CASE STUDY: HOW ONE AUTHOR USES BOOKSPROUT + BOOKMONTY
I have been self-publishing for 4 years now in nonfiction. I run KDP ads but I don't start them until I have at least 25+ reviews, which I aim to get 2-3 weeks after launch. For this, I use Booksprout for my ARC efforts, and I used to use another book review site but they've been dwindling over the years. My books stay in "Request" mode for weeks! I switched to BookMonty last year and now I'm able to achieve my review goal before running ads again.
- C.D., BookMonty author
When authors compare Booksprout and BookMonty, it’s tempting to ask which platform is better. But that question overlooks the most important difference: these two services are built to solve different parts of the review process.
TL;DR
Booksprout is strongest when you need to organize ARC review campaigns and manage readers around a book launch. BookMonty is strongest when you want ongoing book and audiobook review opportunities. Used smartly, these two platforms can complement each other really well: Booksprout supports the launch, while BookMonty supports your book (and audiobook) before, during, and after the launch period.
Transparency note: This article is published by BookMonty. We are not affiliated with Booksprout and do not earn any commission or other compensation if you sign up for its services. Booksprout’s public features were reviewed as of this writing. Features, plan limits, and prices may change, so please check its website for the most up-to-date information.
Booksprout vs. BookMonty at a Glance
| FEATURE | BOOKSPROUT | BOOKMONTY |
|---|---|---|
Primary role | ARC campaign and management | Ongoing book and audiobook review community |
Best timing | Before and around a release, though campaigns can continue afterward | Before, during and long after launch |
How readers participate | Readers need to claim review copies from campaigns or join an author’s team | Readers choose books or audiobooks and earn Hoots for completed activity |
Review destinations | Chosen by the author or reader within each campaign | Chosen by the author within each campaign (Amazon, Audible, Spotify, Goodreads, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble) |
Audiobooks | Available on qualifying paid plans | Built into the platform; supports Audible and Spotify |
Your existing readers | Build and manage an author review team | Invite supporters through the Friends & Family Reader Network |
Review swaps | Not the purpose of the campaign model | Not possible; digitally blocked within BookMonty |
Main value | Organize delivery, deadlines, reminders, and reviewer follow-up | Keep building reviews across formats and platforms over time |
Table of Contents
How to Use Booksprout Before and Around Launch
How to Use BookMonty Before, During, and After Launch
A Practical Combined Timeline for Book Reviews
Do You Really Need Both Platforms?
ARC Reviews Are Not Guaranteed to Appear on Amazon
Common Mistakes When Using Booksprout and BookMonty
What Is Booksprout?
Booksprout helps authors create and manage review campaigns before book launch. You add your book, upload a free copy, start a review campaign, and allow readers to participate. Depending on your paid plan and setup, those readers may come from Booksprout’s community, your own review team, or people who receive your Booksprout review campaign link. For example, their Growing Author plan allows you to give away up to 25 free copies of your book.
Basically, you're using Booksprout to "announce" your book. It's not published yet, but you're making free copies available to anyone who wants to read and review it.
Important: Just because you make X copies of your book available doesn’t mean they will all be claimed. Reader interest depends on factors such as your genre, cover, description, campaign timing, and the number of competing books available in their network. Also, even when a copy is claimed, a completed review is never guaranteed.
Booksprout's real value is ARC organization. Instead of emailing files manually and keeping a spreadsheet of reviewers, you can manage access, deadlines, reminders, campaign limits, and completed reviews in one place. Higher plans add more active campaigns, larger copy limits, expanded reviewer access, and features such as audiobook review campaigns.
Technically, you can run a Booksprout review campaign after publication. However, Booksprout is generally considered an ARC platform because many authors find that its readers are less likely to claim a book once it has already launched.
What Is BookMonty?
BookMonty is an ongoing review platform for books and audiobooks. Members earn Hoots by choosing and reviewing titles that interest them, then use those Hoots to create review requests for their own work. BookMonty keeps the process anonymous and digitally blocks direct reciprocal reviewing (read: no review swaps!).
Its real value is ongoing review momentum. Instead of relying on a single launch campaign, you get a repeatable system for building reviews before, during, and long after launch, across Amazon, Audible, Spotify, Goodreads, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.
BookMonty’s Friends & Family Reader Network also gives people you know a different way to help. They can review other authors’ titles in the system, but cannot access your books or audiobooks at all. However, YOU receive the Hoots they earn and can use them for your own review requests.
BookMonty also provides Amazon Direct Review Links, free author tools, and practical training. The goal is to help you continue building reviews across a growing catalog, not create only a short burst around a specific launch.
How to Use BookSprout Before and Around Launch
A structured review campaign usually works best when you start early enough for readers to finish the book. A 250-page novel needs more lead time than a short guide. Your ideal schedule will also depend on genre, reader demand, and whether you already have a review team.
- Prepare the strongest version of your book that you are comfortable placing in readers’ hands for free. An ARC may contain minor final-stage corrections, but it should not feel unfinished.
- Upload your book's ARC on Booksprout, create a review campaign and choose realistic start, claim, and review dates. Avoid giving readers a deadline that ignores the length of the book.
- Invite your existing review team (if you have one) or share the private campaign link with suitable readers (e.g., on your FB page, Goodreads community, etc.). However, DO NOT give the link to your friends and family.
- Once your book is LIVE on Amazon, don't forget to put the necessary details on Booksprout (i.e., your book's ASIN) so that the system can inform the people who claimed a review copy about it.
- Track where readers intend to post and which reviews actually appear. Claims and downloads are activity metrics; published reviews are the outcome.
How to Use BookMonty Before, During and After Launch
You don’t have to wait until launch day to start using BookMonty! While your book must be published before you can request reviews for it, you can join the community beforehand, review other authors’ books (or audiobooks), and build up Hoots for your own launch.
- Join BookMonty before launch and start reviewing books (or audiobooks) that genuinely interest you to earn Hoots.
- Invite avid readers you know to be part of your Friends & Family Reader Network. (Remember, they can earn additional Hoots for you by reviewing other authors’ books.)
- Once your book is LIVE, add it to BookMonty and choose the review destinations that matter to you.
- Combine your earned Hoots with your 2,000 Welcome Hoots to start requesting reviews.
- Continue requesting reviews at a measured pace after the launch window rather than treating reviews as a one-week event.
This way, you can arrive on launch day with Hoots already available and continue building review momentum long after your ARC campaign ends.
Booksprout + BookMonty: A Practical Combined Timeline for Book Reviews
| Stage | Booksprout Role | BookMonty Role |
|---|---|---|
Two to six weeks before launch (lead time depends on your book) | Upload free copy and set up a review campaign | Sign up for a free trial and start building Hoots |
Launch week | Update book listing with ASINs and track which participants complete their reviews | Request reviews for the published title |
Weeks two to six after launch | Follow up within the campaign without pressuring readers | Continue steady review requests |
Long-term backlist | Reuse your established team for future campaigns | Maintain ongoing book and audiobook review activity across your catalog |
Do You Really Need Both Platforms?
Using both makes the most sense when:
- You want organized early-reader management as well as ongoing review opportunities
- You publish books and audiobooks, or sell beyond Amazon
- You already have some readers to invite but also need access to a wider review community
- You want reviews to continue accumulating after launch-week attention fades
You may need only BookSprout when:
- Your immediate problem is distributing free review copies of your book
- Your only concern is launch week
- You mainly want deadlines, reminders, and reader tracking in one place
You may need only BookMonty when:
- Your book is already published, and you are focused on continued review growth
- You need book and audiobook reviews across several platforms
- You have a backlist of books or audiobooks you want to revive
- You want more control over the pace and volume of your review requests instead of relying solely on how many ARC readers claim your book
ARC Reviews Are Not Guaranteed to Appear on Amazon
In today’s stricter review environment, you should not assume that every ARC review will appear, or remain visble, on Amazon. (Note: This is beyond Booksprout's control.)
ARC readers receive a free copy, so their reviews generally will not carry the Verified Purchase label. Amazon may delay, reject, hide, or later remove a review if its systems cannot confirm that it meets the Community Guidelines for Customer Reviews.
Still, a review from a free copy of your book does not automatically make a review invalid. Amazon still allows you to provide free or discounted copies, provided you do not require a review, influence the rating or content, or offer anything beyond the book itself as compensation.
Common Mistakes When Using BookSprout and BookMonty
Counting claims as reviews. In Booksprout, a reader claiming a copy is not the same as finishing the book or publishing a review. Track each stage separately so you can see where interest turns into completion and where it drops off.
Using both platforms to compensate for weak positioning. If readers repeatedly pass over your book, adding another service may not solve the problem. Review your cover, description, category, sample, genre fit, and pricing before assuming that the platform is the only reason readers are not choosing it.
Red-flagging a reviewer because you dislike their rating. A review below five stars is not automatically unfair or abusive. BookMonty’s red-flag feature should be used only when a reviewer appears to have broken platform rules, not because they shared an honest opinion you disagree with.
Setting unrealistic deadlines. Readers need enough time to finish your book and form an honest opinion. Deadlines that ignore the book’s length or complexity can lead to rushed reviews, missed dates, and lower completion rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BookMonty a Booksprout alternative?
BookMonty can be an alternative when your main goal is ongoing reviews. However, it does not replace Booksprout's ARC campaign-management function.
Which is better? Booksprout or BookMonty?
Neither platform is automatically better for every author. Booksprout is better suited for ARC management. BookMonty is better suited for ongoing book and audiobook review requests across multiple destinations. Your timing and publishing format should guide the choice.
Can you use Booksprout and BookMonty together?
Yes. You can use Booksprout to organize readers around a release and BookMonty to continue building reviews during and after launch. Keep the campaigns clearly separated and track results so you know what each platform contributes.
Which platform supports audiobook reviews?
Both Booksprout and BookMonty support audiobook review opportunities. However, only BookMonty supports Spotify and enables you to upload Audible or Spotify redemption codes.
Do Booksprout or BookMonty guarantee reviews?
No ethical platform can guarantee that every reader will finish your book, publish a review, leave a favorable rating, or keep a review live. Your genre, cover, description, length, availability, and reader fit all affect results, while retailers control moderation.
Final Thoughts
Booksprout and BookMonty should not be forced into a winner-takes-all comparison. Booksprout helps you organize ARC review campaigns and manage participating readers. BookMonty helps you build reviews for books and audiobooks across several review destinations over time.
Used together, they can support the full life of a title: early reader organization before release, focused activity around launch, and continued review growth afterward. Used separately, each can still be the right choice when its specific workflow matches the job you need done.
Start by defining your gap. If you need campaign management, solve that first. If you need continued review opportunities beyond launch, then go for a repeatable long-term system.
Still comparing your options? Explore our guide to the best tips for self-published authors.