Ash Davies
Founder of Books.by · Helped 20,000+ authors self-publish since 2014
BookBaby charges $399–$1,999 per book before you sell a single copy. Here are six alternatives that cost less upfront and pay more per sale — including three that are completely free.
BookBaby's business model doesn't favor authors. Here's what you're actually paying for:
High upfront costs. BookBaby's publishing packages range from $399 (print only) to $1,999 (premium package with marketing). That's money out of your pocket before your book exists in the market. If your book doesn't sell well — and statistically, most self-published books don't — you've lost that investment.
Per-book pricing compounds the problem. Publishing three books? That's $1,200–$6,000 in upfront costs. Prolific authors get punished, not rewarded. Compare this to platforms with flat annual fees or no fees at all.
Royalties are still mediocre. After paying those upfront fees, BookBaby still distributes through wholesale channels with 40–55% retailer discounts. You might earn $2–4 per book sold through retailers — not much better than free alternatives.
The bundled services (editing, cover design, formatting) seem convenient, but you can hire freelancers for the same work at 50–70% less. BookBaby packages convenience, but you pay a premium for it.
| Platform | Upfront Cost | Typical Royalty* | Print-on-Demand | Wide Distribution | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BookBaby | $399–$1,999/book | $2.50 | ✓ | ✓ | Hands-off authors with budget |
| Amazon KDP | Free | $5.74 | ✓ | ✗ Amazon only | Amazon marketplace sales |
| IngramSpark | $49/title | $3.75 | ✓ | ✓ 40,000+ retailers | Bookstore/library distribution |
| Lulu | Free | $4.50 | ✓ | ✓ | Simple print + distribution |
| Draft2Digital | Free | $4.20 (ebook) | ✓ Via D2D Print | ✓ | Wide ebook distribution |
| Books.by | $99/year | $9.60 | ✓ | ✗ Direct only | Direct sales, own traffic |
*Based on a 200-page B&W paperback at $19.99 retail. BookBaby assumes 55% wholesale discount.
If you're leaving BookBaby for cost reasons, KDP is the obvious first stop. It's completely free, takes minutes to set up, and gives you access to the world's largest book marketplace.
The verdict: For most authors leaving BookBaby, KDP should be your first move. It's free, pays better, and reaches more readers. The only authors who shouldn't use KDP are those who specifically need bookstore distribution — and even then, you can use KDP plus IngramSpark.
If you chose BookBaby specifically for wide distribution (bookstores, libraries, international retailers), IngramSpark offers nearly identical reach at a fraction of the cost.
The verdict: If bookstore/library distribution is your priority, IngramSpark + KDP gives you better coverage than BookBaby at roughly 10% of the cost. Use KDP for Amazon sales, IngramSpark for everywhere else.
Lulu is the middle ground between KDP's marketplace focus and IngramSpark's distribution complexity. It's free, offers decent distribution, and has a gentler learning curve.
The verdict: Lulu is great for authors who want simplicity without paying BookBaby prices. It's not the best at anything, but it's good enough at everything and costs nothing to try.
If ebooks are your primary format, Draft2Digital offers the best wide distribution with the easiest interface. They've also added print through D2D Print.
The verdict: D2D is essential for ebook authors going wide (non-Amazon-exclusive). Use D2D for Apple/Kobo/B&N ebooks, KDP for Kindle and Amazon print. Together they cover the market for free.
Here's the thing none of the other alternatives address: all of them still take a significant cut of your sales. BookBaby, KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu, D2D — they're all middlemen between you and your readers.
The verdict: Books.by isn't a replacement for BookBaby — it's a complement to KDP and IngramSpark. Use those for organic discovery, use Books.by for all the traffic you generate yourself. Keep 100% royalties on your own audience instead of giving 40% to Amazon.
The dirty secret about BookBaby's packages: you're paying a markup for bundled convenience. The same services cost dramatically less when sourced directly.
| Service | BookBaby | Freelancer | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developmental editing | $1,200+ | $500–800 | 50%+ |
| Copy editing | $600+ | $300–500 | 40%+ |
| Cover design | $399–799 | $150–400 | 50%+ |
| Interior formatting | $199–399 | $50–150 | 70%+ |
Sources: Reedsy marketplace, 99designs, Fiverr Pro, independent contractors
Where to find freelancers:
The verdict: If you valued BookBaby's bundled services but not the price, hire freelancers directly and publish through KDP/IngramSpark. You'll get the same (often better) quality for 50%+ less.
To be fair, BookBaby isn't a scam. Here's when it genuinely makes sense:
For most indie authors, BookBaby is overpriced. Use KDP (free) for Amazon, IngramSpark ($49) for bookstores, D2D (free) for wide ebooks, and hire freelancers for editing/design at half BookBaby's rates. Add Books.by ($99/year) for direct sales with 100% royalties. Total cost: under $200 vs $400–2,000 at BookBaby — with better royalties on every sale.
BookBaby's high upfront costs ($399–$1,999 per book) and per-book pricing model make it expensive for authors publishing multiple titles. Many alternatives offer the same services for free or at flat subscription rates.
Amazon KDP, Lulu, and Draft2Digital are all completely free to use with no upfront costs. You only pay when books are printed. KDP offers the widest reach, while D2D provides the best wide distribution for ebooks.
BookBaby can be worth it for authors who want completely hands-off publishing and have the budget. However, you can hire the same services (editing, cover design, formatting) as freelancers for 50–70% less than BookBaby's packages.
BookBaby offers bundled services: editing, cover design, formatting, and distribution in one package. Free platforms like KDP only handle distribution — you need to source editing and design separately.
Yes. IngramSpark offers the same 40,000+ retailer distribution for a $49 setup fee (often waived with promo codes). Combined with KDP for Amazon, you get wider distribution than BookBaby at a fraction of the cost.
BookBaby uses wholesale distribution, so you typically earn $2–4 per book after retailer discounts. KDP pays about $5–6 per book. Direct sales platforms like Books.by pay $9–12 per book on the same title.
Amazon KDP is the best starting point — free, easy interface, and access to Amazon's massive marketplace. Add Draft2Digital for wide ebook distribution and you've covered most of the market without spending a dollar.
Use KDP for Amazon discovery. Use Books.by for your own traffic. Keep what you earn, get paid daily, and actually know who's buying your books.
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