Print on demand books: how it works, and how KDP, IngramSpark and Lulu compare

What is print on demand for books?

Print on demand (POD) means your book is printed one copy at a time, only after someone orders it. There is no print run to pay for upfront and no boxes of stock to store: a reader buys the book, the printer prints and binds a single copy, and it ships straight to them. KDP, IngramSpark andLulu are three widely used print on demand book printers. Almost every self-published paperback is printed this way.

Amazon print on demand, run through KDP, is the version most authors meet first, because it sits in the same account used to list a Kindle ebook. IngramSpark and Lulu book printing work the same way under the hood, but reach different stores, which the comparison below covers.

This is different from traditional offset printing, where a publisher pays for hundreds or thousands of copies at once to get a lower cost per copy, then stores and ships them. POD costs more per copy, but it removes the risk of unsold stock, which is why it fits a book that has not yet proven its sales.

How does print on demand book printing work?

The steps are the same on KDP, IngramSpark and Lulu, with small differences in review time and distribution:

1. You upload a print-ready interior file and cover, sized to your trim and page count.
2. The platform reviews the files and lists the book for sale once it passes.
3. A customer orders a copy, or you order an author or proof copy for yourself.
4. The printer prints and binds that single copy to order.
5. The copy ships directly to the customer, or to you if it is a proof.

Nothing is printed before an order exists, so there is no inventory risk for you or the platform. Uploading and listing a title costs nothing on KDP or IngramSpark; check Lulu's current fees on its own site before you upload. Check your own numbers with the print cost calculator before you set a price, and see what a sale pays with the book royalty calculator.

How do KDP, IngramSpark and Lulu compare for print on demand?

All three print paperbacks and hardcovers on demand. They differ mainly in trim sizes, where the books are sold, and how clearly each publishes its printing cost.

KDP is the simplest route if Amazon is where your readers already buy. If you want copies available at other online or physical bookstores, or in libraries, IngramSpark's wholesale distribution is built for that. Lulu book printing includes a direct-sale store and named trims such as Pocketbook and Digest. None of this is a ranking: the right choice depends on where you want to sell. IngramSpark and Lulu can both run alongside a KDP listing if you buy your own ISBN for each edition. See our guide on choosing a self-publishing platform for how to check any of them before you sign up.

How much does print on demand book printing cost?

KDP publishes its paperback printing cost as a fixed fee plus a rate per page, checked September 2026. For a black ink paperback on cream paper, 6 x 9 in, on Amazon.com:

This cost comes out of each sale before KDP pays your royalty, and it is also what a proof or author copy costs you, plus shipping and tax. Run your own page count and trim through the print cost calculator, then see the royalty it leaves with the book royalty calculator. For editing, ISBNs and other costs beyond printing, see our guide on how much it costs to publish a book.

IngramSpark does not publish a flat per-page print on demand cost. Price a specific book with its own print and ship calculator and check royalty with its publisher compensation calculator. Lulu sets its printing cost by trim, paper and page count, so use its own quote tool on lulu.com for your exact book.

How do you order an author proof before launch?

On KDP, a proof or author copy costs the same printing cost as any other copy, plus shipping and tax; KDP does not add a separate proof fee. Order at least one physical proof before you approve a book for sale, so you can check the trim, the spine text position, the paper color and the cover alignment in your hands rather than on screen.

The same logic applies on IngramSpark and Lulu. Both offer ways to order a printed copy; check each platform's current process before you rely on a specific turnaround time.

Lulu's paperback spine, for example, follows its own formula rather than KDP's: page count divided by 444, plus 0.06 in. A 300-page Lulu paperback works out to a spine of about 0.736 in, which is one reason a cover built for one print on demand book printer does not drop straight into another.

Which POD platform should you choose for your book?

Start from where you want the book to sell, not from which platform is "best": there is no independent ranking of print on demand book printers.

• Amazon-first authors: KDP is the simplest single platform, with a free ISBN for paperbacks sold only on KDP.
• Authors who also want bookstores and libraries: add IngramSpark, with your own ISBN so the same edition can be ordered outside Amazon.
• Authors who want a direct storefront or specialty formats: Lulu book printing sells through its own store and offers named formats such as Pocketbook, Digest and Comic Book.

Many authors use more than one platform for the same book, sometimes called "going wide". That needs your own ISBN for each format, since a free KDP ISBN only works on KDP. If you would rather have someone set up the listings, ISBNs and barcodes correctly the first time across platforms, our publishing setup service works inside your own accounts, so your rights and royalties stay yours.