Paid-entry recognition
International Book Awards
American Book Fest
In short
The International Book Awards are run by American Book Fest, a book marketing company that also runs the Best Book Awards. What entrants get is the winner or finalist designation and digital logos, and the audience is independent authors and their readers rather than trade buyers or review outlets. Authors and publishers may enter at $59 per title per category, with one copy or a digital file per category, for books published from 2022 through 2027. If you publish with a trade house, ask your publicist before entering.
Deadline March 31, 2027Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Every label is a fact from the official rules, never a judgment about whether the award is worth entering. How we describe awards.
The International Book Awards are run by American Book Fest, the same company behind the Best Book Awards and the American Legacy Book Awards. The 18th annual competition is the 2027 cycle, open to English-language books with an ISBN or ASIN published from 2022 through 2027, from mainstream and independent publishers alike; titles from 2010 to 2021 are steered to the American Legacy Book Awards instead.
Entered books must be human-written and human-illustrated original work. One copy per title per category is required, as a physical book or galley, or as a PDF or EPUB by email. The fee is $59 per title per category, with a 20 percent discount and a ten-month featured listing for entries received by September 30, 2026.
The final entry deadline is March 31, 2027, and results are announced online in June 2027.
Why it may matter
Like its sibling programs, this is a marketing product: the winner and finalist announcement, the right to use the designation, free digital logos, and social media promotion, with stickers and certificates sold separately. Its audience is independent authors and their readers, and its name carries no particular weight with trade buyers or review outlets. The low fee and the wide publication window make it a low-cost option for a backlist seal.
2027 cycle: 18th annual International Book Awards (2027)
- Eligible publication dates
- January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2027
- Early deadline
- September 30, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Final deadline
- March 31, 2027Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Deadline note
- 20 percent discount and a ten-month featured listing for entries received by September 30, 2026; final entry deadline March 31, 2027. Books published 2022 through 2027 are eligible.
- Entry fee
- $59 per title per category, with a 20 percent discount for entries received by September 30, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- Winners and finalists announced online in June 2027
| Tier | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Standard, per title per category | March 31, 2027 | $59 |
Worth knowing
Our reading, not a rule the organization published. We judge an award on the rubric in how we describe awards.
Despite the name, the program is run from the United States and its rules mirror the Best Book Awards. A book that fits both can be entered in both, but each is a separate fee.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 13, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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