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Publishing · head to head

BookBaby vs Shopify

BookBaby logo

BookBaby

Publishing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopify logo

Shopify

Publishing

The most trusted ecommerce platform to start, grow, and scale your business

From
$24/month
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.; Shopify using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • They diverge on capability: BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BookBaby and Shopify actually diverge.

Attributes where BookBaby and Shopify differ
AttributeBookBabyShopify
Starting priceOn request$24/month
Pricing modelOne-time purchase per projectsubscription
FoundedUnknown2006

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 BookBaby

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

Only in Shopify

  • Hosted ecommerce platform
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Apps and integrations
  • Multi-channel selling
  • SSL certificate

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

Shopify

  • Running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilmentnot BookBaby
  • Selling across online, in person and social channels from one cataloguenot 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.

Shopify

  • Using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • That fee makes the cheapest plan the most expensive place to use an outside processor, which is the opposite of how plans usually work
  • Card rates also improve with the plan, from 2.9% on Basic to 2.7% on Advanced
  • Amex is charged at a higher rate than other cards on every plan below Plus
  • Plus starts at $2,300 a month
  • The advertised lower monthly prices require paying a year up front

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

Shopify

$24/month
  • Basic$24/month
    • For solo entrepreneurs
    • $32/month on monthly billing
    • 2.9% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Grow$69/month
    • For small teams
    • $92/month on monthly billing
    • 2.8% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Advanced$299/month
    • For global reach
    • $399/month on monthly billing
    • 2.7% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Plus$2300/month
    • For complex businesses
    • most competitive transaction rates

Which should you pick?

Choose BookBaby if

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

Choose Shopify if

  • You need hosted ecommerce platform.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopify review

Questions people ask

Is BookBaby or Shopify better?
Neither clearly leads. BookBaby starts at On request and Shopify at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BookBaby or Shopify?
BookBaby starts at On request and Shopify at $24/month.
Does BookBaby or Shopify 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 Shopify is typically brought in for.
What can BookBaby do that Shopify cannot?
BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Print on demand, ISBN assignment, BookBaby Bookshop. Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Payment processing, Inventory management, Order tracking.

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.

Shopify: How much does Shopify cost?

Shopify's Basic tier is $24/month (or $32/month monthly), Grow is $69/month (or $92/month monthly), Advanced is $299/month (or $399/month monthly), and Plus starts at $2,300/month. Annual subscriptions include 25% discount versus monthly billing.

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.

Shopify: Does Shopify offer a free trial?

Yes, Shopify offers 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months without requiring a credit card.

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.

Shopify: What payment processing fees does Shopify charge?

Transaction rates vary by plan: Basic charges 2.9% + AED1.00 (standard cards), Grow charges 2.8% + AED1.00, Advanced charges 2.7% + AED1.00, and Plus offers the most competitive rates. American Express charges 0.1% higher across all plans.

Source
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