If you’re a nonfiction author wondering about Amazon’s review rules for authors, here’s the good news first: yes, you’re allowed to give free copies of your book to readers in the hope of reviews. Amazon says so in black and white. But there are a few lines you really don’t want to cross, and some of them aren’t obvious.

I’m Jenny. I’ve published around 50 nonfiction books on Amazon since 2012, mostly fact books for kids, and I’ve watched the review rules change a lot in that time. I also run AuthorWing ARC Readers, a free ARC service for nonfiction, so I’ve had to read these rules very carefully. Below is what Amazon actually says, what it means in practice, and a simple checklist you can follow. One thing to say up front: I’m an author, not a lawyer, and Amazon can change its rules at any time, so always check the source pages I’ve linked.

The short version

Allowed	Not allowed
Giving free or discounted ebook or print copies to readers	Requiring a review in exchange for the copy
Asking politely for an honest review	Asking for a positive review or a particular star rating
Using ARC sites that send your book to interested readers	Paying for reviews, or offering gift cards, prizes or other rewards
Reviews from readers you don’t know personally	Reviews from family, close friends or people in your household
Readers saying they got a free copy	Hiding that a reviewer got the book for free

What Amazon actually says

The clearest wording is on Amazon’s own KDP help page about customer reviews. It says authors may provide free or discounted copies of their books to readers, “as long as you do not require a review in exchange” and don’t try to influence the review. It also says that offering anything other than a free or discounted copy, including gift cards, “will invalidate a review”.

So there are really three rules hiding in there:

1. Free or discounted copies are fine.
2. The review must be optional, and you can’t tell the reader what to say.
3. The book is the only thing you can give. No money, gift cards, prize draws or bonuses.

Why books are treated differently

Back in October 2016, Amazon banned “incentivised” reviews, where people got free or cheap products in exchange for reviewing them. That ban covered almost everything sold on Amazon. Books got an exception: authors and publishers could keep giving away free copies, because sending early copies to reviewers has been part of publishing for as long as there’s been publishing (Andy Beal, Hidden Gems).

That’s why ARCs (advance reader copies) are fine, while a seller of phone cases can’t do the same thing. If you’re new to ARCs, I’ve explained them in What is an ARC?

What counts as “requiring” or “influencing” a review?

This is where most authors slip up without meaning to. It’s usually about wording. Here are some examples:

Fine	Not fine
“If you enjoy it, I’d be really grateful for an honest review.”	“Please leave a 5-star review.”
“Here’s your free copy. Reviews help small authors a lot.”	“You must review this to get the book.”
“Honest reviews are always welcome, even critical ones.”	“If you didn’t like it, please don’t post a review.”
“Here’s the Amazon link once it’s live.”	“Leave a review and I’ll enter you into a draw for a Kindle.”

That third row surprises people. Asking unhappy readers to stay quiet, or to email you instead of reviewing, is a way of influencing reviews, because it filters out the honest negative ones.

What about ARC programmes that prefer readers who review? Most of them, including BookSirens and mine, keep track of who reviews and give priority to readers who do. As I understand it, the key is that no single copy comes with a review attached as a condition, and nothing beyond the book is ever offered. If you’re running your own ARC team, keep that line clear in your emails.

Friends, family and people you know

Amazon doesn’t allow reviews from people who share a household with the author, or from close friends (AuthorImprints). This one catches a lot of first-time authors, because friends and family are naturally the first people who want to help. My advice, it’s not worth the risk…

The safest approach: let family and friends buy the book, tell people about it and share your posts, but don’t ask them to review it on Amazon. Amazon looks for connections between reviewers and authors, and reviews it thinks are connected can be removed without explanation. Worst case scenario, it’s a reason for your KDP account to be suspended.

Review swaps and review exchange groups

The KDP help page doesn’t mention swaps by name, but it does say reviews “posted in exchange for compensation” break Amazon’s guidelines, and many authors read a review given in return for a review as exactly that. Some authors have lost reviews, or even the ability to post reviews, after swapping (one author’s account).

Credit-based review communities sit in a grey area that authors argue about. I’ve written about one of the biggest in Pubby vs AuthorWing. My personal rule is simple: I don’t review another author’s book because they reviewed mine, and I don’t ask them to.

Should ARC readers say they got a free copy?

Yes. Amazon’s help page doesn’t spell out disclosure wording, but in the US the FTC expects people to mention when they got something for free, and it’s simply good practice everywhere (Hidden Gems). A short line at the end of the review is enough:

“I received a free advance copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.”

Shoppers don’t mind it, and it protects both you and the reviewer.

Who can actually leave a review on Amazon?

Not everyone. Amazon only accepts reviews from customers who have spent at least $50 on Amazon in the last 12 months (The Children’s Book Review). This matters for nonfiction, because some of your best readers, like teachers or retired experts, may not shop on Amazon much. If a reader can’t post on Amazon, a Goodreads review still helps, and they can try again later.

Reviews also go through Amazon’s checks before they appear, which “can take a few days” according to the KDP help page, so don’t panic if a reader says they posted and you can’t see it yet.

When can ARC readers post their reviews?

On Amazon, readers can usually only review once the book is actually available, not during a pre-order. Goodreads lets them review earlier. So the best plan is to send ARCs four to six weeks before launch, ask readers to post on Goodreads when they finish, and send a quick note with the Amazon link on launch day.

What happens if you break the rules?

The KDP help page is clear that reviews which break the guidelines will be removed, and Amazon doesn’t usually tell you why. In more serious cases, authors have reported losing large batches of reviews at once. Losing reviews you worked hard for is painful, so it’s worth doing this properly from the start.

A simple Amazon-safe ARC checklist

1. Give away the book and nothing else: no gift cards, no prize draws.
2. Always ask for an honest review, never a positive one.
3. Make the review optional in every email and message.
4. Don’t ask family, close friends or people in your household to review.
5. Don’t swap reviews with other authors.
6. Remind readers to mention they got a free copy.
7. Send ARCs 4 to 6 weeks before launch, and the Amazon link on launch day.
8. Spread reviews out naturally rather than trying to get them all in one day.
9. Check Amazon’s current guidelines before every launch.

How AuthorWing ARC Readers handles this for you

When I built AuthorWing ARC Readers, I built these rules in, so nonfiction authors don’t have to police them:

• Readers claim books because they chose the topic, not because they owe anyone anything.
• Reviews are always optional, and our reviewer guidelines ask for honest reviews only.
• Every reader is reminded to say they got a free copy.
• Readers are never paid or rewarded, and authors never review each other’s books.
• I approve every reader personally, so they’re real readers, not your neighbours.

For a full comparison of ARC services, see the best ARC sites for nonfiction books.

Amazon review questions authors ask

Can I give free books in exchange for reviews on Amazon?

You can give free books to readers, but not “in exchange for” a review. The review has to be optional and honest. That small difference in wording is the whole rule.

Can my family review my book on Amazon?

No. Amazon doesn’t allow reviews from people in your household or close friends. They can still buy the book and recommend it.

Can I ask readers to leave a review?

Yes, as long as you ask for an honest review and don’t offer anything in return. A friendly line at the end of your book or in your newsletter is fine.

Are review swaps allowed on Amazon?

Amazon doesn’t allow reviews in exchange for compensation, and most authors treat a review given in return for a review as exactly that. It’s safest to avoid swaps completely.

Why did Amazon remove a review of my book?

Amazon rarely explains. Common reasons include the reviewer being connected to you, the review looking incentivised, or the reviewer’s account not meeting Amazon’s requirements, like the $50 spend.