The 10 Best Providers for Print on Demand Books

Always wanted to write your own book? Self-publishing with a print on demand book service can make that dream a reality more easily than you may think. Though it may not seem as glamorous as traditional publishing, it can be a great choice for indie authors. 

We’ll break down how print on demand for book publishing works, advantages of using it, what to look for in a print on demand company, and the ten best print on demand companies for self-published authors.  

What is Print On Demand Book Publishing?

Print on demand , also known as POD, is an order fulfillment method where items are printed and shipped when a customer orders them. The term is used both for book publishing and selling merchandise. This post will focus on print on demand for publishing, however, we do also have further reading about selling print on demand merchandise. 

Print On Demand gives authors the ability to market and sell their books in major retailers, small bookstores, and online without having to worry about storing, shipping, or stocking their books. It also gives authors more control over the publishing process for less money. 

How Do Print on Demand Book Printing Services Work?

Now let’s break down some details about how print on demand works for book publishing. 

• Customers order your book
• The order comes directly to the POD company
• The provider ships the books
• You get paid

1. Customers order your book

People purchase your book online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other online stores. 

2. The order comes directly to the POD company

The POD provider prints, binds, and packages the order, even if it’s just one copy. 

3. The provider ships the books

The POD company takes care of shipping the printed books to the retailer or wholesaler for fulfillment. 

4. You get paid

The provider collects the payment, deducts the printing and selling costs, and pays you the net sales. 

Why Choose Print on Demand?

Print on demand is an appealing business model for many new authors and entrepreneurs because it’s easier to manage than working with traditional publishers. These include:

• No Inventory 
• Sustainability
• Low Barrier to Entry
• Distribution to Popular Sellers

No Inventory 

With Print on Demand, books are printed one order at a time and the provider takes care of all of the production and shipping. 

Sustainability

Printing on demand leads to less waste. If environmentally friendly, sustainable practices are important to you, using print-on-demand is a no-brainer. 

Low Barrier to Entry

Finding and working with traditional publishers can be difficult. If you already have an audience to promote to, self-publishing with a print on demand service provider is an easier route. 

Distribution to Popular Sellers

Book distribution networks vary by provider, but most POD providers distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers large and small. 

Choosing a Print on Demand Publishing Service

There are several traits you should consider when you choose a print on demand, most importantly:

• User-friendliness
• Print quality
• Upfront costs
• Turnaround time
• Available products and customization options
• Royalties
• Cost per unit
• Distribution network

User-Friendliness

Like any online service, you want to commit to one that’s easy to use. The process of uploading your manuscript, reviewing it, publishing, and distribution should be straightforward and easy to follow. 

Print Quality

No one wants their book to look cheap. Before you commit to a POD company, confirm that they print high quality books. The best way to check this is to order proof copies before distribution starts, but you can also get a good idea from the customer reviews. 

Upfront Costs

The two types of upfront costs for print on demand are setup fees and cost per unit. Not all providers charge a setup fee, but most charge an upfront fee for each book you sell. The rates typically change depending on the volume. 

Turnaround Time

There are two timelines that you have to pay attention to with print on demand: production time and shipping time. The faster the shipping time, the better. Ideally, you want production times that are fast without compromising quality. 

Available Products and Customization Options

If your book has specific needs, for example, full-color illustrations, hardcover and softcover options, or specific binding needs, you’ll need to make sure your provider has them as options. 

Royalties

Royalties are the percentage of the sales that the author gets of the sales after the production costs are subtracted. Most providers have a pricing calculator on-site that will add up all of the costs and what you’ll get in royalties. 

Distribution Network

A print on demand provider’s distribution network controls which retailers keep your book in stock. Some providers have wider networks than others. For example, Amazon KDP is popular because of its affiliation with Amazon, but they make it harder to distribute your book to other non-Amazon retailers. 

Customer Service

Problems happen with publishing and ecommerce. You don’t want to find out when there’s a problem that your provider doesn’t have adequate customer service availability. 

The 10 Best Print on Demand Book Services

Without further ado, here are the best print on demand publishing providers for self-published authors and entrepreneurs:

• Lulu 
• Acutrack
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Blurb
• IngramSpark
• BookBaby
• Draft2Digital 
• The Book Patch
• 48hr Books
• Diggy POD

We’ll cover each providers

• Timelines
• Minimum order requirements, if applicable
• Book products they offer
• Pros and cons for authors

Lulu 

Timelines

• Production takes 3-5 business days
• Shipping takes up to 28 days

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Comic books
• Magazines

Pros 

• Wide variety of book formats
• Integration with Amazon
• Shopify app
• More personalization than many competitors offer

Cons 

• Slow shipping times

Acutrack

Timelines

Orders shipped within 72 hours

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Ebooks

Pros 

• Offers other products besides books, including DVDs, Blu Ray disks, and USB drives
• Open API
• Integrations with 100 ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Amazon, Clickfunnel, and Salesforce
• Fast fulfillment times
• Well-reviewed customer service

Cons 

• Their focus on entrepreneurship and companies could be a disadvantage for some self-published authors

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing 

Timelines

Ebooks hit the Kindle store in 24-48 hours

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Ebooks
• Paperback books

Pros 

• The most popular print on demand service for independent authors
• Low printing costs
• Fast turnaround time
• Can order proof copies

Cons 

• Limited distribution to non-Amazon sellers
• Inconsistent print quality
• Limited format options

Blurb

Timelines

Production takes 4-5 business days

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Photo books
• Trade books
• Magazines
• Notebooks
• Ebooks

Pros 

• Excellent print quality
• Wide selection of paper types
• No setup fee
• Flexibility with royalties
• Can sell through Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and the Blurb Bookstore

Cons 

• High cost per unit
• No royalty calculator, but their structure is similar to IngramSpark’s

IngramSpark

Timelines

Not listed

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Ebooks
• Premium color
• Standard color

Pros 

• One of the most popular print on demand providers
• Direct distribution to over 40,000 US retailers
• Connect with global printing partners in the UK, Asia, and Australia
• Flexibility with royalties
• Variety of formatting options

Cons 

• $49 setup fee
• Not as user-friendly as other POD platforms
• Minimal customer support

BookBaby

Timelines

• Proofs usually take 8 days
• Books are available for sale on Amazon in 20 days
• First orders are fulfilled in 50 days

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Ebooks
• Photo books
• Comic books
• Yearbooks
• Art books
• Magazines

Pros 

• User-friendly publication process
• Customer support via email and phone
• Good print quality
• Can order proofs
• Free shipping on most orders
• Wide variety of formatting and printing options

Cons 

• $399 setup fee
• High per-unit fees
• Limited distribution

Draft2Digital 

Timelines

Ebooks go live in 2 days

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products

• Ebooks
• Paperback books

Pros

• Customization options including glossy or matte finish, cream or white paper, etc
• Fast turnaround time

Cons

• Physical book options and brick and mortar store distribution are available, but the focus is on ebooks

The Book Patch

Timelines

Turnaround in 3-5 business days

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products 

• Perfect bound paperback books
• Spiral bound books
• Ebooks
• PDF file
• ePub
• Mo-bi

Pros 

• No setup or listing fees
• Possibility to keep all of your royalties
• Per-unit costs are lower the more orders you get

Cons

• Limited format options 

48hr Books

Timelines

Production takes 24-48 hours

Minimum Order Requirements

10 books

Available Book Products 

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Ebooks

Pros 

• Quick turnaround time
• Formatting templates available

Cons

• Has a minimum order quantity 

Trafford

Timelines

Not listed

Minimum Order Requirements

None

Available Book Products 

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Ebooks
• Leather bound books

Pros 

• High print quality
• Not many other print on demand companies offer leather bound books
• Black and white and color printing packages

Cons 

• High upfront costs
• You have to purchase a package to use them
• Limited format options

Diggy POD

Timelines

Printing in 48 hours

Minimum Order Requirements

24 books

Available Book Products

• Hardcover books
• Paperback books
• Spiral bound books
• Children’s books
• Cookbooks
• Yearbooks 

Pros

• Quick turnaround time
• Free shipping on orders over over 100 books
•  Highly-rated customer service
• Full-color and black and white options

Cons 

• Minimum order quantity
• No ebooks

Print on Demand Books FAQs

What is the best print on demand provider for books?

The best print on demand provider depends on what you need. For authors who are only interested in selling their books on Amazon, Amazon KDP is the best choice. If wide distribution is your highest priority, IngramSpark is the way to go. If your book cover design is intricate or your book has a lot of illustrations, Blurb will make them sing. 

Does Amazon print books on demand?

Though the Kindle store is what most people think of for Amazon book services, they do print physical books on demand as well. 

How much does printing books on demand cost?

Costs vary widely between providers. The figures you’ll want to pay attention to are the upfront fees (including set-up fees and per unit costs) and royalties. 

How Sav Can Help

Whether you’re an aspiring author or self-publishing a book is part of a different business, promoting it on your own professional website will help you sell more copies and look more legitimate. Here at Sav, we offer the features you want in a website builder at prices you can afford, for example:

• A full library of customizable templates
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