the process, submit reviews to professionals in the industry, send in applications, or consider starting a freelance career. 

2. Critique Partner

A critique partner, otherwise known as a CP, is a fellow writer who agrees to critique your work. When looking for the right critique partner, search out online writers’ groups, social media, writer websites, and even job boards. 

While critique partners often share work and do so at no cost, if you are a qualified writer and another writer asks you to review their work, they will likely be happy to pay you for your expertise.

3. Sensitivity Reader

While writers are often told to write what they know, part of the creative process is dreaming up characters. However, it’s crucial that fictional characters are well-written and humanized. This is where sensitivity readers come in. 

If you want to get paid to read books, consider your background, ethnicity, and cultural experience. Then build a website and market your services, or apply to work for a publisher as a sensitivity reader. One reader offers the following rates:

  • 5,000 words and under: $50 flat rate
  • 5,001-10,000 words: $50+ (# words over 5,000) x ($0.01 per word)
  • 10,001-30,000 words: $100+ (# words over 10,000) x ($0.0075 per word)
  • 30,001 and over: $250+ (# words over 30,000) x ($0.005 per word)

4. Audiobooks

Ever wonder where those voices come from for audiobooks? Well, if you want to get paid to read books aloud, consider becoming an audiobook reader! If you have a background in voice, theater, or public speaking, this will be a tremendous aid.

Tip to getting started with audiobooks: Brilliance Audio

While Brilliance Audio’s rates vary from book to book, they are known as one of the leading companies in the audiobook industry. Showcase your audio quality, favorite genre to read, and then negotiate with the author for your pay rate. 

5. Work as a Translator 

Books that are largely successful are frequently translated into other languages…but who does that job? Well, if you are fluent in another language, consider translating books either as a side hustle or even as your main income stream. 

Keep in mind that due to writing the book in another language, you are in fact an author of the book you work on. This means you can be subject to receive royalties, just as the author does.

6. Booklist

Booklist pays $15 per review and is part of the American Library Association. Their application window opens in January 2023. If you want to help make school and public library workers’ lives easier, write a 150- to 175-word review and get paid to do so!  

7. Online Book Club

If you want to get paid to read books, what’s better than also choosing what books you read? Through Online Book Club, you can expect to be paid between $5 and $60, receive the book at zero cost, and then submit your reviews. While you won’t be paid for your first review, you do not have to apply to review for this site. New to book reviewing? This is a great place to start. 

See also  How to Make Money with Audible Amazon: 5 Ways to Earn

8. Beta Reader

Beta readers are often used prior to a book being published. Think of a beta reader as someone who beta tests the manuscript:

  • Is it engaging? 
  • Are the characters believable?
  • Is there a plot point missing?

If you want to work as a beta reader, seek out writers’ groups, offer your services, and choose your fees. 

9. Proofreader 

A proofreader is the last set of eyes before a manuscript goes to print. This means that you are responsible to catch typos and ensure all formatting is up to industry standard. 

If you enjoy reading books but aren’t big on line edits, becoming a proofreader may be the next best step for you. Plus, proofreaders can work for traditional publishers or as freelancers, so your options are broad. 

10. Acquisitions Editor

An acquisitions editor, or acquiring editor, is one of the gatekeepers to the traditional publishing world. Their job is to vet books and decide which ones to pursue taking all the way to publication, and which ones need a rejection letter.

The fun part about working in acquisitions (and the stressful part) is that your job is to read a book until you no longer find it engaging. Hopefully, you read until the last page! But, if you find yourself bored halfway through a book, you get to stop reading, and, (unfortunately for the writer), send off that rejection letter. 

How Can I Get Paid to Read Emails?

You can get paid to read emails by joining a reputable pay-to-read company, checking your inbox regularly, and opening all available emails.

If you want to know how you can get paid to read emails as soon as possible, follow our guide to running a side hustle that fits your schedule.

Although you should not expect to make serious money from reading emails alone, by using the information in this article, you can set up a new revenue stream for yourself with little effort.

Most paid email sites offer referral bonuses, daily rewards, signup bonuses, and other ways to earn rewards to help you make cash quicker.

Making money by reading emails might not cover the bills, but it does open up opportunities to make some extra money while working through your everyday routine.

Below, you can find the most legit sites that we verified. You can trust the following companies if you’re looking for legit ways to get paid to read emails.

“A penny saved is a penny earned.” – Benjamin Franklin, American Founding Father and author of Poor Richard’s Almanac

Trusted Sites that Paid You to Read Emails

Discover the most legit websites to get paid for reading emails below.

11. InboxDollars

Inbox Dollars claims our top spot as the best way to get paid to read emails delivered straight to your inbox.

Inbox Dollars is a legit site run by the company Proedge, and offers free signup, a start-up bonus, and referral bonuses to make some real cash.

Before you can access your money, you must meet the minimum payout limit of $10. After you’ve accumulated more than $10, you can withdraw the money to your PayPal account or as gift cards.

Do you want to make money from playing games, as well?

InboxDollars offers payouts for gaming as well. Aside from getting paid to open emails, you can get paid to watch videos, play games, by taking surveys, and more!

Inbox Dollars offers a $5 signup bonus to everyone at least 18 years old and sends paid emails directly to your separate email address.

12. Swagbucks

Swagbucks represents the ideal site for those looking to earn dough by reading.

You can make some quick cash on this legit site by reading your emails, completing surveys, taking polls, and more.

Swagbucks rewards you with SB points, which you can redeem for cash or use to shop online at qualified stores.

Some of the less common ways to earn SB points include app testing and submitting receipts by scanning them and uploading them to the website.

The minimum payout amount is $5, equivalent to 500 SB. However, you can redeem your SB points in even lower amounts if you exchange them through gift cards.

You can also earn a $5 signup bonus by creating an account with Swagbucks.

If you want more variety beyond getting paid to open emails and watch videos, then Swagbucks is worth checking out! However, Swagbucks only registers adult residents of the United States and Canada.

Swagbucks is also owned and operated by Proedge, the same company that owns InboxDollars. For this reason alone, we put InboxDollars and Swagbucks ahead of the other sites on our list of verified companies.

13. MyPoints

MyPoints uses a completed task system to track the money you earn on the website.

Like the other sites on our verified list, these tasks include reading emails, watching videos, and online shopping.

MyPoints also offers rewards for referring friends to their platform via a referral link. If your friends sign up and use the site, you will receive a referral bonus. However, check the conditions that you must meet and pass on that information to your friend.

After completing tasks in MyPoints, you can convert those points to cash.

Some of the unique rewards for this legit site include travel miles for United Airlines, free gift cards to around 70 different retailers, and a VISA gift card. You can also choose standard payment to your PayPal accounts.

See also  10 Proven Website Business Ideas to Make Money in 2024

Another special feature of MyPoints is that the minimum age requirement to work is only 13 years old, while most major sites require you to be 18 years old.

14. Inbox Pays

InboxPays represents another verified site that focuses more on market research.

To register with Inbox Pays, you must be a United States resident over 18 years of age.

Unlike the other major sites that pay you to open and read emails, InboxPays pays you for your time.

Market research that you complete through Inbox Pays pays a maximum of two $25 withdrawals per month. So, even though you can invest more time into completing assignments, you can only get paid a maximum of $50 per month.

Inbox Pays also awards online discounts and coupons in addition to entering users in giveaways for chances to win different rewards.

15. InboxPounds

Not a resident of the United States or Canada? InboxPounds represents the first website on our list that caters to United Kingdom residents and serves as a rewarding online cash rewards company.

When you register for InboxPounds, you’ll receive your first £1 instantly as a signup bonus. Then, you’ll be paid for reading emails, with additional incentives for completing offers within the emails.

You can also surf the web on the InboxPounds website to earn even more money.

After earning at least £20, your rewards become redeemable for PayPal cash or gift cards from Amazon and other retailers. Note that InboxPounds enforces a minimum age of 18 years.

16. Paid to Read Email

Paid to Read Email is an up-and-coming website to check out if you want to get paid to read.

The company offers a $3 sign up bonus and starts sending emails to your account. Based on the type of email you receive, you can earn anywhere between $0.01 and $0.10 per email.

Before you can pull out your earned cash, you must make at least $15. You can earn points as well as cash through this website.

One of the unique features of Paid to Read Email involves quick payment processing, allowing you to receive your minimum payout amount or more within 24 hours.

By signing up for direct deposit, you can expedite the process even further, facilitating a truly simple way to make money online.

Other Ways To Get Paid To Read Books

There are many other ways to read and get paid. Here are some smart ways to look into:

17. Start a book blog

The beauty of starting a blog is that it gives you the freedom to write what you want, when you want. What’s more, it’s possible to make money from it, making it a good side hustle idea.

Like the tips mentioned above, earning an income as a blogger takes time. But, gradually, you can begin to earn a steady income from it. The more the blog grows, the more money it will make.

A good way to earn money from your blog is through affiliate marketing. Essentially, this is when a publisher (i.e. you as the blogger) recommends a product or a service. Then, when readers make a purchase or sign up for a service based on your recommendation, you earn a small commission.

Other ways to earn money from your blog include on-site advertising and paid guest posts. Find out more in our full guide to making money from blogging.

18. Join BookTok

In the UK (and elsewhere around the world), TikTok has had a huge influence on the reading habits of loads of people. There have been reports of a surge in book sales due to recommendations on BookTok, which is the name for book-focused videos on TikTok.

You might also hear book-related content referred to as ‘Bookstagram’ on Instagram and ‘BookTube’ on YouTube. If you join BookTok, you can easily post similar content on Bookstagram and BookTube to grow your online brand across multiple platforms.

If you’re keen to make a name for yourself as a book reviewer, launching a BookTok account is a great way to start. It lets you turn your reading hobby into a way to make money.

When you’re first starting out, it will probably be difficult to make much (if any) money from BookTok. But, once you’ve gained a strong number of followers, you could look into brand sponsorship and affiliate marketing opportunities.

At this point, there’s the potential to earn a lot of money from reading books. In a Guardian article about BookTok, one content creator who remained anonymous said they can charge up to £8,000 for two videos.

However, there’s a concern that not all sponsored content on BookTok involves genuine recommendations. Remember that it’s possible to earn money for content that reflects how you really feel about books, and this will ensure viewers can trust what you say.

How to start a BookTok account

To get involved in BookTok, create a TikTok account that’s dedicated to reading, with a username and profile photo related to books. Then, follow other BookTokers to see what they’re reading and what trends they use in their videos.

The key to making great BookTok content is understanding which books and TikTok trends are popular within the community. Take influence from these, but make sure you still take a creative approach to your videos so they’re reflective of you.

In your videos, try to review a combination of big BookTok books, as well as lesser-known ones. This way, the audience will see some books they’ve already read (showing you share their reading tastes) while discovering new titles to try.

See also  21 Ways to Make Money Online, Offline, and at Home

When posting videos, tag them with the relevant hashtags (especially #BookTok) so you can find the right audience for your content.

Popular BookTok books

Here are some books that are popular right now on BookTok:

  • The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
  • It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
  • The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
  • Happy Place by Emily Henry
  • Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
  • Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang
  • Normal People by Sally Rooney.

19. Run a book club

Book clubs give you the chance to meet like-minded people and talk about books. Does it get any better than that?

Actually, it does. By running a book club, you’d also have the opportunity to make money.

Whether running the book club online or in-person, you could charge a small fee to members. The members will understand that time and effort go into the running of the club, so will likely be happy to pay you a bit for your role as organiser.

If charging a fee, you do need to make sure the book club is enjoyable and well run. Otherwise, you will struggle to encourage members to return week after week.

It will also help if you have a strong knowledge of books and literary criticism. If you’re studying English Literature at uni, for example, highlight this in any adverts for your book club.

As well as running traditional book club sessions (where everyone reads the same book and discusses it together), you could also run author events. This involves inviting an author to a Q&A session with the book club.

To find members for the book club, try Meetup. On this site, people in your local area (or anywhere globally if the sessions are virtual) can find you if they’re searching for a new book club.

20. Become a book podcaster

By starting a podcast about literature, you’d have the potential to earn money by talking about your favourite stories and novels. Ideal.

If your podcast takes off, you could look into ways to monetise it like advertising and sponsorship opportunities. Getting to that point can take a lot of time and work, but if you’re committed to making your podcast a success, it can pay off.

You can potentially earn around £15+ per 1,000 downloads through advertising, or more with a very successful podcast.

But, there may be costs involved. To become a professional podcaster, you’ll probably need to buy audio recording equipment or hire a podcast studio at some point.

When first starting out, though, it could be worth recording the episodes on your phone to save money. Then, if your audience starts to grow, that could be the time to invest in higher-quality equipment.

For more tips, see our guide to the best ways to make money from a podcast.

21. Get paid to narrate audiobooks

If getting paid to talk about books isn’t enough for you, you could go one step further and make money by reading books aloud as an audiobook narrator.

Narrating audiobooks is similar to voice-over acting.

For this job, it will help if you have relevant experience. If you’ve studied drama at uni, worked in student radio, volunteered as a book reader for charity or done anything similar, these will all develop your narration skills.

A good way to get started in this line of work is by auditioning to narrate audiobooks via the ACX website. Audiobooks that are produced through this site are then sold to Audible, Amazon and iTunes.

The amount you’ll earn for the narration will vary, depending on what you agree with the audiobook’s author. You could be offered a one-off payment or a share of the royalties.

Get Paid to Read Books and Live Your Dream

Now that you have a list of ideas on how to get paid to read books, it’s time to take action so you can start living your dream. However, take a few minutes to consider the following points before starting off: 

  • Resist the urge to pursue every option at once
  • Early on, try to review books you love
  • Read like a reader as well as a reviewer 
  • Keep the author in mind 

It’s easy to experience decision fatigue when presented with so many ways to get paid to read books. Instead of trying everything, choose one or two options that most intrigue you and start there.

Next, review books you love to allow you to write glowing reviews rather than cynical ones. While it’s important to be honest in reviews, always keep tact in mind. 

Last, don’t forget that readers, as well as critics, will likely read your reviews, so tailor your review voice accordingly. And with that said, the authors themselves may read your review! Whether you loved or hated their book, they spent hours, months, and possibly years of their lives getting their book into the world. Always remember to be gracious. 

We’re excited to hear about the books you read, the reviews you write, and the method you choose to get paid to read books. Enjoy the process, starting your side hustle, or even changing career paths! 

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