Give readers a free book.
Grow your mailing list.
Social posts reach a fraction of your followers. An email list reaches every reader who asked to hear from you. Give away a free book, and Storyfinch builds that list for you.
Free plan · No card needed
How it works
Three steps to set up, and then it runs on its own. Every reader who picks up your free book joins your list while you get on with the next one.
Add your book
Upload your reader magnet, its cover and a short description. You can offer an EPUB, a PDF, or both.
Connect your email tool
Link the service you send newsletters with, so new readers join your list automatically. Optional, and you can do it later.
Share your link
Put it in your newsletter, your back matter or a social post. Readers get the book by email and join your list.
Works with your mailing list
Why Storyfinch
It delivers your reader magnet and gets readers’ emails onto your list. There’s no swap marketplace, promo calendar or page builder to learn.
The free plan collects emails
Readers who sign up join your list on the free plan too. Some services only collect emails once you pay.
A record of every yes
We save the exact wording each reader agreed to, and when. If anyone asks, you can download the lot as a spreadsheet.
Download links that expire
Each reader gets their own link, and it stops working after two weeks. That makes it much harder for your book to end up on a sharing site.
Your page, your colours
Pick one of four page styles, set your own colours, and write the email readers get.
Use it on your own website
Use the page we host, or paste a signup form or pop-up into your own site.
Connects to your email service
Link Mailchimp, MailerLite, Kit or seven others on Pro, and new readers are added to your list for you.
How Storyfinch compares
The same questions, answered for Storyfinch, BookFunnel and StoryOrigin.
| Feature | BookFunnel | StoryOrigin | Storyfinch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan collects emails | No | No | Yes |
| Cheapest plan that collects emails | $200/year | $100/year | Free |
| Paid plan price | $30–$300/year | $100/year | $29/year flat |
| Secure, expiring links | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Proof of consent you can download | Limited | Limited | Yes, built in |
| Swap marketplace | Group promos | Yes | No |
Competitor prices checked against each provider’s own pricing pages, July 2026, and do change. Read the full comparison →
Common questions
What is Storyfinch?
Storyfinch is a reader magnet delivery service for authors. You upload a free book, share a link, and each reader who signs up receives a private download link by email and joins your mailing list. Storyfinch records what each reader agreed to, and the free plan collects emails too.
Is Storyfinch free?
Yes, there is a free plan with no card needed. It includes one active reader magnet and 50 deliveries a month, and it collects reader emails and records consent. Pro costs $29 a year and adds unlimited reader magnets, 2,000 deliveries a month and automatic sync to your email service. See pricing.
What is the best free alternative to BookFunnel?
It depends what you need. When we last checked (October 2026), the free plans of BookFunnel and StoryOrigin delivered your book but did not collect reader emails, while Storyfinch's free plan does. StoryOrigin has a swap network and group promotions, which Storyfinch does not. Plans change, so check each provider's own pricing page. Our BookFunnel comparison and guide to free reader magnet delivery go through the details.
What is a reader magnet?
A free book, short story or extra that you give readers in return for joining your mailing list. It is the most common way authors grow a list. Our guide to reader magnets covers what makes a good one.
Which email services does Storyfinch work with?
Mailchimp, MailerLite, Kit (ConvertKit), EmailOctopus, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, SendFox, beehiiv, Klaviyo and Flodesk, plus a webhook for anything else. That is 10 email services you can connect on Pro, so new readers are added to your list automatically. On the free plan you can download your readers as a spreadsheet. See integrations.
Do I need a website to use Storyfinch?
No. Every reader magnet gets a hosted signup page you can share anywhere you can paste a link. If you do have a website, you can paste a signup form or pop-up into it instead. See how to run a reader magnet without a website.
How does Storyfinch keep my book from being shared?
Each reader gets their own download link, and it stops working after two weeks. That makes it much harder for your book to end up on a sharing site than a public file link would.
How does Storyfinch handle consent?
The signup page asks readers to agree to join your list. Storyfinch saves the exact wording they agreed to and when, and you can download the records as a spreadsheet if anyone asks. Read more in our guide to author mailing lists and consent.
Does Storyfinch run newsletter swaps or group promotions?
No. Storyfinch focuses on the signup page, delivery and consent records. Many authors find swap partners elsewhere and send readers to a Storyfinch page. Our guide to newsletter swaps and group promotions explains how they work.
Have readers waiting for your next book
Every reader who joins your list through a free book has asked to hear from you. When your next book comes out, they’re the first to know.
Start building your listFree plan · No card needed