BookFunnel is the delivery tool most professional indie authors use to send out advance reader copies. It handles secure downloads, watermarks PDFs, and collects the reader emails your marketer needs to run the campaign. Setting it up correctly before the campaign starts saves you trouble later, because the things that cause delays once you are live are account problems: the wrong plan, no team access, files in the wrong format.
This guide covers the account setup, the plan you need, and what to have ready before your marketer starts building your campaign page.
What does BookFunnel do in an ARC campaign?
When someone signs up to read your advance copy, BookFunnel sends them a personalized download link and logs the download against their email. The reader gets the file in the format their device needs, EPUB for most e-readers and PDF for others, and your marketer can see who downloaded, send follow-ups, and track engagement.
Sending files directly by email gives you none of that: no tracking, no download security, no follow-up system. BookFunnel also watermarks PDF downloads with the reader’s email address, which does not stop piracy outright but does make a leaked file traceable to its source.
Which BookFunnel plan do I need for an ARC?
You need the mid-tier plan, Mid-List Author. It is the lowest tier that includes Certified Mail, BookFunnel’s secure watermarked ARC delivery. The entry plan cannot send a managed ARC, and the top plan adds capacity most single-title campaigns do not need. For the full tier-by-tier breakdown and current pricing, see Which BookFunnel Plan Do Authors Need for ARCs?
If you are not sure which plan you are on, log in to BookFunnel and check your subscription in your account settings. If you are on the entry plan, upgrade before your marketer starts, because a managed ARC campaign cannot run without Certified Mail.
How to create a BookFunnel account
Go to bookfunnel.com and click Get Started. You will create an account with your email and a password, then work through a few setup steps.
- Enter your author name. Use the name on your book covers, since BookFunnel shows this to readers during download. If you write under a pen name, enter the pen name, not your legal name.
- Choose your plan. Pick Mid-List Author for ARC access. You can upgrade later if your needs change.
- Enter your payment details. BookFunnel bills annually, with a monthly option on the mid and top tiers.
- Finish the setup. You will land on your BookFunnel dashboard, where your work is organized into books, campaigns, and account settings.
Once the account is active, the next tasks are adding your marketer as a team member and uploading your manuscript. Both have their own guides below.
What to watch out for
- Upgrade before launch week, not during it. If you are on the entry plan and the campaign is close, upgrade now. The upgrade is immediate, but leaving it until access is requested adds a day or two of back-and-forth at the worst time.
- Use an author-branded email. BookFunnel sends delivery emails from its own system, but your account name and email appear in admin notifications and team invitations. A dedicated author email reads more consistently than a personal Gmail address.
- Sign up under your author name. BookFunnel uses the name you enter at signup in reader communications. If you write under a pen name, enter it during setup, not your legal name.
What comes next
Once your account is active and on the right plan, the two immediate tasks are adding your marketer as a team member and uploading your manuscript. The team member step comes first, since your marketer needs access before they can build the campaign or upload files for you.
For the team member step, see How to Add Your Marketer as a BookFunnel Team Member. For uploading your manuscript and enabling watermarking, see How to Upload Your Book to BookFunnel and Turn On Watermarking. If you are at the start of onboarding, the Author Onboarding Bootcamp has the full list.
For more detail, visit BookFunnel’s help center.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need BookFunnel to run an ARC campaign?
Not technically, but for a managed ARC it is the standard tool. BookFunnel logs who downloaded, delivers the correct format for each device, and watermarks PDFs, giving your marketer a system to work with rather than a manual email process.
Can my marketer set up BookFunnel for me?
They can set up most of it, but the account has to be created by you and registered in your name, since it is tied to your books. Once you have added them as a team member, they can upload files, build campaign pages, and manage reader communication.
What file formats does BookFunnel accept?
EPUB and PDF. Most authors upload both, and your marketer will advise which to include based on your readership and campaign.
How much does BookFunnel cost?
Pricing is set per plan and billed annually, with a monthly option on the mid and top tiers. Check BookFunnel's pricing page or the plan comparison guide for the current figures before you sign up.