Publishing On Demand Free Comparison Chart

This comparison chart lets you compare the options between the FREE self publishing, publish on demand systems available on the web. I have used every system shown on this list and have full write-ups on this site about how they work and the quality they provide.

It's important to remember that a free publishing on demand house is naturally going to charge more per-book than one you paid an up front fee to. That is because they need to pay their salaries and printing costs somehow! It is important for you to compare the free options with what you could get from a more traditional publishing house, if you intend to sell a lot of books. On the other hand, this is a great way to get started, since there's no fee at all and you can see how well your book is received before investing more money into the project.

My chart tries to compare "standard books" to make this as easy as possible. So, black and white insides, cover outsides.

Size options are given in inches. Standard little paperbacks - the size most people read, and you find in bookstores and grocery stores - are about 5.25" x 8". Prices listed are all "perfect bound" books - i.e. normal binding you get in normal books (as compared to say ring binding like on some cookbooks).

"Your Share" means - if you set the price higher than the base price in order to make a profit - how much of that you get to keep. So if the book costs $10 to make, and you set the selling price at $12, that is a $2 profit. CafePress lets you keep 70% of that, or $1.40. Lulu lets you keep 75% of that, or $1.50. CafePress lets you keep all of it, but has already reamed you (well your buyer) in their basic costs :) Meaning fewer people would have bought your item in the first place since its cost was so high to start with.

I try to show that by showing an example. If you had a standard 200 page perfect bound book, I list how much you'd have to charge the public for each book, in order to cover the publishing costs plus earn $1 in profit for yourself from the sale.

You can always go to one of these company's sites to get specific information if you want a more complex item - i.e. a full color book with spiral binding, for your cookbook.

Keep in mind that even though these are free for you to list items with, you still have to pay for an ISBN if you want to sell these books in a bookstore or Amazon.

Publishing On Demand - Free Options
Publishing On Demand - Fee Based Options

Getting Your Book Published
Writing Tips and Online Books

Online Literary Magazines

Lisa Shea's Homepage