After nearly a decade in self-publishing, I’ve used pretty much every self-publishing website on the market. So, I’m compiling this list of the 10 best self publishing websites.
Since self-publishing is one of my main income streams, I’m continually finding new and innovative ways to distribute my content.
Table of Contents
10 Best Self Publishing Websites
1. Blurb
These guys are an aggregate publisher that distributes primarily eBooks and print books.
To briefly explain aggregate publishing, they are essentially a middleman that distribute your books to other platforms on your behalf. They usually collect a portion of the revenue from your sales.
Distribution
- Their own bookstore
- Apple
- Google Play Books
- Kobo
- Amazon
They also have an api option where you can sell from your own website using them.
Royalties
- eBooks – 100% of net profits after conversion fees
- Print – Unclear – I simply can’t find this information to break it down for you
Pros
- Stellar print quality
- Wide distribution
- 100% net profits for eBooks
Cons
- Base cost to print is relatively high
- Different print specs than other print platforms
- Conversion fees for eBooks
2. Lulu
I’ve talked about Lulu a time or two on my channel and I’ve even had a member of their team, Chelsea Bennet, on to talk about this platform.
Lulu is another aggregate publisher who handles eBooks and print books.
Distribution
- Lulu
- Lulu Direct (integrates with Shopify and WooCommerce for WordPress)
- API for custom sites
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Ingram Book Group
Royalties
- eBooks – 90% of net profits
- 90% straight profit through the Lulu store
- Print – 80% net profits minus print fees
Pros
- Excellent print quality
- Unique print options like spiral notebooks, calendars, and photo books, you can even do comics and magazines
- Wide distribution
- Longevity (20+ years in the industry)
Cons
- Quarterly paydays
- Little bit of a rocky past
- Slow print fulfillment
3. PublishDrive
PublishDrive handles eBooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks. They are another aggregate with 30 different avenues of distribution, including one that no other platforms have: China.
Distribution
- Amazon
- Apple Books
- Audible
- Google Play Books
- Ingram
- iReader
- Overdrive
- Rakuten Kobo
- + many more
Royalties
100% net profits
Pros
- Super wide distribution
- 100% net profits
- 3 formats
Cons
- Monthly subscription – You pay a monthly fee based on how many books you have on their platform
- Unknown and/or unfamiliar avenues
- Lesser known avenues slow to delist titles upon request
4. Draft2Digital/Smashwords
These two are listed together because Draft2Digital actually acquired Smashwords. They are yet another aggregate publisher that handles eBooks and print books.
Distribution
- Amazon
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Scribd
- Smashwords
- Tolino
- OverDrive
- bibliotheca
- Baker & Taylor
- BorrowBox
- Hoopla
- Vivlio
- Palace Marketplace
Royalties
- eBooks – 90% of net profits
Pros
- Superior customer support
- Amazing free automated interior formatting tool
- Direct integration with Findaway Voices
Cons
- Print just got out of beta and needs a little work still
5. Google Play Books
This one is interesting, with a bit of a checkered past. The platform used to be nearly impossible to get on because Google only opened new sign-ups occasionally and without fanfare.
Piracy was rampant, and it took the powers that be a long time to figure out how to police it effectively. Their solution was to just not allow new people on the platform at all for years.
Google Play Books handles eBooks and audiobooks. In fact, they are the first platform to allow AI narration of audiobooks. This is interesting.
Distribution
The platform has a unique offering for distribution. Publishing via Google Play Books gets you distribution to 75+ countries and 3+ billion Android users. That’s certainly nothing to sneeze at. It’s a nice complement to publishing on Amazon.
Royalties
70% across the board regardless of price, format, or region.
Pros
- It’s Google, the world’s most used search engine
- Set royalty rate
- Book sample indexing – meaning they index the first 10% of your book in their search engine
Cons
Google has done some housekeeping around GPB since I made the video that accompanies this post. Their clunky interface and lack of audiobook access are things of the past. It’s worth testing and exploring.
6. Apple Books
You’re going to see a lot of similarities here with Google and some of the other platforms I mention below. Apple Books handled eBooks and, to an extent, audiobooks.
Distribution
With Apple Books, they distribute your book across Apple’s worldwide platform and millions of Apple devices.
Royalties
70% across the board
Pros
- Wide distribution
- Great royalty rate
Cons
- Too many dashboards
- Clunky
- No direct audiobook distribution*
6. Barnes & Noble Press
Barnes & Noble is a company I admire. They’ve managed to hang on with Amazon for competition. That’s no small feat.
Barnes & Noble Press handles eBooks, print books and, like the last two platforms, audiobooks to an extent.
Distribution
- eBooks – 12 regions
- Print – U.S. only
Royalties
- eBooks – 70%
- Print – 55% minus print fees
Pros
- Excellent print quality
- Easy user interface
- Great for U.S. authors
Cons
- Limited reach
- Print formatting is a pain because of strict guidelines
- Inaccessible audiobook distribution*
7. Kobo Writing Life
This one is interesting. Kobo Writing Life handles eBooks and audiobooks. They used to be a direct avenue to get your books on Walmart’s website. I’m not sure if that’s still the case since Rakuten bought them.
Distribution
- eBooks – 14 regions and 22 platforms
- Audiobooks – 6 major regions and 4 distribution sites
Royalties
- eBooks – 70%
- Audiobooks – 35% on audiobooks priced $2.99 or lower; 45% on ones priced above $2.99
Pros
- Access to Overdrive with no revenue share
- Best user interface of all
- Kobo Plus, which is like Kindle Unlimited minus the exclusivity
Cons
- Weird royalty structure for audiobooks
8. IngramSpark
IngramSpark handles eBook and print book distribution. They have the widest reach of all the platforms. In fact, some of the other platforms use their parent company, Ingram Content Group, to distribute for them. This includes Amazon.
Distribution
- 6 regions
- 43 distributors
- 40,000 libraries
- Walmart.com
- Target.com
- + much more!
Royalties
- eBooks – 40% net profits – I have never used Ingram for eBook distribution for this reason
- Print books 45% to 65% minus print fees
Pros
- Widest distribution you can get
- Brick and mortar distribution
- Great print quality
Cons
- You must bring your own ISBN
- Pay-per-upload – $49
- Pay to update – $25
- Lack of transparency and customer support
- No list of the 40,000 places our books are going
Use my code DALE2023 for one free upload!
10. Amazon KDP
I always recommend that new self-publishers start here and that they publish to KDP directly rather than through an aggregate. It’s far from perfect, but as the #1 book retailer and 75% of the market share on eBooks, it’s a place we all must be.
Amazon KDP handles eBooks, print books, both paperback and hardcover.
Distribution
- eBooks – 13 regions
- Paperback – 9 regions
- Hardcover – 7 regions – no expanded distribution
Royalties
- eBooks – 70% on books between $2.99 and $9.99; anything outside of this is 35%
- Paperbacks – 60% minus print fees; 40% minus print fees for expanded distribution
Pros
- Biggest audience for authors
- East to learn
- Easy to use
- Great for newbies
Cons
- Not a fan of the royalty structure
- Hardcover in beta – I’m sure this will only improve in time
- No audiobook integration even though Amazon owns Audible and ACX
* Must use Findaway Voices
5 Best Audiobook Publishing Websites
Since most of the best self publishing websites don’t handle audiobooks that well, I thought I’d mention the 5 best audiobook websites while I was at it.
1. Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX)
ACX is owned by Amazon. It’s a one-stop shop for audiobook creation where authors can find narrators, have their books produced, and publish it all in one place.
Authors have the option of hiring narrators at their rate, do a revenue share with the narrator for 7 years, or narrate their books themselves. If you choose the latter, be prepared to meet profession-level recording standards. I read my own books, but I actually book time at a local recording studio to handle it.
Distribution
- Amazon
- Audible
- Apple
Royalties
- 40% of each sale if you’re exclusive; 25% for non-exclusive
Pros
- Allows you to break into audiobooks
- Easy to understand how it works
- One-stop shop
Cons
- Forced pricing – no author control over pricing
- Crappy royalty structure
- Audiblegate
2. Findaway Voices
Findaway Voices is the “going wide” of audiobooks. Authors can connect with narrators to produce their audiobooks and reach audiences around the world.
Distribution
40+ platforms including, but not limited to:
- Amazon
- Apple
- Audible
- Walmart
- Scribd
- Spotify
- Barnes & Noble
- Overdrive
- Hoopla
- TuneIn
- + many more!
Royalties
80% of all net profits.
Pros
- Amazing distribution
- Great royalty structure
- Easy to use
- Gives audiobook access to some of the publishing platforms above that don’t have direct access to audiobooks
Cons
I’ve got no complaints.
3. Author’s Republic
Author’s Republic is like Findaway Voices with reach to a few smaller, obscure platforms. Literally.
Royalties
70% of all net profits.
4. Kobo Writing Life
See above.
5. PublishDrive
PublishDrive has distribution to Findaway Voices and all of the benefits that entails. It always comes back to that monthly subscription, though. See above for more information.
Am I Missing Any of the Best Self Publishing Websites?
This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are many more platforms out there and other options to explore. There are some less-traveled options for sure, and I’ve completely ignored any creative avenues people may take to sell more books like eBay, Wattpad, Kindle Vella, and so much more.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!