- Print on demand book services at a glance
- Ten print on demand book services to consider
- Which service suits where you'll sell your book
- The UK legal duty many self-publishers miss
- Getting a print-ready book file right
- Distribution, direct sales or both
- Signs a book needs another proof
- My plain advice on print on demand book services
- Frequently asked questions
Print on demand book services print a copy only when someone orders it, so you don't pay for a stack of books in the garage. Some focus on distribution to retailers, some on selling from your own store, and some on photo books or short runs. Choose by where you'll sell. Ten options follow, in no particular order.
Self-publishing used to mean ordering hundreds of copies and hoping they'd sell. Print on demand flips that: your book exists as a file, and a printer makes each copy when an order comes in, then ships it to the reader.
The ten services below include distribution platforms, printers for self-publishers, photo book specialists and print APIs for platforms. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from each provider's own website, read this week. If you also print marketing materials, my guide to designing leaflets for print covers the basics of print-ready files.
Print on demand book services at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website or App Store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page says the tool, a plan or a version of the tool is free. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start, so check before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 Hour Books | Book printer for self-publishers | Fast short runs of printed books | Not stated |
| Blurb | Custom book printing service | Photo books and illustrated books | Not stated |
| BookBaby | Self-publishing and printing services | Printing plus design and marketing help | Not stated |
| Bookvault | Print on demand book service | Selling books from your own store | Not stated |
| IngramSpark | Self-publishing print and distribution | Getting a book into wide distribution | Not stated |
| Kindle Direct Publishing | Amazon's self-publishing platform | Selling print and ebooks on Amazon | Yes |
| Lulu | Book printing and publishing platform | Direct sales from your own website | Not stated |
| Mixam | Online printing service | Zines, comics and short print runs | Not stated |
| Peecho | Print on demand API for publishers | Printing built into your own platform | Not stated |
| Printondemand-worldwide | Book printer for authors and publishers | UK academic and trade publishers | Not stated |
Ten print on demand book services to consider
48 Hour Books
Best for: Self-publishers with a deadline who want custom book printing fast, though paperbacks over 500 pages can take an extra day.
Blurb
Best for: Photographers and creatives who want professional printing for photo books and illustrated books, with bulk printing and an API.
BookBaby
Best for: First-time authors who want printing alongside self-publishing services such as cover design and marketing in one place.
Bookvault
Best for: Authors who sell direct and want books printed on demand through Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce or Kickstarter integrations.
IngramSpark
Best for: Independent authors who want their print book distributed widely to retailers and libraries, as well as printed on demand.
Kindle Direct Publishing
Best for: Authors who mainly sell on Amazon and want to self-publish print and digital books with its free tools.
Lulu
Best for: Businesses and authors who want to print books and sell them from their own website through ecommerce integrations.
Mixam
Best for: Creators who want to print books, zines or comics with an online printer that serves several countries.
Peecho
Best for: Platforms and magazine publishers who want a print partner that plugs into their own app or online store.
Printondemand-worldwide
Best for: Academic, educational and trade publishers who want book printing on demand from a UK-based printer.
Which service suits where you'll sell your book
- Mostly on Amazon: Kindle Direct Publishing.
- Bookshops and libraries: a distributor such as IngramSpark.
- From your own website: Bookvault or Lulu.
- Photo books and illustrated books: Blurb.
- Fast copies for an event: 48 Hour Books.
- Built into your own platform: Peecho.
The UK legal duty many self-publishers miss
legislation.gov.uk publishes the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003. Section 1 says a person who publishes a book in the United Kingdom must, at their own expense, deliver a copy of it to an address specified by a deposit library entitled to one.
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Print on demand doesn't change that. If you publish a print book in the UK, you're the publisher, even if a printer makes each copy to order. Check the legal deposit rules before launch, so the copies go where they should.
Getting a print-ready book file right
- Choose your trim size first, because every service lists the sizes it prints.
- Use each service's template for the cover, including the spine width for your page count.
- Export interior files as print-ready PDFs with fonts embedded.
- Check image resolution, margins and bleed against the printer's guide.
- Order a proof copy and read it on paper before you approve the book.
Distribution, direct sales or both
Distribution services list your book with online retailers, bookshops and libraries. You reach more readers, but each sale passes through more hands.
Direct sales services print books for orders from your own website or store. You keep the customer relationship and their email address. Many authors use both: wide distribution for discovery and their own store for fans.
Signs a book needs another proof
- Text runs too close to the edge. Widen the margins.
- Photos look dark. Brighten them for print.
- The spine text is off centre. Recheck the spine width.
- Pages feel thin. Try a heavier paper option.
Do you make print on demand book printing? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on print on demand book services
Decide where most of your readers will buy before you choose a printer. Then order a proof copy from your top choice and check the paper, the colours and the binding with your own hands. A book that feels flimsy won't get good reviews.
Print quality matters for everything you hand out, not only books. My business printing tips cover the same basics.
Frequently asked questions
What is print on demand for books?
It's a way of publishing where each copy is printed only when someone orders it, so you don't need to buy stock up front.
Which print on demand service is best for Amazon?
If most of your sales will be on Amazon, its own self-publishing platform is the natural starting point.
Can I sell print on demand books from my own website?
Yes. Some services connect to stores such as Shopify or WooCommerce and print and ship each order for you.
Do I need an ISBN for a print on demand book?
Most distribution channels need one. Check each service's rules, as some can supply one and others ask you to bring your own.
Do UK self-publishers have to send a copy to a library?
Section 1 of the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 places a legal deposit duty on whoever publishes a book in the UK, so check the rules before launch.
Should I order a proof copy?
Yes. A printed proof shows problems with colours, margins and binding that a screen can hide.
