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NetGalley alternative

A NetGalley alternative for authors who need reader reviews.

NetGalley puts your book in front of librarians, booksellers, and trade reviewers - at a price built for publishers. If what you actually need is a dependable group of readers posting on Amazon and Goodreads, ArcRoster runs that roster for a fraction of the cost and keeps it for your next book.

ArcRosterNetGalley
Core modelYour own reviewer roster + accountabilityTrade marketplace of professional readers
Who reads your bookReaders you recruit and approveLibrarians, booksellers, educators, media, and reviewers who request it
Finds new readers for youNo - public sign-up page you shareYes - members browse and request titles
Reviewer reliability scoreYes - from each reader's review rate across launchesNo per-reader score you carry to your next book
Reviewer history you ownPermanent CRM, CSV exportStays inside NetGalley
Price for one launchFree plan (1 campaign, 50 reviewers); paid from $7/mo$575 for a six-month solo listing; co-op listings cost less

Compiled October 2026 from NetGalley's public pricing and documentation. Features and prices change - verify current details on their site before deciding.

Head to head: NetGalley vs BookSirens · NetGalley for indie authors: cost and whether it's worth it

Where ArcRoster wins

Built for consumer reviews

Most self-published commercial fiction needs star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads by launch day. NetGalley's audience is mostly people making stocking and selection decisions, so a large share of the feedback is trade feedback. ArcRoster is for running ARCs to the readers who post where your buyers look.

A launch doesn't cost $575

NetGalley quotes $575 for a six-month solo listing and does not publish a price page. ArcRoster's Free plan covers one campaign and 50 reviewers, and paid plans are a flat $7, $17, or $39 a month with no per-campaign fees.

You learn who actually reviews

Every reader in ArcRoster gets a reliability score from whether they download, review, and review on time. After two or three launches you know who to invite first and who only collects free books - and that history stays with you when the campaign ends.

Where NetGalley wins

Trade reach you can't build yourself

If you want librarians to order your book, booksellers to stock it, or trade reviewers to notice it, NetGalley is the established way in. ArcRoster doesn't reach those audiences.

Discovery from day one

NetGalley members find and request your book without you having any list at all. ArcRoster assumes you bring or recruit your own readers - many authors use a discovery platform to find readers and ArcRoster to keep them.

Questions

NetGalley vs ArcRoster, answered.

What is a cheaper alternative to NetGalley for self-published authors?
It depends on what you wanted NetGalley for. For trade reach (libraries, bookstores), a co-op listing through a publisher association or author service is the cheaper way into NetGalley itself. For reader reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, consumer platforms like BookSirens, Hidden Gems, and Booksprout cost less per reader, and ArcRoster lets you run ARCs to your own readers from a free plan, with paid plans from $7 a month.
How much does NetGalley cost for an indie author?
NetGalley quoted $575 for a six-month solo listing as of July 2026. It does not publish a public price page, so confirm the current rate with NetGalley directly. Co-op listings, sold through publishers, author associations, and marketing services, cost less per title but the co-op organiser controls the listing.
Is ArcRoster a replacement for NetGalley?
Not for trade exposure - ArcRoster has no audience of librarians or booksellers. It replaces NetGalley for authors who mainly wanted reader reviews: you send ARCs to readers you recruit, track who downloads and reviews, send automatic deadline reminders, and keep a reliability score for each reader across every launch.
Can I use NetGalley and ArcRoster together?
Yes. NetGalley readers stay inside NetGalley, but readers who also join your own ARC team - for example through your ArcRoster sign-up page - become part of a roster you own, with their review history carried from book to book.
Where do I find ARC readers without NetGalley?
Your newsletter, a back-of-book link, reader groups in your genre, and consumer ARC platforms such as BookSirens, Hidden Gems, and Booksprout. ArcRoster gives each pen name a public sign-up page where readers apply and you approve them into your roster. Our guide to building an ARC team from zero covers each source.
Your next launch, reviewed

Build a roster that outlasts any one launch.

ArcRoster is in public beta, and there's a free plan to start on. Bring your reviewers, run your next campaign, and see who actually shows up.