The Best Print on Demand Company in 2025 for Paperback Books – Comparing Self-Publishing with Amazon KDP, IngramSpark & more // Two years ago I released a video comparing the most popular print on demand companies available to indie authors. Since then, a few things have changed in the self-publishing industry, so it was time for an updated video. Today we will be comparing these five self-publishing companies: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu Publishing and Draft2Digital. For this comparison, we will only be talking about paperback books (not hardcover or ebooks). We will be judging these print on demand companies by the following criteria: cost to print, cost to publish and make updates, the uploading process, book royalties, print quality, print options, user-friendliness, customer service and of course, distribution. So let's decide, what's the best print on demand company out there right now?
LINKS MENTIONED:
A Beginner's Guide to Self-Publishing a Book Playlist:
KDP Tutorial:
IngramSpark Tutorial:
Barnes & Noble Press Tutorial:
Lulu Unboxing:
Draft2Digital Tutorial:
IngramSpark Playlist:
How to format a book in Microsoft word:
Should you use a free or paid ISBN:
How to use Draft2Dgitial to format your book:
IN THIS VIDEO:
0:00 – Intro
4:00 – Cost to print
4:41 – Cost to publish
7:17 – The uploading process
18:24 – Royalties
21:00 – Print quality
25:42 – Print options
28:49 – User-friendliness
30:45 – Customer service
36:47 – Distribution
39:41 – Who's the best print on demand company in 2025?
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FIND ME ONLINE- – – – – – – – – –
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MY FAVORITE TOOLS- – – – – – – – – –
→Find KDP keywords and categories, PublisherRocket:
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Mandi Lynn published her first novel when she was seventeen. The author of multiple books, Mandi spends her days continuing to write and creating YouTube videos to help other writers achieve their dreams of seeing their books published. Mandi is the owner of Stone Ridge Books, a company that works to help authors bring their books to life through cover design and digital book marketing. She is also the creator of The Book Launch Planner, a planner designed to help authors publish and market their books. When she’s not creating, you can find Mandi exploring her backyard or getting lost in the woods.
#bookpublishing #selfpublishing #kindledirectpublishing
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links. By purchasing a linked product or service, Mandi Lynn will receive a small commission at no additional fee to you.
Thank you for breaking this down for us and all this extremely hardcore breakdown on the different publishers! I have only used KDP which is who I plan to use for my updated relaunch and next in my series. Thanks again, Mandi!
Ingramspark just came out with 85% royalties for ebooks, so I would love an ebook version of this!!! 😍
IS will not let me sell ebooks through them
Fantastic work Mandi! It got you a new subscriber. Seriously, thanks for this. I’d love to see a hardcover version.
This was incredible. Thank you!!! Looking forward to a hardcover version!!
Yes, please do that!
yes agreed I hope she does a hardcover video
Thank you for your information. Personally, I had books printed by a few different companies, and I have ordered more printing from a couple of them. Having been in the print business, my company sold software solutions to printers as well as large companies that had their own print centers, I can tell you firsthand there are a lot of differences in print and final production quality occurring in print runs – from run to run, day to day, month to month etc.. Everything from the quality of the supplies they buy – paper, ink, toner, etc. to the weather of the day – too hot, too humid, etc, to the finishing operator who trims the book to final sizing. All of this will affect the final printed copy.
People need to remember that printing represents a ‘point in time’ result. However, with that said, things like printing options, print pricing, distribution, change costs, and customer service are extremely important.
Thank for the video as these parts of the overall book production and follow up that are often overlooked by authors.
so which is best in your opinion?
I would love a breakdown on hardcovers. This was amazing! Thank you!!
The video on hardcovers can be views here: https://youtu.be/JLUwuxowvIg
@@MandiLynnWritesawesome! Thank you!!
Me too and ebooks, please.
Where I think that Lulu really blows everyone else out of the water is if you are printing coloring books. Their 60# paper holds up amazing to copics, markers, etc where KDP in particular has terrible paper quality for coloring.
Good to know. Thank you.
that’s exactly that I was researching today…who is better with coloring books…paper-wise. thank you.
Hi. I bought and read your five little books on self-publishing. And while they are very useful, they really, really need to be proofread!
All the best.
As a new writer working on getting my book finished this year I always viewed publishing as an intimidating beast. You have cleared away all the fears that come with facing the unkown and I am now super comfortable going forward. You have my deepest gratitude Mandi!!!!!!!!!
Great video Mandi and THANKS for all the hard work that you put into it…🎉🎉🎉!!!
I have used KDP and my novel is still on that platform.
My main problem with KDP though, is that CRAZY ‘Not for Purchase’ banner they have to put on your cover (before you fully publish it).
It really mars the cover and in a way, it’s like they’re defacing it.
That’s why I like to use Barnes and Noble Press too, so I can see how my cover really looks.
Again, great video Mandi…🤩🤩🤩!!!
Self-publishing a book this year? Learn how to format your book yourself with my online course: https://bit.ly/formattingcourse
Or learn how to design your book cover yourself: https://bit.ly/coverdesignbundle
Very informative video. You don’t need to put the ISBN on the copyright page– instead put the copyright registration number on that page. That’s what I put there, and I’ve never had a book rejected because it lacked the ISBN on the copyright page. And of course I register my copyright with the Copyright Office before I publish it, or even send it to beta readers.
Thank you, Mandi. So much better than the “make $X,000 a day” videos that just leave you feeling stressed out.
Mandi: I’m a 75-year-old writer who did not know how the publishing world worked. I peddled two of my eight books to agents. What a waste of time! Thanks to you, I now have updated my ideas on how to get published. However, I am an old timer. The tech scares me. Here’s hoping your other videos, especially the KDP one, will lead to download success.
57 yr old here. I fear tech and the business aspect.
62 here and finally published my book, but omgoodness, the tech delayed progress and still intimidating
Are all you projects now going to be available?
Thank you for taking the time to research that information and then sharing it with us. I have published 2 books on Amazon, Discarded Hearts and Chokehold. I paid someone to take my manuscript and publish it on Amazon. I would like to know how to do it myself. I know how to upload but i don’t know how to publish it. Maybe I don’t know what the proper wording is but I hope you understand what I’m trying to say, I’m challenged when it comes to technology. I would appreciate your help in this matter. Thank you
You know how to upload on Amazon (kept for your book?)
Thanks! Very helpful information and well researched.
What a great video… Like below, I’m a 73-year-old using KDP and have published around 12 books. I’m finding the tech easy for me (ex printer/finisher), so no problems there.
Looking forward to viewing your playlist… well done you 🙂
This is the most comprehensive video about publishing on those 5 companies! Thanks for the clear explanation for each! Kudos!!!
Thank you so much! I have written my autobiography, and the vultures are swarming around me, girl! I wasn’t sure about the self-publishing (Indie) road, but I am becoming more confident because of your straightforward talks. Formatting and getting my cover done are my last steps. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
My gosh, you deserve a medal of some kind for all that! Thanks. Very helpful for this newbie.