Get Paid To Read Books Aloud {33 Top Sites in 2024}

I know what you are thinking. How can you get paid to read books aloud?

It might seem too good to be true but this is a legit side hustle that anyone can do!

Do you love to read? Do you have a good voice for capturing the attention of an audience?

If so, there are plenty of opportunities for anyone to make money by reading out loud.

Whether it’s audio books or children’s stories, these gigs provide people with the opportunity to earn some extra cash and enjoy themselves at the same time.

I always thought that the only way to get paid to read books online was by being a famous author who “lends” themselves to Audible or another company as a narrator but in fact this is a fantastic work from home job that is open to anyone!

In this post we will look at everything you need to know to get started making money reading books aloud, including:

How to get paid to read books aloud – 33 companies that are hiring now
How much do book readers get paid
Opportunities for book readers to get paid to read books on Audible, YouTube and more
Other money making ideas for readers and bookworms

Read on to learn how to get paid to read books aloud – from the comfort of home!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Get Paid To Read Books aloud – Top 33 Sites

Here are my top picks to get paid to read books online:

Who exactly can get paid to read books aloud?

Lots of different people get paid to read books online and each job requires different skills.

Some of the most popular reading jobs include:

Narrator
Book reviewer
Proofreader
Translator
Podcaster
YouTuber
Book Blogger
Book Editor
Copy Editor
Proofreaders

33 Places To Get Paid To Read Books Aloud

For every bookworm who has to give up their hobby of reading good books in order to make time for a job or family time, having an online side hustle that pays you to read books is the perfect solution.

I love reading books to my kids and the library is our favorite place to go so the idea of making money reading books online is a dream come true.

How To Get Paid To Read Books Aloud

There are many companies looking for voice talent to read audiobooks for their listeners.

This is one of those dream work from home jobs that actually exists.

Voice actors with a great voice can make extra money doing all kinds of voice work from narration to recording those messages that tell you what floor the elevator is on.

The only caveat is that you have to read books out loud, which can be tiring if done all the time.

Audiobook narration and voiceovers are the most common way to get paid to read books aloud but what skills do you need to have?

Acting Skills

In order to get paid as an audiobook narrator, you need to have a background in acting.

Remember, you will likely be playing the part of different characters in fiction books and need to be believable so your reader gets immersed in your story.

The ability to do different voices

This is another important piece of becoming an audiobook narrator.

Depending on the kinds of books you are narrating, you may need to switch from a British accent to an American one or a child’s voice to an adults.

If you are great at doing impressions you will be in high demand!

The Top Places To Find Work As An Audiobook Narrator

ACX (Audio Creative Exchange)

Through ACX you can find an unlimited number of potential audiobook narrator gigs which will allow you to get paid to read books aloud.

If you are wondering “how do I get paid to read books on Audible?”

Then ACX is where you should start.

They manage narration for many audiobooks on iTunes, Audible and Amazon.

All you need to do to start off with ACX is sign up with your Amazon account and start applying for audio narrator gigs for books that interest you.

Choose how you’d like to get paid for your narration work:

– Your own per-finished-hour rate, paid upon successful completion of the audiobook.

– Share royalties from sales with the Rights Holder.

As you will be the audiobook producer as well as narrator with ACX, there is a full video training you can take to learn the tricks of the trade.

BunnyStudio

Formerly called Voice Bunny, this is a great site for finding voiceover work.

Working as freelanceer on Bunny Studio, you will be able to set your own rates and schedule and apply for all kinds of reading jobs including

Audio for ads (reading a script)
Voiceovers
Narrating audiobooks

Findaway Voices

Findaway voices matches audiobook creators with narrators who want to get paid to read aloud!

There are lots of opportunities with this site because once you sign up for Findaway Voices, your profile will also be shared with the casting teams at Audioworks and Orange Sky to match narrators to jobs.

Spoken Realms

Spoken realms markets itself as an ACX alternative and only focusses on audiobook narration.

This is a great site to look at if you want to get paid to read books aloud!

With over 2,500 titles to their credit, Spoken Realms is one of the largest producers of classic, public domain, literature on Audible, iTunes, and Amazon and worth checking out!

Mandy (formerly Voices Pro)

With over 6500 new jobs posted on Mandy every month, this is one of the best sites to get paid to read books aloud.

You can make money doing all kinds of voiceover work and the great thing is, this talent agency is always open to working with less experienced voiceover actors and narrators.

Voice 123

Voice 123 is free to join and does not charge for jobs booked so it is a great option when you are just getting started in voiceover work.

The site is very popular with professional voiceover actors and boasts of many famous clients.

This can be a really good place to start your career in voiceover work and narrating audiobooks.

Backstage

Backstage’s voiceover jobs include TV shows, audiobooks, movies, documentary television, commercials, video games and multimedia.

New jobs looking for voiceover acting talent are posted to Backstage.com daily so it is worth checking often for opportunities that fit your profile.

VoiceJungle

If you would like to get work as voiceover actor reading scripts, online learning materials and more, then Voice Jungle is for you.

The site is very professional and pays well. There are no fees to pay when you get a job and you don’t have to pay to become a member.

There are are few requirements if you want to get started reading online from home:

You must have a home studio and meet standard quality requirements.
You must be able to provide at least 24 hour turnaround when requested.

To apply with Voice Jungle, upload an MP3 demo of your work (limit 100mb file size) and fill out the form on the website.

Voices

Voices bills itself as the number one audio freelance site in the World.

They claim to have access to over 42,000 companies posting more than 5,000 jobs each month, meaning there are lots of job opportunities for freelance readers.

To get started, just fill out your profile and upload a sample of your voice then start searching for gigs.

Internet Jock

Internetjock.com is always looking for new talent that work from their home studio, have 1-2 hour turn arounds during regular business hours, and are patient and professional.

The main draw for companies of Internet Jock are the fast turn around times so you must be available to work at the drop of a hat in order to find success with this company.

Internet Jock charges customers $65 per 1 minute of voiceover work (commercials, voicemail on hold messages etc) and takes a 40% charge from all earnings.

The Voice Realm

The Voice Realm is a huge site for casting calls for voiceover actors and is definitely worth joining.

They really value high quality demos and also voiceover actors who work on their online presence in order to get jobs.

Bodalgo

If you want to get paid to read books in English, Afrikaans or anything in between then Bodalgo is your site!

They have lots of jobs for voiceover actors who are native speakers in a ton of different languages and will hire people based in any country globally.

Brilliance Publishing

This is an Amazon-owned company that is hiring narrators for their audiobook category.

If you want to be a Brilliance Publishing narrator, send an email with your resume and interests for more information.

Outschool

If you are an avid book reader and love sharing your passion, how about reading books to kids on Outschool?

This online teaching platform covers all different topics and is a great way to make money doing what you love.

If you can make reading kids books fun then this is a fantastic way to get paid for reading books aloud.

Outschool does not require formal teaching credentials.

They believe that many adults can offer rewarding classes based on their experience and interests.

You do need to submit a criminal background check before your first class starts and you must be a resident of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom.

Freelance Jobs Sites To Get Audiobook Narrator Jobs

In addition to the voiceover specific sites, there are lots of postings for freelance narrators and voiceover actors on the gig websites:

Fiverr

Fiverr is the perfect place for people who want to get paid reading books aloud.

You can create a profile and search for jobs yourself or be found by companies looking for voiceover actors.

You can find jobs that pay well and have minimal requirements, which makes it an excellent starting point if you’re looking at other ways of making money online or just trying something new altogether!

Take some time to look at other people’s profiles on Fiverr and make sure to highlight all your skills and anything that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Upwork

Upwork is another great site for freelancers to get paid to read books online.

Just like Fiverr, you can post your own listing and also do a search for available jobs.

Make sure to upload quality demos and to mention anything that would make you the perfect candidate for a voiceover job.

Flexjobs

FlexJobs offers dozens of online job opportunities for freelance voiceover workers who want to get paid to read books, scripts and other fun jobs.

People Per Hour

Make up to $500 narrating audiobooks on People Per Hour.

There are lots of opportunities on this site and it is easy to set up a profile and apply for jobs.

How To Get Paid To Read Books Online

Another great way to get paid to read books aloud (or in your head) is by becoming a book reviewer.

A book reviewer makes money in exchange for reading books or blogs to provide feedback so that people know whether it is worth reading themselves.

How much do book readers get paid?

You can make a living by writing book reviews. It’s not easy, but it is possible.

This is a great way to discover new authors.

The best way to start is with book reviews for websites like Goodreads or Amazon that pay you per review.

If you want to earn more money, starting your own blog is the best option you will be able to make much more money in your spare time.

Book or blog reviewers typically get paid $150-$250 per review although this can vary greatly depending on the website you work for.

Tips For Being An Awesome Book Reviewer

Stick to deadlines – If you are given a deadline for a review, make sure you meet it.
Integrity – Do not just copy and paste from Amazon reviews or copy someone else’s work.
Professional Curiosity – Take time to learn about the subject you are reading about. Improve your reviewing skills and check your writing.

The top sites to find work as a paid book reviewer

To get work as a book reviewer, you don’t need experience but you do need to be an eloquent and interesting writer.

Make sure to have some writing samples ready to go so that prospective employers can check out your work.

Here are some online platforms that will pay you for your honest review of a book.

Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Indie)

Do you enjoy reading books on your own time?

If so, you could become a freelance book reviewer for Kirkus Indie and submit a 350-word review for cash!

They are currently hiring for book reviews in both English and Spanish.

How it works

You can review all genres for new books of all lengths, in digital, hardcover and paperback format.

Book reviews should be around 350 words long and are due two weeks after the book is assigned.

Women’s Review of Books

WRB reviews scholarship as well as fiction, graphic novels, poetry, and memoir usually (but not always) by women.

Since 1983, this feminist magazine has been reviewing works from different authors and academics.

To become a reviewer, you will need to send in a pitch by email.

If accepted as a book reviewer, expect to earn $100 per book review you submit.

Instaread

Instaread is an app with a brilliant concept.

Reviewers read books and then summarize them for people on the app – in 300 words or less.

You can check the app or website for open calls for reviewers.

If accepted, you will be compensated for your review plus receive a free subscription to the Instaread app.

Online Book Club

OnlineBookClub will pay you to read books and review them on the site.

However, your first review is unpaid so they know what kind of content you provide.

After that you can expect to earn around $5-$60 per review which is not much.

This can be a good way to build up some book review experience before you apply for higher paying jobs on other sites.

U.S Review of Books

This book review site will will pay you $25-75 per review which isn’t bad considering they only ask reviewers write 500 words or less!

To get start working with U.S Review of Books, send in your resume and a sample review for them to look at.

Publishers Weekly

If you want to get paid to read books online, then Publisher’s Weekly is worth checking out.

This online magazine will hire and pay book reviewers on a freelance basis.

One of the most trusted sources for book reviews, Publishers Weekly provides international coverage and regular updates on all aspects related to publishing both traditionally published books as well as self-published ones.

Booklist Online

As part of the American Library Association, the reviews on he ALA serve a specific purpose: guiding public and school librarians in their quest to find new books for their libraries.

Booklist seeks reviewers who are familiar with both books and libraries.

A library degree is not essential.

Booklist pays $15 for each review.

Reedsy Discovery

Reedsy reviewers can browse the submissions pool and read and review books before they launch.

Although there is no official payment on Reedsy, you can receive tips from other readers and authors which can make this site worth checking out.

BookBrowse Jobs

Do you want to get free books in exchange for your honest reviews? The Bookbrowse might be for you!

You must be a US resident to take part in the book club and First Impressions and Book Club programs but it can be a read way to check out advance copies of books for free.

Writerful Books

Writerful is always looking for freelance book reviewers who want to get paid to read books online.

They prefer contemporary novels from American, Australian, British, Canadian, Irish and New Zealand authors but you can review any book you want for them.

You can make around 15-25 per review on this online platform.

Get Abstract

Do you have a background in science or technology and would like to summarize the latest magazine articles and books for us on a freelance basis?

Check out the jobs listings on Get Abstract.

This app is similar to Instareads – they summarize longer prose into short bite sized chunks for their readers.

Send in your resume and a sample of a review to apply.

GoodReads

I’ve actually got quite a few free books on Goodreads in exchange for my reviews.

While this isn’t exactly a paid gig, it is worth checking out.

You can get free books almost every month to give as gifts or to keep for yourself once you have submitted your review.

Is previous experience important to become a book reader?

No. Although experienced book reviewers will have the pick of the jobs, any avid reader can get started as a book reviewer.

Some book readers are students, some work full-time jobs and read books while on lunch break or before bed.

Others have other part-time jobs that allow them to take time to read books.

The only thing you need to become a book reader, in most cases, is an interest in reading and good communication skills so you can record the audio or write a great review.

Others Ways To Get Paid To Read Books Aloud

There are many different ways to read books for a living.

One of these is writing book reviews and reading them aloud for audiobooks which we have already covered.

Other options include editing, proofreading, translating books, and running your own book review website or podcast.

Create A YouTube Book Channel

A booktuber is someone who reads and talks about books on YouTube.

These videos are usually only a few minutes long, but can be up to an hour in length.

You can read books to kids or you can review books that you have read – there are lots of different options for making money on YouTube.

Booktubers can earn a living from their videos, but it is a competitive field with only about 5% of the booktubers earning more than $5,000 per year.

What Skills Do you need to be a successful YouTuber?

Personality is the most important trait you need to make a successful YouTube channel.

You need the ability to read and talk about books in a captivating way.

Also creating frequent content and engaging with your audience are key to building your following.

If you have these skills, it is possible to get paid to read books aloud and earn free books at the same time!

How much can you earn as a booktuber?

A popular booktuber, or YouTuber who reads books aloud on camera to their audience, can earn up to $1 million per year.

It is not uncommon for people with hundreds of thousands of subscribers to earn $2,500 per video.

You won’t make money right away, but as your traffic grows, you will earn well in ad revenue.

Google keeps 45 percent of your earnings, so a YouTuber makes (on average) $9.90 per 1,000 views.

There are many booktubers who have built up their audiences and generated six figures income through Patreon campaigns alone.

A popular YouTuber, Vlogbrothers has more than 3.4 million subscribers to his YouTube channel and his latest book review video has 167K views.

If you factor in the $9,90 per 1000 views, he made over $1.6m for one video before Google’s cut.

Exciting, isn’t it?

But you don’t need to have thousands of subscribers or be an author to earn money by reading books.

There are lots of opportunities for book lovers at all

Learn more about starting your own YouTube channel in my step by step tutorial.

Get paid to podcast about books

Every day, more authors are realizing that they can get paid for their books by having someone read them aloud.

These authors are looking for exposure on podcasts to promote their new books.

If you are interested in starting a podcast reviewing books then its pretty straightforward to get started.

You can read my tutorial here: How To Make Money Podcasting

To earn money with your podcast, you must have strong research and organization skills and ability to relate to your audience.

Your book review podcast can make you money in a few ways:

Ads and sponsorships
Premium content (paid app downloads)
Donations via Patreon
Author submission fees

You can monetize your podcast through sponsorships or donations.

If you want to earn money from the podcast, your best bet is by choosing one of these two methods.

Companies are willing to pay for ads on podcasts that provide them with high-quality listeners who may purchase their products and services at a later date.

Additionally, Patreon offers an opportunity for people in creative fields like music, writing and now podcasting to make money online.

On this platform users pledge monthly to the creator and in return receive exclusive content.

This is a great way to earn money from your podcast, but it does require you to be able to create high-quality content for an audience that will give you donations.

Over the course of time, authors will come to know about your reviews and may contact you for paid offers if they like what they hear.

The pay can vary from $20 to thousands per hour depending on the book genre, author’s popularity, and whether or not you have a sponsor.

You don’t need much equipment to become a podcaster.

You’ll need a a microphone and computer with built-in software for podcasting and a quiet place to record.

Start A Book Blog

Blogging about books can be a lucrative business for anyone who enjoys writing.

On your own blog, you can write blog posts on:

Books you have read and loved
Ideas for gifts (books for young adults, kids etc)
Lists of must-read books

There are many monetization opportunities, display advertising, sponsored posts, affiliate links and getting paid for book reviews.

If you are interested in starting a blog in the lucrative book niche, you can follow my step by step tutorial to get started in under an hour and for less than $50.

How Much Money Can You Make Blogging About Books?

Wondering how much money a book blogger can make?

You are going to be surprised at how you can get paid to read books online and then talk about them.

Here are some book blog income reports you will love:

Hooked To Books made $5400 in a month (mainly from affiliate sales!)

Love Sawyer made $500 in her first year as a part-time book blogger

The best ways to make money with your blog book include:

Sponsored posts are posts talking about a product or service.
Find an affiliate program they like promote the products (such as books on Amazon).
Use one of the advertising platforms such as Ezoic, AdThrive and Mediavine.
Write book reviews

The best way to get going with your book blog is to apply for as many free books you can from book review companies.

Here are some of the companies that will sed you free books in exchange for a review on your blog:

Get Paid To Read Manuscripts

If you want to make money reading online, you can also get paid to read manuscripts.

Literary agents receive a lot of manuscripts and they are always looking for help so they hire freelance readers to read and summarize books that they have put on the “slush”pile.

They will pay freelance readers anywhere from $25 to $100 an hour for these reading services.

The duties are straightforward and similar to giving a book report, with a basic description of the main characters, plot points and any Easter eggs or hidden messages in the script.

Proofreading Jobs

Did you know you can get paid to read and proofread jobs?

Here is a list of places to look for 50 Best Proofreading Jobs.

Proofreaders make sure that books or copy is well written with no grammatical errors such as punctuation or spelling.

Another proofreading opportunity is to work as a proofreader for Amazon product descriptions.

You can find these jobs on Fiverr and they pay well – up to $50 per product listing.

Amazon Kindle is another good spot to look for proofreading jobs.

Many writers are looking for proofreaders to read the ebooks before they publish and a good proofreader can make up to $2000 a month proofreading Kindle books.

Get Paid To Read Books Aloud – Final Thoughts

Getting paid to read books is one of the best ways you can make money online.

Not only does it help fill your spare time with something productive and relaxing but also provides a means for additional income on top of your regular job.

You have several options when looking for this opportunity: from book reviews to proofreading and even starting your own blog.

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