Pricing a book: free vs discounted

Free and discounted promotions serve different jobs. Picking the right one starts with knowing the goal.

Choose free to build an audience

Free days maximise downloads, reviews, and visibility — ideal for series openers, new pen names, and pre-release buzz. The cost is zero revenue, so use free when the reader is the product.

Choose discount to monetise momentum

Discounted pricing (with a visible code, as on OptRead's discounted listings) keeps revenue flowing while still rewarding deal-hunters. It suits backlist titles with an existing audience.

Many authors alternate: free to grow, discount to harvest. Match the price to the goal.