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Guide

Self-publishing companies to avoid, and how to choose one

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We build free, sourced tools for self-publishing authors and check every spec against the official help pages.

Last updated 3 min read

Short answer

Avoid self-publishing companies that take your rights, put the book in their account or under their ISBN, keep part of your royalties, sell expensive packages with vague contents, or promise sales. The main platforms authors use, KDP, IngramSpark and Lulu, charge nothing or little to upload and pay royalties straight to you.

Which self-publishing companies should you avoid?

Rather than a list of names, which goes out of date, use these signs. Avoid any company that:

  • Takes your rights, even for a few years, in return for publishing.
  • Publishes the book in its own account or under its own ISBN, so you cannot move it later.
  • Keeps part of your royalties on top of what the stores and printers already take.
  • Sells packages priced in thousands with vague contents, such as "marketing" or "Hollywood exposure".
  • Accepts every manuscript instantly and praises it, then asks for money.
  • Pressures you with deadlines, discounts that expire or repeated calls.
  • Promises sales, bestseller status, reviews or film deals.

What do the main self-publishing platforms charge?

  • KDP charges nothing to upload. A paperback earns 60% or 50% of the list price, depending on price, minus printing, paid to you.
  • IngramSpark charges nothing to sign up or upload, distributes print and ebooks to bookstores and libraries, and pays ebooks 85% of what it receives.
  • Lulu prints paperbacks of 32 to 800 pages on demand; check its distribution and fee terms on its site.
  • Draft2Digital distributes ebooks to many stores from one upload; check its current fee terms on its site.

All of them pay royalties to you, and you can leave at any time. Check what you would earn with the royalty calculator and the print cost calculator.

What should you ask a self-publishing company before you sign?

  • Whose account will the book be published in, and whose name is on the ISBN?
  • Who receives the royalties, and do you keep any share of them?
  • Which rights do I keep, and can I leave and take my files with me?
  • What exactly does the price include, item by item?
  • Can I see books you have produced and speak to their authors?

Why does it matter who owns the ISBN?

The ISBN records the publisher of the book. If a company assigns its own ISBN, it is listed as the publisher, and leaving usually means a new ISBN, a new listing and losing your reviews. KDP's free ISBN can only be used on KDP. In the United States you can buy your own from Bowker: $125 for one, $295 for 10.

What are the best options for first-time authors?

For most first books: publish yourself on KDP and, if you want bookstores, IngramSpark, with your own ISBN. Pay only for the specific help you need, such as an edit or a cover, with a written scope. If you want a traditional deal instead, query literary agents; reputable agents and publishers never charge you a fee to read or publish your book. Our guide on how to publish a book walks through each step.

How do you check a publishing company?

Search its name with "complaints" and "scam", read every clause of the contract, and look it up on Writer Beware. Hold any service, ours included, to the questions above. Our publishing setup service works in your own accounts: your ISBN, your royalties, and you can leave at any time.

Rather have a pro handle this? Our studio can: publishing setup.

Questions authors ask

What is a vanity press?

A company that charges authors to publish their book, often presenting itself as a publisher that has "accepted" the manuscript. Many sell packages costing thousands, keep rights or a share of royalties, and earn their money from authors rather than from book sales.

What are the best self-publishing companies for first-time authors?

There is no independent ranking, and many "best" lists are written by companies that appear in them. Most first-time authors start on the platforms themselves: KDP for Amazon, IngramSpark for bookstores and libraries, and Lulu for print on demand. Pay for help with individual tasks only if you need it.

Are there publishers for first-time authors that do not charge?

Yes: traditional publishers. They pay you, not the other way round, and most large ones take books through literary agents. Small presses sometimes accept submissions directly. A publisher that asks you to pay to be published is selling a service, whatever it calls itself.

Is hybrid publishing a scam?

Not always, but the label is used loosely. A fair hybrid publisher is selective, pays a higher royalty share than a traditional publisher, and is open about costs and sales. If it accepts every book, keeps your rights or will not show you its contract and sales figures, treat it like a vanity press.

Where can I check a publishing company before signing?

Search the company name with words like "complaints" or "scam", read the whole contract, and check Writer Beware, the watchdog run by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, which tracks publishing scams and questionable companies.

Should I pay someone to publish my book?

You never need to pay to be published: uploading to KDP and IngramSpark costs nothing. You may choose to pay for work such as editing, a cover or setup help. Pay for specific services with a clear scope, and keep your accounts, ISBNs and royalties in your own name.

Sources

Every number in this guide comes from our spec data, last verified against the official help pages below. Retailers change their terms, so check the source before you rely on a figure.

Platforms

ISBNs