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The Best Print on Demand Platform for Paperback Books in 2025

The best print-on-demand platform for paperback books in 2025

The self-publishing industry continually evolves, and choosing the right print on demand company for paperback books is crucial for indie authors navigating this competitive landscape. In a recent comparative review, five prominent self-publishing companies were put head-to-head: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu Publishing, and Draft2Digital. This analysis focused on key factors, ranging from costs and royalties to user-friendliness and distribution.

Cost to Print and Publish

For a 5.5" x 8.5" paperback with consistent print specifications, the cost to print varied significantly:

KDP was the most affordable, while Lulu ranked as the priciest.

Publishing fees are largely waived on platforms like KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, and Lulu unless ordering a personal copy.

IngramSpark now offers free publishing and revisions within the first 60 days but charges $25/revision thereafter. Draft2Digital allows free updates every 90 days, with a paid “token” option for faster changes.

Uploading Process

KDP’s process stands out for its Word document and cover templates, digital proofing, and straightforward file approval, though the “Not-For-Resale” proofs can frustrate authors seeking review or promotional copies.

IngramSpark’s process is notably finicky regarding file specs and requires full approval before proofing. Barnes & Noble Press offers downloadable cover templates during upload and a PDF preview, whereas Lulu and Draft2Digital feature digital flip-through previews for uploaded files.

Royalties

Royalties were calculated based on a £9.99 list price:

KDP and IngramSpark (with a lower wholesale discount) offer the highest payouts per sale.
Lulu’s broad distribution means authors need to raise list prices to break even, but direct sales via Shopify or Lulu’s bookstore offer more lucrative returns.
Draft2Digital’s royalty structure still needs improvement and delivered the lowest per-sale earnings.

Print Quality

All five platforms produced nearly identical books, with minor differences in cover color accuracy and binding.

There’s an interesting overlap; Barnes & Noble Press, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital all utilize Lightning Source’s printing facilities, ensuring similar quality for standard orders.

Lulu’s interiors delivered the clearest, boldest print, but images in books from IngramSpark and Barnes & Noble Press displayed slight pixelation.

Print Options

KDP and IngramSpark allow custom trim sizes within specific ranges, while Barnes & Noble Press limits choices to 21 fixed sizes.

Ink and paper options vary, with IngramSpark providing the most flexibility for paper weights and finishes.

User-Friendliness

KDP leads in ease of use and tutorial support thanks to its popularity and robust online resources.

IngramSpark has improved its dashboard but still poses challenges for new users, especially when tracking royalties and compensation.

Draft2Digital is user-friendly for those well-versed with its platform; newcomers may face a learning curve.

Customer Service

KDP offers responsive support via email and phone, resolving most issues efficiently. However, automated account suspensions driven by software checks can be problematic.

IngramSpark’s support is mostly unhelpful, with slow email responses and paid phone support focused more on uploading guidance than issue resolution.

Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu rely on email support, while Draft2Digital provides both phone and email contacts, with questionable effectiveness.

Distribution

KDP dominates Amazon but offers limited "expanded distribution" with reduced royalties.

IngramSpark shines in worldwide reach, enabling orders from nearly any retailer or library.

Barnes & Noble Press makes books available online and in physical stores (upon request).

Lulu offers global distribution and direct integration with Shopify.

Draft2Digital matches IngramSpark’s breadth, listing books across Amazon and major bookstores.

Summary

Choosing the best print on demand company for paperback books depends on your priorities:

KDP is ideal for affordability, user-friendliness, and Amazon-centric distribution.

IngramSpark excels in global reach but may frustrate with technical requirements and support.

Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu offer their own niches — Lulu for print clarity and direct sales integration, Barnes & Noble for targeted store availability.

Draft2Digital is an emerging option, especially for authors already using the platform for ebooks.

A recommended strategy is to perfect your book on KDP first before considering extended distribution through IngramSpark or Draft2Digital. Pre-orders remain tricky, with mixed reviews regarding reliability.

Our Advice:

For most indie authors, starting with KDP makes sense for ease, cost, and return. But for broader distribution and bookstore/library access, consider adding IngramSpark after your initial launch.

Can we help you with writing, refining and/or publishing?

At Badman Publishing, we understand that navigating the world of independent publishing can be overwhelming — especially when it comes to budgeting for professional services. That’s why we’re committed to making your journey smoother, more affordable, and more empowering.

Whether you're looking for editorial support, design expertise, publishing guidance, or marketing tools, we offer a range of services, some of which are free, or low cost — tailored to independent authors like you. Our goal is to help you focus on what matters most: writing and sharing your story.

We’re here to support you. Reach out to us at Badman, or explore our resources and services pages to see how we can collaborate.

"Let’s bring your book to life — together."

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Amazon’s AI Shift in Self-Publishing: What Authors Need to Know (2025)

#News, #Publishing

Amazon’s AI Shift: What It Means for Authors and Content Creators

Amazon’s recent move to cut thousands of jobs while expanding its use of AI tools marks a major turning point for the company—and for everyone who creates and sells content on its platforms. The changes hit support and operational teams hardest, signaling a clear shift toward automation and cost-efficiency. For authors and publishers who rely on Amazon’s ecosystem, this transition could reshape how content is produced, reviewed, and marketed.

A New Kind of Efficiency

AI adoption at Amazon isn’t just an internal upgrade. It’s a sign that the company aims to streamline workflows, reduce expenses, and enhance response speed across services—from product listings to customer support. The downside is that many human-led tasks are being replaced by AI-driven systems, which can be faster but less personal. For content creators, the main takeaway is clear: automation will affect how books are processed, published, and recommended to readers.

The Rise of AI Oversight in Publishing

Amazon’s embrace of AI also comes with new scrutiny. The platform now monitors book uploads more closely to detect machine-generated text and ensure proper disclosure. Authors who use AI tools for writing, formatting, or designing covers must follow these updated guidelines to avoid account warnings or removals. As AI-generated works flood the market, these guardrails are Amazon’s way of maintaining trust and authenticity for readers.

Why Quality Still Wins

With so much AI content appearing online, readers are becoming more discerning. They can often tell the difference between a rushed, machine-made book and one that offers genuine insight, personality, and care. This is good news for skilled writers and publishers: focusing on originality, editing, and a strong reader connection pays off. Consistent quality builds real fan bases and steady sales—something automated tools still can’t replicate.

Our Advice:
Here’s how you can stay ahead and keep your books thriving:

Understand the New AI Guidelines

Amazon now reviews book uploads more closely to catch machine-generated texts or undisclosed AI involvement. If you use AI to help with your writing, formatting, or cover designs, always follow the latest rules and clearly state your process where required. Keeping up with these guidelines prevents account suspensions and keeps your publishing process smooth.

Focus on Quality—Readers Notice

With more AI-generated books on the market, standing out is about craftsmanship. Invest time in editing, proofreading, and adding original insights to your work. Readers can tell when a book is rushed or generic, and genuine quality earns loyal fans and better reviews.

Use AI to Save Time, Not Replace You

AI tools are great for brainstorming ideas, researching keywords, or speeding up formatting. But don’t let them take over your creative voice. The most successful self-published authors use technology to make routine tasks easier—while their own stories and personality remain front and center.

Keep Learning and Adapting

Amazon’s publishing policies will keep evolving as AI grows. Subscribe to their official updates and join communities where changes are discussed. Being proactive helps you avoid surprises and ensures your books meet the latest standards.

Build Direct Relationships with Your Audience

As platforms become more automated, personal reader connections become even more valuable. Consider building a mailing list, engaging on social media, or offering bonus material to your biggest fans. Consistent quality and a personal touch will help you weather algorithm changes and stand out from AI-created content.

In summary

Amazon’s push for faster, smarter operations isn’t likely to slow down. For self-published authors, the best strategy is to use new tools wisely, stay alert to changing rules, and put quality first. Readers want authentic voices—and that’s something only you can provide.

How you can stay ahead and keep your books thriving Badman Publishing

Can we help you with writing, refining and/or publishing?

We’re here to support you. Reach out to us at Badman, or explore our resources and services pages to see how we can collaborate.

"Let’s bring your book to life — together."

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Do you know about these “unannounced” latest Amazon KDP Updates?

- Advice & Guidance, #Promotion, #Publishing, #Writing

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is constantly evolving. While many updates are announced, some significant changes occasionally slip under the radar, yet profoundly impact authors and publishers. Recently, two such unannounced updates have been identified, concerning:

- Best Seller Rank (BSR) updates, and

- Aggregated category ranks.

Understanding and adapting to these shifts is crucial for optimizing your publishing strategy and achieving long-term success.

The new rhythm of Best Seller Rank (BSR) updates

For many years, authors have carefully tracked their BSR with interest, watching it fluctuate every hour or so. Monitoring this regularly updating monitoring tool, often dictated how promotion strategies were working as they provided a quick gauge of a book's performance. However, Amazon has recently and more importantly, quietly changed this.

From hourly to daily (or longer!)

The most significant change is frequency of how often the BSR is updated on the listing. Instead of near real-time changes, BSR is now updated a maximum of once per day, and in some cases, it can take up to two days for new rankings to reflect. This means that the instant gratification of seeing your BSR jump immediately after a big sale or promotion is a thing of the past.

What this means for authors: A paradigm shift in focus

This change isn't merely a technical tweak; it demands a strategic shift in focus for authors:

Less obsessing:
The constant monitoring of the BSR can be a “time sponge”. With these new delayed updates, authors might be encouraged to redirect their energy from constantly checking their book rankings to other activities such as...
- Marketing and Promotion:
  Dedicating more time to developing sustainable, medium and long-term marketing campaigns.
- New Projects:
  Invest the saved time in writing and publishing new books, expanding your catalogue.
Promotions Still Matter:
Don't misunderstand: Sales and downloads from promotional offers such as BookBub or Amazon Ads, are still registered by Amazon's algorithm. The internal mechanics of Amazon's sales tracking's algorithm remain in place; it is just the public display of BSR that has this 'delayed' effect. Your sales will still be calculated to display your book's overall performance.
Customer perspective is still a key factor:
The vast majority of readers don't pay attention to BSR. They discover books through keywords, categories, and recommendations. Your focus should always be on optimizing these elements to ensure discoverability, rather than rely on BSR.
Amazon's algorithmic priority:
Amazon's core objective is to sell books. Their algorithm will continue to prioritize and push titles that are generating sales, regardless of how quickly their BSR is visually updated. The internal weighting of new purchases, which helps newer books compete, remains a powerful factor.
Embrace Long-Term Strategy:
This update strongly favours authors and publishers who approach their work as a sustainable business. Consistent, long-term marketing efforts, rather than sporadic, short-term ad bursts, will yield better results. It's about building momentum over time, not chasing fleeting rank spikes.

Aggregated Category Ranks: A game changer for visibility

The second, equally impactful update revolutionizes how category ranks are calculated. Previously, each format of a book (ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook) had its own independent category rank. Now, Amazon aggregates the activity across all formats of a title to provide a single, unified category rank.

How It Works:

Consider a popular book like "I Love You to the Moon and Back." Before this update, its Kindle, hardcover, and board book versions would each have separate BSRs and category ranks. Now, even if the individual BSRs differ significantly (e.g., Kindle at 108,000, hardcover at 5,000, board book at 28), all formats of that title will display a #1 ranking in their respective categories if the combined sales across all formats are strong enough. This is because Amazon is now combining the sales data from every format to determine the overall category standing.

Implications for Authors: Maximizing Your Reach

This aggregation has profound implications for how authors approach publishing and marketing their titles:

Visibility Boost for All Formats:
This is a massive win for authors. If one format of your book performs exceptionally well (e.g., your ebook sells thousands of copies), its success will positively influence the category ranking of all other formats (e.g., your paperback or hardcover), even if those individual formats have lower sales. This can significantly increase the visibility of your less popular formats, leading to more organic discovery.
Strategic Format Creation:
Authors should now seriously consider creating multiple formats for their books, provided it aligns with their audience and content. For example:
- Children's Picture Books:
  These often thrive in print or board book formats, even if the ebook version isn't as popular. Producing these formats can now directly boost the overall category standing for the entire title.
- Non-Fiction:
  Offering paperback, hardcover, and audiobook versions can collectively contribute to a dominant category rank.
Integrated Marketing is Key: This update underscores the importance of an integrated marketing plan. Instead of promoting formats in silos, develop a strategy that promotes different versions of your book to various audiences. Every sale, regardless of format, contributes to a higher overall category ranking, creating a powerful synergistic effect.

Adapting for long-term success

Unless you avidly follow Amazon KDP's advisory pages, these "unannounced" Amazon KDP updates may come as a surprise. However, when viewed positively these changes present significant opportunities for authors who are willing to adapt. The shift in BSR reporting encourages a healthier, less obsessive focus on constant rank checking, pushing authors towards more impactful marketing and creation. The future aggregation of category ranks, offers a valuable opportunity to boost visibility across all formats of your books, thus making sense to having a multi-format publishing strategy, with the performance of one format of your books positively effecting the overall BSR of your books.

Our advice and guidance

By understanding and leveraging these changes, authors can refine their strategies for long-term success on Amazon KDP. You should ideally be focusing on writing higher-quality content, doing consistent marketing, and improving formatting and visual impact. By concentrating on these, you will be well-positioned to thrive as an author and rise higher in such a crowded market. evolving landscape.

Acknowledgements, Credits & Hat-Tips

Header image created in-house using a licensed original image from Adobe for editorial use.

Article author: Badman Publishing Team

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Best stores currently for indie authors

#Publishing

What are the best revenue channels for independent authors in 2025?

Amazon continues to be the main way indie authors earn money. Research suggests that around 87% of indie authors say it's their top source of income.

Kindle Unlimited

Kindle Unlimited is a big reason for these results. Many authors in the higher income brackets find success there. Authors making $5,000 to over $20,000 often get 75% or more of their income from Kindle Unlimited. They earn royalties based on the number of pages read. For example, one mystery writer earns $15,000 a year. She gets $12,000 of that from Kindle Unlimited alone. Readers subscribe to Kindle Unlimited for a flat fee. They can then read books in the program for free. Authors get paid a small amount per page read. Some authors find it very profitable. Yet, the platform isn't for everyone.

However, around 28% of authors making under $250 report no income from Kindle Unlimited. These authors may not attract enough readers on the service. They might write in a niche that is not popular there. Some genres thrive on Kindle Unlimited. Others may do better elsewhere.

An ongoing stable income

To make a stable income, diversifying is vital for authors as it is too risky to rely on using just one platform alone...

Apple Books is the second-highest income source for 13% of authors. It helps authors reach a new group of readers.
Kobo and Barnes & Noble offer other options too.

These platforms help authors expand their reach. An author can sell sci-fi books on Kobo to target a different audience.

Does the niche determine the format?

Print books are also worth exploring. Print versions help authors reach readers who like physical copies. For example, some readers prefer cookbooks in print. Others would rather hold a physical book than a device - a simple solution that doesn't require batteries :-).

These strategies help indie authors create a more stable income. Authors can avoid relying too much on one source of revenue. By being on multiple platforms and differing formats, authors can protect themselves and their income. If one platform changes its policies, they still have other income streams. This approach gives them more control over their careers.