Dreaming of writing a book? While you might envision your manuscript being scooped up by a big publishing house like Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster, the reality is that you’ll need an agent to get your work in front of those publishers—and they accept only a tiny fraction of the manuscripts they receive.
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Don’t let that discourage you. Self-publishing is a powerful alternative for getting your story into readers’ hands, and it’s an option that’s more and more accessible these days. In fact, some of today’s bestsellers, like The Martian and Fifty Shades of Grey, started as self-published books before inspiring blockbuster movie adaptations.
Ready to take control of your publishing journey? Here’s how to bypass the gatekeepers and print your own book on your own terms.
Before browsing the list of self-publishing services, learn what to look for when selecting a publishing partner.
Research means more than scanning a few price lists. It can get tricky because not all book printers disclose specs like ink types, machine capabilities, or environmental certifications.
Do your best to consider criteria like:
One way to approach this step is by asking fellow authors. A printer might claim they are the best, but first-hand testimonials will tell a truer story. Work with a company with a known, reliable track record for your book format type or genre.
Print quality isn’t just about how pretty the pages look. Top quality book printing services cover elements like:
You also need to know what top quality means for you. If you’re printing a children’s book, tear-resistance and child-safe inks might matter as much as color vibrancy.
Even if your test copy looks perfect, printing quality can vary across your order, especially if the printer needs to adjust its machines during printing. Multiple proofs or references from past clients could be more telling than a single, possibly “cherry-picked” sample.
Look beyond the price per unit. A straightforward quote comparison is not enough. Some printers can lure you in with low base prices, then tack on extra charges.
Printer A’s base cost might be lower, but if shipping or set-up fees are higher, the final bill could exceed Printer B’s quote. The cheapest quote may also have potential trade-offs like lower print quality and missing deadlines.
When reviewing custom book printing costs, consider:
Turnaround time is how quickly the printer can complete and deliver your books.
Custom book printing turnaround time includes:
You might assume that speed is everything. However, rushing a job can lead to higher fees or mistakes. Regardless, always build in buffer time because printers can rarely guarantee 100% on-time performance.
In custom book printing, customer support refers to communication and guidance. You want to work with a partner that responds quickly to questions and clarifies requirements. It’s also nice if they help with file formatting, cover design, and effects like foil stamping and embossing.
It’s hard to determine the level of support you’ll get upfront. Review sites often show only the most extreme cases, good or bad. To get a clearer understanding of your options, check references from trusted industry sources about your potential printers as well.
How a YouTube chef became a published author
Serial entrepreneur and self-taught vegan chef Wil Yeung built his business with a YouTube content strategy. He now sells his recipes as books, ebooks, and courses online.
Learn moreChoosing a company to help you self-publish involves many factors. Here’s an overview of the top book printing services that can help you produce a high-quality book.
Established in , IngramSpark promises high-quality books indistinguishable from traditionally published ones.
IngramSpark offers:
Consider your primary sales channels when choosing between IngramSpark and KDP:
Lulu stands out with its extensive options in custom book printing services and a Shopify integration.
Lulu’s book printing services offer:
While Lulu may offer lower earnings from external marketplace and bookstore sales compared to KDP and IngramSpark, it provides unique advantages like:
Blurb is a woman-founded service that offers a range of tools and services for both novice and experienced creators.
Blurb’s services include:
When you order 10 or more copies of your book from Blurb, you get a discount. For very large orders of more than 750 copies, Blurb can use a different printing method called offset printing, which saves you more money.
Since acquiring MagCloud in , Blurb can also help folks make and share magazines to print or read online.
Originally inspired in by indie music distributor CD Baby, BookBaby offers support for every stage of the book printing process.
BookBaby’s book printing services provide:
You need to pay BookBaby before it starts any editing or book design work, which can cost a bit at first. But after paying distribution fees, BookBaby lets authors keep all their sales money, unlike other companies that take a cut of each sale.
B&N Press lets authors publish print and digital books through Barnes & Noble’s online store.
You can make ebooks, paperbacks, and hardcover books with dust jackets or printed covers. Books can be printed in color or black and white, and their page count must be between 18 and 800 pages long.
B&N Press also offers:
B&N Press is available to authors in select countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Ireland. Print books can only ship within the United States.
Launched in alongside the Kindle e-reader, KDP is a self-publishing platform for both digital and print books.
KDP’s beginner-friendly offerings include:
Royalty percentages vary based on book type (ebook, hardcover, or paperback) and whether you choose to sell exclusively with Amazon.
Examples of royalty percentages include:
KDP is ideal for authors focusing on Amazon sales, but consider other options if you’re targeting bookstores or your own website with a print-on-demand model.
Congratulations on finishing your book! While the hardest part might be behind you, there are still a few critical steps to bring your creation to life. Let’s walk through the book printing process in 9 straightforward steps.
There are two main book printing methods for self-publishing authors: offset printing and digital printing.
Offset printing is for making many books at once (hundreds or thousands). This type of book printing process initially costs more to set up, but it makes the cost of each book cheaper when you print lots of them. The quality is typically very good.
Digital printing (or print-on-demand) lets you print books one at a time, only when someone orders them. This is cheaper to start with and you don’t need to store your books.
Your book needs a size and style. Most books, like novels, use standard sizes (5.5 inches × 8.5 inches or 6 inches × 9 inches). Art books or children’s books are often bigger or use more irregular sizing conventions.
You can make your book hardcover or paperback. Hardcovers look fancy and last longer but cost more. Paperback books are cheaper and lighter to carry.
For the cover finish, you can pick glossy (shiny) or matte (smooth). Glossy works well for bright artwork, while matte finish gives a modern look.
Your binding style affects your book’s appearance, durability, and cost. Consider your book’s length when considering binding options.
Here are the most common types of binding options:
Keep in mind most printers charge extra for internal color printing. You’ll likely have a choice of paper types, available in various weights and finishes.
If you’re unsure which to choose, consider industry standards as guidelines. For novels, standard black-and-white pages are reader-friendly and cost-effective. For photo books or graphic novels, opt for heavier paper and color printing to showcase your artwork.
Experiment with different options to ensure your custom book pages are easy to read. Reference similar books or guides for ideas, or check the front and back matter of your favorite commercially published books, as they sometimes note the typeface used.
Keep these best practices in mind:
Don’t judge a book by its cover? In reality, potential readers often do. Your cover should be eye-catching and convey the book’s purpose and tone. If your budget allows, consider hiring a professional graphic designer to create a high-quality book cover that aligns with your genre and stands out from competition.
To make your book look good, you’ll need to format it correctly. Use a program like Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Word to create your book, then save it as a PDF.
Leave enough space around the margins so nothing gets cut off when printing. If you have pictures, they should be high quality images (300 dpi) to look clear when printed.
Before printing, consider your book’s ISBN (International Standard Book Number). Publishers like Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark offer free ISBNs, but using these limits your book to their distribution networks.
For example, if you use a KDP-assigned ISBN, that version of your book is restricted to KDP’s distribution channels. Buying your own ISBN allows you to print the same version with multiple publishers, potentially giving you access to a wider range of marketplaces. However, even with a free ISBN, you retain the intellectual property rights to your book.
Always order a test copy of your book before printing more or selling it online.
Check that everything looks right: The colors should be accurate, the paper should feel good, and all the text should be in the right place.
Make sure the cover looks perfect too. The front, spine, and back should all line up properly.
Letterpress is an old way of printing that started in the s. It works by pressing raised letters and designs into paper, leaving a mark you can feel with your fingers.
People mostly use letterpress for special projects because it has a handmade, artistic look. It’s popular for wedding invitations, poetry chapbooks, and other types of fancy books or stationery because each print has a unique, textured feel. The downside of letterpress is that its process takes longer and costs more than modern printing methods.
Some key things to know about letterpress printing:
Offset printing is a modern way of printing that’s great for making lots of copies. It’s called “offset” because the ink doesn’t go straight onto the paper. It first goes into a rubber sheet and then onto the paper.
The process uses water and oil-based ink. They naturally push away from each other, which helps keep the printing clean and precise.
This type of book printing is best when you need:
The main drawback of offset printing is that it’s expensive to get started. You have to make special metal plates first. But once everything is set up, it’s cheaper per page than most other types of printing. That’s why it’s used for magazines, textbooks, and catalogs where you need thousands of copies.
Digital printing is a newer way to print. It doesn’t use metal plates or stamps. Books are printed directly from a computer file.
There are two main types of digital printing:
Digital printing is perfect when you:
The downside is that digital printing gets expensive if you need lots of copies. It’s also not quite as precise with colors as other printing methods. But for most regular printing jobs—like books, brochures, or business materials—it works great. That’s why it’s popular with self-published authors and businesses needing quick, small-print batches.
Print-on-demand (POD) book services are popular for authors and small publishers. Instead of printing hundreds or thousands of books at once and storing them in a warehouse, a POD service prints and dropships the book when someone orders it.
Here’s how POD book services work:
With POD services, authors can publish books and sell them worldwide without spending thousands of dollars upfront or worrying about making room for inventory storage.
The cost of printing your book depends on several factors:
For example, a black and white paperback of fewer than 108 pages can cost as little as $2.30 per book, while a standard 300-page paperback runs closer to $5 per book with KDP. Larger trim sizes, hardcovers, and color ink increase costs. An 8.5-inch by 11-inch 100-page photo book with a hardcover, premium color, and the highest quality paper costs $29.69 on Lulu.
Pro tip: Some platforms offer discounts for bulk orders, so you can save money by ordering a larger quantity at once.
Keep in mind that beyond initial publishing costs, there may be additional expenses when selling your book. For instance, if you self-publish a paperback with KDP and sell it on Amazon, you’ll keep 60% of the sale price, minus the printing cost.
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Congratulations! You’ve crafted the perfect book, from font selection to cover design. Now it’s time to sell your book online.
While tapping into new audiences through distributors like Barnes & Noble is valuable, don’t overlook the power of selling through your own website.
An online store helps you establish brand ownership and build community around your work. Plus, you get full control over the buying experience, from product presentation to customer service.
See how Morgana Best sells her paranormal cozy mysteries online.
From the moment you land on her website, a striking illustration of a black cat with glowing eyes against a moonlit backdrop sets the paranormal mood. This same imagery carries through her logo and branding. It’s clear—if you’re looking for witchy mysteries, you’re in the right place.
Want an ebook? Audiobook? Large print? Each format has its own section on Morgana’s website—a smart move for reaching different reader preferences. She’s even branched into French markets with a "“FRANÇAIS” button.
When selling in your own store, you keep a larger portion of each sale compared to traditional distribution channels. You can bundle books with exclusive experiences or create fun promotion packages you couldn’t through major retailers.
Once your book is available on your website, develop a strategy to promote it online.
Consider these marketing tactics:
By combining the reach of major distributors with the control of your own ecommerce store, you can maximize your book’s potential and build a direct relationship with your readers.
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Learn morePicking the wrong size (or “trim size”) for your book can be costly. Standard sizes are cheaper and look more professional.
For example, a novel usually works best at 5.5 by 8.5 inches, while textbooks might be 6 by 9 inches. Using odd sizes can increase your book printing costs and make your book look awkward on a shelf.
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is important for selling your book. It’s how bookstores and libraries track and order it.
New authors sometimes skip getting their own ISBN, which can limit where they can sell their book. While some services offer free ISBNs, owning your own gives you more control and makes your book look more professionally appealing.
Printers need specific file setups to print your book correctly. Things like margins, paper type, and file format must match their requirements exactly. Taking time to understand and follow these specifications will save you from printing problems later and help you build stronger relationships with printers.
Printing a book involves more than just the basic printing cost. Don’t forget about editing, cover design, shipping, and marketing costs. Many authors get surprised when these extra costs add up. Budget at least 20% extra for unexpected expenses.
This is like sending an without proofreading, except much more expensive. Always order a proof copy and check everything: the cover, every page, the spine text, and even how the book feels in your hands.
Take your time with this step. It’s your last chance to catch errors before your book goes public.
When it comes to picking a book printing service, today’s authors are spoiled for choice. It has never been easier and more affordable for indie writers to sell quality print versions of their work, closing the gap between the worlds of traditionally published and self-published books.
Whether you want to try out print-on-demand (POD) publishing or wish to print your book in bulk via an offset supplier, here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of each option and the best services on the market.
The best POD book services:
The best offset book printing services:
POD allows you to list your book on platforms like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Whenever someone places an order, the printer produces a copy and ships it directly to the customer, with no inventory or storage required from you. The platform takes a distribution fee, and your royalty is the remaining amount after printing costs.
It's a practical and sustainable solution that works well for most authors.
We have tested firsthand each POD company by printing a trade book: 6” × 9”, 328 pages, softcover, with a black-and-white interior. Here’s a quick overview:
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In a nutshell:
Let's take a closer look at each of them.
KDP Print is Amazon’s own POD service for indie authors, operating through its Kindle Direct Publishing platform. Printing a book on Amazon is straightforward, and since most authors opt to self-publish on Amazon through KDP anyway, it's pretty convenient to use the same platform for both.
Print quality: good but variable. Our test copies showed minor issues with image contrast and binding (the book didn't lay completely flat). The text alignment and readability were excellent on both paper options. But, historically, quality can vary seasonally across KDP Print's production facilities.
Costs, royalties, and distribution:
Bottom line: Amazon’s KDP Print is a strong POD service, offering low costs, high royalties, and lightning-fast deliveries, so virtually every author should list their book on it. However, if selling through brick-and-mortar stores or non-Amazon retailers is important to you, consider supplementing with another POD service for better royalty rates on those channels.
IngramSpark excels in distribution, connecting you to over 40,000 retailers and libraries worldwide — making it the top choice for authors targeting brick-and-mortar presence.
The platform's clunky, text-heavy interface is its major drawback. Expect a thorough but time-consuming 5-day review process after uploading your book. It’s not ideal for low-tech authors, especially given IngramSpark’s minimal customer support.
???? Check out our IngramSpark review for deeper insights.
Print quality: Bookstore standard. Our IngramSpark copy had perfectly aligned pages and a solid binding. For a result that feels closer to the paperback novels you’d typically find in bookstores, we’d recommend the cream-colored stock over the white paper option.
Costs, royalties, and distribution:
Bottom line: If you're looking to sell through major chain and indie stores, digital and brick-and-mortar alike, IngramSpark is by far the best option. The prices are cheap enough to make some profit, and its distribution reach is unparalleled. You’ll only need to arm yourself with patience to deal with its slow interface and review process.
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⛔ Don't distribute with Amazon's Expanded Plan. Many bookstores are “at war” with Amazon and won’t order from it. It’s better to use platforms that have a good relationship with bookstores, such as IngramSpark.
???? Offer a 55% retail discount. This is the industry standard — bookstores, both chains and indies, won’t stock your book without it.
???? Make your book returnable. Most bookstores won’t take a risk on non-returnable books.
Many authors are understandably concerned about returns because they bear both the printing costs and shipping fees for returned books. However, this risk is often manageable since bookstores typically only stock titles with demonstrated customer demand.
Note that even if you choose not to make your book returnable, customers can still special-order it through their favorite bookstores; the shops simply won't keep physical copies on their shelves.
Draft2Digital's POD service leverages Ingram's printing and distribution infrastructure while offering a significantly improved user experience. D2D shines with its clean, intuitive interface that simplifies file uploads and previewing options. Its responsive customer support, including an actual hotline, provides peace of mind for authors needing assistance.
Print quality: Consistent with Ingram. Since D2D uses Ingram's printing facilities, expect similar quality to IngramSpark's offerings — reliable and professional.
Costs, royalties, and distribution:
Bottom line: Draft2Digital Print offers the perfect middle ground for authors who want Ingram's printing quality and distribution network without wrestling with IngramSpark's clunky interface. However, its heavy reliance on Ingram's networks could cause problems that it can't directly and quickly fix, so keep that in mind. It also doesn't offer hardback options.
???? See our detailed Draft2Digital review for more insights.
Blurb delivers superior print quality through a modern, intuitive platform that allows for complete setup in under 10 minutes if you have your print files ready.
Print quality: A cut above. Our test copy showed noticeably better quality than those of the competitors — cover colors matched original files more accurately, and text had stronger contrast for improved readability. Blurb also excels with specialty formats, including high-quality photo books and magazines in both landscape and portrait orientations.
Costs, royalties, and distribution:
Bottom line: Blurb is the premium choice for authors who prioritize exceptional print quality and specialty formats over profit margins. It's ideally suited for authors of children's books, or those who are publishing primarily for business leads or family rather than commercial success.
???? We've partnered with Blurb to offer easier and more affordable formatting and printing. Find out more here.
Bookvault specializes in direct sales fulfillment, offering seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and PayHip — ideal for authors selling print books through their own websites.
Print quality: Reliably professional. Our test copies matched IngramSpark's quality standard with accurate color reproduction and flawless interior formatting.
☝️ Disclaimer: Reedsy used their services to print 200 hardcover copies for the SPS Live conference, and used them again for two additional book conferences in the United States.
Costs, royalties, and distribution:
Bottom line: Bookvault offers exceptional value for authors who prioritize direct sales, particularly those with audiences in the UK and, increasingly, in the US. Their competitive pricing and author-friendly approach make them especially attractive for those with established platforms.
???? Bookvault discount for Reedsy authors: Use code JP23-REEDSY for 50% off title setup or 5% off production costs. Valid for up to 5 total uses across both services.
And that wraps up our list of the best POD book services for authors! But what if you’re looking to print your books in bulk? Let’s explore why you may want to do that — and the best options available.
If you’re an indie author planning a large print run (we’re talking thousands of copies), traditional offset printing is the go-to method. This process involves transferring an image from printing plates onto a rubber blanket before pressing it onto paper, allowing for high-quality, mass production.
Offset printing requires a hefty upfront investment and for you to handle storage and shipping yourself — a logistical challenge that’s often not worth the hassle for self-publishing authors. But if you already have committed buyers ready to snap up your books, it is by far the best value-for-money option!
Another advantage? Large print runs give you more flexibility in terms of book design. Offset printing allows for a wider range of trim sizes, paper types, and cover options, plus premium finishing touches like embossing. If you want your book to look and feel exactly how you envisioned it, this is the way to go.
So, what are your options?
Cushing-Malloy is a well-established book manufacturer located in Ann Arbor, an area known to those in the industry as the “short-run book capital of America.”
They offer digital printing for ultra-short runs, but are most competitive, with regards to price and quality, on black text offset print runs between 500 and 5,000 copies — soft or hard cover.
If it’s high-quality color printing you’re after… well, it’s in the name. As well as black text printing and bookbinding, Color House Graphics is well-equipped to provide color text, as well as beautiful covers and inserts — whether you need a digital print of fewer than 500 copies or an offset print of 500 or more.
By teaming up with their sister company JPL, CHG provides a seamless service from print to warehouse to order fulfillment, so if you don’t want to, you never even have to touch your books. For this reason, they’re considered one of the best-equipped offset printers for novice self-publishers.
If you’re living across the pond, shipping from Ann Arbor probably isn’t the best idea. Instead, authors in the UK and Europe can check out CPI Print for books that wouldn’t look out of place on the shelves of Waterstones. CPI guarantees the same high level of quality to self-publishers and large publishers alike. So whether you need a hardcover, a paperback, or a color book, plus foiling, sprayed edges, or thermo-sensitive glitter, CPI Print can meet all those needs.
As well as a large range of products, they also have a number of services for storage and distribution. These include Auto Stock Replenishment and Zero Inventory — to reduce the problems associated with a large stock — and Global Print Solutions to efficiently fulfill international sales, while reducing shipping costs.
Acutrack is an offset printing solution that you can integrate with your site to process the delivery of your books instantly. They offer lower minimum orders than most offset competitors (starting at 50), allowing you to keep your warehousing costs — and your outlays — down. Moreover, their speedy delivery system fulfills orders globally without you being involved. Essentially, they offer the low-cost advantage of POD with the quality and customizability (printing, binding, etc.) of offset services.
Their cost for a typical print run of a 200-page, 6” x 9” book is $5.85 per book. This drops to $3.25 per book for runs of over 2,000. While these costs are comparable to other POD services, their quality and customizability are much better and match that of offset printing. While offset printing would have a lower cost, their minimum order volume would be around 500 copies. If you have a high volume of books to be printed (+ copies), or even a consistent lower-volume order (100-200 copies), Acutrack might be a great choice for you.
Choosing the right printing service depends on your goals, budget, and distribution strategy. Whether you opt for the convenience of print-on-demand or the bulk discounts of offset printing, both methods offer reliable ways to get your book into readers’ hands. Hopefully, this post will help you find your ideal printing solution!
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