How to Send ARCs: File Prep, Platforms & Tracking
Getting readers to sign up for your ARC team is only half the job. How you actually send the book – the format, the platform, whether you follow up – has a real effect on whether people read it, review it, and come back for your next release.
This guide covers getting your file ready, comparing the platforms actually worth using, sending ARCs without a platform at all, and keeping track of who has your book once it's out there.
Table of Contents
Getting Your ARC File Ready
Pick the right format. ePub is the safest default – it's what most e-readers and reading apps support. Also, it reflows properly on any screen size. PDF looks fine on a laptop but is unpleasant to read on a phone or e-reader, where most ARC readers actually read. Mobi files are also popular, but mostly obsolete now that Kindle has moved to supporting ePub directly.
Watermark the file. A simple watermark – the reader's name and email embedded in the file or on an early page – helps in curbing piracy. It doesn’t stop illegal sharing outright, but it removes the anonymity that makes casual file-sharing easy. ARC delivery platforms (such as BookFunnel) do this automatically when you upload.
Add a short "please review" note. A single page near the front, thanking the reader and asking them to post a review around the release date, with a direct link to where you'd like it posted. It costs you nothing and measurably increases how many readers actually follow through.
Platform Comparison
Platform | Pricing | Best For |
|---|---|---|
NetGalley | Direct listings run $575 for a 6-month slot; co-op programs (through groups like IBPA) bring that down to roughly $400–450 | Widest reach, but skews toward traditionally published books and reviewers who expect a certain polish |
BookSirens | $10 per book; + $2 per BookSirens reader download (your own readers are free) | Indie-friendly, affordable if you're only running one or two campaigns a year |
StoryOrigin | Free tier available if you want to bring your own readers; paid plans start at $10/month | Best if you're doing your own newsletter swaps and reader-magnet promos |
Booksprout | Plans start at $9/month depending on how many campaigns you run | Strong specifically for romance and thriller |
BookFunnel | Plans start at $30/year | Less a discovery platform, more the delivery layer everyone plugs into |
Reedsy Discovery | $50 per book submitted | One-time submission to a curated reviewer pool; requires setting your Discovery launch date at least 5 weeks out |
Treat these plan pricing as a starting point for comparison, not a fixed quote. These change often enough that it's worth double-checking each platform's own page before committing
Sending ARCs Manually
You don't need a platform at all if your list is small enough to manage by hand. The simplest version: export your ARC file, upload it to BookFunnel's free delivery link (no paid plan required just to send a handful of files), and email that link directly to your reader list.
It's less automated than a full platform, but for a launch team of a few dozen readers, manual delivery is often faster to set up than learning a new platform's dashboard.
Setting up your own author website and newsletter makes this whole process easier. You get a permanent place to host your ARC sign-up form, a mailing list you actually own, and a home base to send readers back to after launch.
Need help with website and newsletter setup? I can help with author website design
Tracking Who Has Your ARC
A platform will track this for you automatically, but if you're sending manually – or running a platform and a manual list side by side – a simple spreadsheet works fine. Track: reader name and contact, which book, date requested, review deadline, date delivered, and whether the review actually went up (and where).
The deadline and delivered-date columns matter most. They're what let you send a polite, well-timed follow-up instead of either nagging too early or never following up at all.
FAQs about sending ARCs
Q. Should you use free platforms or paid ones?
A. Free tiers (StoryOrigin's, for example) are enough for your first campaign or two. Paid plans start earning their cost back once you're running multiple campaigns a year or need features like automated reminders and reader-magnet integration.
Q. How many ARCs should you send out?
A. More than you think you need, since not everyone who signs up follows through – a realistic completion rate is well under half. Sending to 50 readers to get 15–20 honest reviews is a normal outcome, not a failure.
Q. When should you send ARCs relative to launch?
A. Four to six weeks out is the common window – enough time for readers to finish and post a review close to release day, without so much lead time that people forget or lose interest.
Final Thoughts
Sending ARCs well isn't complicated – get the format right, watermark the file, set up a system that works for you. Sending loads of ARCs doesn’t guarantee reviews, but it helps a bit. Send only what you can properly track, deliver systematically, and thank people when they follow through. That's what turns a one-time ARC push into a launch team you can reuse for every book after this one.
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