The concept of self-publishing can be really broad to delve in to. Trying to determine the right people you can rely on your hard work can be difficult.
And it’s only reasonable if you are hesitant in pursuing self-publishing since it may require you to fork over expenses you aren’t prepared for or perhaps far from what you have expected.
Even by choosing the best self-publishing companies to work with is already a challenge.
In a world where sketchy companies are getting rampant, it is wise to educate yourself in identifying what makes a self-publishing company a good place to work at.
The best way to get you started is to acquaint yourself with the pros and cons of each publishing company.
Don’t just settle for one you think is the best, find other options to choose from and the factors to consider in terms of book production like the design, editing, royalty payments, distribution, and even the support team you will be working with for months.
It’s also best to make comparisons of service prices and the quality they produce based on the prices given.
Remember that not all low-priced publishing services are always the best option.
You would also want to consider the quality that is reasonable for the price they offer.
Another way to determine if one is a legitimate or trustworthy company is to check their reviews and see published works showcased on their site.
But before we deep-dive into our ten best self-publishing companies, let’s discover the main types of self-publishing companies:
Aggregator- Draft2Digital is one of the best examples of aggregators that distribute to several book retailers all at once.
Book Retailer- like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books, these are self-publishing retailer company that sells exclusively through its own retail store.
Publishing Company- Aside from the production itself, this also offers mentoring, coaching, coaches, and/or author education programs about self-publishing. They aim on educating aspiring authors in their publishing process.
Print-on-demand/Self-Published author services- These are self-publishing companies that are focused on the business of printing and distributing books.
In hunting for self-publishing companies, the criteria we listed below help recognize if they’re on the list of the best self-publishing companies to deal with.
Reputation- reputable self-publishing companies are legitimate and are free from being blacklisted or red-flagged for overpricing or fraud issues.
Book Sales Volume- they have proven themselves a huge book publishing and shipping volume.
Excellent Reviews- companies keep a record of good and excellent reviews, including their staff’s communication and relationship with their authors.
Reasonable prices- they offer reasonable and achievable prices that are within your budget.
1. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing
Amazon remains the world’s biggest digital book distributor and self-publishing platform, reaching up to 40% in self-published digital books at the United States alone.
Aside from its widespread reach and massive eBook sales of about 80%, KDP also offers competitive royalty rates up to 35% or 70% depending on the royalty rate your book is eligible for.
You can also avail Amazon’s exclusive distribution through Amazon KDP Select that offers access to Kindle Countdown Deals and enrolment in Kindle Unlimited.
As a first-time writer, it is ideal to consider KDP to boost your readership within your first 90 days with them.
Whichever is ideal for your strategy, make sure to decide the option that expands your global reach and endorses you to other best self-publishing companies.
2. Barnes & Noble Press
Formerly recognized as Nook Press, Barnes & Noble is still one of the self-publishing giants in the industry.
Compared to other self-publishing platforms, it’s easy and free to upload your book and no exclusivity is required.
Royalties on books range from 40% to 65% depending on your book’s royalty rate.
Check out for their new features and innovations aided to help create marketing campaigns for authors.
3. Apple Books
Apple Books first set foot into the publishing industry last 2010 and continues to be one of the topping publishing platforms with more than 400 million books downloaded in its past flourishing years.
Author royalty is about 70% and is still relatively easy to upload for free as well!
4. Kobo
A subsidiary of a massive Japanese eCommerce Rakuten, Kobo is one of the prospering retailers in the publishing field.
Although it only earned the fifth rank in terms of US market share, it gradually grows every year with one of the longest arms in the international eBook market.
Kobo’s self-publishing benefits include author royalties from 45% to 70%, an easy-to-use platform, and easy access to some exclusive opportunities offered only by Kobo.
5. IngramSpark
In looking for the largest bookseller around the globe, IngramSpark is the best place to be.
IngramSpark is recognized for its extensive distribution for print-on-demand affiliating to over 39,000 libraries, books, and online retailers, schools, and organizations.
They also work closely with other acclaimed online retailers like Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.
6. Lulu
One of the most refined and trusted self-publisher and distributors, Lulu distributed more than 2 million books starting 2014.
Aside from their complete and reasonable self-publishing packages, Lulu’s friendly interface helped authors upload their books easily and get their books showcased to large retailers like Amazon, Apple’s Bookstore, and Barnes & Noble.
7. Draft2digital
Draft2digital is among the few self-publishing platforms that aside from distributing and publishing your book, it also makes a good aggregator.
Its expansive list of major eBookstores makes it difficult for you to find another good publisher to work with.
Apart from their inviting deals, D2D is also known for its exceptional formatting deals that offer authors Universal Book Links.
8. Bookbaby
With Bookbaby’s user-friendly processes and interface, it is one of the routes that first-time authors would pick.
Distribution is through major online retailers like Powell’s Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Amazon, Kobo, etc.
Bookbaby’s services feature a complete set of self-publishing packages that are paid.
Printed books produce author royalties from 10% to 30% while eBooks earn 100% royalties once the retailer’s commission is deducted.
With Bookbaby, you can get all the work done for your book in one place!
9. SmashWords
Just like Draft2Digital, SmashWords is also one of the self-publisher-aggregators that is widely recognized in the publishing pool for its distribution to huge markets.
SmashWords may have one of the highest distribution factors, but you still need to consider important points concerning their cost, royalties, daily sales reporting, and distribution that varies compared to other aggregators like Draft2Digital.
10. PublishDrive
Despite PublishDrive’s early years in the publishing arena, they definitely have gotten ahead with the competition.
PublishDrive is partnered with Google and Apple, making them one of the influential distributors around the globe.
Important factors you’ll love in PublishDrive are the cost, distribution power, and experienced 24/7 support to get you on the right path.
Choosing the best self-publishing company can be tough especially if you’re a new author learning the ropes.
But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Bear in mind the important points you need to consider: your budget, the company’s reputation, and the features you are executing on your book.
It takes time to discover you’re way around the self-publishing industry, but the learning you digest all the way through is going to be worth it.