Softwr

Publishing · head to head

Blurb vs IngramSpark

Blurb logo

Blurb

Publishing

Visual storytelling through print-on-demand books and wall art

From
$3.99/unit
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IngramSpark logo

IngramSpark

Publishing

Print-on-demand and distribution into the wholesale catalogue that bookshops order from

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blurb print-on-demand model; no subscription plans or seat limits; IngramSpark you must buy your own ISBN for every format, which is a real upfront cost in territories such as the United States where the national agency charges over a hundred dollars for a single number.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blurb and IngramSpark actually diverge.

Attributes where Blurb and IngramSpark differ
AttributeBlurbIngramSpark
Starting price$3.99/unitOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedFree title setup, then per-unit print cost and revision fees

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Publishing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blurb

Nothing recorded that IngramSpark does not also cover.

Only in IngramSpark

  • Ingram catalogue distribution
  • Global print on demand
  • Discount and returns settings
  • Hardback and colour printing
  • Ebook distribution
  • Author copies at cost

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blurb

  • Self-publishingnot IngramSpark
  • Print marketing materialsnot IngramSpark

IngramSpark

  • An author who wants independent bookshops and libraries to be able to order the book on normal trade terms rather than only through Amazonnot Blurb
  • A small press that needs hardback and colour formats printed on demand without holding stocknot Blurb
  • A non-fiction author selling at conferences and events who wants author copies at print cost and trade distribution from the same title recordnot Blurb
  • A publisher printing for international readers who needs local manufacturing in the UK or Australia to avoid shipping costs killing the marginnot Blurb

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blurb

  • Print-on-demand model; no subscription plans or seat limits
  • Per-page costs add $0.04-$3.50 depending on product type
  • Volume discounts require minimum orders

IngramSpark

  • You must buy your own ISBN for every format, which is a real upfront cost in territories such as the United States where the national agency charges over a hundred dollars for a single number.
  • Setting the 55% wholesale discount and returns flag that bookshops expect can reduce net revenue on a modestly priced paperback to near nothing once print cost is deducted.
  • Enabling returns exposes you to charge-backs for unsold copies that are returned and destroyed, which turns a bookshop order that looked like a sale into a cost months later.
  • Print quality varies between plants and print runs, colour reproduction in particular, and resolving a complaint about a misprinted batch is slow because you are dealing with a distributor and not a printer you can telephone.
  • File revisions after publication carry a fee each time, so correcting an error found by an early reader costs money and takes days to propagate through the retail listings.

Pricing, plan by plan

Blurb

$3.99/unit
  • Paperback$3.99/unit
  • Photo Books$12/unit
  • Notebooks$12/unit
  • Wall Art$65/unit

IngramSpark

On request
  • IngramSpark$undefined/month
    • No title setup fee
    • File revisions after publication charged per title, around twenty-five dollars
    • Print cost deducted per unit from the wholesale payment

Which should you pick?

Choose Blurb if

Nothing in the data separates Blurb from IngramSpark on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Blurb review

Choose IngramSpark if

  • You need ingram catalogue distribution.
  • You also want global print on demand.
IngramSpark review

Questions people ask

Is Blurb or IngramSpark better?
Neither clearly leads. Blurb starts at $3.99/unit and IngramSpark at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blurb or IngramSpark?
Blurb starts at $3.99/unit and IngramSpark at On request.
Does Blurb or IngramSpark run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Blurb best used for?
Blurb is most often used for self-publishing, print marketing materials. Of those, self-publishing and print marketing materials are not what IngramSpark is typically brought in for.
What can Blurb do that IngramSpark cannot?
IngramSpark covers Ingram catalogue distribution, Global print on demand, Discount and returns settings, Hardback and colour printing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blurb: What is Blurb's starting price for printed books?

Blurb's paperback books start at $3.99 for a 5x8-inch book with economy color paper, with prices increasing based on size and binding style.

Source
IngramSpark: Does IngramSpark give me a free ISBN?

No. You supply your own, one for each format. That is a cost, and it is also why the publisher of record on the book is your imprint rather than theirs.

Blurb: Does Blurb offer volume discounts?

Blurb provides volume discounts: 10-20% for 10-19 copies, 15-20% for 20-49 copies, and 20-25% for 50+ copies depending on product type.

Source
IngramSpark: Will bookshops actually stock my book?

They can order it, which is a precondition, not a guarantee. Being in the catalogue on trade terms, discounted and returnable, is what makes stocking possible; convincing a shop to do it is still your job.

Blurb: What does Blurb charge for photo book printing?

Blurb's photo books start at $12 and can cost up to $159 depending on size (6 sizes available), paper quality, and cover binding option.

Source
IngramSpark: Should I use IngramSpark and Amazon print together?

Many authors do, using Amazon for Amazon sales and IngramSpark for everyone else. Watch for duplicate listings and check which edition Amazon shows as the buy option.

Share

Related pages

More on Blurb

More on IngramSpark

Keep looking

Other head to heads