Harmony Publishing vs Outskirts Press
Outskirts Press is a US self-publishing company, founded in 2003, offering tiered packages, printing and distribution.
Short version. Outskirts Press and we do broadly the same kind of work: packages that bundle design, printing and distribution. Outskirts Press says professional self-publishing starts at $999 ($599 for eBook-only), and that authors retain their publishing rights. The differences that matter are what each package contains, whose name the ISBN is in, and what royalty share is taken. Ask all three, of any provider, before you commit.
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 what each package includes laid out next to its price: the Outskirts Press cost page we read gives starting prices but no inclusions per package. (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026)
Choose Outskirts Press if…
- You want a provider with a long track record: Outskirts Press says it was founded in 2003. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want a stated starting price and an eBook-only option: it lists $999 for professional self-publishing and $599 for eBook publishing and distribution. (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026)
- You want wide wholesale and library reach named up front: it cites 60,000+ distribution outlets. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching probably isn't worth it if…
- Your book is published, you know whose name its ISBN is in, and you are satisfied with the sales reporting and the terms you signed.
- You only want to compare the starting prices: the headline numbers do not show what each package includes, so ask for the inclusions in writing first. (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026)
Side by side
| Harmony Publishing | Outskirts Press | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A full-service self-publishing company that produces and prints your book | A full-service self-publishing company, founded in 2003 (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Entry price | From $699 (Essentials) | Professional self-publishing 'starts at $999'; eBook-only publishing and distribution is $599 (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Package structure | Five packages with the price and inclusions on one page | Economy, Basic and Ultimate paths for black-and-white books, and three matching full-colour paths. The cost page we read lists no inclusions per package (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Design, layout and printing | Cover design, interior layout and printing, by package | Its home page lists cover design, interior formatting and printing, and links to editing services (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Rights | You keep all rights and 100% of royalties | Its home page says authors retain their publishing rights and creative control. It does not state a royalty share (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| ISBN and publisher of record | Registered in your name or your own imprint | It links a 'Private ISBN' service. The pages we read do not say whose name an ISBN is registered in (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Distribution | Worldwide, set up in your name | It cites 60,000+ distribution outlets through retail, wholesale, library and subscription channels (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026) |
| Best for | Authors who want clear ownership terms in writing | Authors who want a long-established US provider with a published starting price (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026; outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, 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) | Outskirts Press |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $890.08 printing, with delivery included$8.90 per copySee it in the calculator | Not published, quote required (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, 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 (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, 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 a cover, an ISBN and wide distribution.
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 Outskirts Press
- Choose a path: black-and-white or full-colour, at the Economy, Basic or Ultimate level. (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026)
- Add the services you want on top. The home page links editing, custom cover design and a private ISBN service. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- Ask for the inclusions of your chosen path in writing, since the cost page we read does not list them. (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026)
- You supply:
- Your manuscript. The pages we read do not list what else Outskirts Press asks for. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- You get back:
- A book with cover design, interior formatting and printing, distributed through the outlets it cites. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- How long:
- No turnaround is stated on the pages we read. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Switching to Harmony from Outskirts Press
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 files you were given. Ask for the print-ready and editable files before you decide. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- An ISBN you bought yourself. It is yours to use with any printer.
What does not
- An ISBN that is registered in the provider's name. The pages we read do not say whose name Outskirts Press registers it in, so ask before you plan the move. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- Retailer 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
- Ask Outskirts Press in writing for your files, the ISBN details and the steps to end the distribution, and leave the book live meanwhile. (outskirtspress.com, 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 Outskirts Press to end the old edition. Its public pages do not say how to remove a title, so ask first. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
What to check first
- Whose name is the ISBN registered in? (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
- Do you hold the print-ready and editable files?
- What does your contract say about ending the agreement and any royalty share? (outskirtspress.com, 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.
- Outskirts Press'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.outskirtspress.com/ — checked 15 October 2026
- www.outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html — checked 15 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is Outskirts Press cheaper than Harmony Publishing?
Compare packages on inclusions rather than headline price. Outskirts Press lists a starting price of $999 and $599 for eBook-only, but its cost page does not list what each package includes. Our packages and prices are published, so the comparison is direct. (outskirtspress.com/self-publishing-cost.html, checked 15 October 2026)
Who owns my book?
With us, you do. The ISBN is registered in your name or your imprint, you are the publisher of record, you keep 100% of royalties, and you receive your editable and print-ready files.
Does Outskirts Press say what royalty share it takes?
Its home page says authors retain their publishing rights and creative control. It does not state a royalty rate or share on the pages we read, so ask for it in writing. (outskirtspress.com, checked 15 October 2026)
Can I get my files and move later?
With us, yes: you receive your print-ready proof PDF, your editable interior and your cover files. Ask any provider to confirm that before you sign.