Get Paid to Read Books: Legit or Scam?

Romance, sci-fi or a good old-fashioned whodunit—no matter your favourite literary genre, making money reading books sounds like some sort of dream job.

But can you actually get paid to read books, or is it all just a big scam? Keep reading to find out.

Is getting paid to read books actually legit?

Yes, you can actually get paid to read books in Canada.

There are a handful of legit jobs that involve reading as part of your regular duties. Audiobook narrators, book reviewers and proofreaders all make money reading books.

But these jobs are often very different from the image you might have in your head of lounging around with a coffee or glass of wine in one hand and a just-released page-turner in the other.

Narration is skilled work that requires excellent acting skills. Book reviewers spend plenty of time reading books they don’t enjoy, and the pay is usually quite low. And proofreading is very stop-start work with much more to it than just sitting down and reading.

But don’t let that discourage you. If reading is your passion and you want to turn it into a side hustle or even a profession, there are options available.

Legit ways you can get paid to read books

There are several legit ways you can genuinely get paid to read books in Canada. Here are some of the options worth exploring.

• Audiobook narrator. If you want to get paid to read books aloud, this is the job for you. Audiobook narrators use their reading and acting skills to bring stories to life in audio form. For example, you can get paid to read books for Amazon on ACX, Amazon’s publishing platform for audiobooks.
• Book reviewer. Journalists and writers can get paid to review books in online newspapers and magazines. There are also plenty of websites that will pay you to read and review books. Sites like Online Book Club and Reedsy are worth a look when you’re first starting out, while more experienced writers could consider sites like Kirkus Reviews and Booklist.
• Proofreader. If you’re a reader with excellent attention to detail, you could work as a freelance or full-time proofreader. Proofreaders fix spelling, grammar and punctuation issues before content is published, and they also check for formatting errors and ensure consistency throughout a publication. You can search for proofreading jobs on freelancing sites like Upwork.
• Beta reader. Beta readers get paid to read manuscripts before publishing and provide detailed feedback. These test readers assume the role of an average reader and provide feedback on what they do and don’t like about a story, highlight plot holes or inconsistencies, and anything else that can help improve the quality of the work before it is published. You can find beta reading jobs on sites like Upwork and Fiverr as well as through dedicated book websites.
• Content creator. Another way to get paid to read books is to use social media to become a “BookTok” or “Bookstagram” content creator. Use TikTok or Instagram to share your thoughts, opinions and reviews of books, as well as some of your favourite quotes. Once you’ve built a following, you may be able to monetize it through affiliate links for your audience to buy books online, or maybe even secure paid partnerships with publishers.
• Book summarizer. Finally, some platforms, such as getAbstract and Instaread, pay writers to summarize nonfiction books. However, the rise of AI and the fact that there’s plenty of competition for limited roles mean that this can be a tough area to break into.

“Get paid to read books” scams to watch out for

While there are legit ways to make money reading books, there are also a few scams to be aware of.

Some scams take the form of an ad for a job reading books. It sounds perfect, but the only problem is that you need to make an upfront payment to undergo training, or you have to pay a fee to be able to access higher-paying book review jobs. Legit book review sites won’t ask you to hand over any money.

In other cases, you might come across videos on social media for book-reading jobs. They claim you can earn hundreds of dollars an hour, but such unrealistic claims are a big red flag. These scams are often just a way for scammers to get your sensitive personal information, so steer clear of any job offer or side hustle that just doesn’t seem quite right.

Legit alternatives to getting paid to read books in Canada

Looking for other legit ways to make money working from home? Check out these three options.

Use a get-paid-to (GPT) platform

How it works: GPT sites and apps like Branded Surveys and Testerup let you earn real money by performing simple tasks. You can get rewarded for playing games, answering surveys and signing up for special offers, then redeem your rewards for cash or gift cards.

How much it pays: You could potentially earn hundreds of dollars per offer, but this will usually require a lot of time and effort (and potentially in-app purchases too). Survey rewards range from around $0.50 to $5 per survey.

Play Games & Take Surveys

Freecash

Go to site

• Access a variety of tasks
• Earn up to $300 per offer
• $10 CAD sign-up bonus when you start your first offer

Best for Mobile

Testerup

Go to site

• Earn up to $800 through offers
• No limit on how much you play games or complete surveys
• Earn money while playing games

Paid Surveys

LEO (Leger Opinion)

Go to site

• Earn up to $100 per month in rewards
• Finder readers receive 2,000 LEO welcome bonus points
• Free, user-friendly, and secure app and website

Earn cashback or rewards

How it works: Cashback sites like Great Canadian Rebates and TopCashback pay cashback rewards when you make an online purchase at one of their retail partners. This allows you to make money simply by doing your normal shopping. You can also earn cash by signing up for financial products through Finder Rewards.

How much it pays: Cashback commonly ranges from 1% to 10%.

Be a user tester

How it works: Platforms like UserTesting and Userlytics pay real money to ordinary people to test apps, websites and user experiences. For example, you might be asked to buy an item on a retailer’s app or website and provide detailed feedback on your shopping experience from browsing to checkout. In return, you’ll be paid a small reward.

How much it pays: $3 to $5 per 5-minute test or $30 to $100+ for more complicated tests

Are there any other easy ways to make money?

There are lots of other options worth exploring if you’re searching for simple ways to make extra cash. Perhaps the simplest of all is to switch bank accounts. Banks offer sizeable cash bonuses to entice new customers, and often all you need to do is open an account. Check out the latest bank account offers.

Another easy way to make money is to sell your unused possessions. Whether you head to a pawn shop or list items on a platform like Facebook Marketplace, you could potentially bring in hundreds of dollars while decluttering your home at the same time.

If you don’t mind doing a little bit of work, you could always sign up for a gig website like TaskRabbit. You can use platforms like this to get paid for odd jobs like assembling IKEA furniture or helping people move. There’s plenty of work around, so it’s worth checking out what tasks are available near you.

Bottom line

There are legit ways you can get paid to read books, like writing book reviews and narrating audiobooks. Some people are lucky enough to turn their love of books into a career, but in many other cases, the pay rate for book-related jobs is fairly low. So if you see an ad promising that you can rake in the big bucks simply by reading books, be careful: there’s a good chance it could be a scam.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Leanne Escobal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Tim Falk

Writer

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Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 20-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio

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