Lulu on the BookBird Author Score
Author Score · publishing platforms · #3 of 12
Best for: Authors selling print books direct to readers as well as on Amazon
91.7 of 100 points = 9.2 out of 10. How this score is calculated
Author jobs, from Lulu’s own pages
- Yes: Ebooks
- Yes: Paperbacks
- Yes: Hardcovers
- Yes: Free to publish
- Yes: Royalty rate stated
- Yes: Non-exclusive
- Yes: Distribution to other stores
- Yes: Library distribution
- Yes: Free ISBN
Lulu pricing
The platform takes a share of sales. There is a free plan. The plans as Lulu’s own site listed them on October 7, 2026, in US dollars:
- Publishing account: Free
- Global Distribution review fee: $4.99 one-time (per new print book or ebook submitted to retail distribution)
Free to publish. Lulu Bookstore: 80% of gross profit after printing (ebooks 90%); retail distribution: 50% of gross revenue to the channel, then 80/20 split of what remains after printing.
What Lulu offers
From Lulu’s own pages, checked on October 7, 2026:
- Paperback, hardcover (casewrap), coil, saddle-stitch and EPUB or PDF ebooks
- Lulu Bookstore pays 80% of revenue after printing
- Retail distribution to Amazon and the Ingram network of 40,000+ retailers, schools and libraries
- Ebook retail to Apple Books, Kobo, Google, Scribd, Gardners and Libri
- Free ISBN for distribution, or bring your own
- Free DOCX-to-EPUB converter and cover designer
- Print-on-demand fulfilment for your own site via Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce or an API
- One-time $4.99 review fee for each new book sent to Global Distribution
Runs on: web. Exports: EPUB and PDF. Needs an internet connection. Launched: 2002.
Who Lulu suits, and what its pages do not say
Best for: Authors selling print books direct to readers as well as on Amazon.
Lulu’s pages confirm every author job we check in its category.
About 5,400 people a month search Google in the US for “lulu publishing”, up 7% over the past year (Google Ads data via DataForSEO).
Lulu alternatives
| Software | Score | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 9.9 | No upfront fee | Authors selling mainly on Amazon, including Kindle Unlimited readers |
| IngramSpark | 9.6 | No upfront fee | Authors wanting print books in bookstores and libraries beyond Amazon |
| Draft2Digital | 7.9 | $12 a year | Authors going wide with ebooks who accept a small activation fee |
| Blurb | 7.8 | No upfront fee | Illustrated and photo-heavy books sold in print |
| Barnes & Noble Press | 7.7 | No upfront fee | Authors adding a direct Barnes & Noble listing alongside other stores |
Compare: All publishing platforms · All software for authors
Lulu questions
How much does Lulu cost?
No upfront fee. Lulu lists 2 plans; the full list is under Pricing above.
What does Lulu run on?
web, according to its own site.
What file formats can Lulu export?
EPUB and PDF, according to its own site.
How the score is computed: the formula, step by step. Prices and features were read from Lulu’s own site on October 7, 2026; nobody pays to be listed.