Buying on Sọna is quick and straightforward. There is one important thing to know upfront: purchases are made on the Sọna website, not inside the app.
Here is why, and here is exactly how it works.
Why You Buy on the Website, Not the App
Apple and Google require that purchases made inside their apps go through their own payment systems, which take a significant cut of every transaction. That cut would come directly out of what authors earn.
To make sure more of your money goes to the people who wrote the book, Sọna processes all purchases on the web. It takes an extra step, but it means authors get paid more fairly for their work.
Once you have purchased a book on the website, it appears in your library immediately, and you can read it in the app or on the web without any extra steps.
Step-by-Step: Buying a Book
1. Find the Book
Browse the catalogue at readsona.com/browse or search for a specific title. You can filter by genre, category, and more.
2. Open the Book Page
Click or tap on any book to open its full page. Here you will see the cover, description, author bio, price, and a free sample option if the author has enabled one.
3. Read the Sample (Optional)
If a free sample is available, you can read the first chapter before deciding to buy, with no account or payment needed.
4. Add to Cart
Click Buy or Add to Cart on the book page. You can continue browsing and add multiple books before checking out.
5. Go to Your Cart
Click the cart icon in the navigation bar. Your cart shows all selected books with their prices.
6. Apply a Voucher (Optional)
If you have a voucher code, enter it in the Voucher code field and click Apply. The discount will be deducted from your total automatically. See the voucher guide for full details.
7. Checkout
Click Checkout. Sọna opens a secure payment pop-up so you can pay.
If your account country is Nigeria, you must choose a local payment method first. If you choose Card or Apple Pay, Sọna may ask for the first 6 digits of the card so it can confirm whether local or international card charges apply before showing the final total.
If your account country is outside Nigeria, checkout goes straight to the card payment flow. Apple Pay may appear where supported by your device and browser. Your card issuer may convert the Naira charge into your local currency.
If your country is wrong, update it from your Account settings before checking out. Your account country helps Sọna show the right payment options and checkout total.
8. Done
After payment, the pop-up closes, and Sọna confirms the purchase. Your book is immediately added to your library and ready to read on the website or in the app.
Pre-Ordering a Book
If a book is not yet released but pre-orders are open, you will see a Pre-Order button instead of Buy. The process is the same:
- Add to cart and checkout
- Payment is taken immediately
- The book appears in your library on the official release date, with no action needed from you
Free Books
Some books on Sọna are free. For free books, click Get on the book page. No payment or cart needed. The book is added to your library instantly.
International Buyers
All books on Sọna are priced in Nigerian Naira (₦), but you can purchase from anywhere in the world with a supported card. Reader-facing totals include the relevant payment processing gross-up before you pay. This is based on your account country; for Nigerian accounts paying by card, the card's issuing region can also affect the final total. The amount shown before the payment gateway opens is the amount Sọna sends to checkout. Your card issuer may convert the Naira charge into your local currency.
Something Went Wrong?
If your payment went through but the book did not appear in your library immediately, wait a moment and refresh your library page. Sometimes the payment confirmation and library update arrive a few seconds apart.
If Sọna shows a verification message after payment, use Retry Verification on the cart page. This asks Sọna to confirm the payment again and deliver the books if the payment was successful.
If a book in your cart is no longer available before checkout, Sọna removes it from the cart and does not charge you for it. This can happen if an author withdraws a book, a book is removed from sale, or you already own that title.
For very large carts, Sọna may ask you to check out in smaller batches. This is to make sure delivery is reliable, and your books are added to your library cleanly.
If it still does not show up, go to Account > Purchase History: your purchase will be recorded there, and you can restore the book to your library from that screen.
Need more help? Select Report a Problem in your account settings.
Browse the full catalogue at readsona.com/browse.
Related Posts
- How to Apply a Voucher Code on Sọna: using discount codes at checkout
- How to Read on Sọna: reading on web and in the app after purchase
- How to Restore a Book on Sọna: recovering a book you can no longer find in your library
- Getting Started on Sọna: A Reader's Guide: setting up your account and finding your first book