Harmony Publishing vs AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse is one of the larger author-services companies, offering publishing plans with editing, marketing and distribution.
Short version. AuthorHouse and we do broadly the same kind of work: editing, design, printing and distribution in one package. The differences that matter are what each plan includes, whose name is on the ISBN, and what royalty rate is paid. AuthorHouse's pages state that you own your rights; its home page shows no prices and the royalty rate was not stated on the pages we read, so ask for both in writing.
Which should you choose?
Choose Harmony if…
- You want the whole run priced up front: our calculator gives the delivered price of 100 to 10,000 copies (for the common black-and-white paperbacks) before you commit, with the freight as its own line when the shipment is heavy.
- You want one team across editing, design, print and distribution, an ISBN registered in your name or your own imprint, and no share of your royalties.
- You want the package price on the page before you speak to anyone: the AuthorHouse home page we read lists no prices. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Choose AuthorHouse if…
- You want a provider that has been publishing for a long time and says it has helped more than 70,000 authors. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want marketing plans and distribution to major bookstores and online retailers worldwide in the same package as the book. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want copyediting included in every publishing plan. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching probably isn't worth it if…
- Your book is published, selling and in your hands: AuthorHouse's copyright page says you own the rights, so nothing about the rights forces a move. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
- You are happy with the royalties you receive and have your files: a move costs a new edition and a new listing.
Side by side
| Harmony Publishing | AuthorHouse | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A full-service publisher that also prints | A full-service author-services company: it says it has 'helped more than 70,000 authors bring their books to life' (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Package prices | Published on our cost page and in the calculator | No prices on the home page we read (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Editing | Copyediting and proofreading from the relevant tier upward | Copyediting: 'Every publishing plan includes copyediting' (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| ISBN | Registered in your name or your imprint | AuthorHouse says it issues every book an ISBN, and that there is no charge for the e-book ISBN. The pages we read do not say whose name it is registered in (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Rights | You keep full rights | Its copyright page says: 'As the copyright owner, you also own the foreign rights to your book' (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Royalties | You keep 100% | The royalties FAQ we read gives no percentage, so we cannot state AuthorHouse's rate. Ask for it in writing (authorhouse.com/en/faq/royalties, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Marketing and distribution | Distribution worldwide, set up in your name | Lists marketing plans and distribution to major bookstores and online retailers worldwide (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Best for | Authors who want the whole route handled with prices shown up front | Authors who want a large, long-established provider and are happy to request a quote (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
Competitor descriptions reflect their published service structure at the time of writing and may change. Check their current terms directly. Our own prices are on the cost page.
The same book, priced on both
One book, priced the same way on both sides: a 6×9 inch paperback, 200 pages, black and white interior on 60lb natural paper, gloss cover, perfect bound, with print-ready files supplied. Printing only, delivered to ZIP code 10001 (New York, NY), Economy delivery.
| Copies | Harmony Publishing (our calculator, today) | AuthorHouse |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $890.08 printing, with delivery included$8.90 per copySee it in the calculator | Not published, quote required (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| 1,000 | $6,623.74 = $6,140.40 printing + $483.34 freight$6.62 per copy, deliveredSee it in the calculator | Not published, quote required (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
Our figure is the live output of our calculator at the moment this page was shown. Where the quantity is small, delivery is included in the price; for a heavy shipment the freight is its own line at the carrier's cost, with no markup. Prices exclude sales tax. A competitor price appears here only with a source and the date we checked it; until we have captured one, the cell says so. We never estimate a competitor's price.
The same job on both
The job: Publish a 200-page paperback and get it on Amazon.
With Harmony Publishing
- Choose a package. Essentials is built for a manuscript that is already edited and covers cover design, interior layout, ISBN assignment, account setup and the publishing submission to KDP and IngramSpark, and distribution worldwide.
- Send your manuscript and a cover brief. If you already own an ISBN for the printed edition you can give it to us in the calculator's ISBN step.
- Approve the proofs. Nothing is printed until you have approved everything.
- We submit the book to the retailers and print-on-demand services and set up distribution in your name.
- You supply:
- A finished, edited manuscript and a cover brief (or a finished cover).
- You get back:
- An ISBN registered in your name or your imprint, your print-ready and editable files, the book live through worldwide distribution, and 100% of your royalties.
- How long:
- 4–6 weeks standard; sometimes up to 8 weeks, depending on the package and how quickly proofs are approved.
With AuthorHouse
- Choose a publishing plan. The home page lists no prices, so request the plan details and the price. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- Copyediting is included in every publishing plan; other services are chosen with your plan. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- AuthorHouse issues the ISBN. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
- Your book is distributed to major bookstores and online retailers worldwide. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- You supply:
- Your manuscript and the details for your chosen plan. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- You get back:
- A published book with an ISBN from AuthorHouse and distribution to major retailers, and marketing plans. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026; authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- How long:
- No standard turnaround was stated on the pages we read. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching to Harmony from AuthorHouse
If you decide to move a book you have already published, this is what carries over, what does not, and an order of steps that keeps the book available the whole time.
What moves with you
- Your manuscript and any final files you hold. Keep your own copies. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
- Your rights: its copyright page says you own them. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
What does not
- The ISBN, if AuthorHouse issued it. The pages we read do not say whose name it is registered in, so ask before you plan the move. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
- Retailer listings and reviews tied to the old ISBN. A new ISBN starts as a new listing, and whether reviews carry over is the retailer's decision.
The order of steps, so the book is never unavailable
- Ask AuthorHouse for your final files and the terms for ending your agreement, and leave the listing live while you move. (authorhouse.com/en/faq/royalties, checked 15 October 2026)
- Decide the ISBN: keep one you own, or take a new one with us.
- Order a single proof copy from us (the calculator prices one copy) and approve it.
- Publish the new edition with us and check it is live on Amazon and the other stores you sell through.
- Only then ask AuthorHouse to withdraw the old edition. The pages we read do not describe how. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
What to check first
- Whose name is the ISBN registered in? (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
- What is your royalty rate, and when is it paid? (authorhouse.com/en/faq/royalties, checked 15 October 2026)
- Do you hold the final interior and cover files?
To price a reprint or a proof copy before you move anything, use the calculator.
Three questions to ask any provider
Including us. The answers decide more about value than the headline price:
- Ask who the publisher of record will be. If it is not you or your imprint, understand why before you sign.
- Ask what royalty share they take. Any percentage of your sales is a cost that compounds over the life of the book.
- Ask whether you receive your editable source files. If you cannot take your interior and cover elsewhere later, you are locked in.
On all three, our answer is: you are the publisher of record, we take no royalties, and you receive your print-ready and editable files.
How this comparison was made
- Prepared by the Harmony Publishing editorial team.
- AuthorHouse's public product, help and terms pages were read on the dates in the sources list; nothing was purchased, and no account was opened.
- Our figures are the live output of our own calculator, for the scenario stated above.
- A competitor price appears only with a source and the date it was checked; until we have captured one, the cell says so. We never estimate a competitor's price.
- Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Each source below carries the date it was checked, which can be earlier.
Sources
- www.authorhouse.com/ — checked 15 October 2026
- www.authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright — checked 15 October 2026
- www.authorhouse.com/en/faq/royalties — checked 15 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is AuthorHouse cheaper than Harmony Publishing?
We cannot say: the AuthorHouse home page we read lists no prices. Ask for the plan price in writing and compare what each includes. Our packages and prices are on the cost page. (authorhouse.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Who owns the rights?
AuthorHouse's copyright page says: 'As the copyright owner, you also own the foreign rights to your book.' With us you are the publisher of record and keep full rights. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
Who owns the ISBN?
AuthorHouse says it issues every book an ISBN. The pages we read do not say whose name it is registered in, so ask. With us it is registered in your name or your imprint. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)
What royalty does AuthorHouse pay?
The royalties FAQ we read gives no percentage, so we cannot state it. Ask for the rate and payment schedule in writing. With us you keep 100% of your royalties. (authorhouse.com/en/faq/royalties, checked 15 October 2026)
Can I move a book from AuthorHouse to Harmony?
Yes. Keep your final files, check whose name the ISBN is in, order a proof, publish with us, and only then end the old listing. (authorhouse.com/en/get-published/copyright, checked 15 October 2026)