Harmony Publishing vs Kobo Writing Life
Kobo Writing Life is Rakuten Kobo's self-publishing platform for eBooks and audiobooks.
Short version. Kobo Writing Life is a self-publishing platform for eBooks and audiobooks: you upload your own files, it pays up to 70%, and it asks for no exclusivity. It does not offer print. We produce the whole book, print and eBook, with cover, layout, ISBN and distribution, and you keep 100% of royalties. If you want a do-it-yourself digital release, Kobo Writing Life is a strong choice. If you want the book produced and printed, that is our job.
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 a printed book: Kobo Writing Life offers eBooks and audiobooks only. (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026)
Choose Kobo Writing Life if…
- You want a digital-only release with finished files: Kobo's royalty is up to 70%, and it asks for no exclusivity. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026; kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/build-your-global-sales-with-kobo-writing-life, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want audiobooks as well as eBooks on one platform. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want to price the eBook free: Kobo says books can be priced free. (kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/build-your-global-sales-with-kobo-writing-life, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching probably isn't worth it if…
- Your book is eBook-only, finished and selling on Kobo; nothing about the service is failing you. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want to add a print edition: Kobo asks for no exclusivity, so you can keep the eBook there and print elsewhere. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
Side by side
| Harmony Publishing | Kobo Writing Life | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A full-service publisher: editing from Premium, cover, layout, ISBN, printing, eBook and distribution | Kobo's self-publishing platform for eBooks and audiobooks (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Formats | Paperback and hardcover, plus eBook | eBooks and audiobooks only; Kobo does 'not offer paperback/hardcover book publishing or print-on-demand services' (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Royalties | You keep 100% of royalties and all rights | Up to 70%: 70% for books priced $2.99 and higher, 45% below that (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026; kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/build-your-global-sales-with-kobo-writing-life, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Reach | Worldwide distribution, set up in your name | Readers in over 200 countries, through Kobo (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Exclusivity | No exclusivity | Kobo says it will 'never ask you for exclusivity' (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Best for | Authors who want the whole book produced, printed and distributed | Authors with finished files who want free, non-exclusive digital distribution (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026; kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, 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 packages 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) | Kobo Writing Life |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $890.08 printing, with delivery included$8.90 per copySee it in the calculator | No print option is described (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, 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 | No print option is described (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, 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 book with your own ISBN and get it to readers.
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 Kobo Writing Life
- Prepare your finished eBook files (and audiobook files if you want one) yourself. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
- Upload them to Kobo Writing Life and set the price; royalty is 70% at $2.99 and above. (kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/build-your-global-sales-with-kobo-writing-life, checked 15 October 2026)
- For a printed book, arrange print separately: Kobo does not offer it. (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026)
- You supply:
- Finished, edited eBook files and a cover. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
- You get back:
- An eBook (and audiobook) available to readers in over 200 countries, with no exclusivity. (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026; kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
- How long:
- The pages we read state no standard turnaround. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
Using Kobo Writing Life and Harmony together
Kobo is an eBook and audiobook platform, so this is rarely a move. Because Kobo asks for no exclusivity, most authors keep the Kobo eBook and add a printed edition with us.
What moves with you
- Your eBook listing can stay where it is: Kobo says it will never ask for exclusivity. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
- Your files. Keep your own copies of the manuscript and cover.
What does not
- A print edition. Kobo does not offer paperback or hardcover publishing, so there is nothing to move; the print edition is new. (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026)
- Reviews on Kobo. A print edition has its own ISBN and its own listing.
The order of steps, so the book is never unavailable
- Keep the Kobo eBook live. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, 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.
What to check first
- Does your print edition need its own ISBN? An eBook and a paperback are different formats.
- Do you hold the final manuscript 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.
- Kobo Writing Life'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.kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife — checked 15 October 2026
- kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life — checked 15 October 2026
- www.kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/build-your-global-sales-with-kobo-writing-life — checked 15 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Does Kobo Writing Life print paperbacks?
No. Kobo says it only offers eBooks and audiobooks and does not offer paperback or hardcover publishing or print on demand. A printed book needs a separate print route. (kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026)
What royalty does Kobo Writing Life pay?
Up to 70%. Kobo says 70% applies to books priced $2.99 and higher, and 45% to books under $2.99. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026; kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/build-your-global-sales-with-kobo-writing-life, checked 15 October 2026)
Can I use Kobo Writing Life and Harmony Publishing together?
Yes. Kobo says it will never ask for exclusivity, so a book produced and printed with us can also have its eBook on Kobo. The ISBN is yours either way. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026)
Who is Kobo Writing Life best for?
Authors comfortable preparing their own files who want wide digital distribution. It is less suited to authors who want hands-on editing, cover design, layout or printed copies. (kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife, checked 15 October 2026; kobowritinglife.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058975412-What-is-Kobo-Writing-Life, checked 15 October 2026)