The best book marketing tool depends on what’s holding your book back. MailerLite is the strongest starting point for authors building a reader list. Books2Read makes it easier to send readers to their preferred bookstore. Booksprout helps organize advance reader copies, Amazon Ads puts eligible titles in front of shoppers, and BookBub Featured Deals is worth considering when you can discount an ebook. Reedsy is the pick when you need a specialist to do part of the work.
Start with one outcome you can measure. If readers already click your links but rarely buy, inspect the cover, description, price, and sample before paying for more traffic. If your last launch depended on starting over on social media, an email list gives you a way to reach interested readers again when the next book comes out.
Best book marketing tools at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Cost model | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Author newsletters and launch emails | Free tier with subscriber and sending caps | A growing list can outgrow the free tier before launch |
| Books2Read | One link for several bookstores | Free | You still need a channel that sends readers to the link |
| Booksprout | Managing advance reader copies and review campaigns | Paid campaign plans | Copy claims and published reviews are separate outcomes |
| Amazon Ads | Reaching shoppers browsing for books | Cost per click for Sponsored Products | Click costs can exceed the royalties they generate |
| BookBub Featured Deals | Promoting a discounted ebook | Free submission, variable fee if selected and confirmed | Editorial selection makes timing uncertain |
| Reedsy | Hiring a book marketing specialist | Project quotes | The scope and deliverables depend on the specialist |
1. MailerLite for building an author newsletter
MailerLite is a good first purchase decision even if you start on its free plan. You can create a signup page, automate a welcome email, and send a launch announcement to readers who have opted in. A fantasy author might offer a prequel chapter, while a nonfiction author could offer a worksheet readers can use alongside the book. In both cases, the signup gives readers a reason to hear from you again.
MailerLite changed its free plan in June 2026. It now allows 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, with up to three active automations and one landing page. Campaign and automation emails count toward the sending cap. If you’re close to either limit, check the paid plan before scheduling a series of launch emails. MailerLite
Choose it if you have a reader offer and a plan to keep in touch. If your current email provider already supports signup pages, welcome emails, and subscriber exports, use it for the launch and revisit the switch afterward.
2. Books2Read for sharing one link across bookstores
Books2Read’s free Universal Book Links give readers one URL that can lead to several digital bookstores. It’s especially useful if you publish wide, meaning your ebook is available through multiple retailers. Put the same link in your newsletter, author bio, and podcast notes so readers can choose their preferred store. books2read.com
Before sharing the link, test it on a phone and check each retailer destination. A book can be listed at a store and still be missing from your Universal Book Link. For a discounted promotion, also check that the listing shows the intended price in the market you’re targeting. books2read.com
Choose it if readers have meaningful retailer choices. A direct store link is usually simpler when a campaign serves one retailer and the advertised edition is already available there.
3. Booksprout for advance reader copy campaigns
An advance reader copy, or ARC, is a prepublication copy you share so readers have time to finish the book before launch. Booksprout lets authors create ebook campaigns, set how many copies to distribute, and choose between a public campaign and a private one. Audiobook campaigns are available on the Pro Author plan and above. Compare campaign and copy limits before choosing a plan, especially if you have several releases close together. Booksprout pricing Booksprout Knowledge Base
If Amazon is a review destination, keep reviews optional. Booksprout documents a setting of zero required external reviews. Amazon KDP allows free or discounted copies when a review is optional and the author makes no attempt to influence it. Keep those rules in mind when writing campaign instructions and follow-up emails. Amazon KDP customer review policy Booksprout Knowledge Base
Choose it if you need a central place to manage review copies. Give readers enough time for the book’s length and treat copy claims and voluntary reviews as separate measures.
4. Amazon Ads for reaching shoppers on Amazon
Sponsored Products can put eligible books in shopping results and on product pages. The format charges per click, and clicking the ad takes the shopper to the advertised book’s listing. That makes the product page part of the campaign. A well-targeted ad can get a reader to the page, but the cover, blurb, and sample still need to make the case for buying. Amazon Ads
Start with one title and a small set of closely related keywords or books. A historical mystery author could test comparable mysteries before bidding on broad terms like “fiction.” Set a spending limit and judge the campaign using your royalty per sale. For a series opener, track later-book sales separately and use your own read-through data before assigning them value.
Choose it if Amazon is an important sales channel and you can afford to run a controlled test. If your listing is still changing substantially, finish it first so you have a clearer picture of what the ads achieved.
5. BookBub Featured Deals for discounted ebook promotions
A BookBub Featured Deal gives a selected discounted ebook placement in a reader email. Submitting is free. If your book is selected and you confirm the promotion, the one-time fee depends on the category, regional availability, and deal price. BookBub publishes category pricing and historical click ranges, which you can use to compare opportunities. Those ranges describe previous campaigns and provide no assurance about your own sales. BookBub Support (Partners)
A series opener can make a stronger candidate than a standalone if you have evidence that readers go on to buy the sequels. Estimate how much the promoted title would need to earn back at the discounted royalty, then decide how much you’re comfortable spending on discovery. Confirm that you can apply the discount across the relevant stores and regions for the agreed date. BookBub Support (Partners)
Choose it if you have a discountable ebook, a flexible calendar, and a clear budget. Keep a launch-week plan you can execute while your submission is under consideration.
6. Reedsy for hiring book marketing services
Reedsy is a marketplace for finding professionals who offer book marketing services. It suits authors who need a specific skill or extra hands, whether that means developing a launch plan, reviewing an ad account, or planning outreach. Ask for quotes from specialists with relevant genre experience and give each person the same brief so you can compare their proposals. Reedsy
When comparing book promotion services, separate the professional’s fee from ad spend, newsletter placement fees, and creative costs. Ask what you’ll receive at the end of the engagement. A campaign plan, editable assets, and an account you control are concrete deliverables you can assess. If a proposal promises visibility, ask which audience it will reach and what the final report will show.
Choose it if you can name the work you want someone else to handle. For a single discounted placement, compare the publisher’s or newsletter’s direct booking terms with the cost of hiring someone to coordinate it.
How to choose between book marketing sites and tools
When you’re marketing books on a tight budget, choose the channel that addresses the clearest problem. Some book marketing sites help readers discover a title. Others simply make it easier for interested readers to buy it. Measure those jobs differently.
| Your situation | Start here | What to measure |
|---|---|---|
| You have a debut and no reader list | MailerLite and a relevant sample or bonus | Confirmed signups and clicks in the welcome email |
| You sell through several retailers | Books2Read and an existing traffic source | Whether links reach the correct edition and store |
| You need to distribute prelaunch copies | Booksprout | Copies claimed and voluntary reviews posted |
| You have a finished Amazon listing | A capped Amazon Ads test | Ad spend versus estimated royalties from attributed orders |
| You have a series with proven read-through | A discounted first-book promotion | Promo-window sales and subsequent sales of later books |
What can you afford to pay for a click?
Suppose you earn $3 per sale and 5% of ad clicks convert. Your estimated break-even cost per click is $0.15 before other expenses. If 100 clicks cost $25 and bring five sales, you earn $15 in royalties and spend $10 more than you earn on the advertised title. These are hypothetical numbers. Use your own royalties and observed conversion rate, and keep any estimated sequel revenue separate until you have enough data to justify it.
Give each launch phase one job
Before release, test the signup page and retailer links on mobile, prepare your welcome email, and give advance readers time to finish. During launch week, send readers to the correct edition and record the dates of each email, ad, or promotion. After launch, compare spending, orders, and new subscribers. If several channels ran at once, use the results to choose a cleaner next test instead of attributing every sale to one promotion.
How we picked these tools
We compared tools across six jobs independent authors and small publishers commonly handle: email, retailer links, advance copies, retail ads, discounted promotions, and outsourced work. The picks are based on official product documentation, pricing or fee models, and the practical constraints of each workflow. This is a research-based comparison. Choose the tool that solves your current problem, then add another when you can identify the job it will do.