Ash Davies
Founder of Books.by · Helped 20,000+ authors self-publish since 2014
Compare printing costs, fees, and royalties across 6 major POD providers — with real pricing formulas. Find out exactly how much you'll earn per book sold.
📖 New to POD? See our print on demand glossary for the basics.
Choosing a print-on-demand provider shouldn't require a spreadsheet. We built this calculator so you can see, in real time, exactly what each provider charges to print your book — and more importantly, what you actually keep per sale.
All pricing formulas are sourced directly from each provider's public pricing pages and updated monthly. The last update was February 2026. If a provider changes their pricing, we'll reflect it here within 30 days.
Adjust the inputs below — page count, format, ink type, and your list price — and watch the numbers update instantly.
Pricing data sourced from each provider's public pricing pages and updated monthly. Last verified: February 2026.
Trim size currently affects availability only — per-page costs use each provider's standard 6×9 formula.
Every print-on-demand provider uses the same basic formula: a fixed base cost plus a per-page charge. The base cost covers materials (cover stock, binding, etc.) and the per-page cost covers interior printing. This means a 100-page book costs less to print than a 400-page book — regardless of which provider you use.
For example, a 250-page black & white paperback on Books.by costs $1.26 + ($0.016 × 250) = $5.26. The same book on Amazon KDP costs $1.00 + ($0.012 × 250) = $4.00. That $1.26 difference in printing cost is real — but it's only half the story.
Printing cost differences come down to business model and scale. Amazon KDP Print can offer lower per-unit costs because they operate their own massive print network and subsidise printing costs through marketplace commissions. Barnes & Noble Press operates similarly.
Books.by uses Lulu's print network — widely considered the gold standard for print-on-demand quality. IngramSpark uses the Ingram print network, which supplies bookstores and libraries worldwide. BookBaby uses a traditional print model with higher per-unit costs but also offers bulk printing discounts.
The key insight: a lower printing cost doesn't mean more money in your pocket. What matters is the total equation: list price minus printing cost minus platform commission.
Authors often focus on which provider has the cheapest printing — but that's the wrong metric. What matters is how much you earn per sale. A provider with slightly higher printing costs but no commission will almost always net you more money.
Consider a 250-page B&W paperback priced at $15.99:
Books.by's printing cost is $1.26 higher, but your royalty is $5.14 more per sale compared to KDP on Amazon, and $8.51 more compared to IngramSpark. The math is clear: commission structure matters far more than printing cost.
A common concern is whether cheaper printing means lower quality. In practice, Books.by and Lulu share the same print network — Lulu's global printing infrastructure — which is the gold standard for print-on-demand quality. Same printers, same paper stock, same binding equipment. The output is identical.
IngramSpark uses the Ingram print network and Amazon KDP Print uses their own extensive network — both produce good-quality books, though with slightly more variation in paper weight and cover finish. BookBaby has received mixed reviews in author communities, with some authors reporting inconsistencies in colour reproduction and binding quality.
Bottom line: Books.by and Lulu deliver the highest print quality (identical output from the same network). IngramSpark is a close second. Your readers will be impressed regardless of which major provider you choose.
This calculator is routinely updated based on the latest publicly available print cost calculations from each provider. If you notice a discrepancy, let us know.
Print-on-demand costs typically range from $2.50 to $10+ per book depending on the provider, page count, format, and ink type. For a standard 250-page black & white paperback, costs range from $4.00 (Amazon KDP) to $7.00 (BookBaby, excluding setup fees). Use the calculator above for exact pricing based on your book's specifications.
Amazon KDP Print generally has the lowest per-unit printing costs, starting at $1.00 base + $0.012 per page for B&W paperbacks. However, lowest printing cost doesn't mean highest royalties — platform commissions significantly impact your actual earnings per sale.
Books.by offers the highest royalties because it charges 0% commission. You keep 100% of your list price minus the printing cost. For a $15.99 book with 250 pages (B&W paperback), a Books.by author earns $10.73 per sale, compared to $5.59 on Amazon KDP (Amazon.com) or $2.22 on IngramSpark.
There are meaningful differences. Books.by and Lulu share the same print network (Lulu's global printing infrastructure), which is the gold standard for print-on-demand quality — identical output from both platforms. IngramSpark uses the Ingram print network and Amazon KDP Print uses their own network — both produce good results but with slightly less consistency. BookBaby has received mixed reviews in author communities regarding colour reproduction and binding.
Yes. IngramSpark charges revision fees ($25 per file change). BookBaby requires upfront package purchases ($399–$1,999). Amazon KDP takes 30–40% commission on sales. Books.by charges a flat $99/year with no per-title fees and 0% commission — the most transparent pricing model.
Your royalty = List price − Printing cost − Platform commission. Amazon KDP takes 40% of list price on expanded distribution (30% on Amazon.com sales). IngramSpark requires a 55% wholesale discount. Lulu takes ~20%. Books.by takes 0%. The commission structure is typically the largest factor in your per-sale earnings.
Focus on royalties. A provider with slightly higher printing costs but 0% commission will almost always net you more per sale. Books.by's printing may cost $1–2 more, but you earn $5–8 more per sale compared to platforms that take 30–55% commissions.
Yes, and most successful authors do. A common strategy: Books.by for direct sales (highest royalties, daily payouts), Amazon KDP for marketplace visibility, and IngramSpark for bookstore/library distribution. Each platform serves a different channel and audience.
Books.by gives you the highest earnings per sale — with professional print quality, free ISBNs, and daily payouts. Let the numbers speak for themselves.
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