Authorhouse
Authorhouse Overview
The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.
Authorhouse has 1.8 star rating based on 155 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.
- Rating Distribution
Pros: Very unsatisfied, Cover of my book, Good final product.
Cons: Aggressive marketing services associates, Fact that they misled me, Fact that they were evasive.Recent recommendations regarding this business are as follows: "Be careful. I think I should just used self publishing like Amazon.", "Im warning customers to keep away from author house", "Warning customers be ware of author house", "If they have no intention to do business in a professional manor publish with another company", "Beware".
The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.
Authorhouse has 1.8 star rating based on 155 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.
- Rating Distribution
Pros: Very unsatisfied, Cover of my book, Good final product.
Cons: Aggressive marketing services associates, Fact that they misled me, Fact that they were evasive.Recent recommendations regarding this business are as follows: "Be careful. I think I should just used self publishing like Amazon.", "Im warning customers to keep away from author house", "Warning customers be ware of author house", "If they have no intention to do business in a professional manor publish with another company", "Beware".
Most users ask Authorhouse for the refund as a solution to their issues.
Consumers are not pleased with Customer service and Diversity of Products or Services. The price level of this organization is high according to consumer reviews.
Media from reviews
Top Authorhouse Reviews
"Satisfied"
The hold time was not long and the representative was polite, professional, and helpful. The call was educational.
"Dishonesty"
I was talked into signing up. I did contact them and explained what I wanted. After discussing packages and prices I said I needed to wait. I'm 70 and in...
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Verified Reviewer
Dishonesty
I was talked into signing up. I did contact them and explained what I wanted.
After discussing packages and prices I said I needed to wait. I'm 70 and in recovery from surgery. I'm still disabled and do take pain medicine, so I wanted to make sure I could afford it. I said I should wait but they were persistent.
I got talked into using my credit card. On 7/29/25 I sent an email requesting cancellation. Nobody reply and when I called to check the cancellation department said ok to cancel but never mentioned when I get my money back. This was done on 7/30/25.
As of today, 7/31/25, I have not received any response. I called to check and I was told the note only said cancel, no refund. They take advantage of you and your lack of knowledge on how things work. Why are companies like that allowed to stay in business.
It has been a terrible experience.no let them turn your words around. This is not the first time I have been robbed but it will be the last.
User's recommendation: Be careful. I think I should just used self publishing like Amazon.
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Verified Reviewer |This person supports our platform.
Supporter |
Harlesden, England
Still happing
My name is Mr. Lee Waite.
I'm still looking for answers about why companies are ripping customers off. I'm also with Robot AI.
They are saying the same thing about AuthorHouse publishers. Why are they still at it, stealing?
User's recommendation: Warning customers be ware of author house
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Verified Reviewer |This person supports our platform.
Supporter |
Bristol, Bristol
Not only money royalties
Author house still scammers so shame full list lost talking about author scamming users online i wanna complain about them my self two warn they sound good but now i have the face book head office complaining about the author house working through amazon kdp worst ,,,company night me compare to other out there online
User's recommendation: Im warning customers to keep away from author house
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Verified ReviewerPrinting
What is the most acceptable format for sending you material for printing? Email?
PDF?
Hard copy? USB?
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Satisfied
The hold time was not long and the representative was polite, professional, and helpful. The call was educational.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer |
Malden, Massachusetts
Terrible experience
Do NOT Trust Authors House Publishing!
I wish I had taken the time to read the reviews before I was scammed into believing this company was going to help bring my book to life. I was promised a smooth, professional experience and that they would support my passion for helping people.
Instead, theyve ruined my experience and taken my hard-earned money.
Not only did they fail to deliver my book as intended, but they also refused to give me a refund, despite me explaining multiple times how much the $1,700 I paid meant to me and how it was a huge financial stretch. They assured me they would "take such good care of me" and that the investment would be worth it. It was not worth it at all.
Their communication was abysmal, their customer service non-existent, and I honestly feel like Ive been completely taken advantage of. Its hard enough to pursue a passion like writing, and this company has only made it harder for me.
Please save yourself the stress, the heartache, and the money there are much better options out there for aspiring authors.
Do NOT trust Authors House Publishing. I would give zero stars if I could.
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Verified ReviewerBooks I've purchased
I purchased two books in May of 2024 and had them delivered to a man on the east coast. I found out a month ago that he never received them. Author House refused to resend them, nor would they give me a refund.
- Great product
- Bad customer service
Preferred solution: Full refund
User's recommendation: Beware
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerPoor customer service
Poor customer service after the sale. It turns out my book of poetry "Convenient Memory" has been selling through places they initially said they couldn't do buisness with unless I paid substantially more money to them but recently found out differently...
although I've received NO royalties whatsoever.
Thanks Authorhouse... for nothing.
- Expensive with little to no return
Preferred solution: Royalties from all the places my book is being sold
User's recommendation: Do NOT contract with this publisher. They change rules constantly and hang up on you when trying to contact them. Find someone else.
hay every one my name MR lee Waite who hard Joined up with author house my self...i even sold a car in the past ,,, to do Busines cards"i find that author house is stealing our sales thank you all reading me mr lee waite
Cleveland, Ohio
I have been contacting them for quarterly reviews
I have been reaching out for the quarterly reviews that I was promised letting me know how my books is doing. No one returns calls.
They only teach out to offer more copies. I am afraid that I am going to have to contact the bbb
User's recommendation: If they have no intention to do business in a professional manor publish with another company
Yelm, Washington
Authorhouse is a massive scam. I has them publish my book and they stole thousands of dollars in royalties from me, and they also stole millions from other others.
They lie, they steal millions in royalties from hundreds of other authors. They are the icon of scammers and need to be shut down for good!
User's recommendation: Do not get your book published with Authorhouse! They will steal your royalties!
i heard one story was amazon taken author house to court in year 2023 sounds good we now in the year 2025 amazon author house still working together shame full two companies still working on site we are looking for real amazon they just keep hiding our sales from customers making huge lot of money from every one
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Verified Reviewer |
Bradford, England
Took my money and gave me nothing in return
Authorhouse will charge you a fortune and constantly come back for more. When you ask them for anything - copies of your so-called published book, sales figures, income or anything you won't get anything back.
I was constantly chased to give them more money.
Don't go anywhere near these people. They are the worst.
User's recommendation: Avoid at all costs
we cant trust author house any more till they do come forward to pay us all im looking for votes so story carry on for every plat form to keep away from author house
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Verified ReviewerI got scammed
Do not use this company! This company uses its name to pose as another famous book publisher - Penguin Random House.
This company does not have experience in selling books.
I have just been scammed by them. I stupidly read the bad reviews after I paid them. I thought I recognized the name. I immediately asked for a refund before they started any work.
This was 2 weeks ago and I still have no money in my account. They promise they have refunded me and are sending me fake refund transaction screenshots.
To try and get me to believe they published best sellers online, they sent me a listing of great books published by the real - Penguin Authors House.
They tried to tell me that they were under the same umbrella as them when I caught them out. They are most definitely not.
Don't be fooled like me.
Preferred solution: Full refund
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Verified ReviewerCorrupt Publishing Company
AuthorHouse has stolen all proceeds from a book my wife self-published years ago. When she contacted AuthorHouse to ask why she has not received a check since 2012 for the sales of her book, AuthorHouse replied with personal threats and continuous harassment. We are filing a lawsuit against AuthorHouse.
- Illegal activities
Preferred solution: Just informing consumers about Authorhouse corruption
User's recommendation: Stay away from Authorhouse
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerUnhappy customer
So, I give it a two. The people are respectful, but I dont trust them.
They tried deceptive business with me. I dont understand why I had to pay a little over $1,000 for my work. The company said that I sold eighteen books. Is it going to be eighteen books forever?
I think that I wasted my money on Author House. I remember reading a company worker writing to an author, Why did you wait until you were on your death bed? Thats nasty. Truly, I would never use them again.
I used a free publishing company for the second one. I dont trust nasty and rude people as being honest. I hope that when I get my book back that I loaned to someone, I get honest answers.
I would not be surprised if they get 100% royalties for many books that I wrote. Its just that what I read about Author House makes me think they will lie to me.
- You get around thirteen free books
- Try deceptive business
Preferred solution: Honest answers with pure proof.
User's recommendation: Try a different publishing company. There are free ones
New York, New York
Lousy customer service
I was talked into self-publishing a book for several thousand dollars with AuthorHouse by a fast-talking salesgirl. She lied on the phone that AuthorHouse had published books similar to mine before.
Although I had already finished writing my manuscript, AuthorHouse proved incapable of converting the manuscript into a normal-sized book.
Instead, one of their bureaucrats insisted on publishing it as a "full-size" 8 x 11 inch book, which I thought made for a very awkward look and feel. It was a thoroughly lousy experience.
User's recommendation: Don't deal with them.
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Verified ReviewerI Am An Author With Them And This Business Needs An Auditor
Stated my concern to the company and am awaiting a reply.
How can this be possible? I found a way to get back so that was fine, but I warn anyone considering self-publishing with Authorhouse to not do so. I thought this was a legitimate company but it is not. Penguin Random House bought Author Solutions (parent company) and then booted them out (check online for this story).
I had planned to do a big marketing campaign with them but will not do so. Maybe that's their strategy, withhold legitimate royalties and contact you to say if only you marketed it with them you could be the greatest author?
LOL but not LOR (royalties). Avoid.
- Book layout
- Named recognition
- Marketing is insufficient
- Makes mistakes publishing books and needs redoing
- Previous lawsuits posted online
User's recommendation: Read All About Parent Company Author Solutions Online Before Committing To Authorhouse
About
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AuthorHouse (originally 1stBooks) is a leading company launched in January 1997 in Bloomington, Indiana, USA for self-publishers around the world. AuthorHouse offers a great selection of tools and services for authors like editorial services, design services, marketing services, bookselling and much more. The company has released more than 60,000 titles so far. AuthorHouse also provides different types of print formats such as paperback publishing and hardcover publishing. Authors can also choose electronic formats. The company offers services that help to prepare manuscript for publishing. AuthorHouse provides each author of the publication with a personal adviser. Each author can make his own choice of all the publishing process.
Authorhouse is ranked 347 out of 5873 in Periodicals & Publishing category
Worldwide, USA, UK, Other
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no way i use author house again they really scam bags