Publishing · head to head
BookBaby vs Kotobee
BookBaby
Publishing
Pay-per-book self-publishing service for ebook conversion, print on demand and distribution
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Kotobee
Publishing
Interactive EPUB authoring that also exports native mobile apps and hosted libraries
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Kotobee has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: BookBaby every stage beyond the base package, ISBN registration, expanded distribution, extra proof revisions and editing, is billed separately, so the advertised entry price is rarely the final cost.; Kotobee interactive EPUB 3 features degrade or disappear in mainstream retail readers, Kindle in particular, so a book built around widgets and quizzes cannot simply be resold through ordinary retail channels later.
- They diverge on capability: BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Kotobee covers Interactive EPUB 3.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BookBaby and Kotobee actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 BookBaby
- Ebook conversion
- Print on demand
- ISBN assignment
- BookBaby Bookshop
- Editing and cover design add-ons
- Distribution to major retailers
Only in Kotobee
- Interactive EPUB 3
- Quizzes and question banks
- Native app export
- Kotobee Cloud
- DRM and access control
- Kotobee Reader
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BookBaby
- A first-time author who wants a single vendor to handle conversion, printing and distribution without learning the formats themselvesnot Kotobee
- An author who wants a direct storefront (BookBaby Bookshop) alongside Amazon and Apple Books listingsnot Kotobee
- A non-fiction author producing a small print run for events or clients rather than ongoing retail salesnot Kotobee
- An author who has a finished manuscript and wants ISBNs assigned and registered under a known publisher of recordnot Kotobee
Kotobee
- An education publisher whose distribution channel is a branded app installed by schools rather than a retail ebook storenot BookBaby
- A training department delivering interactive course material with embedded assessment to a known set of employeesnot BookBaby
- A publisher in a market where regional retail ebook channels are weak and direct institutional sales dominatenot BookBaby
- An organisation that needs access control and device limits on material it cannot distribute openlynot BookBaby
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
BookBaby
- Every stage beyond the base package, ISBN registration, expanded distribution, extra proof revisions and editing, is billed separately, so the advertised entry price is rarely the final cost.
- Unlike Draft2Digital or Kindle Direct Publishing, there is no free tier; authors pay upfront for services regardless of whether the book ever sells a copy.
- Revision rounds after the first proof are charged per round, which penalises authors who want to iterate on formatting.
- Editing is priced per word rather than as a flat fee, so a full manuscript edit can cost more than the entire publishing package.
- It packages services that KDP, Draft2Digital and IngramSpark offer for free or on a royalty-share basis, so cost-conscious authors comfortable with self-formatting pay for convenience they do not need.
Kotobee
- Interactive EPUB 3 features degrade or disappear in mainstream retail readers, Kindle in particular, so a book built around widgets and quizzes cannot simply be resold through ordinary retail channels later.
- Exporting a native app does not remove the app store obligations: you need Apple and Google developer accounts, you handle review submissions, and you own every rejection and update cycle.
- There is no print workflow at all, so a title that also needs a paperback edition requires a separate layout tool and a duplicated production process.
- It is a small vendor with a limited partner and integration ecosystem, which is a genuine concern for an institution embedding it in a multi-year curriculum programme.
- Cloud hosting, DRM and user management are priced separately from the authoring licence, so the recurring cost of delivery, rather than the software purchase, is what the budget has to carry.
Pricing, plan by plan
BookBaby
On request- Ebook Publishing$299/one-time
- Ebook conversion and formatting
- Distribution to major ebook retailers
- 100 percent royalties from most retailers
- Print on Demand$399/one-time
- Paperback print on demand setup
- No inventory purchase required
- Amazon and BookBaby Bookshop listing
- Print plus Ebook Bundle$2190/one-time
- Basic cover design
- Ebook conversion and print on demand
- A run of printed copies included
Kotobee
Free- Kotobee Author$undefined/year
- A free tier with limited export options
- Paid licence tiers unlock app export and advanced widgets
- Kotobee Cloud hosting and DRM billed separately
Which should you pick?
Choose Kotobee if
- You need interactive epub 3.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want quizzes and question banks.
Questions people ask
- Is BookBaby or Kotobee better?
- Neither clearly leads. BookBaby starts at On request and Kotobee at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BookBaby or Kotobee?
- Kotobee has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for BookBaby and Free for Kotobee.
- Does BookBaby or Kotobee run on more platforms?
- BookBaby runs on Web. Kotobee runs on Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Kotobee for free?
- Yes. Kotobee has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BookBaby starts at On request.
- What is BookBaby best used for?
- BookBaby is most often used for a first-time author who wants a single vendor to handle conversion, printing and distribution without learning the formats themselves, an author who wants a direct storefront (bookbaby bookshop) alongside amazon and apple books listings, a non-fiction author producing a small print run for events or clients rather than ongoing retail sales, an author who has a finished manuscript and wants isbns assigned and registered under a known publisher of record. Of those, a first-time author who wants a single vendor to handle conversion, printing and distribution without learning the formats themselves and an author who wants a direct storefront (bookbaby bookshop) alongside amazon and apple books listings are not what Kotobee is typically brought in for.
- What can BookBaby do that Kotobee cannot?
- BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Print on demand, ISBN assignment, BookBaby Bookshop. Kotobee covers Interactive EPUB 3, Quizzes and question banks, Native app export, Kotobee Cloud.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
BookBaby: Does BookBaby take a cut of royalties?
No for most retailers; authors keep 100 percent of the retailer royalty. BookBaby earns money from the upfront service fees instead.
Kotobee: Can I sell a Kotobee book on Amazon?
You can sell a stripped-down EPUB, but the interactive content that justified the tool will not render. Treat retail as a separate, simpler edition.
BookBaby: Can I publish only an ebook without print?
Yes, ebook-only packages start at 299 US dollars and do not require the print on demand package.
Kotobee: Does Kotobee publish the app to the stores for me?
No. It generates the application; you supply the developer accounts and go through Apple and Google review yourself, including every subsequent update.
BookBaby: Is a BookBaby ISBN owned by me or by BookBaby?
ISBNs are registered with BookBaby listed as the publisher of record unless you supply your own, which affects how the book is catalogued.
Kotobee: Is it suitable for a trade fiction publisher?
No. It is built for education, training and reference material where interactivity and controlled access are the point.
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