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Kobo Writing Life Review: Price, Features and Score

Kobo Writing Life at a glance: No upfront fee, on web. Below are its plans, what its own site says it does for an author, its score and the products to compare it with. We did not test it ourselves; the data was checked on October 7, 2026.

Prices and data checked October 7, 2026 · Author Score computed by a published formula, not paid for

Kobo Writing Life on the BookBird Author Score

Author Score · publishing platforms · #8 of 12 ·

Best for: Wide authors reaching Kobo readers, Kobo Plus and libraries

BookBird Author Score6.7/10 #8 of 12 publishing platforms. Worked out from Kobo Writing Life’s own pages, its price and US searches for its name, not typed in. Author jobs50 pts27.8/50Each of the 9 author jobs on the publishing platforms list is worth an equal share of 50 points, and counts only when Kobo Writing Life’s own pages confirm it. 5 of 9 confirmed = 27.8 points. A job the vendor does not mention earns nothing.Cost25 pts25/25A free plan, or a platform that takes no upfront fee, earns all 25 points.Adoption25 pts14.1/25Searches, 20 points: 1,000 a month for “kobo writing life”, against Amazon KDP, the most searched in this category (246,000), on a log scale = 11.1. Trend, 5 points: up 10% (last three months against the first three of the year) = 3; a fall of half or more earns 0, no change 2.5, a rise of half or more 5. 66.9 of 100 points= 6.7 out of 10 The full method, with every product’s points →

Author jobs, from Kobo Writing Life’s own pages

  • Yes: Ebooks
  • No: Paperbacks (no)
  • No: Hardcovers (no)
  • Yes: Free to publish
  • Yes: Royalty rate stated
  • Not stated: Non-exclusive (not stated)
  • Yes: Distribution to other stores
  • Yes: Library distribution
  • Not stated: Free ISBN (not stated)

Kobo Writing Life pricing

The platform takes a share of sales. There is a free plan. The plans as Kobo Writing Life’s own site listed them on October 7, 2026, in US dollars:

  • Publishing account: Free

Free. Ebooks: 70% of suggested retail price at $2.99+ (and at least 20% below print), otherwise 45%; Kobo Plus pays 60% of a per-minute pool; audiobooks 45%/35%; OverDrive sales optional.

What Kobo Writing Life offers

From Kobo Writing Life’s own pages, checked on October 7, 2026:

  • Publishes ebooks and audiobooks to the Kobo store in over 200 countries
  • Reaches the ebook storefronts of Kobo's retail partners
  • 70% royalty on ebooks at $2.99 and up, 45% below
  • Opt-in OverDrive distribution to libraries and schools
  • Opt-in Kobo Plus subscription, paid by minutes read
  • Audiobook royalties of 45% (35% outside price rules)

Runs on: web. Needs an internet connection.

Who Kobo Writing Life suits, and what its pages do not say

Best for: Wide authors reaching Kobo readers, Kobo Plus and libraries.

Not confirmed on Kobo Writing Life’s pages when we checked: paperbacks, hardcovers, non-exclusive and free ISBN. That is what the vendor states, not a test; a feature can exist without being described, and the score only credits what is.

About 1,000 people a month search Google in the US for “kobo writing life”, up 10% over the past year (Google Ads data via DataForSEO).

Kobo Writing Life alternatives

SoftwareScorePrice fromBest for
Amazon KDP9.9No upfront feeAuthors selling mainly on Amazon, including Kindle Unlimited readers
IngramSpark9.6No upfront feeAuthors wanting print books in bookstores and libraries beyond Amazon
Lulu9.2No upfront feeAuthors selling print books direct to readers as well as on Amazon
Draft2Digital7.9$12 a yearAuthors going wide with ebooks who accept a small activation fee
Blurb7.8No upfront feeIllustrated and photo-heavy books sold in print

Compare: All publishing platforms · All software for authors

Kobo Writing Life questions

How much does Kobo Writing Life cost?

No upfront fee.

What does Kobo Writing Life run on?

web, according to its own site.

How the score is computed: the formula, step by step. Prices and features were read from Kobo Writing Life’s own site on October 7, 2026; nobody pays to be listed.