If you’ve spent any time on YouTube or Reddit searching for ways to make money online, you’ve probably come across the name Sophie Howard.
She’s built a reputation around self-publishing on Amazon and claims to earn tens of thousands of dollars each month—without writing a single word herself. Her course, Kindle Publishing Income, promises to teach you how to do the same using ghostwriters, virtual assistants, and smart outsourcing. Sounds great, right?
But as with most online money-making programs, the reality isn’t always as effortless as it’s marketed to be. While some students rave about their success, others are quick to share their frustrations—pointing to hidden costs, slow results, and high competition on Amazon KDP. So, is this just another overhyped side hustle, or is there real potential here for long-term income?
In this review, we’ll break down what Sophie Howard is actually teaching, what it really takes to make money with Kindle publishing, and the not-so-glamorous parts you might not hear in the sales pitch.
Before we dive in..
After 15 years of testing every way to make money online, I’ve seen what works—and what’s a complete waste of time.
If I had to start from scratch today, there’s only one business model I’d choose.
It’s simple, scalable, and works even if you’re a total beginner.
Want to see how it works?
👉 Click here to check out my No.1 recommendation
Key Takeaways (If you’re in a hurry!)
- Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income is an online course teaching you how to publish books on Amazon Kindle (KDP) by hiring others (ghostwriters) to write them for you.
- Sophie Howard is an online entrepreneur known for Amazon selling (FBA) who now teaches her method for Kindle publishing, focusing on outsourcing.
- The course costs about $2,485. On top of that, you’ll need a budget for outsourcing ($1000+ per book is possible) and ads ($50-$100+ per book).
- VERDICT: Kindle Publishing Income is legit, but overpriced for what it offers. You’ll get real training and support, but much of the content is available for free online—and hidden costs make it far from beginner-friendly.
RECOMMENDED: 👉 Click here to check out my No.1 recommendation
What is Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income?
Kindle Publishing Income is an online course created by Sophie Howard. It’s designed to teach you how to become a self-publisher on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform.
But here’s the main twist that sets it apart from simply learning how to write and publish your own book: the course focuses heavily on building a publishing business without you needing to be the author.
The program centers around what Sophie Howard presents as her “secrets” – methods she claims allowed her to build a significant passive income stream, reportedly in the $20,000-$30,000 per month range.
The core strategy involves identifying profitable book niches and then outsourcing the actual writing of the books to ghostwriters. The course aims to guide you through this process, from finding those niches to getting the book written, formatted, and finally published on Amazon KDP.
Inside the course, you’ll typically find a structured series of pre- recorded training videos, often broken down into several modules. These videos walk you step-by-step through the various stages of setting up this type of publishing business.
Beyond the core video content, the course often provides supplementary tools and materials intended to streamline the process and help you get your first ebook (and subsequent ones) published faster.
In essence, Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income is marketed as a blueprint for building a passive income business on Amazon KDP by becoming a publisher who manages the creation of books through outsourcing, rather than writing them yourself.
RECOMMENDED: 👉 Click here to check out my No.1 recommendation
Who is Kindle Publishing Income for?
Kindle Publishing Income is pitched as a program for anyone looking to build passive income online—but the truth is, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
If you’re someone who’s curious about self-publishing, and you have some upfront capital to invest in outsourcing and ads, then you might find value here. The course is built around using ghostwriters and virtual assistants, so you don’t need to be a writer yourself.
It can appeal to people who are already familiar with online business models—like Amazon FBA sellers—who want to expand into digital publishing. It also attracts those who like the idea of building a portfolio of eBooks that, with the right marketing, could bring in steady income over time.
That said, this isn’t the best path for everyone.
If you’re tight on money, hate marketing, or expect to make fast cash without effort, you’ll likely be disappointed. The program glosses over the fact that success in Kindle publishing can take months, if not a full year, of trial and error.
You’ll also need to budget for ghostwriting, book covers, editing, and Amazon ads—which quickly adds up. And if you’re turned off by high-pressure sales tactics or refund hoops, this program might leave a bad taste in your mouth.
In short, Kindle Publishing Income is for people who have patience, a budget, and a willingness to manage a small publishing operation. It’s not for those chasing quick wins or looking for a completely hands-off passive income stream.
Who is Sophie Howard?
Sophie Howard is one of those names that tends to pop up whenever people talk about making passive income online.
Based in Wanaka, New Zealand, she’s best known as a successful Amazon FBA seller turned online educator—and yes, she’s often called the “Amazon Selling Queen.”
But before the accolades, she was working a government job and juggling life as a mom of two. That’s when she realized something had to change—she was spending more time at her desk than with her kids.
That wake-up call led her into the world of Amazon FBA, where she started by selling tea. Her business took off, and from there, she went on to launch over 1,000 products on Amazon, building what she claims is a multi-seven-figure income stream. She eventually expanded into Kindle Direct Publishing and now runs multiple digital courses aimed at helping others replicate her success.
What makes her stand out from some of the typical “make money online” crowd is her strong focus on outsourcing.
Sophie encourages students to hire ghostwriters, designers, and virtual assistants to build their businesses—rather than doing everything themselves. It’s a system that appeals to people who don’t want to write or deal with physical products but still want to build a scalable income stream.
These days, Sophie splits her time between running her online businesses, coaching, and enjoying the outdoors—horse riding, skiing, and spending time with her kids.
RECOMMENDED: 👉 Click here to check out my No.1 recommendation
How Much Can You Make Following Kindle Publishing Income?
The potential income from following the Kindle Publishing Income model sounds impressive—Sophie Howard claims to have made anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 per month using the strategies she teaches. But that kind of income isn’t typical, especially for beginners.
How much you can earn really depends on several moving parts: how many books you publish, the quality of those books, how well they’re marketed, and how competitive your niche is. Since Sophie’s method encourages outsourcing—meaning you’re not writing the books yourself—you’ll also need to budget for ghostwriters, designers, and advertising. That can cut into your profits, especially early on.
Amazon pays authors between 35% and 70% royalties per sale, depending on pricing and distribution. Most new publishers don’t start off making thousands. In fact, many hover around $100 to $500 per month in the beginning. It’s not until you’ve built a catalog of well-optimized books and invested in consistent marketing that you might start seeing more substantial results.
So while big monthly paydays are possible, they take time, strategy, and money. Kindle Publishing Income isn’t a quick cash grab—it’s more of a long-term play that may pay off if you’re willing to stick with it and scale.
What’s Inside Kindle Publishing Income?
Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income course is meant to be more than just a step-by-step on how to publish an eBook—it’s about building an actual online business using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform.
Whether you’re a beginner with zero experience or someone who’s dabbled in self-publishing before, the course is designed to walk you through the entire process.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s inside:
Module 1: Laying The Foundation
This module gets you started with the absolute basics of using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). You’ll learn the groundwork needed to prepare for publishing your very first kindle book, understanding the platform itself.
Module 2: The Secret To Building A Successful Business
This part focuses less on the technical how-to and more on the necessary mindset for making any online business, including KDP, work in the long run. It’s about approaching it with the right perspective for success.
Module 3: Book Ideas
Crucially, this module teaches you how to come up with profitable ideas for books. The focus is on finding niches on Amazon that aren’t flooded with competition but still have solid customer demand. Sophie shares her methods for researching and identifying these sweet spots for your next kindle book. This research might even involve looking at trending topics discussed in blog posts or other online content to gauge public interest.
Module 4: Best Seller (Implementation)
This is where you learn the core outsourcing strategy. You’ll be guided on how to work with freelance writers (often referred to as overseas workers or ghostwriters) to create the actual content for your books, based on the ideas you developed in Module 3. The goal is to produce a high-quality kindle book without writing it yourself.
Module 5: Make It Sell
Having a published book is just the first step; getting people to find and buy it is key to selling books successfully. This module delves into techniques Sophie has refined over time to help your books get more visibility and generate sales on the Amazon platform.
Module 6: Sales Boom (Advertising):
To really scale up sales and boost your book’s ranking, this module focuses on paid advertising. You’ll learn about using Amazon Ads specifically to drive traffic and sales to your book.
In essence, the course provides a complete path from understanding the KDP platform and finding viable book ideas to outsourcing the writing, publishing the book, and finally marketing it to start selling books and building your income stream. It covers the entire process, focusing heavily on the non-writing aspect by teaching you how to leverage outsourcing effectively.
RECOMMENDED: 👉 Click here to check out my No.1 recommendation
Kindle Publishing Income Bonuses
Beyond the core training modules, Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income course sweetens the deal by including a range of bonuses.
These extra resources and support systems are designed to complement the main content and potentially help you implement the strategies more effectively. Here’s a look at what other products and services offered:
- Expert VIP Concierge Team: You will get access to a support team for a full year. This seems intended to provide help and guidance as you navigate the publishing process after going through the main modules.
- Sophie’s List of Contacts: A key part of this business model is outsourcing the writing. This bonus gives you access to a curated list of overseas workers and contacts that Sophie presumably vets or recommends, potentially saving you time and hassle in finding reliable people to write your books.
- Weekly Group Coaching: These are live sessions where you can join other students, ask questions, and get advice directly from Sophie and her team. It’s a chance for real-time interaction and clarification on the course material or your specific challenges.
- Three 1-on-1 Check-ins: Personalized support is also included in the form of one-on-one meetings. These check-ins are designed to review your progress, address any roadblocks you’re facing, and provide more tailored guidance as you work through the course and publish your books.
- Niche Finder Software: Identifying profitable book topics is crucial. This software is a tool designed to help you research different niches on Amazon, analyze their potential profitability, and even get an idea of potential sales figures, aiming to guide your content creation decisions.
- Public Domain Masterclass: This bonus class explores the strategy of publishing books that are in the public domain, meaning their copyright has expired. The appeal here is that you wouldn’t need to pay a ghostwriter for the content, potentially saving on outsourcing costs.
- Low Content Masterclass: Similar to the public domain class, this masterclass focuses on creating “low-content” books, like journals, planners, or coloring books. These require minimal or no writing, again, eliminating the need for ghostwriters.
- Paperback and Audible Profit Multiplier: This guide teaches you how to expand your reach and increase potential profits by converting your Kindle ebooks into paperback and audiobook formats. Selling across multiple formats can significantly boost your income from a single title.
- International Profit Multiplier: To reach a wider global audience, this guide provides information on translating your ebooks into other languages. This strategy aims to open up new markets and increase your sales potential worldwide.
- Fast Launch Facebook Group: Access to a private Facebook group connects you with other students in the course. This community can be a place to ask questions, share experiences, and even potentially use the group for initial marketing efforts to help boost a new book’s ranking on Amazon.
How Much Does Kindle Publishing Income Cost?
It’s important to distinguish between the cost of the course and the costs involved in the actual KDP publishing business model that Sophie Howard teaches.
First, the Kindle Publishing Income course itself comes with a significant price tag. While there might be different payment options available, the frequently cited cost is around $2,485.
Sometimes this is broken down into multiple monthly payments, for example, five payments of $497. Compared to many other online courses, this is definitely on the higher end of the spectrum.
Now, looking at the costs of publishing on Amazon KDP, the platform itself is free to use to upload and list your ebooks. You can create a KDP account and publish a digital book without any upfront fees charged by Amazon. They make their money by taking a percentage of each sale you make, based on the royalty rate you choose (typically 35% or 70%).
However, the business model taught in the course involves additional expenses you need to factor in to implement the strategy:
- Outsourcing Book Creation: Since the model relies on not writing the books yourself, you’ll need to pay ghostwriters or content creators. The text suggests budgeting around $1,000 for this per book, though costs can vary widely based on length, topic, and the writer’s rates.
- Marketing and Advertising: Getting your books discovered in a crowded marketplace requires promotion. You should plan to budget for advertising, particularly Amazon Ads, with suggestions often starting around $50 to $100 per book which could be about 50% of sales revenue.
- Printing Costs (if applicable): If you decide to offer paperback versions of your book through KDP Print, there will be a base printing cost per copy, which starts at around $0.85 and increases based on page count.
Refund Policy
The Kindle Publishing Income program comes with a 180-day conditional money-back guarantee—but there’s a catch. You can’t simply request a refund if you change your mind or don’t feel like completing the course.
To qualify, you need to show proof that you’ve actively followed the training. That means you must have actually published at least one book on Amazon Kindle and demonstrated that you’ve implemented what was taught. Only then will your refund request be reviewed—and it’s still subject to approval.
So while the refund policy sounds generous at first glance, it’s more of a “results-based guarantee” than a no-questions-asked one. If you’re considering the program, make sure you’re committed to doing the work before banking on a refund.
RECOMMENDED: 👉 Click here to check out my No.1 recommendation
Is Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income Legit?
This is probably the question most people ask before dropping nearly $2,500 on an online course: Is it actually legit?
The short answer is: yes, it’s legit—but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right choice for everyone.
You do get access to structured training, tools, coaching, and a system that many students have followed to start their own Kindle publishing businesses. There are detailed modules, weekly coaching calls, and plenty of resources included in the package. So from a product-delivery standpoint, it’s not a scam.
However, whether it’s worth it is a different story.
What Real Users Are Saying
On Reddit, the feedback leans negative, with many users questioning the value of the content compared to its cost.
One user summed up a common sentiment by saying, “Better information is available for free on YouTube,” which reflects the belief that the course doesn’t offer much beyond what’s already out there. Others criticized the marketing style and support, calling the coaches “unhelpful” and expressing skepticism toward what they described as overly aggressive sales tactics.
A lot of Reddit users point out that the content feels surface-level, and that you could piece together similar strategies through free or lower-cost resources. Others raise red flags about marketing tactics and the overall support structure of the course.
On Trustpilot, the overall rating stands at 4.1 out of 5 stars, which shows there are students who found value. Positive reviews mention structured tutorials and extensive support, as well as the ability to rewatch training and engage in weekly coaching sessions. Some students say it was life-changing
But even there, the negative reviews echo some familiar concerns:
- “Hidden costs”—like outsourcing, ads, and software that can easily push your investment into the $3,000–$4,000 range.
- “Overwhelming modules”—where the content feels bloated or repetitive.
- “High-pressure sales tactics” that may come off as more focused on selling courses rather than providing genuine value.
- “Strict conditions on the money-back guarantee”
The refund policy in particular seems to catch many by surprise. It’s not automatic or “no questions asked”—you’ll need to show proof of effort, including publishing at least one book, before even being considered for a refund.
Final Verdict
Sophie Howard’s Kindle Publishing Income is legit in terms of content and delivery, but it’s not the magic solution it’s sometimes made out to be. You’re paying a premium for a system that many feel is available elsewhere for less—or even for free. If you’re serious about building a Kindle publishing business and have both the budget and patience to invest in outsourcing and ads, this course might help you get started faster.
But if you’re expecting instant passive income or looking for a low-cost entry point, you may want to look elsewhere or try a more DIY route first.
Before You Go…
If you’re serious about building a real online business and want to skip the trial and error, I’ve got you covered.
After 15 years of testing countless methods, there’s only one business model I’d recommend above all the rest.