Kirkus Reviews
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Only worth it if you have a real marketing budget, need library/bookseller credibility, and can accept a possibly harsh verdict.
New check
Comparison
Kirkus Reviews vs Foreword Reviews
Kirkus Reviews and Foreword Reviews both land on Depends.
Foreword Reviews
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Worth it for indie publishers and authors with a marketing budget who want editorial credibility, cover blurbs, or Foreword Indies award entries.
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Authors with real marketing budgets | Indie publishers with marketing budgets |
| Who it's not for | First-time authors on tight budgets | Self-published authors expecting sales lifts from paid reviews |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. |
| Support quality | Trustpilot and BBB complaints about service | No usable evidence |
| Public sentiment | Opinions split sharply: some authors prize the credibility and rave about their reviews, but many self-published authors call the paid service overpriced with poor return.² | Public discussion is sparse and mixed, with commenters debating whether paid Clarion reviews justify their cost. |
| Biggest gotcha | Paying does not guarantee a positive review; many indies got harsh verdicts | Libraries reportedly unlikely to act on paid reviews . Clarion buys blurbs, not placements |
Pick Kirkus Reviews when
- Authors with real marketing budgets
- Self-pubs chasing library credibility
- Libraries and publishers curating titles
When Kirkus Reviews is not a fit
- First-time authors on tight budgets
- Anyone expecting reviews to drive sales
- Authors who cannot risk a harsh verdict
- Small presses wanting guaranteed coverage
Pick Foreword Reviews when
- Indie publishers with marketing budgets
- Authors seeking trade-credibility blurbs
- Foreword Indies award entrants
- Publishers quoting reviews in PR
When Foreword Reviews is not a fit
- Self-published authors expecting sales lifts from paid reviews
- Anyone needing guaranteed library placement
- AI-written books . explicitly rejected
- Debut authors with no marketing budget
Sources
review
- Kirkus reviews are a really bad dealreddit.comreview
- Kirkus Reviews Trustpilot reviewstrustpilot.comreview
- Kirkus Reviews: Are they worth the $425?kboards.comreview
- I Wasted $8000 On Kirkus Review Display Advertisingselfpublishingadvice.orgreview
review
- Kirkus Indie paid book review, a horrible experiencekdpcommunity.comreview
- Kirkus Reviews official sitekirkusreviews.comofficial
- Kirkus Reviews FAQkirkusreviews.comofficial
- Kirkus Library Center case studieskirkusreviews.comofficial
- Is Kirkus Review Worth It for Self-Published Authors?brandmybook.careview
- Kirkus Reviews delivered a WONDERFUL reviewfacebook.comreview
- Foreword Reviews homepageforewordreviews.comofficial
- Get Your Book Reviewed . Foreword Servicespublishers.forewordreviews.comofficial
- Foreword Clarion Terms of Agreementpublishers.forewordreviews.comofficial
- Foreword Reviews media kitpublishers.forewordreviews.comofficial