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Publishing · head to head

Blurb vs PublishDrive

Blurb logo

Blurb

Publishing

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

From
$3.99/unit
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PublishDrive logo

PublishDrive

Publishing

Ebook distribution aggregator that moved from a royalty-share model to flat-fee subscription pricing, so authors now keep 100% of the store royalty rather than splitting it with the platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PublishDrive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blurb print-on-demand model; no subscription plans or seat limits; PublishDrive the flat-fee model works against an author with low or unpredictable sales, since the monthly subscription is charged regardless of whether the book earns enough royalty to cover it, unlike a royalty-share model that only costs money on actual sales.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blurb and PublishDrive actually diverge.

Attributes where Blurb and PublishDrive differ
AttributeBlurbPublishDrive
Starting price$3.99/unitFree
Pricing modelusage-basedFlat-fee subscription, no commission on paid plans
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: 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 PublishDrive does not also cover.

Only in PublishDrive

  • Wide distribution
  • 0% commission on paid plans
  • Ebook converter
  • Sales analytics
  • AI publishing chatbot
  • Free tier

What people use each for

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

Blurb

  • Self-publishingnot PublishDrive
  • Print marketing materialsnot PublishDrive

PublishDrive

  • An author wanting one upload to reach 400+ retail and library channels rather than managing each retailer account separatelynot Blurb
  • An author confident in steady sales volume who prefers a fixed monthly fee over a per-sale royalty cut, since the flat fee does not scale with successnot Blurb
  • A publisher distributing to library and subscription services like Scribd alongside standard retail channels from one dashboardnot Blurb
  • An author testing distribution on the free tier with one book before committing to a paid plan for a larger cataloguenot 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

PublishDrive

  • The flat-fee model works against an author with low or unpredictable sales, since the monthly subscription is charged regardless of whether the book earns enough royalty to cover it, unlike a royalty-share model that only costs money on actual sales.
  • The free tier gives access to only 29 of roughly 49 total channels, so testing the platform for free does not represent the full distribution reach a paid plan provides.
  • Subscription service royalties (25-60%, typically around 55%) are lower and more variable than standard retail royalties, so an author distributing heavily through subscription channels should model that lower rate specifically rather than assuming a flat 70%.
  • As an aggregator, PublishDrive sits between the author and each retailer, so account-level issues or policy changes at an individual retailer (Amazon, Kobo, Apple) can affect distribution in ways the author does not directly control.
  • Multiple books beyond the Starter plan 3-book cap require a higher tier, so an author with a larger catalogue needs to check the cost of higher plans against direct multi-retailer management before committing.

Pricing, plan by plan

Blurb

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

PublishDrive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 29 of ~49 distribution channels
    • 1 book
    • Ebook converter, sales analytics, AI chatbot
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • All ~49 distribution channels
    • Up to 3 books
    • 0% commission, author keeps full retailer royalty

Which should you pick?

Choose Blurb if

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

Blurb review

Choose PublishDrive if

  • You need wide distribution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want 0% commission on paid plans.
PublishDrive review

Questions people ask

Is Blurb or PublishDrive better?
Neither clearly leads. Blurb starts at $3.99/unit and PublishDrive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blurb or PublishDrive?
PublishDrive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3.99/unit for Blurb and Free for PublishDrive.
Does Blurb or PublishDrive run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use PublishDrive for free?
Yes. PublishDrive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Blurb starts at $3.99/unit.
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 PublishDrive is typically brought in for.
What can Blurb do that PublishDrive cannot?
PublishDrive covers Wide distribution, 0% commission on paid plans, Ebook converter, Sales analytics.

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
PublishDrive: Does PublishDrive take a cut of royalties?

No, not on paid plans. It moved from a royalty-share model to flat-fee subscription pricing, so authors keep 100% of what each retailer or subscription service pays.

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
PublishDrive: Is the free plan worth using to test the platform?

It gives access to only 29 of the roughly 49 total channels for one book, so it is a limited preview rather than the full paid-plan experience.

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
PublishDrive: How does it compare to Draft2Digital?

Both are wide-distribution aggregators; the key difference to check is Draft2Digital retains a small percentage-based fee model in most cases, while PublishDrive is flat-fee subscription-only on paid plans.

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