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Publishing · head to head

BookBaby vs Lulu

BookBaby logo

BookBaby

Publishing

Pay-per-book self-publishing service for ebook conversion, print on demand and distribution

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lulu logo

Lulu

Publishing

Quality book printing at a reasonable price

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Lulu no fixed pricing published; vendor requires pricing calculator for quotes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BookBaby and Lulu actually diverge.

Attributes where BookBaby and Lulu differ
AttributeBookBabyLulu
Pricing modelOne-time purchase per projectusage-based

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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 BookBaby

  • Ebook conversion
  • Print on demand
  • ISBN assignment
  • BookBaby Bookshop
  • Editing and cover design add-ons
  • Distribution to major retailers

Only in Lulu

Nothing recorded that BookBaby does not also cover.

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 Lulu
  • An author who wants a direct storefront (BookBaby Bookshop) alongside Amazon and Apple Books listingsnot Lulu
  • A non-fiction author producing a small print run for events or clients rather than ongoing retail salesnot Lulu
  • An author who has a finished manuscript and wants ISBNs assigned and registered under a known publisher of recordnot Lulu

Lulu

  • Self-publishing novels without traditional publishingnot BookBaby
  • Producing print-on-demand photo books without inventorynot BookBaby
  • Creating photo books for preserving memoriesnot BookBaby
  • Accessing 40,000+ global book retailersnot 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.

Lulu

  • No fixed pricing published; vendor requires pricing calculator for quotes
  • Costs vary significantly based on trim size, binding type, page count, and shipping
  • Author royalties and distribution fees not disclosed on website

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

Lulu

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Lulu review.

Which should you pick?

Choose BookBaby if

  • You need ebook conversion.
  • You also want print on demand.
BookBaby review

Choose Lulu if

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

Lulu review

Questions people ask

Is BookBaby or Lulu better?
Neither clearly leads. BookBaby starts at On request and Lulu at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BookBaby or Lulu?
BookBaby starts at On request and Lulu at On request.
Does BookBaby or Lulu run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Lulu is typically brought in for.
What can BookBaby do that Lulu cannot?
BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Print on demand, ISBN assignment, BookBaby Bookshop.

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.

Lulu: How much does Lulu self-publishing cost?

Lulu does not publish fixed pricing. Costs depend on specific book specifications including trim size, binding type, page count, and distribution format. Users must access Lulu's pricing calculator to receive personalized quotes for their book project.

Source
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.

Lulu: How does Lulu's pricing calculator work?

Users input their book specifications such as trim size, binding type, and page count into Lulu's pricing calculator tool to receive customized pricing quotes and view production timelines.

Source
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.

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