For authors who want premium print quality, direct sales control, and the freedom to sell outside the Amazon ecosystem, Lulu publishing has quietly built one of the most author-friendly platforms in the self-publishing world. Founded over two decades ago by a tech industry visionary, Lulu has evolved far beyond a simple print-on-demand service — it’s now a full-scale publishing infrastructure powering direct-to-consumer book sales for independent authors, entrepreneurs, and businesses worldwide.
Whether you’re weighing Lulu vs Amazon KDP, exploring Lulu print on demand for author copies, or curious about the Lulu bookstore and its direct sales advantages, this guide covers everything you need to make an informed decision.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn:
Lulu publishing is a global print-on-demand and self-publishing platform founded in 2002 by Bob Young, the Canadian-American entrepreneur who co-founded Red Hat, the open-source software giant acquired by IBM for $34 billion in 2019. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Lulu was built on a simple but revolutionary idea: give creators complete control over their content, pricing, and distribution without the gatekeepers of traditional publishing.
Since its founding, Lulu has helped over 1 million authors publish their work and currently adds approximately 15,000 new creators from 80+ countries every week [1]. The company operates a global network of 10+ print facilities and ships to more than 150 countries, making it one of the most internationally accessible POD platforms available.
What truly sets Lulu apart from competitors is its open-source philosophy inherited from its founder. Lulu doesn’t lock authors into exclusive agreements or force them into a single marketplace. Instead, it functions as a printing and fulfillment partner — you retain all rights, set your own prices, and decide exactly where and how your book sells
At its core, Lulu print on demand operates on a simple four-step model: Upload → Sell → Print → Fulfill. Unlike traditional publishing, where books are printed in large quantities and stored in warehouses, Lulu only prints a book when a customer orders it. This eliminates upfront printing costs, reduces waste, and allows authors to offer their books globally without ever touching inventory.
Here’s how the process flows:
Submit your formatted interior PDF and cover PDF through Lulu’s platform. No upload fees, no hidden charges.
You control the retail price. Lulu deducts the printing cost and a small platform fee, and you keep the rest.
Sell through the Lulu bookstore, your own website via Lulu Direct, or distribute to 40,000+ retailers worldwide including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
When a customer orders, Lulu prints, binds, packages, and ships the book directly to them under your brand.
Pro Tip: Lulu’s Order Import Tool lets you bulk-upload CSV spreadsheets of orders — a game-changer for Kickstarter campaigns, pre-order promotions, or event sales. Upload hundreds of addresses at once instead of entering them manually.
One of Lulu publishing platform’s biggest strengths is its sheer variety of product formats. Unlike KDP, which focuses primarily on standard paperbacks and ebooks, Lulu supports a wide range of creative and specialty products:
Product Type | Binding/Format Options | Best For |
Paperback Books | Perfect bound, coil bound, saddle stitch | Novels, memoirs, textbooks, general nonfiction |
Hardcover Books | Casewrap, dust jacket, linen wrap | Premium editions, gifts, libraries, special releases |
Photo Books | Hardcover with premium color | Photography portfolios, coffee table books, visual art |
Ebooks | EPUB, PDF | Digital distribution, lead magnets |
Wall Calendars | 12-18 month, spiral bound | Promotional items, seasonal products |
Notebooks & Journals | Paperback, coil bound | Merchandise, branded products, planners |
Magazines | Perfect bound, full color | Periodicals, zines, niche publications |
Comic Books | Saddle stitch, perfect bound | Graphic novels, sequential art |
Cookbooks | Full-color, various bindings | Recipe collections, food photography |
Children’s Books | Landscape, square formats, full color | Picture books, early readers |
Lulu offers 30+ trim sizes (compared to KDP’s 15+), including specialty formats like square books, pocket sizes, and landscape orientations that other platforms simply don’t support.
Getting your book live on Lulu self-publishing is straightforward, though it does require properly prepared files. Here’s the exact process:
Sign up for a free account at lulu.com. You’ll need to complete your tax and payment information before you can publish.
Select from paperback, hardcover, ebook, or one of Lulu’s specialty formats. Each format has specific file requirements.
Lulu requires a print-ready PDF formatted to your chosen trim size. Download Lulu’s free templates for Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, or Microsoft Word to ensure proper margins, bleed settings, and formatting.
Use Lulu’s cover designer tool or upload a custom PDF. The cover must include a spine (for books over 32 pages) and meet Lulu’s bleed requirements. The platform provides a custom cover template generator based on your exact page count.
Use Lulu’s pricing calculator to determine your printing cost, then set a retail price that ensures healthy royalties. Your price must be at least 2x the printing cost to qualify for distribution.
Decide where you want to sell: – Lulu Bookstore only — No distribution fee, highest royalties – Global Distribution — One-time $4.99 review fee, distribution to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ingram, and 40,000+ retailers – Lulu Direct — Connect to your Shopify, Wix, or WooCommerce store for direct sales
Always order a physical proof before making your book available to the public. Lulu offers author copies at print cost — no markup.
Once you’re satisfied with your proof, click publish. Books sold through the Lulu Bookstore go live immediately. Global distribution takes approximately 6–8 weeks to appear on retail partner sites.
One of the most attractive aspects of Lulu publishing is that it’s completely free to publish. There are no setup fees, no membership costs, and no charges for uploading your book. You only pay when you order physical copies or opt into global distribution.
Lulu’s pricing model uses three components:
Component | Description | Who Sets It |
Print Cost | Fixed per-unit printing cost based on page count, size, color, and binding | Lulu (calculated) |
Distribution Fee | 50% of gross revenue for retail distribution; 0% for Lulu Bookstore | Lulu (fixed) |
Retail Price | The price customers pay | You (author) |
Let’s break down the math on a 200-page black & white paperback, 6” × 9”, priced at $19.99:
Sales Channel | Revenue Breakdown | You Earn |
Lulu Bookstore (direct) | $19.99 – $5.00 (print) – $4.00 (20% Lulu fee) = $10.99 | ~$11.00 |
Global Distribution (Amazon, B&N, etc.) | $19.99 – $5.00 (print) – $7.50 (50% distribution) – $1.50 (20% Lulu fee) = $5.99 | ~$6.00 |
Amazon KDP (same book for comparison) | $19.99 – $3.40 (print) – $8.00 (40% Amazon fee) = $8.59 | ~$8.60 |
Key insight: Lulu Bookstore direct sales typically earn you more per copy than Amazon KDP. However, global distribution through Lulu pays less than KDP’s native Amazon sales because of the wholesale discount structure.
Pro Tip: For maximum revenue, use a dual-platform strategy: Publish on KDP for Amazon sales (better ranking, Prime eligibility) and Lulu for direct sales (higher margins, customer data). This is the approach most successful indie authors use.
Service | Cost | Notes |
Publishing on Lulu | Free | No upfront costs |
Global Distribution review | $4.99 | One-time fee per new title |
Custom ISBN | $99–$150 | Optional; free Lulu-imprinted ISBN available |
Author copies | Print cost only | No markup on copies you order |
Shipping | Varies by destination | Volume discounts at 100+ copies |
The Lulu bookstore is where Lulu truly shines for authors who have built their own audience. Unlike Amazon, where you’re competing with millions of titles and have no access to customer data, Lulu direct sales put you in full control.
Lulu Direct connects your ecommerce store to Lulu’s global print network. When a customer buys from your website, Lulu automatically charges your payment method for printing and shipping, then fulfills the order under your brand. The entire process can be automated end-to-end.
For authors running Kickstarter campaigns, pre-order promotions, or selling at speaking engagements, Lulu’s infrastructure eliminates the headache of storing, packing, and shipping hundreds of books yourself.
Pro Tip: If you have an established email list, social media following, or website traffic, selling direct through Lulu can double your per-book profit compared to Amazon. The key is having your own audience to drive to your store.
Lulu publishing platform offers multiple pathways to reach readers, giving you flexibility that single-marketplace platforms can’t match.
Channel | Timeline | Cost | Best For |
Lulu Bookstore | Immediate | Free | Highest royalties; direct customer contact |
Global Distribution | 6–8 weeks | $4.99 one-time | Maximum reach; 40,000+ retailers |
Amazon (via Lulu distribution) | 6–8 weeks | Included in global | Non-exclusive Amazon presence |
Barnes & Noble | 6–8 weeks | Included in global | US bookstore presence |
Ingram network | 6–8 weeks | Included in global | Library and bookstore orders |
Lulu’s Global Reach program distributes your book to major bibliographic databases including Nielsen and Bowker, making it discoverable by bookstores and libraries worldwide. Brick-and-mortar stores can order and stock your title at their discretion through Ingram’s catalog.
Important note: Books distributed to Amazon through Lulu will not rank as well as natively published KDP titles, won’t qualify for Prime shipping, and typically earn lower royalties due to the wholesale discount. For serious Amazon sales, most authors publish directly on KDP while using Lulu for direct sales and non-Amazon distribution.
If print quality is a top priority, Lulu print on demand is widely regarded as the best in the industry. Multiple independent reviews and author tests consistently rank Lulu’s materials above KDP and IngramSpark.
Specification | Lulu | Amazon KDP | IngramSpark |
Standard paper weight | 60# (uncoated) | 55# (white) | 55# (varies) |
Premium paper option | 80# coated white | Not available | 60# cream |
Cover stock | 100# | 80# | 80–90# |
Color printing quality | Premium color available | Standard only | Good |
Reviewers consistently note that Lulu’s covers are sharper, less pixelated, and more vibrant than competitors. The higher paper weight gives books a more substantial, premium feel that readers notice.
Binding Type | Formats | Page Range | Best For |
Perfect Bound (paperback) | All sizes | 18–1,050 pages | Novels, memoirs, general books |
Coil Bound | All sizes | 8–1,050 pages | Workbooks, manuals, cookbooks |
Saddle Stitch | Small sizes | Up to 80 pages | Booklets, pamphlets, thin comics |
Casewrap Hardcover | All sizes | 20–1,050 pages | Premium editions, durable books |
Dust Jacket Hardcover | All sizes | 20–1,050 pages | Gift books, collectors editions |
Linen Wrap Hardcover | Select sizes | 20–1,050 pages | Ultra-premium, elegant finish |
Cover finish options include glossy (vibrant, durable, great for art and textbooks) and matte (subtle, professional, best for novels and literary works).
The self-publishing on Amazon process is straightforward, but each step has nuances that affect your book’s success. Here’s the complete workflow:
Lulu’s 60# standard paper (80# premium option), 100# cover stock, and premium color printing consistently produce the highest-quality POD books available. If your book’s physical presentation matters — for events, gifts, or premium positioning — Lulu is the clear choice.
Unlike Amazon, where customer relationships are completely opaque, Lulu Direct gives you access to buyer email addresses for marketing. This alone can be worth thousands in long-term reader lifetime value.
When selling through Lulu Direct on your own website, you retain 100% of the revenue minus only printing and shipping costs. No platform takes a percentage of your sale.
Lulu doesn’t lock you into exclusivity. Publish the same book on KDP, IngramSpark, or anywhere else without restriction. Maintain complete ownership of your content and ISBN.
No setup fees, no membership costs, no upload charges. Your only mandatory expenses are the $4.99 global distribution review fee (if you want retail distribution) and the cost of any proof copies you order.
With 30+ trim sizes (including square, pocket, and landscape formats), six binding types, multiple paper options, and specialty products like calendars and magazines, Lulu offers more customization than any major competitor.
Orders ship under your branding, not Lulu’s. Your customers never know a third party was involved — it looks like you shipped it yourself.
Order 100+ copies and receive a 5% volume discount. For very large orders (500+), custom quotes are available. This makes Lulu viable for conference sales, book signings, and bulk author purchases.
With 10+ print facilities worldwide and shipping to 150+ countries, Lulu offers true global fulfillment — often with lower international shipping costs than US-based-only competitors.
Lulu’s open-source Print API and native integrations with Shopify, Wix, and WooCommerce make it possible to fully automate your book sales, from order to delivery, with zero manual intervention.
No platform is perfect. Here are the real disadvantages of Lulu publishing you need to consider:
Lulu’s superior quality comes at a price. A typical 200-page paperback costs roughly $5.00–$5.50 to print on Lulu compared to $3.40–$3.80 on KDP and $4.45 on IngramSpark. For price-sensitive projects, this difference adds up quickly.
The Lulu bookstore receives a tiny fraction of the traffic that Amazon gets. You will not get discovered browsing Lulu’s store. Every sale requires you to drive your own traffic through marketing, social media, or an existing audience.
When selling direct through Lulu Direct, you’re responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax. This adds accounting complexity that marketplace sellers (like on Amazon) don’t have to deal with. You’ll need a sales tax strategy for your state and possibly other jurisdictions.
To sell direct, you need a website with ecommerce capability (Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce). This means monthly platform fees, payment processing fees, and the technical work of setting up and maintaining your store.
Multiple authors report that Lulu’s customer service, while helpful when reached, is slower to respond than Amazon KDP. Resolution times can extend to days rather than hours, especially during peak periods like the holiday season.
Books distributed to Amazon through Lulu rank lower, don’t qualify for Prime, and earn less than identical books published natively through KDP. If Amazon is your primary sales channel, Lulu distribution isn’t the optimal path.
The 50% wholesale discount on global distribution sales significantly reduces your per-book earnings. A book that earns you $11 on the Lulu Bookstore might only earn $4–$6 through retail distribution channels.
The Lulu vs Amazon KDP decision isn’t about picking a winner — it’s about choosing the right tool for your specific goals. Here’s how they stack up:
Feature | Lulu | Amazon KDP |
Setup Cost | Free | Free |
Royalty (direct/Amazon sale) | ~$11.00 (Lulu Bookstore) | ~$8.60 (Amazon) |
Royalty (retail distribution) | ~$4.00–$6.00 | N/A (Amazon only) |
Print Cost (200pg B&W paperback) | ~$5.00–$5.50 | ~$3.40–$3.80 |
Print Quality | ★★★★★ Excellent | ★★★☆☆ Good |
Hardcover Options | Casewrap, dust jacket, linen | Casewrap only (limited) |
Trim Sizes | 30+ options | 15+ options |
Ebook Distribution | EPUB, PDF | Kindle (MOBI/EPUB) |
Customer Data Access | ✓ Full access (direct sales) | ✗ None |
Organic Discovery | Minimal | Massive (Amazon’s algorithm) |
Prime Eligibility | ✗ (via distribution) | ✓ Native |
Global Retail Distribution | 40,000+ retailers | Amazon only (expanded limited) |
Publishing Speed | 6–8 weeks for retail | 24–72 hours |
Bulk Discounts | 5% at 100+ copies | None |
Exclusive Requirements | None | Optional KDP Select |
Use Amazon KDP when: – Amazon is your primary or only sales channel – You want the fastest path to publication – You need ebook distribution through Kindle – You’re enrolled in Kindle Unlimited – You’re a first-time author without an established audience
Use Lulu publishing when: – Print quality is a top priority – You have an audience and want to sell direct – You need specialty formats (square books, coil bound, photo books, calendars) – You want hardcover with dust jackets – You’re building a brand around premium physical products – You need non-Amazon distribution – You’re running Kickstarter or bulk pre-order campaigns
The pro author strategy: Use both. Publish on KDP for Amazon’s massive customer base and algorithm, and use Lulu for direct sales, author copies, hardcover editions, and non-Amazon distribution. This dual-platform approach maximizes both reach and per-book profitability.
Lulu publishing platform isn’t for every author. Based on our experience helping hundreds of authors publish successfully, here’s who benefits most:
After helping 500+ authors publish across every major platform, here are our top strategies for maximizing your Lulu self-publishing success:
Never publish without seeing a physical copy first. Color accuracy, cover alignment, and interior formatting can look different in print than on screen. The small cost of a proof copy prevents expensive mistakes.
Set different pricing strategies for the Lulu Bookstore vs. global distribution. Your direct-sale price can be lower (since you keep more) while your retail price needs to account for the 50% wholesale discount.
Lulu provides free formatting templates for InDesign, Photoshop, and Word. Using these prevents the most common file rejection issues and ensures your book prints correctly the first time.
On a platform where print quality is the differentiator, a mediocre cover wastes that advantage. Professional cover design typically pays for itself many times over in increased sales.
Don’t rely on the Lulu Bookstore alone. Build an email list, create a dedicated book landing page, and drive traffic from social media to your direct sales channel. The authors who succeed on Lulu are the ones who treat it as part of a broader direct-to-reader strategy.
Publish your paperback on both KDP (for Amazon) and Lulu (for direct sales and author copies). Just ensure you use your own ISBN so both editions link properly in book databases.
If you plan to sell at conferences, book signings, or speaking engagements, order 100+ copies at once to trigger the 5% bulk discount. For large events, contact Lulu for custom quotes on 500+ copies.
Navigating Lulu publishing — from file formatting to pricing strategy to direct sales setup — can be overwhelming, especially when you’re focused on writing. That’s where Keach Publishing Agency comes in.
We’re a full-service publishing agency based in Houston, Texas, with over 10 years of experience helping authors successfully publish across Lulu, Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and other major platforms. As the leading Lulu publishing services Houston provider for Texas authors, we’ve published 500+ books and built 100+ author websites with a 98% client satisfaction rate.
|
Service |
What’s Included |
|
Complete Lulu Setup |
Account creation, file formatting, cover design, pricing optimization |
|
Manuscript Formatting |
Interior PDF preparation using Lulu’s templates and specifications |
|
Cover Design |
Custom cover design optimized for Lulu’s print requirements |
|
Pricing Strategy |
Revenue modeling across Lulu Bookstore and global distribution |
|
Direct Sales Integration |
Shopify/WooCommerce setup with Lulu Direct connection |
|
Author Website Design |
Custom website to drive direct sales and capture reader emails |
|
Dual-Platform Publishing |
Coordinated release on Lulu + KDP for maximum reach |
|
Ongoing Support |
Proof ordering, distribution monitoring, and troubleshooting |
Keach Publishing Agency
5906 Jessamine St, Suite B4
Houston, Texas 77081
Call/Text: +1 (346) 547-7055
Email: info@keachpublishingagency.com
Whether you need help formatting your manuscript for Lulu’s specifications, designing a cover that takes advantage of Lulu’s premium printing, or building a complete direct-to-reader sales funnel, our team handles every technical detail so you can focus on what you do best — writing.
Books published for sale through the Lulu bookstore go live immediately after you click publish. For global distribution to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers, expect approximately 6–8 weeks from submission to availability on retail partner sites. Always order and approve a proof copy before releasing your book to the public.
Yes, Lulu self-publishing is completely free to use. There are no setup fees, monthly charges, or upload costs. The only mandatory fees are a $4.99 one-time distribution review fee if you want global retail distribution, and the cost of any proof copies or author copies you order at print cost.
Absolutely. Lulu has no exclusivity requirements, so you can publish the same book on both platforms simultaneously. Most successful authors use this dual-platform strategy: KDP for Amazon’s massive audience and algorithm, and Lulu for direct sales, author copies, hardcover editions, and non-Amazon distribution. Just be sure to use your own ISBN (rather than a platform-assigned one) for seamless linking across databases.
Lulu print on demand consistently ranks as the highest quality among major POD services. Lulu uses 60# standard paper (vs. KDP’s 55#), offers an 80# premium option that KDP doesn’t have, and prints covers on heavier 100# stock (vs. KDP’s 80#). Independent tests show Lulu covers are sharper, less pixelated, and have richer colors. If physical book quality matters for your brand or audience, Lulu is the clear winner.
Lulu Bookstore sales happen directly through Lulu’s website — you earn the highest royalties (80% of gross profit), keep customer email addresses, and have no distribution fees. Global distribution sends your book to 40,000+ retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but takes a 50% wholesale cut plus 6–8 weeks to activate. Use the Lulu Bookstore for direct sales and global distribution for maximum retail reach.
No, but it’s recommended. Lulu provides a free Lulu-imprinted ISBN that allows you to sell through their bookstore and distribution network. However, if you plan to publish the same book on multiple platforms (Lulu + KDP + IngramSpark), purchasing your own ISBN ($99–$150) gives you full control and ensures all editions link properly in book databases like Bowker.
Lulu publishing stands apart in the crowded self-publishing landscape by doing one thing better than anyone else: empowering authors who want control. Control over print quality. Control over pricing. Control over customer relationships. And control over where and how their books sell.
For authors with an established audience — whether that’s an email list, social media following, speaking circuit, or coaching practice — Lulu self-publishing offers the tools to build a profitable direct-to-reader business that keeps more revenue in your pocket than any other major platform. The superior print quality, white-label fulfillment, and 100% profit retention on direct sales make it the professional author’s platform of choice.
But Lulu isn’t a magic bullet. It won’t drive traffic to your book. It won’t handle your sales tax obligations. And it won’t out-perform KDP on Amazon’s turf. The authors who thrive on Lulu are those who treat it as one strategic piece of a broader publishing plan — not the whole plan itself.
The good news? You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Keach Publishing Agency has helped hundreds of authors navigate the Lulu publishing platform successfully — from manuscript formatting to cover design to direct sales integration and beyond. With 500+ books published, 100+ author websites built, and a 98% client satisfaction rate, we have the expertise to make your Lulu launch seamless and profitable.
📞 Ready to publish on Lulu? Call us today at
+1 (346) 547-7055 or
email info@keachpublishingagency.com
for a free consultation. We’ll help you decide if Lulu is the right fit for your book — and then handle every detail of getting it published.
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