A book launch budget: what is worth paying for
The steps that do the most for most nonfiction launches cost little: advance readers, personal notes, podcast pitches, your list. Money buys reach beyond your own network, and it is easy to spend it on things that do nothing. Here are the published prices of common launch services, checked October 2026, and how to choose.
What costs nothing
Before spending anything, make sure the free work is done, because paid reach sends people to it.
- An email list. Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. See the launch email plan.
- Author pages. Amazon Author Central is free, and Goodreads' Author Program accepts soon-to-be-published authors. BookBub's New Release Alerts are free for eligible books.
- A+ Content on your Amazon page, set up from the KDP Marketing page.
- Advance readers from your own network, sent a PDF.
- Podcast pitches, and journalist request services with free tiers such as Featured and Qwoted.
- An event listing. Eventbrite charges nothing for free events.
- Your time. The scarcest resource. The planner asks how much you have each week and hides optional steps when it is short.
Prices of common launch services
Published prices as of October 20, 2026. Prices change, so confirm on each page before you pay.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| BookFunnel | Ebook delivery to advance readers | $30 a year (no secure ARC delivery); $200 a year with it; $300 unlimited (source) |
| NetGalley, direct | 6-month listing for reviewers, librarians and booksellers | $575; Featured Title week $150 extra (source) |
| NetGalley via IBPA | Co-op listing, IBPA members | $179 for 1 month, $299 for 3, $499 for 6 (source) |
| Edelweiss+ | Digital review copies to trade readers | $200 a year plus $90 per title (source) |
| Goodreads giveaway | Book listed in giveaways; entrants add it to want-to-read | Standard $119, Premium $599, US (source) |
| Publishers Weekly via BookLife | Consideration for a PW review, not guaranteed | $25; decisions in 6 to 12 weeks (source) |
| Kirkus Indie | A guaranteed editorial review, not necessarily positive | From $450 (7 to 9 weeks); $599 expedited (4 to 6 weeks) (source) |
| Foreword Clarion | A paid editorial review | $579, 4 to 6 weeks (source) |
| BookBub Featured Deal | Your discounted ebook in BookBub's deal emails, if selected | Business category: $304 (free book) to $1,435 (deal at $3+) (source) |
| BookBub Ads | Ads in BookBub emails, by impressions or clicks | Minimum $1 total budget per campaign (source) |
| Amazon Sponsored Products | Ads on Amazon, pay per click | Minimum $1 a day (source) |
BookBub Featured Deal prices vary by category: on the same page, Biographies & Memoirs runs $708 to $3,552, Advice & How-To $629 to $2,958, and General Nonfiction $457 to $2,293.
How to judge each one
- NetGalley and Edelweiss put your book where professional readers look for advance copies. Useful if you want reviews and attention from outside your network, and if you list two or three months ahead.
- Goodreads giveaways add your book to readers' shelves. They do not guarantee reviews, and print giveaways add shipping costs.
- Editorial reviews give you a quotable line from a recognized name for your book page, one-sheet and pitches. Kirkus and Foreword are paid; Publishers Weekly's BookLife route costs $25 but is not guaranteed. Trade publications want copies months before publication: Publishers Weekly three to four months, Library Journal six.
- BookBub Featured Deals are for a price promotion after launch, and BookBub says it selects only about a quarter of submissions.
- Ads amplify a book that already has reviews. Start at a few dollars a day and stop what does not pay its way.
What to spend at each budget
These match the budget bands in the launch planner.
| Budget for launch marketing | Where the money goes |
|---|---|
| Under $500 | Author copies for advance readers, clients and the event; postage; perhaps BookFunnel. Everything else is time. |
| $500 to $2,500 | Add one source of outside reach: a NetGalley listing or a Goodreads giveaway before launch; a small Amazon ad test after it; books mailed to prospects. |
| $2,500 to $10,000 | Add an editorial review you can quote, a price promotion with a BookBub Featured Deal application, and consider professional help with podcast outreach. |
| Over $10,000 | Professional publicity or a full launch campaign. Ask any provider what result they commit to, and how you will measure it. |
At every level, books in the right hands come first. For a business book, sending signed copies to clients and prospects is often the best money you will spend: one Scribe author's firm reports 75–100 books sent to prospects each month. One firm's practice, not a typical one, but a useful model.
What never to pay for
- Amazon customer reviews. Amazon's community guidelines forbid reviews in exchange for compensation, and the FTC's reviews rule, in effect since October 21, 2024, bans fake reviews and incentives conditioned on sentiment. Paid editorial reviews (Kirkus, Foreword) are a different thing: you pay the publication, not a customer, and the review is not promised to be positive.
- Promises of rank. Any service that guarantees a bestseller badge is selling something you cannot verify and may break Amazon's rules.
- Mass "blasts" to lists you cannot see. If a service cannot tell you who receives it and why they would care about your book, the money is likely wasted.
Scribe Media's marketing services
Scribe Media makes this site. Its book marketing page lists packages that are available only to authors who have published with Scribe, including a NetGalley Campaign ($1,500), Online Advertising ($1,300, two weeks of Facebook, Instagram and Google Search ads around launch), Expanded Readership ($3,000, with a 6-month NetGalley campaign, a Premium Goodreads giveaway and a 5-day Amazon promotion), Author Spotlight ($3,500) and Scribe Podcast PR ($9,000). If you did not publish with Scribe, you can buy the underlying services directly at the prices above.
If you are still deciding how to publish and would like to talk to Scribe, book a free consult.
Common questions
How much should I spend on a book launch?
There is no right number. Many of the most effective launch steps (advance readers, personal notes, podcast pitches, your email list) cost little or nothing. Paid services add reach outside your network. Decide what result you want first, then pay only for what serves it.
How much does NetGalley cost for a self-published author?
A 6-month listing bought directly from NetGalley costs $575 as of October 2026. IBPA members can buy co-op listings for $179 (one month), $299 (three months) or $499 (six months).
How much is a Goodreads giveaway?
In the US, a Standard giveaway costs $119 and a Premium giveaway $599. Kindle giveaways are for KDP authors; for print giveaways you ship the books at your own cost.
Are paid reviews like Kirkus Indie worth it?
They give you an editorial review you can quote, from a known name, which some readers, librarians and event organizers notice. They are not Amazon customer reviews, and a paid review is not guaranteed to be positive. Kirkus Indie starts at $450 with a 7 to 9 week turnaround.
What should I never pay for?
Amazon customer reviews, in any form, and services that promise a bestseller rank. Amazon's guidelines forbid compensated reviews and the FTC's reviews rule bans buying them.
Sources, checked October 20, 2026: each price links to its source in the table. Also Kit, Amazon Author Central, Goodreads Author Program, Eventbrite, Amazon community guidelines, FTC, BookBub selection and Scribe Media book marketing. Published by Scribe Media.