Yes, you can get paid to read, but you always have to do something more, like write a review, proofread a document or answer emails. These 6 sites are legit and I have tested them. Below I show what you do on each one and how the pay works.
Three good sites that pay you to read
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#1 Online Book Club
Best for: Book lovers who like to write reviews
You earn by reviewing books, and you get paid through PayPal. You can sign up as a reviewer more or less worldwide.
- How the pay works
- Per accepted reviewpaid within three weeks; sometimes only a free book
- Paid via
- PayPal
-
#2 BookBrowse
Best for: Good writers who live in the US
You review one book a month. In the US, they mail you the book; outside the US, you only get books that have an e-book version.
- How the pay works
- Per reviewpaid within several business days
- Paid via
- Not clear yet
-
#3 Proofreading Services
Best for: Proofreaders who want paid work from anywhere
Once you are accepted, you proofread documents like essays, theses and manuscripts. It is available worldwide, and it pays through PayPal or bank transfer.
- How the pay works
- By the hourthe rate depends on how urgent the job is
- Paid via
- PayPal · Bank transfer
This is not a ranked list, so join the sites that suit your skills. Joining more than one gives you more work.
On this page6 sections
Compare all 6 sites that pay you to read
| Site | What you do | How the pay works | Paid via | Join or read review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Review books · your first review is unpaid | Per accepted reviewpaid within three weeks; sometimes only a free book | PayPal | ||
| Review one book a month · mainly for the US | Per reviewpaid within several business days | Not clear yet | ||
| Proofread essays, theses and manuscripts | By the hourthe rate depends on how urgent the job is | PayPal · Bank transfer | ||
| Edit and proofread academic papers | Per word | Not clear yet | ||
| Proofread and edit · 2+ years of experience and an advanced degree | Your own rateset when you apply | Not clear yet | ||
| Manage clients’ email inboxes as a virtual assistant | By the hour | Not clear yet |
No site on this list matches these filters.
6 Legit Sites that Pay You to Read
Now that you know what to expect from this kind of earning opportunity, it is time we discuss the sites that will pay you to read.
Just a thing to note before we proceed is that I will not be including Get-Paid-To (GPT) sites that offer earning opportunities that will pay you to read emails, like Swagbucks.
While it technically pays you to read emails, the focus of these sites is really to let you earn rewards by completing offers, answering surveys, and more. Instead, I will be listing down sites that will mainly ask you to read to earn. I have personally tested them, so I know they are legit and really pay.
I will keep updating this list if I find more new sites in the future, so make sure to bookmark this page and check on it from time to time for new options. Take note that this is not a prioritized list, so you can just join whichever site/s will suit you best.
#1 Online Book Club
- What you do
- Review books · your first review is unpaid
- How the pay works
- Per accepted reviewpaid within three weeks; sometimes only a free book
- Paid via
- PayPal
Online Book Club is an online community for book lovers. It offers an opportunity to earn by reviewing various books. The first book you have to review will be unpaid, but once you’ve finished your first review, you can find opportunities to earn.
Every time your review is accepted, if the opportunity offers compensation, you will get paid via PayPal, and it will be credited to your PayPal account within three weeks. Most of the time, you’ll earn a specific amount for reviewing a book. Sometimes, all you’ll get is a free book.
Read more
But the good news is that it is available more or less worldwide, so you’ll be able to sign up as a reviewer regardless of where you live.
#2 BookBrowse
- What you do
- Review one book a month · mainly for the US
- How the pay works
- Per reviewpaid within several business days
- Paid via
- Not clear yet
BookBrowse is a website that specializes in providing a curated resource of the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction books. For you to earn from it, you must write book reviews.
Once you become a book reviewer, you’ll be asked to review a book once a month. Normally, they will email you an invite for the review, and if you decide to accept it, they will send you the book via mail (if you live in the US). If you live outside the US, the only book review requests that will be sent your way are those that have e-book versions.
Read more
It’s not quite clear how its payment system works, but for every review you submit, you’ll earn a certain amount, and BookBrowse will send the payment to you within several business days. BookBrowse normally only accepts reviewers who live in the US, but they make exceptions sometimes (but only if they think you are an excellent writer).
#3 Proofreading Services
- What you do
- Proofread essays, theses and manuscripts
- How the pay works
- By the hourthe rate depends on how urgent the job is
- Paid via
- PayPal · Bank transfer
Proofreading Services is a website that specializes in providing proofreading services to its clients. You’ll need to apply as a proofreader, but once you get accepted, you’ll gain access to proofreading jobs.
You will usually have to proofread documents like dissertations, essays, manuscripts, theses, and more. Each job will pay you by the hour, and the rate will range from $19 to $46 per hour, depending on the urgency and turnaround time of the job.
Read more
Proofreading Services will either pay you via PayPal or via direct bank transfer for every job you complete. It is available worldwide. So, you should be able to apply as a proofreader regardless of where you live.
#4 Scribbr
- What you do
- Edit and proofread academic papers
- How the pay works
- Per word
- Paid via
- Not clear yet
Scribbr is a professional editing company specializing in helping students and researchers achieve their academic goals. To earn from it, you must become one of their editors. Once you get accepted as one of its editors, you’ll gain access to proofreading/editing jobs.
The documents you have to edit/proofread will usually be dissertations, research papers, and theses. The payment will be on a per-word basis, but it’s not quite clear what type of payment method it uses. Based on my experience, it will usually be something convenient like PayPal or a bank transfer.
#5 Wordvice
- What you do
- Proofread and edit · 2+ years of experience and an advanced degree
- How the pay works
- Your own rateset when you apply
- Paid via
- Not clear yet
Wordvice is a website that specializes in providing professional proofreading and editing services to its clients. Once you become a freelancer for Wordvice, you will receive a steady inflow of work orders, and they all have a deadline.
You’ll be paid according to the rate you’ve set during the application process. There’s no information on their website regarding the payment system they use, but based on my experience, it will usually be a convenient payment method like PayPal, Payoneer, Airtm, or even direct bank transfer.
Read more
It is available globally, but to be eligible, you must have worked for at least two years as an editor or proofreader, and you must have an advanced degree. So, it’s not an ideal option for people who are just starting out in the proofreading business.
#6 InboxDone
- What you do
- Manage clients’ email inboxes as a virtual assistant
- How the pay works
- By the hour
- Paid via
- Not clear yet
InboxDone is a website that specializes in providing virtual assistant services to its clients. For you to earn, you have to work as one of their virtual assistants, called an Inbox Manager.
As the name suggests, you will usually have to check the email inbox of clients, which means you’ll have to read emails to earn.
Read more
But your overall goal as an Inbox Manager eventually is to become the right-hand person for InboxDone’s clients. So, you’ll have to organize the client’s inbox, respond to emails, handle the client’s schedule, and do any other tasks that the client wants you to do.
You will be paid by the hour while working as an Inbox Manager. Now, since we are talking about remote work, I would expect that the site is available more or less worldwide, so you should be able to apply as a virtual assistant anywhere in the world.
Can You Really Get Paid to Read?
Yes. It is a legit way to earn extra cash, because some websites pay you to read emails, books or even articles. But you always have to do something else to get paid, and that often takes other skills than reading.
- Book reviewsYou read a book and write a review of it. Online Book Club and BookBrowse work like this.
- ProofreadingYou read documents and spot grammar or formatting errors. Proofreading Services, Scribbr and Wordvice work like this.
- Reading emailsAs a virtual assistant at InboxDone, you read and answer emails for clients.
Why Swagbucks is not on this list
Get-Paid-To sites like Swagbucks pay you to read emails too, but they focus on offers and surveys. This list only has sites where you mainly read to earn.
How Much Can You Realistically Earn?
What you earn mostly depends on what you do besides reading.
Reviews and proofreading
A book review usually pays a decent amount. Proofreading is paid per word or page, by the hour, or with a flat fee per document.
Reading emails
Paid-to-read emails pay a very small amount per email, so it is not the most profitable way to earn.
Extra cash, not a full-time income.
Unless you work as a full-time proofreader, you will not earn a full-time income from these sites. Adjust what you expect before you commit.
How I choose the sites on this list
What I look at
- I have tested it myself
- Legit, and it really pays
- You mainly read to earn
- Free to join
Ready to start?
All of these sites are free to join. These sites need some commitment, so set aside time to earn. To get the most out of it, join several sites, so you get access to more work.
I keep this list updated, so bookmark this page. Know a site that belongs here, or have a question? Leave a comment below.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get money for reading?
Yes, but you always have to do something more than read. You write a review of a book, proofread a document for errors, or read and answer emails for a client.
It is a way to earn extra cash. Unless you are a full-time proofreader, it will not give you a full-time income.
How do I become a book reviewer?
Sign up as a reviewer on Online Book Club or BookBrowse. On Online Book Club, your first review is unpaid, and after that you can find paid reviews. BookBrowse sends you an invite for one book a month, and it normally only accepts reviewers who live in the US.
What company will pay you for every book you read?
None pays you just for reading. On Online Book Club and BookBrowse, you are paid for every review you write and they accept. On Online Book Club, some reviews only give you a free book.
Which app pays real money for reading?
The sites on this list are websites, not apps. Online Book Club pays for book reviews through PayPal, and Proofreading Services pays through PayPal or bank transfer. The comparison shows how each site pays.
What is a good job for someone who loves to read?
Book reviewer, proofreader or editor, or inbox manager. Reviews are the easiest to start. Proofreading and editing pay better, but some sites, like Wordvice, need at least two years of experience and an advanced degree.
Aceito os termos
I explain how it works and how to get started above.
How do i get started
I explain how it works and how to get started in the article above.