Harmony Publishing vs Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital is a distribution platform: wide eBook distribution and black-and-white print-on-demand paperbacks.
Short version. Draft2Digital is a do-it-yourself platform: you upload a finished manuscript, it distributes the eBook to many stores and offers black-and-white print-on-demand paperbacks. It does not offer cover art, editing or other author services. We produce the book, print it and set up distribution. For a digital release with a finished, edited manuscript, Draft2Digital is an efficient route. If the book still needs editing, design and production, that work has to happen first.
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 hardcover, colour pages, or editing and cover design from the same team: D2D Print is black-and-white perfect-bound paperback only, and it offers no editing or cover service. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
Choose Draft2Digital if…
- You have a finished, edited manuscript and want one upload to reach many eBook stores and library channels. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want a free ISBN and low upfront cost: D2D charges a $20 activation fee and takes about 10% of the retail price. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want no exclusivity: D2D says it does not require any. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching probably isn't worth it if…
- Your book is finished, edited and already on the stores you want, and a black-and-white paperback is all you need. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- You only want your eBook on more stores: an aggregator does that job well, and moving gains nothing. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
Side by side
| Harmony Publishing | Draft2Digital | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A full-service publisher that produces, prints and distributes | A do-it-yourself distribution platform with a print-on-demand option (D2D Print) (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Fees | From $699 (Essentials) | A $20 one-time activation fee; a $12 annual fee for accounts earning under $100 a year; a cut of about 10% of the retail price (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Physical books | Paperback and hardcover, printed and delivered | Perfect-bound paperbacks in black and white only, in trim sizes from 5" x 8" to 8.5" x 11" (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Where print books sell | Worldwide distribution, set up in your name | Print books 'will be available at Amazon and Ingram' (draft2digital.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-d2d-print, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Editing and cover design | Editing from Premium; cover design included | Not provided: D2D 'does not directly offer cover art creation, manuscript editing, or other author services' (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| ISBN | Registered in your name or your own imprint | A free ISBN assigned automatically; for print you can 'use our free ISBN or bring your own' (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| eBook distribution | eBook conversion and distribution from Complete | Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and others, plus library channels; Amazon is 'invite only' (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Rights | You keep all rights; we take no royalties | No rights acquired and no exclusivity; copyright is not affected (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Best for | Authors who need the book produced, or want a printed book | Authors with a finished, edited manuscript who want wide digital distribution and black-and-white print on demand (draft2digital.com/faq, 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) | Draft2Digital |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $890.08 printing, with delivery included$8.90 per copySee it in the calculator | Not published, quote required (draft2digital.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 (draft2digital.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 with your own ISBN 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 Draft2Digital
- Arrange editing and cover design yourself, since D2D does not offer them. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- Upload the manuscript for conversion, and for print choose a trim size within its 5" x 8" to 8.5" x 11" range. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- Use D2D's free ISBN or bring your own. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- Publish: the print book is listed at Amazon and Ingram. (draft2digital.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-d2d-print, checked 15 October 2026)
- You supply:
- A finished, edited manuscript and a cover. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- You get back:
- A black-and-white paperback printed on demand, plus eBook distribution to many stores and libraries. D2D takes about 10% of the retail price. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- How long:
- The pages we read state no standard turnaround. (draft2digital.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-d2d-print, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching to Harmony from Draft2Digital
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 files and your copyright. D2D says publishing with it 'does not affect your copyright'. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- An ISBN you bought yourself. It is yours to use anywhere.
What does not
- An ISBN assigned by D2D. The pages we read say D2D assigns it; they do not say whether it can be used elsewhere, so ask before you plan the move. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- Store listings and reviews tied to the old ISBN. A new ISBN starts as a new listing.
The order of steps, so the book is never unavailable
- Keep your manuscript, cover and interior files, and leave the D2D listing live while you move.
- 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 withdraw the old edition. D2D says it requires no exclusivity, so both can run during the move, but avoid double-listing the same eBook. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
What to check first
- Was the ISBN assigned by D2D, or is it your own? (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
- Do you hold your cover and interior files?
- Is your book colour or hardcover? D2D Print does neither, so a move may be an upgrade. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
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.
- Draft2Digital'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
- draft2digital.com/faq/ — checked 15 October 2026
- draft2digital.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-d2d-print/ — checked 15 October 2026
- draft2digital.com/ — checked 15 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is Draft2Digital a publisher?
It is a do-it-yourself distribution platform. It sends your eBook to retailers and libraries and offers print on demand, but says it does not directly offer cover art creation, manuscript editing or other author services. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
Can Draft2Digital print my paperback?
Yes, in a limited form. D2D Print offers perfect-bound paperbacks in black and white only, and the books are available at Amazon and Ingram. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026; draft2digital.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-d2d-print, checked 15 October 2026)
What does Draft2Digital cost?
A one-time $20 activation fee for new accounts, a $12 annual fee for accounts earning under $100 a year, and a cut of about 10% of the retail price of every sale. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
Does Draft2Digital keep my rights?
No. It says it does not acquire rights or require exclusivity, and that publishing with it does not affect your copyright. (draft2digital.com/faq, checked 15 October 2026)
Can I use both?
Yes. A book produced with us can also have its eBook distributed through an aggregator. The ISBN belongs to you either way.