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Publishing · head to head

BookBaby vs Reedsy

BookBaby logo

BookBaby

Publishing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reedsy logo

Reedsy

Publishing

Vetted marketplace of publishing freelancers with free writing and formatting tools attached

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Reedsy 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.; Reedsy it is a marketplace, so the outcome depends entirely on the individual you hire, and Reedsy vets credentials rather than guaranteeing the quality of any specific engagement.
  • They diverge on capability: BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Reedsy covers Vetted marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BookBaby and Reedsy actually diverge.

Attributes where BookBaby and Reedsy differ
AttributeBookBabyReedsy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchase per projectFree tools; freelancers quote per project
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 BookBaby

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

Only in Reedsy

  • Vetted marketplace
  • Quote and compare
  • Reedsy Studio
  • Typeset export
  • Reedsy Discovery
  • Free courses

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

Reedsy

  • A first-time author who can afford professional editing but has no way to judge whether a freelancer has genuine publishing experiencenot BookBaby
  • A writer who wants a print-ready interior and EPUB without buying formatting software or learning typesettingnot BookBaby
  • An author needing a specialist such as a translator or a genre-specific cover designer that a general marketplace would burynot BookBaby
  • A small press wanting overflow editorial capacity from screened professionals without running its own recruitmentnot 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.

Reedsy

  • It is a marketplace, so the outcome depends entirely on the individual you hire, and Reedsy vets credentials rather than guaranteeing the quality of any specific engagement.
  • The terms require you to keep communication and payment on the platform, so a professional you want to work with repeatedly stays inside a system that takes a commission on every project.
  • Vetting narrows the pool and raises prices, so authors on a small budget will find the same categories of work available for far less on open marketplaces.
  • The free editor offers only a handful of interior templates with little typographic control, so anyone who wants a specific look still needs a designer or a page layout application.
  • There is no distribution, no ISBN and no sales channel, so Reedsy solves the production half of publishing and leaves the entire commercial half to you.

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

Reedsy

Free
  • ReedsyFree
    • Manuscript editor, collaboration and typeset export at no cost
    • Freelance work quoted individually by each professional
    • Reedsy commission built into the quoted price

Which should you pick?

Choose BookBaby if

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

Choose Reedsy if

  • You need vetted marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want quote and compare.
Reedsy review

Questions people ask

Is BookBaby or Reedsy better?
Neither clearly leads. BookBaby starts at On request and Reedsy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BookBaby or Reedsy?
Reedsy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for BookBaby and Free for Reedsy.
Does BookBaby or Reedsy run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Reedsy for free?
Yes. Reedsy 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 Reedsy is typically brought in for.
What can BookBaby do that Reedsy cannot?
BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Print on demand, ISBN assignment, BookBaby Bookshop. Reedsy covers Vetted marketplace, Quote and compare, Reedsy Studio, Typeset export.

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.

Reedsy: What does Reedsy charge me?

Nothing directly for the tools. The commission on freelance work is included in the quote you are given, so the price you see is the price you pay.

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.

Reedsy: Can I hire someone I found on Reedsy and pay them privately?

It is against the terms while the relationship originated on the platform, and you lose the payment protection and dispute process. Professionals risk removal from the marketplace for agreeing to it.

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.

Reedsy: Is the free formatting tool good enough to publish with?

For standard prose fiction and most non-fiction, yes. For anything with complex layout, images, tables or a distinctive typographic identity, it is not.

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