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Company details
Written by the company
Read & Rate - Empowering Indie Authors with Genuine Reviews and Community Support. Read & Rate is a unique platform built to support self-published authors by helping them gain authentic, impactful reviews on Amazon. Our community-driven model allows authors to earn points (InkDrops) by reviewing each other’s books and then spend those points to request reviews for their own work, creating a balanced and supportive environment. We’re committed to quality and transparency, with strict adherence to Amazon's guidelines and robust anti-review-swapping algorithms to ensure fair and honest feedback. Beyond reviews, Read & Rate provides resources for authors to improve their visibility, connect with a community of fellow writers, and access expert services, such as editing, cover design, and marketing. Our subscription plans offer flexible options for new and experienced authors alike, helping them boost their book’s ranking and reach new audiences. With Read & Rate, authors can grow their readership, improve their craft, and support each other’s success in a friendly and encouraging environment. Join us to experience a supportive community that champions indie authors and helps them thrive in the world of self-publishing!
Contact info
5203 Juan Tabo Blvd, 87111, Albuquerque, United States
- www.readnrate.com
3.7
Average
13 reviews
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically takes over 1 month to reply
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Hot Coffee Guy
The flirting begins when he gives her a different name for his cup each morning. I loved the process of the two working out their fears and perceived liabilities. The big elephant in the room is why some men need to exploit women. The other elephant in the room is how men navigate women's newfound independence. Love is a new menu item, which is measured by mutual caring and nurturing consideration. The novel moves quickly, and all the questions are answered at their own perfect time. Thank you, TJ Dell.
21 February 2026
Unprompted review
An expensive platform without being responsible!
I have two books on this platform, but I couldn’t get even one review during this period! This is a paid platform not something free! So any changes to platform should consider the books that are already in your platform.
28 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Ali, thank you for the feedback. I’m sorry to hear you felt the platform didn't meet your expectations. However, I want to clarify that during your subscription, your book did receive 7 reviews.
Our support team enjoyed answering your questions, and we always strive to help authors succeed. Ultimately, readers choose what resonates with them, and getting that much engagement in a week and a half is a strong start. We hope you will consider trying us again in the future!
Edited after receiving help from Customer Service.
Edit: The publishers reached out to me and explained the problem, which is something the competition doesn't do, so I am changing my score. These guys bore with me and helped with the confusing UI.
Now that I understand it (waiting for help from the team is a must) I am glad they called me back. I am still in my 10-day trial, waiting for my first review.
How this works is you earn ink drops for reviewing other books, and then you can ask for your own. Time will tell if this will work. I hope I get one bite.
Signed up for an author account (10-day free trial) and was sent on a wild goose chase. Was given a free reader profile (No instructions on what to do). Two separate User Interfaces to navigate (1 was broken and kept exiting out). Author profile broken. Customer support is absent. The word circle was misspelled on the email confirmation verification page. The website looks old and outdated.
27 July 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Michael, thank you for leaving a feedback. You subscribed earlier today, We did answer your live support request, we also sent you an email without any answer from your part. This situation is unfortunate as you're leaving a review but you did not use the platform or even answer our response to your request. We thank you for trying us and we wish you the best success with your books.
Bottom line: ReadNRate can't perform and lies to cover that fact
ReadNRate is no more honest than stuffing these pages with reviews from their shills would indicate.
I tried their service for the review period and a little over a week into a paid subscription. I provided seven quality reviews for lengthy books. In the early going, I immediately got two reviews back, 5-star reviews, though the written text was not of the same quality I was producing.
Too easy - I suspected at the time that those reviews were being produced by company employees for show (that is, to create the illusion of legitimacy through the free trial, like all those fake come-ons you get when you sign up for a dating site), but let it go.
I never got another reader, much less a review, in the two and a half weeks after those first two. I had earned so many "InkDrops" that I maxxed out the number of review requests the site allows (three per book) and the number of books I could put on the "Top Shelf" (a gimmick that lasts a short period to supposedly provide incentives to reviewers - it doesn't work, and is actually meant to draw down your InkDrops and waste the effects of all those reviews you're putting out).
So at the end of that period, I had all these InkDrops I couldn't spend on reviews, no readers, and no reviews coming my way. When I complained, at first this Manuel Denault character (as they say in Texas, "all hat and no cattle") ran his mouth promising all these changes they were doing to fix problems they knew they had (they have exactly one problem, and they can't fix it: They are a book review websites with not nearly enough reviewers, period.)
When a week later, nothing had changed and I was stuck where I was, I called him out: Put up or shut up. He shriveled from THAT like he had a lot of practice. Now suddenly he's claiming I didn't understand the obvious (no reviewers when you have three quality books at 4.8 average ratings plus on Amazon is pretty easy to understand). When I called that bluff, suddenly it's like I'm Stormy Daniels calling him out for his short-stemmed mushroom cap, and he's trying to usher me out the door before anyone else finds out he's got nothing.
Worse, a reviewed author stands a real chance of getting their reviews pulled and their Amazon accounts closed because it turns out ReadNRate plays fast and loose with the Amazon rules. ReadNRate is truly incompetent when it comes to "Verified Purchaser" reviews. When you don't get what you paid for (via InkDrops) they force you to chase down the review to show them. Obviously, if an author is forced to find the Amazon review and the reviewer's name, then the whole idea of preventing quid-pro-quo favorable reviews goes out the window.
ReadNRate is so desperate for members now that they are giving complete lip service to Amazon's rules, leaving authors exposed to punishment from Amazon though the writer's done nothing wrong.
19 June 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Scott,
Thank you for trying Read & Rate and for taking the time to leave feedback. We decided to remove you from our community, canceled your subscription, and refunded you, as you made it clear you were more focused on finding problems, threatening lawsuits against us and even Amazon, instead of taking responsibility and focusing on your book success. Despite our repeated efforts to help you, guide you, and even offer support on basic features like unsubscribing from helpful emails you labeled as spam, you showed no willingness to be helped or to engage constructively.
However, much of what you've stated is misleading or incorrect, and it's important to clarify for anyone reading this:
1. Your Reviews Were Real: The two reviews you received came from verified, active members. Our system does not generate fake reviews, and we do not allow our staff to review books. Every reviewer is a registered user who chooses what to read and review.
2. You Maxed Out Requests: You state you couldn’t spend your InkDrops, but in fact, you used them all and maxed out both book and copy limits. Your books were already in the library with the maximum copies allowed. As we’ve explained multiple times, the point is not to overload the library, but to allow natural selection from active members.
3. Top Shelf is Not a Gimmick: It gives real visibility by placing your books in a more limited pool. Members using Top Shelf see results when their covers and listings are appealing and competitive. But it’s not magic. If your book is not selected, adding more copies won’t change anything. There is no point flooding the library with copies of books that haven’t been selected.
4. False Claim About Amazon Risk: This is categorically false. Read & Rate is fully Amazon compliant. We do not allow review swapping. All reviews must first be posted on Amazon as regular customer reviews. We manually verify each one. If a review is not tagged “Verified Purchase,” we follow Amazon’s lead and adjust the InkDrops unless the reviewer can provide proof of purchase. That’s standard, fair practice, not “forcing” anyone. We do not encourage or permit authors to contact reviewers, and we don’t provide names.
5. Verified Purchase Tag Is Amazon-Controlled: If Amazon does not apply the Verified tag, it’s due to how the book was acquired or how quickly the review was posted. We explain this thoroughly in our support. Blaming us for Amazon’s internal logic is simply not accurate.
6. You Received Support: You had direct contact with the founder and support team. You were answered respectfully, and your concerns were addressed repeatedly. What you’ve called “lip service” was our real effort to walk you through how things work. Unfortunately, it appears you chose not to listen.
We understand our platform may not be for everyone. But making false claims about dishonesty or risk to other authors is irresponsible. We work hard to protect our members, keep reviews compliant, and offer an honest space for authors and readers.
We wish you the best with your books, and we genuinely thank you for trying the platform.
— Read & Rate Team
Independent authors are no longer alone.
Considering how difficult it is for independent authors to obtain reviews, I believe in their concept of helping one another. Otherwise, you are just one voice out there screaming in the wilderness of looking for a review. Their method is more honest than the others, where if you have a lot of money, you buy reviews. I wish them all the best.
1 April 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Duane,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! Your words truly reflect the heart of what we’re building at Read & Rate; a space where self-published authors can support one another and grow together, without needing deep pockets or gimmicks.
We’re so glad the mission resonates with you, and we’re honored to have you in the community. Wishing you continued success with your books and remember, you’re never alone in this journey!
Warmest thanks,
The Read & Rate Team
An honest way to get book reviews
I'm very happy I discovered Read & Rate. I've tried Pubby and I just wasn't satisfied since so many utilize the program and my book got lost in the sea. Read & Rate has a similar structure and continues to make adjustments to help get authentic readers to read and review your book(s) on multiple platforms. In order to get inkdrops you also have to give back by reading and reviewing books, which is fair. One just has to spend inkdrops wisely. I've received a good amount of positive reviews for multiple books and it's an honest way to boost reviews on Amazon.
16 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Thank you for your support! We’re thrilled to have you as part of the community, and we wish you incredible success with your books!
nice team
I reviewed them negatively by mistake. They got in touch and were very kind.
19 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Eike,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. Unfortunately, we could not find any record of a user with your name either on our platform or through our secure payment processor, Stripe. Additionally, we have not received any inquiries regarding this matter via our live chat support or email.
Please note that subscriptions can be canceled at any time. However, if the cancellation occurred after the end of your current billing period, it is standard for the payment to be processed. We want to emphasize that we are always happy to issue refunds for valid cases and would never deny a legitimate refund request.
If this review was posted in error, we encourage you to reach out to us directly at support@readnrate.com so we can investigate and resolve the issue, including processing a refund if applicable.
We look forward to assisting you.
Best regards,
The Read & Rate Team
This is a game-changer
This is a game-changer. I've been struggling to find a way to get reviews for my new books, and this is the solution (exchanging reviews)—simply amazing.
1 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Benito,
Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you’re enjoying the platform and wish you continued success with all your books.
"Read & Rate" platform
"Read & Rate" software is an intuitive platform designed to enhance the reading experience by allowing users to explore, rate, and review books easily. Its user-friendly interface, personalized recommendations, and interactive features create an engaging community for book lovers.
The software's focus on feedback and diverse book selections ensures a dynamic and enriching experience for readers of all preferences. A great tool for fostering literary appreciation and meaningful connections among users.
28 November 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Thank you, Mrs. Crentsil, for your lovely feedback! We’re thrilled that you appreciate the platform and its features. We’re even more delighted that you’re actively contributing to the community. Your support and engagement mean a lot to us, and we wish you great success with your books. Thank you for being an important part of Read & Rate! 😊📚
Slow going to start hopefully will pick up
I have only been using Read & Rate for a month so I will update later on. So far it has been okay, I have reviewed 4 books and received 2 reviews. It seems to be a bit slow going but I have more reviews than I would've had not using the service. I think $20 a month is steep considering I have to read books and review them before I can even try to get reviews for my books which isn't promised.
21 November 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Brittany,
Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you’ve already received reviews and are seeing progress. While review rates can vary, active members typically receive as much as they give. At the time of this reply, none of your books were listed in the library, which could impact your review rate. You’ve received 3 reviews so far, with one pending publication by Amazon, bringing your total to 4, which aligns with the platform's normal rate.
We truly appreciate your feedback and are working hard to grow and improve the community to help all members succeed. Wishing you continued success with your books!
Best regards,
The Read & Rate Team
Overcharges Authors for Basic Reviews
ReadnRate’s pricing structure leaves much to be desired. Unlike most platforms that offer tiered pricing based on the type of review requested—such as verified purchases or Kindle Unlimited downloads—ReadnRate charges a flat, premium rate regardless of the review type. This creates an unfair dynamic, as authors are forced to pay the highest rate, even if they only want a basic review.
Moreover, the inconsistency becomes even more apparent when authors review other books on the platform. Reviewers earn varying amounts of “ink drops” depending on the type of review they provide—less for free downloads, slightly more for Kindle Direct, and the most for verified purchases. This tiered reward system contrasts starkly with the one-size-fits-all pricing charged to authors, leaving many feeling as though they are being overcharged for lower-value reviews.
The platform’s “double-dipping” approach raises questions about fairness, transparency, and the overall value authors receive for their investment.
28 August 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Pavi, thank you for your feedback. We want to clarify that we don’t charge for reviews; your payment is for a subscription to be part of a community. We strictly adhere to Amazon’s guidelines and use algorithms to prevent any policy violations. When you request reviews, please note that you can’t specify the type of review, as our experience and research show that consistent activity on your listing is what truly helps improve organic ranking. In most cases, receiving 10 reviews, even if not all are verified purchases, is more beneficial than only having 3 verified purchase reviews.
We understand you may have a different approach, but our system is built on data-backed insights—not on trends or advice from YouTube “gurus.” While this might not align with every strategy, we appreciate you sharing your thoughts for the benefit of others.
All bark and no bite
The side is fine and you’re able to review and get the points however, no customer service did the reviews put my own work up and been over a week even put it on their top shelf ““ however I’ve been to other sites worked so much better had instant response I would like to rate this better but I couldn’t. very very displeased
29 July 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Read & Rate
Hi Matthew,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations.
Our goal is to ensure that every book receives genuine, thoughtful reviews. While Top Shelf does enhance visibility, reviews may sometimes take a bit of time to come in, as members select books they feel most connected to. We apologize if our support response fell short—we do have a live support chat, and you can always reach us at support@readnrate.com.
With a large library of books available, it can sometimes be challenging for individual titles to stand out. However, our system is designed so that members generally receive as much as they give. If you’re particularly active, there may be a slight delay in receiving back the same level of activity, but we strive to keep things balanced.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and we’re committed to making improvements.
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