Lulu vs IngramSpark vs Amazon KDP Print

A fair UK and global English look at three common print-on-demand paths for indie paperbacks and hardcovers. This page is about print — not wide ebook aggregation. For ebook aggregators and Amazon ebook strategy see Draft2Digital vs PublishDrive vs KDP vs IngramSpark. Fees, trim lists, and wholesale terms change — confirm on each official site before you upload.

	Lulu	IngramSpark	Amazon KDP Print
Best fit	Authors who want flexible formats, author copies, or direct-to-reader sales from their own site	Authors who want bookstore and library wholesale orders via Ingram’s trade network	Authors whose print sales are mainly on Amazon and who want the simplest Amazon-first paperback/hardcover path
Core strength	Format variety (photo books, unusual sizes, calendars) plus Lulu Bookstore and Lulu Direct (Shopify/Wix/WooCommerce/API)	Trade distribution into bookshops and libraries that order through Ingram	Amazon storefront print with tight KDP account integration
Pricing model	Free to publish; you pay print and shipping. Lulu Bookstore markets ~80% after print cost; Lulu Direct lets you keep the customer sale (you pay Lulu for print/fulfilment). Global Distribution may charge a small one-time fee — confirm current figure	Title setup / revision fees and market-access terms may apply; wholesale discounts and print costs shape your net — confirm current IngramSpark fees	Free to publish; Amazon deducts print cost from the royalty on each sale
Where readers buy	Lulu Bookstore, your own site via Direct, and optional retail/global distribution (including channels that route through broader networks — verify the live list)	Bookshops and libraries ordering via Ingram; not a substitute for Amazon’s own retail algorithm	Amazon marketplaces where you enable print; Expanded Distribution is a separate Amazon option with different maths
File & ISBN bar	PDF interior + cover; ISBN optional for Lulu Bookstore listings; retail distribution needs fuller metadata	Stricter print files and metadata than typical KDP uploads; imprint and ISBN decisions matter for trade	KDP Print templates and previewer; free KDP ISBN available (lists Amazon as publisher) or use your own
UK authors	Ships internationally; use the pricing calculator for GBP-relevant print/shipping estimates on the official site	Common choice for UK trade print / bookstore goals alongside a separate Amazon print setup	Standard path for Amazon.uk print; author-copy and proof shipping rules follow Amazon’s published regions

Who should choose what?

Choose Lulu if direct sales, author copies, or specialty formats matter more than deep bookstore placement — especially with Lulu Direct on your own storefront.
Choose IngramSpark (often alongside KDP Print) if Waterstones-style special orders, library wholesalers, or trade returns policies are part of your plan. Expect a higher bar for files and pricing maths.
Choose Amazon KDP Print if Amazon is where your paperback readers already buy and you want the least friction for that channel. It is not the same as Ingram trade distribution.

Using more than one

A common UK/global English stack is KDP Print for Amazon, IngramSpark for wide bookstore/library print, and sometimes Lulu for direct-to-fan or specialty editions. That means multiple uploads, careful ISBN/imprint choices, and pricing that still works after wholesale discounts. Do not assume Expanded Distribution on KDP replaces IngramSpark — they serve different wholesale realities.

Aside: ebooks and links

Lulu also offers ebook publishing, but most indies still run ebooks through KDP and/or a wide aggregator. For shareable retail links after you are live, Books2Read Universal Book Links sit beside these print choices rather than replacing them.

This page is editorial, not sponsored. See how we monetise. We do not invent fee tables — verify print costs, setup fees, and distribution terms before you publish.

Tool pages: Lulu · IngramSpark · Amazon KDP · Books2Read