Publishing · head to head
BookBaby vs Scrivener
BookBaby
Publishing
Pay-per-book self-publishing service for ebook conversion, print on demand and distribution
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Scrivener
Publishing
Long-form writing and manuscript organisation software sold as a one-time purchase per platform, with no subscription at any tier
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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.; Scrivener each platform (Mac, Windows, iOS) is a separate purchase, so a writer working across a Mac desktop and an iPad or Windows laptop pays multiple times, even with the cross-grade discount applied.
- They diverge on capability: BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Scrivener covers Binder and corkboard.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BookBaby and Scrivener actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 Scrivener
- Binder and corkboard
- Compile
- Full-screen composition mode
- Research and reference storage
- Snapshots and version history
- Cross-platform licensing
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 Scrivener
- An author who wants a direct storefront (BookBaby Bookshop) alongside Amazon and Apple Books listingsnot Scrivener
- A non-fiction author producing a small print run for events or clients rather than ongoing retail salesnot Scrivener
- An author who has a finished manuscript and wants ISBNs assigned and registered under a known publisher of recordnot Scrivener
Scrivener
- A novelist wanting scene-level reordering and a corkboard view rather than one continuous linear documentnot BookBaby
- A screenwriter needing industry-standard script formatting alongside manuscript organisationnot BookBaby
- An academic writer wanting research references and citations stored alongside the manuscript being draftednot BookBaby
- A writer who specifically wants to avoid an ongoing subscription for writing software and prefers a one-time purchasenot 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.
Scrivener
- Each platform (Mac, Windows, iOS) is a separate purchase, so a writer working across a Mac desktop and an iPad or Windows laptop pays multiple times, even with the cross-grade discount applied.
- Real-time collaborative editing is not a strength of the product, which is built around single-author, offline-first writing rather than concurrent multi-editor workflows common in modern cloud writing tools.
- It is a writing and organisation tool only, not a distribution or publishing platform, so authors still need separate software (Atticus, Draft2Digital, IngramSpark) to get a finished book onto retail stores.
- The learning curve for the binder, corkboard and Compile system is real, and writers coming from a simple word processor often need real time to learn the structural model before it pays off.
- One-time pricing means no ongoing revenue relationship, which is part of why major feature updates and new-platform releases have historically arrived less frequently than in subscription-funded competitors.
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
Scrivener
On request- Scrivener for macOS/Windows$59.99/one-time
- Standard licence, one-time purchase per platform
- Educational licence $50.99 for students and academics
- Scrivener for iOS$23.99/one-time
- Separate purchase from desktop versions, cross-grade discount available
- All platforms bundle$121.93/one-time
- macOS, Windows and iOS combined
Which should you pick?
Choose Scrivener if
- You need binder and corkboard.
- You work on macOS, Windows, iOS.
- You also want compile.
Questions people ask
- Is BookBaby or Scrivener better?
- Neither clearly leads. BookBaby starts at On request and Scrivener at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BookBaby or Scrivener?
- BookBaby starts at On request and Scrivener at On request.
- Does BookBaby or Scrivener run on more platforms?
- BookBaby runs on Web. Scrivener runs on macOS, Windows, iOS.
- 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 Scrivener is typically brought in for.
- What can BookBaby do that Scrivener cannot?
- BookBaby covers Ebook conversion, Print on demand, ISBN assignment, BookBaby Bookshop. Scrivener covers Binder and corkboard, Compile, Full-screen composition mode, Research and reference storage.
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.
Scrivener: Is Scrivener a subscription?
No. It is a one-time purchase per platform: $59.99 for macOS or Windows, $23.99 for iOS, with cross-grade discounts if you already own one version.
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.
Scrivener: Does Scrivener publish or distribute my book?
No. It organises and formats the manuscript; you still need a separate distribution tool such as Draft2Digital or IngramSpark to publish to retail.
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.
Scrivener: Can I use one purchase across Mac, Windows and iOS?
No, each platform is licensed and purchased separately, though a discounted cross-grade price applies if you already own another platform version.
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- Scrivener vs PublishDrive
- Scrivener vs Reedsy
- Scrivener vs Blurb
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- Scrivener vs Libro.fm
- Scrivener vs Everand
- Scrivener vs QuarkXPress
- Scrivener vs Wattpad
- Scrivener vs Webtoon
- Scrivener vs Goodreads
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- Scrivener vs Moon Reader
- Scrivener vs Affinity Publisher
- Scrivener vs Pressbooks
- Scrivener vs Kotobee
- Scrivener vs Sigil
- Scrivener vs Kobo