Publishing · head to head
BookBaby vs Wattpad
BookBaby
Publishing
Pay-per-book self-publishing service for ebook conversion, print on demand and distribution
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Wattpad
Publishing
User-generated fiction publishing and reading app, owned by Naver alongside Webtoon
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Wattpad 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.; Wattpad only a small, selected group of authors participate in the Paid Stories revenue-share programme, so the large majority of writers publishing on the platform earn nothing directly from their work being read.
- They diverge on capability: BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Wattpad covers Free serialised fiction library.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BookBaby and Wattpad 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 Wattpad
- Free serialised fiction library
- Wattpad Premium subscription
- Wattpad Coins
- Paid Stories programme
- Writing and publishing tools
- Wattpad Studios
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 Wattpad
- An author who wants a direct storefront (BookBaby Bookshop) alongside Amazon and Apple Books listingsnot Wattpad
- A non-fiction author producing a small print run for events or clients rather than ongoing retail salesnot Wattpad
- An author who has a finished manuscript and wants ISBNs assigned and registered under a known publisher of recordnot Wattpad
Wattpad
- A reader wanting free access to a large catalogue of ongoing, chapter-by-chapter serialised fictionnot BookBaby
- An amateur writer wanting to publish work chapter by chapter and build a following before seeking traditional publicationnot BookBaby
- A frequent reader wanting an ad-free, offline-capable experience through Wattpad Premiumnot BookBaby
- A fan wanting to tip a favourite author or unlock select paid stories through the Wattpad Coins systemnot 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.
Wattpad
- Only a small, selected group of authors participate in the Paid Stories revenue-share programme, so the large majority of writers publishing on the platform earn nothing directly from their work being read.
- The free tier is ad-supported with ads appearing between chapters, which interrupts reading flow in a way competitors with a purely subscription model do not.
- Content moderation across a huge volume of user-submitted fiction has been an ongoing challenge, and mature or borderline content has periodically drawn scrutiny given the platform's substantial teenage user base.
- Since the 2021 Naver acquisition and merger with Webtoon, product direction is set within a larger Korean media conglomerate strategy rather than independently, which has meant slower, less predictable feature development for the original Wattpad product.
- Story completion and update frequency depend entirely on individual amateur authors, so readers following an ongoing story have no guarantee it will ever be finished.
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
Wattpad
Free- FreeFree
- Ad-supported reading of the full story catalogue
- No offline downloads
- Ads shown between chapters
- Wattpad Premium$4.99/month
- Ad-free reading
- Offline chapter downloads
- Also offered at a discounted annual rate
Which should you pick?
Choose Wattpad if
- You need free serialised fiction library.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want wattpad premium subscription.
Questions people ask
- Is BookBaby or Wattpad better?
- Neither clearly leads. BookBaby starts at On request and Wattpad at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BookBaby or Wattpad?
- Wattpad has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for BookBaby and Free for Wattpad.
- Does BookBaby or Wattpad run on more platforms?
- BookBaby runs on Web. Wattpad runs on iOS, Android, Web.
- Can I use Wattpad for free?
- Yes. Wattpad 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 Wattpad is typically brought in for.
- What can BookBaby do that Wattpad cannot?
- BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Print on demand, ISBN assignment, BookBaby Bookshop. Wattpad covers Free serialised fiction library, Wattpad Premium subscription, Wattpad Coins, Paid Stories programme.
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.
Wattpad: Is Wattpad free?
Yes, reading is free and ad-supported; Wattpad Premium removes ads and adds offline downloads for a monthly or annual fee.
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.
Wattpad: Can writers make money on Wattpad?
A limited number of authors are selected into the Paid Stories programme and earn a share of Wattpad Coins spent on their work; most authors do not earn direct payment from the platform.
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.
Wattpad: Who owns Wattpad?
Naver, the South Korean internet company that also owns Webtoon, acquired Wattpad in 2021.
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