The 20 BEST Self-Publishing Companies of 2026

Key Takeaways: The 20 BEST Self-Publishing Companies of 2026

• Amazon KDP and IngramSpark dominate the market because of their vast distribution networks and competitive royalties.
• Platforms like BookBaby and Lulu offer all types of author services, thus being ideal for writers seeking end-to-end solutions.
• Companies like Draft2Digital and Authors Breeze are famous among authors for their cost-effectiveness and ease of use.
• Services such as Kobo Writing Life and PublishDrive provide international distribution.

Introduction

Did you know that in 2024, approximately 76.2% of authors self-published their books? Amazing, right? This statistic shows that self-publishing is becoming a popular way to share stories with the world. However, despite this popularity, many writers withdraw from their goal to publish a book. But why?

Because authors fear that they might not land reliable self-publishers who will support their vision, or they might get stuck with some vanity publishers (who want to exploit their money).

But don’t worry! We are here to help.

In this blog, we have mentioned the 20 best self-publishing companies to help you bring your book to reality. So, continue reading and partner with your ideal self-publishers today!

Types of self-publishing companies

On the basis of the services they provide, there are three different types of self-publishing companies, which are as follows;

• Retailers
• Aggregators
• Full-services companies

Retailers

You can think of them as online bookstores. These are the self-publishing companies that help you sell your books through their platform and provide direct payments. However, some of them offer exclusive programs to share royalties instead of direct payments.

Examples include;

• Amazon KDP
• Apple Books
• Barnes & Noble Press
• Kobo Writing Life

Aggregators

These are the platforms that help you distribute your book to multiple retailers at once and save you time and energy, but they do charge additional fees for their services.

Some of them are;

• KDP Print
• Draft2Digital
• Smashwords
• PublishDrive

Key tip: Work with an aggregator company if you want to self-publish your book internationally.

Full services companies

These are the companies that offer all types of author services required for self-publishing a book, such as ghostwriting, formatting, marketing, publishing, etc.

Some of the full-service provider companies are as follows;

• BookBaby
• Outskirts Press
• Authors Breeze
• Authors Solution

Other than these, there are some more types of self-publishing companies that you need to know. These are as follows;

Hybrid Publishers

These publishers basically combine the elements of both traditional and self-publishing. For example, they will offer you more support and credibility and also a share in royalties. But in return, you will have to pay upfront charges.

For more detailed insight, you can read our blog post “What is Hybrid Publishing? Expectations vs Reality”

Vanity Publishers

These types of platforms like to call themselves publishing companies, but in reality, they aren’t. They do not deliver quality services and also overcharge the authors who work with them. So, it’s better to avoid them!

For more information, read our blog “Self-Publishing Companies to Avoid and New Author Scams”

Top 20 Professional Self-Publishing Companies

1.     Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

Owned by Amazon, KDP is the most prominent self-publishing company in the literature industry. With a total of at least 300 million print books and 487 million eBook sales per year, it stands out as a leader in the market. As a result, KDP offers unparalleled opportunities for authors looking to reach a global audience.

Some more benefits of choosing Amazon KDP include;

• Pricing: Free to upload.
• Royalties: Get up to 70% of profits on ebooks and 60% on paperback or hardcover books.
• Turnaround Time: Get your book live within 72 hours.
• Global Reach: It allows you to distribute your book in more than 10 countries and in 45 languages.
• KDP Select: It’s an exclusive program that allows you to sell your book only on Amazon for a 90-day period. In return, you will get the following advantages:

• • Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Promotions.
  • Access to Kindle Unlimited (KU).

2.     Apple Books for Authors

Although Apple Books is the second-largest ebook retailer in the world, it is specifically useful for authors who want to target Mac users and not Android ones.

Key features of Apple Books:

• Pricing: Free to use
• Royalties: Irrespective of what price you set, you will get 70% royalties on every ebook.
• Reach: Available in selected countries only.
• Format: You can publish files in EPUB format (if you are not a Mac user).

3.     Barnes & Noble Press

Barnes & Noble Press (formerly known as NOOK Press)has been a leader in the book industry for many years now and has allowed authors to publish and sell their books directly to millions of readers using their platform.

What does B&N Press have to offer us?

• Charges: Free to upload
• Royalty Rates: Ranges from 55% to 70%, depending on the price of the book.
• Distribution: Only retail books at their own physical and online bookstores.
• Processing Time: Publish your book in just 72 hours.
• Availability: It is particularly available in the following countries;
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • New Zealand
  • Australia
  • Italy
  • Germany
  • France
  • Netherlands
  • Belgium

4.     Kobo Writing Life

Kobo is a Canadian company that was founded in 2009. It is a subsidiary of Japan’s 14th-largest e-commerce company, Rakuten, and is a self-publishing aggregator that offers an easy-to-use dashboard for writers to publish their ebooks globally.

Benefits of choosing Kobo:

• Cost: It’s free to use.
• Royalty charges: You earn 70% on every book priced above $2.99 and 45% on all books priced below $2.99.
• Format: It supports formats like EPUB, EPUB3, and PDF.
• International Reach: It sells your books in more than 190 countries and in 77 languages.
• Marketing opportunities: Offers promotional deals for writers who choose to distribute through Kobo and not an aggregator.

Do you know?

Kobo makes up about 25% of all eBook sales in Canada.

5.     Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital is another popular aggregator self-publishing platform that provides excellent customer support and a user-friendly dashboard.

The key benefits of choosing them for self-publishing are:

• Fee: Free to use
• Profits: Earn 10% of the book’s retail price for each copy you sell.
• Distribution: Sells your books to many online retailers, including Amazon, Apple Books, and Kobo.
• Formatting: Offers book formatting free of cost.
• Downtime: Make your book available onsite within 24 hours.
• International book links: Instead of creating separate links for all the sites, D2D provides you with one universal link for your book.

6.     Smashwords

Smashwords was once the pioneer of ebook distribution. When it started in 2008, it was only an ebook-distributing platform. But now, you can use this platform to publish and sell eBooks and audiobooks easily.

What do they offer?

• Cost: Authors are only charged a 15% commission on direct sales and 10% on sales through retail partners.
• Distribution: Sells to major retailers such as Barnes & Noble Press, Apple Books, etc.
• Royalty rates: You can earn up to 80% of royalty.
• Services: Offers comprehensive marketing and publishing services.

7.     PublishDrive

In 2015, PublishDrive was initially launched as an ebook publishing platform. Later on, in 2020, it started publishing and distributing audiobooks and print-backs as well. Now, PD is a global operation and successfully issues books to more than 400 stores in over 190 countries.

Things that set PublishDrive apart from the pack are;

• Pricing: Subscription-based (Starting from 0$ to 83.99$ per month)
• Distribution: Direct distribution to Apple Books, Kobo, Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, and Google Books.
• Royalties: Authors can take 100% of royalties with a subscription plan. Meanwhile, authors without a subscription have to pay 10% on all sales.
• Support: PublishDrive has a core team of specialists who provide 24/7 support to assist authors and publishers.
• User-friendly: They allow an all-in-one dashboard to track sales and distribution together.

8.     IngramSpark

IngramSpark is part of the Ingram Group (the world’s largest book wholesaler). It once dominated the paperback book market, but now it works closely with Amazon KDP to create and sell print-on-demand books.

The benefits of choosing IngramSpark are as follows;

• Cost: On average, $49 for print & eBook together and $49 for each if you sell it separately. Furthermore, you can use their Print & Ship Calculator to determine the price range for your book more accurately.
• Royalties: You can make up to 85% on ebooks and 40% on paperbacks.
• Distribution: They sell your book through 40,000+ retailers and libraries, including Amazon, Indigo, Foyles, and Waterstones.
• Additional Resources: It offers free access to IngramSpark’s book-building tool.
• Client service: Provides 24/7 customer support for resolving queries.

9.     BookBaby

BookBaby is a full-service providing company that provides a range of services for authors, including print-on-demand and eBook publishing.

Key features:

• Services: Offers various self-publishing packages with design, marketing, print, and distribution services.
• Pricing: It depends on the format and the number of copies ordered. For more info, visit their pricing page.
• Royalties: Authors receive 50% royalties if they sell directly through BookBaby’s Bookshop.
• Global Distribution: It provides access to its own global distribution network, including Amazon, Bookshop, Apple Books, Libby, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Baker & Taylor, etc.
• Amazon Priority Service: An optional service is available to enhance reach through Amazon and KDP Select.

10.  Authors Breeze

Yes, that’s us! We (Authors Breeze) have been in the market for more than a decade now, providing expert author services to many writers. Therefore, we aren’t just a self-publishing platform; we are a complete book publishing house.

Benefits you get while working with us:

• Price range: It depends on the service you choose and the level of involvement required. For more information, get a quote from us.
• Services: We provide all types of author services, such as ghostwriting, formatting, marketing, etc.
• Distribution: We help you retail your book (ebook, POD, or audiobook) to a variety of stores.
• Support team: We provide round-the-clock customer support to authors.

11.  Author Solutions

Since 1997, Author Solutions, which is now part of Penguin Random House, has been a leading self-publishing company. Through its network of over 10 self-publishing imprints worldwide, it has helped approximately 225,000 authors bring 310,000 books to readers.

Why should you choose the Authors Solution?

• Cost: It depends on what services you acquire for your project.
• Services: Offers editorial services, cover design services, formatting services, and much more.

12.  Archway Publishing

Archway Publishing is an imprint of Simon & Schuster (one of the largest publishing companies in the US). It helps authors distribute their books with ease.

What sets them apart?

• Services: Provides copyediting, book cover design, interior book design, print-on-demand, and eBook formatting.
• Unique services: Offers ISBN assignment, copyright registration, and Library of Congress Control Number.
• Concierge Service: You can work with a single Archway representative who will coordinate each step of your book’s production and help you know your book inside and out.
• Publishing packages: Offers different publication packages to help you enhance your book’s sales and visibility. To find out which package suits you best, click here.
• Cost: Their packages range from 1,999$ to 4,999$, depending on the services included.

13.  Dog Ear Publishing

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Dog Ear Publishing has been a trusted name in self-publishing since October 2004. Dedicated to supporting authors, the company provides professional and cost-effective publishing services to help writers at every stage of their journey.

The facilities they provide are as follows:

• Services: Besides ebook conversion services, they offer expert book editing, printing, and marketing services.
• Publishing Packages: Basic to premium packages are available according to the required levels of support.
• Pricing: Depends on the services or packages you obtain. Typically, their basic package starts from $ 1,499$ and goes up to $ 7,999$.

14.  Reedsy

Since 2014, Reedsy has been a widely used self-publishing platform. It offers a range of tools and services to help authors at any stage of the book publishing process.

What do they offer?

• Publishing services: They provide print-on-demand services as well as marketing services.
• Other services: Offers ebook formatting and conversion services.
• Pricing: Charges a commission fee of 10% on all services booked through their marketplace.
• Distribution: They have limited distribution options compared to IngramSpark and Amazon.

15.  Blurb

Blurb is a self-publishing platform that offers a wide range of design tools and templates to help authors create professional-looking publications.

Key features;

• Services: Print-on-demand services for magazines, hardcovers, and paperbacks.
• Other facilities: Ebook formatting and conversion services.
• Distribution: They sell your book globally on Blurb’s marketplace and other major online retailers.
• Cost: The platform charges a base fee per order plus an additional fee for services, depending on the format and the number of copies obtained.

16.  Lulu

Lulu is a self-publishing platform that offers a range of easy-to-use tools. It helps authors create and publish their books to a wide audience.

Why choose them?

• Price: The cost of their services depends on the format and the number of copies ordered. For more information, check their price calculator.
• Services: Ebook publishing, print-on-demand hardcovers, and picture books.
• Global Distribution: They sell your books on Lulu’s marketplace and to other major online retailers.

17.  Outskirts Press

Outskirts Press is a well-known self-publisher platform that has been helping writers create and promote their books since 2002.

Consider the following things when choosing them:

• Cost: Their basic publishing package starts from 999$, while its full-color package begins at 2,099$.
• Services: They provide manuscript formatting, cover design, ISBN and copyright registration, professional editing, and marketing services.
• Earnings: An average author can earn $1–2$ per fiction book and $2–3$ per non-fiction book.

18.  Xlibris

Xlibris is a subsidiary of Author Solutions. It was founded in 1997, and since then, it has helped numerous authors publish and distribute their books in various formats.

Reasons to choose them:

• Services: They provide a complete range of editing, formatting, distribution, and marketing services.
• Format: Let you publish your book in both formats, i.e., ebook and hard print.
• Pricing: Offers various publishing packages ranging from 999$ to 9,999$ depending on the services you take.

19.  AuthorHouse

AuthorHouse (once known as 1stBooks) is one of the industry’s oldest and most established self-publishing companies. It uses the print-on-demand model and has helped over 70,000 authors publish their books till date.

What to expect from them?

• Services: They provide a wide range of author’s services, including editing, cover design, formatting, and distribution.
• Pricing: Their rates vary depending on the package you choose. For more information, head to their packages and services page.
• Distribution: They distribute your book to various international retailers, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Ingram.

20.  Balboa Press

Balboa Press is a subsidiary of Hay House. It is dedicated to self-publishing inspirational and self-help genres.

Why work with them?

• Cost: Their packages typically range from 1,699$ to 16,999$ according to the required services.
• Services: They provide professional editorial services, formatting services, and marketing services.
• Processing Time: They can help you publish your book in less than 2 weeks. Learn more here.

However, to sum up this blog, I’ve added a comprehensive table of all the 20 self-publishing companies and their key characteristics.

Conclusion:

Use this guide to determine which of the self-publishing platform(s) from these top 20 fits best with your book’s goals and needs. So, pick your desired publishing partner today and create a book that connects with readers worldwide!

Frequently Asked Questions