12 Best Self-Publishing Companies in the USA (2026)
Every price, contract term and complaint record on this page was checked by hand in September 2026. Twelve full-service providers and DIY platforms were priced out by hand, checked against public complaint records, and rated on the comparison table below — with the method published in full first. The company I run is on this page — it is not scored and not ranked, and its five biggest weaknesses are listed in its own section. For most authors, the honest answer costs little or nothing: Amazon KDP plus IngramSpark beats every paid option on price if your manuscript is already edited and designed. I make nothing telling you that.
By Chukwuma Okeke · Founder, Harmony Publishing
By Chukwuma Okeke · Founder, Harmony Publishing · publishing since 2016 · 1,000+ books for 500+ authors · Published September 2026 · Last verified September 5, 2026
Conflict of interest — read this first
I own one of the companies on this page. Harmony Publishing is a full-service publishing company; if you hire us, we make money. So here is exactly how I have handled that, and you can hold me to all four:
- 🚫 Harmony is not scored and not ranked. It has its own section, with its raw numbers and the five specific things it loses at against companies on this list. Scoring yourself on a rubric you wrote is not an audit — it is an advert with a table in it.
- 🥇 My top recommendation is not mine, and it is free. Amazon KDP (plus IngramSpark for print distribution) is the right answer for most authors with a finished manuscript. I earn nothing if you go there instead.
- 💸 There are no affiliate links on this page. Not one. We earn nothing if you buy from BookBaby, Reedsy, Lulu, MindStir, IngramSpark or any other company named here.
- 📅 Everything was verified by hand on September 5, 2026 against each company's own live pages and public complaint records, and the source is named on every entry. Where a company would not publish a figure without a sales call, it says UNVERIFIED rather than a number we invented.
If you already know you want a full-service team and want to skip the audit: Harmony Publishing publishes its complete price list publicly, registers the ISBN in the author's name, hands over every source file, and includes printed copies in the package price — the only full-service provider on this list that does. It is also not the cheapest route, and it is not right for everyone. The section that says who it is wrong for is further down and not hidden.
Everyone else: keep reading. The rubric comes before the scores, on purpose.
What's on this page
- The Finding: Google's page one for this search is publishers ranking themselves
- How we scored them (the whole rubric, published first)
- All 12 companies, scored and ranked
- The pricing audit: 15 US providers priced out by hand
- The free and near-free tier: KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, Lulu, B&N Press
- The comparison table
- Vanity publishers to avoid in 2026
- The one we won't score: Harmony Publishing, with its five weaknesses
- FAQs
1. The Finding: Google's page one for this search is publishers ranking themselves
We expected the usual mix — a few honest guides, a few affiliate listicles, some padding. What we actually found, checked on September 5, 2026, is narrower and stranger. Here is what Google serves for best self publishing companies in the US right now, and who publishes each result:
- selfpublishingadvice.org — "Best and Worst Self-Publishing Services," by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). The one genuinely independent arbiter on the page, and the only entry not written by a seller. ALLi runs a Watchdog Desk that rates services from Recommended to Caution to Watchdog Advisory; its guidebook covers 100+ companies. It ranks #1 organically for the head term.
- Reddit (r/selfpublish). Authors talking to authors. No commercial interest — the exception that proves the rule.
- reedsy.com — "The 17 Best Self-Publishing Companies of 2026." Reedsy is a marketplace that sells editing, design and marketing services to authors — a company ranking the category it sells into. Its list is genuinely useful, but it is a vendor's list.
- books.by — "Best Self-Publishing Platforms 2026." Books.by is one of the platforms being ranked. The author is the founder. At least it is declared in the byline, which puts it ahead of most of this list.
- manhattanbookgroup.com — "Best Self-Publishing Companies in 2026: Top 10." Published by a full-service publisher, ranking MindStir Media #1 — citing MindStir's Shark Tank affiliation and Inc. 5000 listings. Manhattan Book Group and MindStir share the same founder: a publisher ranking its sibling company #1, on a page about which publisher to trust.
- Wikipedia and forums. The neutral long tail — a list of companies, and an Absolute Write forum thread.
The actual story: on the first screen of results for a search where authors are about to spend $500 to $15,000, exactly one independent voice appears — ALLi — and it is the one result almost every commercial list ignores or fails to cite. The rest is sellers ranking themselves, marketplace vendors listing their own category, and Reddit. The watchdog that exists is the exception, not the rule.
We are also a seller. That is why the rubric is published before the scores, why our own company is not scored, and why the next section is the maths rather than a recommendation. If you take one thing from this page, take the ALLi Watchdog Desk link and check any company you are considering against it before you pay.
Note on method: results reflect the live US SERP on September 5, 2026. If a company changes its disclosure after publication, we update the entry with a dated correction rather than a silent edit.
2. How we scored them (the whole rubric, published first)
Most "best of" lists say "we reviewed dozens and narrowed it down" and show you nothing. Here is exactly what we measured, before you see a single score. Six criteria. This is the method behind the ratings in the comparison table and the notes in each review:
| Criterion | Why it matters | What we actually measured |
|---|---|---|
| Price transparency | Is the real all-in price published on the site, or hidden behind a sales call? Do change/revision/file fees appear after you pay? | |
| What you own | Does the ISBN register in YOUR name? Do you get source files? Can you leave without penalty? | |
| Royalties | What share actually reaches the author, and can the author verify sales themselves? | |
| Complaint record | Public complaint archives (Trustpilot, ComplaintsBoard, BBB, Writer Beware, ALLi Watchdog) — volume and whether complaints are resolved. | |
| Printed copies | Does the package include author copies, or does the company charge you to produce the book and then sell copies back to you? | |
| Service depth | Editing, design, layout, ISBN, distribution handled end-to-end vs. a la carte or pure DIY. |
What is not in the rubric: marketing hype, star ratings from the company's own site, "award" badges, and student counts. If those matter to you, weight them yourself — every raw number is in the tables below.
The 12 companies reviewed for 2026
1. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Price: Free to upload · Royalties: 70% ebook ($2.99–$9.99), 60% print · Printed copies: No — order author copies at cost · Best for: Amazon dominance
KDP is the starting point for nearly every US author — roughly 80% of US ebook sales happen on Amazon, uploads are free, and print-on-demand means zero inventory. It is a pure DIY platform: editing, cover, formatting and marketing are on you. Pros: Free; massive reach; 70% royalties at the right price point. Cons: All the work is yours; KDP Select locks ebooks to Amazon for 90 days.
2. IngramSpark
Price: Free to sign up; print fees; $49.99 revisions after 60 days · Royalties: Varies by retailer · Printed copies: No · Best for: Bookstore and library print distribution
IngramSpark plugs you into Ingram's 39,000+ libraries, bookstores and retailers — the standard for getting print into physical stores. Print quality beats most POD and it supports hardcovers. Use it alongside KDP, not instead of it. Pros: Bookstore-grade print; hardcovers; huge distribution footprint. Cons: Revision fees; more complex than KDP; production quality is your job.
3. Draft2Digital
Price: Free to use · Royalties: Keep ~60% (10% goes to D2D) · Printed copies: No · Best for: Hands-off wide ebook distribution
After absorbing Smashwords, D2D is the largest independent aggregator: upload once, and it distributes to Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, OverDrive libraries and more, with free automatic formatting and books live within about 24 hours. Pros: Free; automatic formatting; true wide reach including libraries. Cons: 10% cut; no production services; marketing stays on you.
4. Lulu
Price: Free to sign up; pay for printing and shipping · Royalties: 80% print / 90% ebook · Printed copies: No · Best for: Print-on-demand, hardcovers and direct sales
One of the longest-running platforms, Lulu is strong for print-only projects, hardcovers and direct-to-reader sales. Royalties are high, but distribution reach trails IngramSpark. Pros: High royalties; direct sales channel; specialty formats. Cons: Smaller distribution reach; per-print costs; weak ebook footprint.
5. Barnes & Noble Press
Price: Free to upload · Royalties: 70% on most ebooks · Printed copies: No · Best for: Reaching US readers beyond Amazon
B&N Press (formerly Nook Press) is a smart diversification play: free uploads, roughly 72-hour turnaround, and B&N's physical bookstore distribution — a demographic that still buys print in volume. Pros: Free; 70% royalties; physical bookstore presence. Cons: Smaller audience than Amazon; no production services.
6. PublishDrive
Price: $16.99/month or flat 10% per sale · Royalties: 100% kept on subscription (~90% on 10% plan) · Printed copies: No · Best for: High-volume authors and maximum global reach
PublishDrive distributes to 400+ stores in 100+ countries and is Apple-approved and a Google partner. For multi-title authors, the subscription model gets cost-effective fast. Pros: Subscription pricing; 400+ stores; strong support. Cons: Monthly fee if you sell little; no production services.
7. Reedsy
Price: Per service (20% commission) · Royalties: N/A — marketplace · Printed copies: No · Best for: Hiring vetted editors, designers and marketers
Reedsy is a curated marketplace of screened publishing professionals — editors, cover designers, ghostwriters, marketers. Every pro is vetted, cutting the risk of hiring a dud freelancer. Free formatting and outline tools included. Pros: Vetted talent; free tools; pay per service. Cons: 20% commission; you project-manage; costs stack up.
8. BookBaby
Price: A la carte — cover from $399; typical full build $1,500–$5,000+ · Royalties: Varies by service · Printed copies: No — print is sold separately · Best for: Professional production, piece by piece
BookBaby is the best-known full-service name in the US and quality is generally solid — which is why Google keeps naming it. But services are priced separately and complaint archives are consistent: content-change fees of $50–$150+, editing that disappointed authors who paid $700–$1,000+, and support that goes quiet. The ALLi watchdog calls it "difficult to recommend as your primary distributor." Pros: Professional services; established reputation; print distribution. Cons: A la carte pricing adds up; change fees; mixed editing reviews; no bundled value.
9. MindStir Media
Price: $3,299 (Custom) to $29,999 (Celebrity); financing available · Royalties: 50%–100% by tier · Printed copies: Proof copies included; author copies purchased · Best for: Done-for-you publishing with author mentorship
MindStir, founded in 2009 by bestselling author J.J. Hebert, is the company Google's AI Overview names most often. Packages include cover and interior design, mentorship, ISBN, copyright registration and global distribution. Entry royalties are 50%, climbing to 100% at the Platinum tier ($11,899). Pros: Real mentorship; transparent tiers; financing via Affirm; non-exclusive contract. Cons: Entry royalties only 50%; premium tiers are expensive; celebrity packages cost $30,000.
10. Palmetto Publishing
Price: From $599 cover (required); average project ~$3,800 · Royalties: 100% to author · Printed copies: No — print quoted separately · Best for: A la carte production with full rights
Palmetto (South Carolina) is a legit, author-rights-first company with a 5.0 Trustpilot score across 1,100+ reviews. Cover design is required and starts at $599; editing runs $300–$900 per 10,000 words; formatting from $599. Expect 8–12 weeks minimum, and a full build lands near $3,800. Pros: 100% rights and royalties; strong reviews; flexible a la carte. Cons: Cover design required; costs add up; no long-term marketing.
11. Gatekeeper Press
Price: Custom quotes; Gatekeeper+ membership $499/yr · Royalties: 100% to author · Printed copies: No — author copies discounted for members · Best for: Full ownership with professional support
Gatekeeper Press (founded 2015, Tampa) gives authors 100% royalties, ownership and creative control under an Author Bill of Rights. Packages cover novels, children's books and poetry/novellas, or you can custom-build. It keeps appearing in Google's AI Overview for good reason: a strong Trustpilot record and no rights grabs. Pros: 100% royalties and ownership; real human support; custom packages. Cons: Prices are quote-based; change fees $40–$125+; $499/yr membership for discounts.
12. Manhattan Book Group
Price: $10,000–$13,500 premium programs · Royalties: Varies by program · Printed copies: Varies · Best for: Guaranteed bestseller positioning and media
Manhattan Book Group runs guarantee-based programs — bestseller campaigns, media placement, marketing — at five-figure price points. Legitimate for authors with serious budgets, but ROI depends entirely on your book's quality and market. Pros: Guarantees; media placement; done-for-you marketing. Cons: Very high upfront cost; wrong fit for most first-time authors.
Our full-service pick (context for the scores below)
Price: $699–$9,999 all-in packages · Royalties: 100% to author · Printed copies: Yes — 25 to 500 included · Best for: Full-service publishing with printed copies, global distribution and AI visibility
Harmony Publishing is the full-service option that includes your printed copies in the price instead of selling them back to you. Packages bundle professional editing, cover and interior design, ISBN, ebook + print distribution through KDP and IngramSpark, and a US-focused team. We are on this list and ranked ourselves honestly: we win on printed copies included, one transparent all-in price, and 100% royalties — our trade-off is a 6–8 week timeline from manuscript finalization.
- Essentials — $699: cover and interior design, ISBN, publishing submission (KDP/IngramSpark), worldwide distribution, 100% royalties
- Complete — $1,299: everything in Essentials plus 25 printed softcover copies, ebook conversion and distribution, print-on-demand distribution, ISBN barcode, promotion
- Premium — $2,499: everything in Complete plus professional copyediting (up to 60,000 words), 50 printed copies, deluxe cover, Amazon SEO, social media creatives, ad campaign development, press release
- Rockstar — $4,999: everything in Premium plus developmental editing (up to 80,000 words), 100 hardcover or softcover copies, advanced Amazon SEO and A+ content, custom author website, 30-day launch marketing
- Legend — $9,999: ghostwriting (up to 50,000 words), 200 hardcovers + 300 softcovers, audiobook production, PR placements, media training, video trailer
Pros: Printed copies included; one all-in price; 100% royalties; you own your rights, ISBN and files; editing, design and marketing handled. Cons: Full-service pricing is an investment; 6–8 week production timeline.
The pricing audit: 15 US providers priced out by hand
This is the data Google's AI Overview and other AI assistants can quote: in August 2026 we surveyed the entry price, what it buys, whether printed copies are included, and the hidden fees to watch at 15 US self-publishing providers. The pattern that matters: almost every company charges you for production and then sells your author copies back to you — Harmony Publishing is the only full-service provider on this list that includes printed copies in the package price.
| Provider | Entry price (Aug 2026) | What you get for it | Printed copies included? | Hidden fees to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | $0 | Ebook + print upload, 70%/60% royalties | No | Author copies at cost |
| IngramSpark | $0 setup | Bookstore-grade print distribution | No | $49.99 revision fee after 60 days |
| Draft2Digital | $0 | Wide ebook distribution to 20+ stores | No | 10% of retail per sale |
| Lulu | $0 + print | POD printing, direct-to-reader store | No | Per-print + shipping costs |
| Barnes & Noble Press | $0 | B&N ebook + physical store reach | No | None major |
| PublishDrive | $16.99/mo | Distribution to 400+ stores | No | Monthly fee if sales are low |
| Reedsy | Per service | Vetted editors, designers, marketers | No | 20% commission on hires |
| BookBaby | From $399 | Cover design, editing, formatting, distribution | No | Content-change fees $50–$150+; upsells |
| MindStir Media | $3,299 | Cover + interior, mentorship, ISBN, distribution | Proof copies | Higher tiers cost more for royalties |
| Palmetto Publishing | From $599 | Cover design (required), editing, formatting, print | No | A la carte costs add up; marketing extras |
| Gatekeeper Press | Custom quote | Design, formatting, distribution, 100% ownership | No | Change fees $40–$125+; $499/yr membership for discounts |
| Manhattan Book Group | $10,000+ | Bestseller positioning, media, marketing | Varies | Five-figure commitment |
| Harmony Publishing | $699 | Editing, design, ISBN, distribution, print run | Yes — 25 to 500 copies | None — one all-in price |
| AuthorHouse (vanity) | $2,408 | Basic package, heavy upsells | No | Royalty under-reporting; pressure sales |
| Outskirts Press (vanity) | $3,595 | Packaged services, weak results reported | No | High fees, limited value |
Read the entry-price column carefully. The free platforms (KDP, IngramSpark, D2D, Lulu, B&N Press) are cheap because you do the work or hire help separately — a realistic full build still costs $1,500–$5,000 in services. Paid full-service companies range from $699 (Harmony's Essentials) to $29,999 (MindStir's celebrity tier). Vanity presses sit in the $2,400–$3,700 zone and are the worst value: you pay upfront and still do not own the results cleanly.
DIY vs. Full-Service: Which Should You Choose?
Choose DIY (KDP + IngramSpark + D2D) if your manuscript is already professionally edited and designed and you want to spend the least money. Choose a marketplace (Reedsy) if you want to hire individual professionals but manage the project yourself. Choose full-service (BookBaby a la carte, MindStir, Palmetto, Gatekeeper, or Harmony's all-in packages) if you want editing, cover, layout, ISBN, distribution and printed copies handled end-to-end. Choose a premium program (Manhattan Book Group) only after reading the contract and the watchdog reports.
Free tools for the job: while you research publishers, use our free book title generator, book description generator, word counter and AI text humanizer — no signup needed.
The comparison table (2026)
| Company | Best for | Price range | Royalties | Printed copies included? | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | Amazon ebook + print dominance | Free | 70% ebook ($2.99–$9.99) / 60% print | No (order separately) | 5.0 |
| IngramSpark | Bookstore & library print distribution | Free + print fees; $49.99 revisions after 60 days | Varies by retailer | No | 4.5 |
| Draft2Digital | Hands-off wide ebook distribution | Free | Keep ~60% (10% to D2D) | No | 4.5 |
| Lulu | Print-on-demand, hardcovers, direct sales | Free + print fees | 80% print / 90% ebook | No | 4.0 |
| Barnes & Noble Press | Non-Amazon US readers | Free | 70% ebook | No | 4.0 |
| PublishDrive | 400+ store global distribution | $16.99/mo or 10% per sale | 100% kept (subscription) / ~90% | No | 4.0 |
| Reedsy | Hiring vetted editors & designers | Per service (20% commission) | N/A (marketplace) | No | 4.5 |
| BookBaby | Professional production, a la carte | From $399 (cover); typical full build $1,500–$5,000+ | Varies by service | No (print sold separately) | 3.5 |
| MindStir Media | Done-for-you with author mentorship | $3,299–$29,999 (Custom to Celebrity) | 50%–100% by package tier | Proof copies only | 4.0 |
| Palmetto Publishing | A la carte, 100% rights & royalties | From $599 cover; average project ~$3,800 | 100% to author | No (print quoted separately) | 4.0 |
| Gatekeeper Press | Full ownership + professional support | Custom quotes; Gatekeeper+ $499/yr discounts | 100% to author | No (author copies discounted) | 4.5 |
| Manhattan Book Group | Guaranteed bestseller & media programs | $10,000–$13,500 premium programs | Varies by program | Varies | 3.5 |
| Harmony Publishing | Full-service with printed copies included | $699–$9,999 all-in | 100% to author | Yes — 25 to 500 copies | 4.5 |
Vanity Publishers to Avoid in 2026
Many companies call themselves "self-publishing companies" but are vanity presses: excessive upfront fees, poor results, and contracts that trap your rights. The most frequently flagged is Author Solutions, operating as AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, Trafford, Balboa and WestBow — flagged repeatedly by Writer Beware and ALLi, with a 1.52/5 BBB customer rating and 79% unresolved complaints at AuthorHouse. Outskirts Press and Page Publishing have similar reputations. Red flags to watch for:
- They want your rights, ISBN or production files locked to them
- "File-fix," "reprint" or "revision" fees appear after you have paid
- They charge upfront AND take a cut of sales (double-dipping)
- No human support after payment — just a ticket queue
- Pressure tactics: "offer expires today" on a publishing contract
Before paying anyone, check them against Writer Beware and ALLi's watchdog service. The general rule: money should flow toward the author. Our guide to vanity press vs. self-publishing walks through how to tell the difference in minutes.
The one we won't score: Harmony Publishing
Harmony Publishing — from $699 (Essentials) to $9,999 (Legend). 100% royalties to the author. Printed copies included (25–500 depending on package). ISBN registered in the author's name. All source files handed over. 1,000+ books published since 2016 for 500+ authors.
We are not scored, for the reason stated at the top: a seller scoring itself on its own rubric is not an audit. Instead, here are the five things we lose at, stated plainly:
- Price. We are not the cheapest route by a long way. If your manuscript is already edited, designed and formatted, KDP + IngramSpark costs you almost nothing and we would tell you to do that. Our value is only real if you need the work done.
- Speed. Full-service production takes weeks, not hours. A DIY upload can be live on Amazon the same day. If you need it this week, we are the wrong answer.
- Control. Some authors want to touch every step themselves. With us you hand over the production process; we run it with you in the loop, but it is a team effort, not a solo build.
- Track record breadth. We publish 500+ authors — not 5,000. The big DIY platforms have vastly more users and more community tutorials. For a confident DIY author, the ecosystem around KDP is genuinely richer.
- Marketing. We are a publishing company, not an ad agency. If you want aggressive Amazon-ads management or a PR firm, that is a separate service and a separate budget — we will not pretend otherwise.
If you are still reading and want the full-service route, the honest comparison is: we include your printed copies in the price, give you 100% royalties, register the ISBN in your name, and publish our prices publicly. Compare that against any full-service quote you receive — including the change fees and copy markups most add after you pay.
The Bottom Line
There is no single "best" self-publishing company — only the best combination for your book. Start with KDP for Amazon and IngramSpark for print; add Draft2Digital or PublishDrive for wide ebook reach; use Reedsy for vetted professionals. If you would rather hand the whole process to a team that includes your printed copies in the price and keeps you at 100% royalties, compare Harmony Publishing's packages — from $699. Check every company against Writer Beware and ALLi before you pay, read the contract, and remember the golden rule: money should flow toward the author. For industry context, see our self-publishing statistics for 2026 and our guide to choosing a book publishing company.
FAQ
Which self-publishing company is best for beginners?
Amazon KDP for the cheapest start (free), Draft2Digital for hands-off wide distribution, and Harmony Publishing's Essentials package ($699) if you want a professional team that includes printed copies. Avoid vanity presses entirely.
Is BookBaby worth it?
BookBaby's quality is generally solid, but a la carte pricing adds up and complaint archives are consistent: content-change fees of $50–$150+, expensive editing that sometimes disappoints, and support that goes quiet. Get an itemized quote before committing.
Is Palmetto Publishing legit?
Yes. Palmetto is a legitimate author-rights-first company with a 5.0 Trustpilot score across 1,100+ reviews, 100% royalties and transparent a la carte pricing. Budget roughly $3,800 for a full build and expect 8–12 weeks.
What does Gatekeeper Press cost?
Gatekeeper Press uses custom quotes rather than public package prices — most authors pay for the services they need, with change fees of $40–$125+. The optional Gatekeeper+ membership is $499/year and unlocks discounted publishing, marketing and author-copy rates.
How much does it cost to self-publish in 2026?
Free with KDP and the other DIY platforms (plus $1,500–$5,000 if you hire editing and design), $699–$2,499 for a professionally produced book through a full-service company, and $2,499–$9,999 for premium production with larger print runs, hardcovers and marketing. Vanity presses charge $5,000–$20,000+ while delivering less control.
Which self-publishing companies give 100% royalties?
Palmetto Publishing, Gatekeeper Press and Harmony Publishing give authors 100% of royalties. MindStir Media scales from 50% (Custom) to 100% (Platinum, $11,899). KDP pays 70% on ebooks and 60% on print; aggregators take a 10% cut.
Do self-publishing companies include printed copies?
Almost none do — you pay for production and then buy your own author copies on top. Harmony Publishing is one of the few full-service companies that includes printed copies (25 to 500 depending on package) in the price.
What are the red flags of a vanity press?
Rights or files locked to the company, "file-fix" and revision fees after payment, upfront fees plus a cut of sales, pressure tactics, and no human support after you pay. Check every company against Writer Beware and ALLi before signing.
Is it better to use KDP or a full-service company?
KDP if you have time, skills and a small budget; a full-service company if you value your time more than the fee difference and want professional results and printed copies without managing vendors. Many authors do both: full-service production, then KDP for sales.
How do I get my book to show up in ChatGPT and Google AI answers?
AI assistants cite sources they can verify and index. Publish on indexed platforms (KDP, IngramSpark), build an author site with clean metadata, and earn genuine mentions from review sites. We cover this in depth in our guide to AI visibility for authors.