--- source_url: "https://selfpub.substack.com/p/publishdrive-review-wide-publishing-2025" title: The Real Value of Going Wide with PublishDrive mirrored_at: 2026-08-06T01:06:21.625Z host: selfpub.substack.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/selfpub.substack.com/p/publishdrive-review-wide-publishing-2025" --- > **Original source:** https://selfpub.substack.com/p/publishdrive-review-wide-publishing-2025 Full disclosure: Some of the links in this post are part of affiliate program where I earn a small commission if you choose to use them, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your understanding and support. [PublishDrive](https://dalelinks.com/publishdrive) is a self-publishing platform built for authors who want more control, more reach, and a clearer understanding of what they earn. Instead of taking a share of your royalties, the service uses a subscription model so you keep 100% of your net profits. That idea alone has caught the attention of a lot of indie authors. Many people feel boxed in on Amazon KDP. Price requirements for the higher royalties, unpredictable algorithm behavior, and random account terminations make it hard to feel secure. That frustration has more authors looking for an alternative that lets them build a sustainable wide publishing business. Is PublishDrive the alternative to KDP that authors have been waiting for? And are they meant for everyone? PublishDrive is a self-publishing platform that focuses on wide distribution for ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks. The company started in 2014 with a simple goal: give authors global reach without tying them to a single retailer. That focus helped them grow into one of the most recognized wide publishing services in the industry today. The platform distributes books to hundreds of stores around the world. These include major retailers, subscription platforms, library systems, and international outlets that many authors struggle to reach on their own. This broad access appeals to writers who want their books available in more places than the usual handful of storefronts. PublishDrive built its reputation on clean design and powerful technology. Authors often praise the dashboard for its speed, clarity, and ease of use. The layout avoids clutter and highlights the information that matters most, which helps authors track performance without getting lost in complex menus. The subscription model also sets them apart. Most platforms take a percentage of every sale. For instance, Draft2Digital takes 10% of the retail cost, Lulu takes 10-20% of net profits, and Streetlib takes 15-30% of net profits. Instead, PublishDrive charges a fixed monthly fee and lets authors keep 100% of their net profits. Writers who publish consistently or manage a growing catalog often see this as a stronger long-term business plan. To help authors decide if the subscription model makes sense for them, PublishDrive has a [calculator](https://calculator.publishdrive.com/) that compares flat fee costs to revenue share platforms and shows the difference in projected earnings. They compare PublishDrive with Draft2Digital and IngramSpark. You’ll have a clear understanding if PublishDrive is right for you. The Book Sales Calculator will tell you what company is the best choice of the three. This type of transparency is refreshing. They’re not looking to get _every_ author out there; just the ones who have the audience and the right marketing plan in place so that the monthly subscription fee is a drop in the bucket compared to other platforms that use a revenue share model. Fun fact: PublishDrive used to be a revenue share platform until about September 2019, when they quietly transitioned to the current subscription-based model. PublishDrive offers a wide range of tools and options, but rather than get lost in the weeds by providing every last thing about the company in one video, I’ll hit the high-level points. Rest assured, if you explore the dashboard and find something you don’t understand, you can always visit its Help Center for answers. I’ve worked with dozens of self-publishing platforms, and none of them compare to the intuitive user interface of PublishDrive’s dashboard. It’s clean, easy to understand, and the best part is its publishing process. Rather than breaking up your upload workflow into distinct steps, PublishDrive provides a seamless one-page process. That way, if you’re ever unsure of what you set for keywords, the categories you chose, or even what file you uploaded, all you have to do is scroll up or down to get your answer. Platforms like KDP offer a three-step publishing process, which creates additional friction when authors need to refer back to previous sections. Not with PublishDrive. One page has all the publishing elements and progresses through a logical workflow, making it dead simple to publish a book. According to PublishDrive, they distribute ebooks to 29 retailers, library distributors, and subscription channels. However, they will lose one of those options in Baker & Taylor as the company is shutting down operations by 2026 after nearly 200 years of operation. But that doesn’t take away from the other 28 options. You can freely choose any or all of the options. In major US and worldwide retailers, you get: - Amazon - Apple - Google Play Books - Kobo - Barnes & Noble The royalty is 70% for each of those, except for Barnes & Noble, which provides 65%. This is a bit unusual considering that Barnes & Noble Press offers a 70% royalty for direct distribution. But that 5% makes up for having to manage multiple dashboards. For the seven reading subscription services, the royalty gets a little more complex, ranging from 25% to 60%, with most offering a 55% royalty. With their five global library distributors—remember, Baker & Taylor is no longer an option—you get anywhere from 50% to 70%. And lastly, among their eight regional stores in Asia, East Europe, and West Europe, you’ll get about 50% to 65% royalty. You can always look at the breakdown for each store in their public facing page at PublishDrive.com/Stores.html. Again, transparency is incredible with this platform, so you always know what you’re getting and don’t have to read the fine print of your agreement or guess what the royalty will be. Currently, PublishDrive accepts ebook files in epub or docx, however, if you have the latter, you’ll need to convert the file in their free ebook converter, available to all account holders whether free or paid. I’ve yet to use this option since I always come with an epub file. But it’s incredibly useful for any authors on a tight budget or with low patience for tech. Ebook distribution is why I came to PublishDrive back in early 2018, after the close of the ebook distribution platform called Pronoun. Migrating my extensive catalog was going to be an enormous project in the undertaking, but PublishDrive made that transition smooth and frictionless. You could get away with distributing direct to 7 of the 28 options, but the rest are either exclusive to PublishDrive or accessible through other aggregate publishers (i.e., Draft2Digital, Streetlib, IngramSpark). If you plan to use more than PublishDrive for wide distribution, I highly recommend double checking where your ebook is going to make sure it’s not being sent to the same retailer or library distributors. Side note: If you’re finding this information helpful, you’re going to love my award-winning book Wide Publishing for Authors. You can get it at every major online retailer and in libraries when you visit [DaleLinks.com/WideBook](https://dalelinks.com/widebook). Around 2020, PublishDrive added print-on-demand and audiobook distribution—a real game-changer since few other platforms offered all three options under one roof (see BookBaby or Streetlib). Though they only have four options for distribution, the partners they tap into have wide reach and fair royalties. These include: - Amazon = 8 stores at a 50% royalty - Ingram Distribution = 39,000 stores at a 45% royalty - China Print = 3 online retailers and “thousands of libraries” with a 50% royalty - Repro India = 3 stores with a 50% royalty Keep in mind, you’re getting the royalty after the retailers deduct print costs. The other part of the royalty goes to the retailers, not PublishDrive. I know seeing the royalties can be confusing when I say 100% net profits through PublishDrive. The only thing PublishDrive takes is your monthly subscription dues. That’s it! Just another reminder that you can select any or all of the distribution options. You’re not limited to an all-or-nothing situation like you get with IngramSpark or Draft2Digital Print. Choose what you want and move on with your life. However, there’s a big issue to consider with China Print: censorship. Though PublishDrive makes it available to all account holders, China ultimately chooses what books it’s going to stock. And, Repro India works a _lot_ slower ingesting titles than most retailers. Of the six paperbacks I’ve distributed through PublishDrive, only four of the six made it into Repro India, with two sitting in limbo for over three months. For China Print though? None of the titles has made it through. And to their credit, I haven’t drawn one single hairy dime on Repro India. I’ll own that since I’ve not done any marketing efforts in India. In the event you’re strongly considering PublishDrive for print distribution because of these two unique avenues, proceed with caution. The next big catch is that in order for you to order proofs, you must publish your print book first. Yep, that means there’s no checking the print quality or proofing for errors in a paperback before launch. You just have to trust it’ll work out. Yes, PublishDrive has a print book converter, so you can bring a docx or epub file to convert to PDF. Or you can bring your own PDF (which is what I do). You’ll also need to bring your own cover design in PDF. I use my print ready files for KDP on PublishDrive with no issues, but I recommend reading up on their specs before uploading your content. Right now, PublishDrive only offers paperback books, but has been teasing hardcover as an option in the dashboard for the past year or so. They also have thirty trim sizes, black or full color interiors, two paper types in fifty-pound white or crème paper, and glossy or matte cover finishes. You must bring your own ISBN since they no longer provide free ones. So, I put PublishDrive to the test and ordered a paperback from them. Sadly, I had to wait several days for them to approve my book, then easily another couple of weeks for Ingram to stock my book. I could’ve added Amazon as an option and got the proof faster, but I was already distributing that book through KDP. And they don’t offer print proofs for Repro India or China Print. Ingram was my only option. However, I knew it was going to come out good based on my experience with IngramSpark, Draft2Digital Print, and Barnes & Noble Press. The proof cost $3.78, and with shipping and taxes, the total came to $17.74. This is a bit high for proof costs. Places like KDP and IngramSpark charge considerably less. Heck, you can get two books for that price through those platforms. I’d love to see PublishDrive walking those prices back and offering the option to order _before_ pushing out to retailers. I got the book in ten days, which is pretty much the same delivery time for most print on demand companies. My book arrived in a custom cardboard mailer and packed with a shipping slip. I chose a 6x9 trim size, matte cover, and black ink for the interior. It’s no surprise that the quality came out pretty good since, again, the print fulfillment is the same as IngramSpark and Draft2Digital. The cover came out vibrant, but I will have to mark them down a few notches because of hand and fingerprints on the front cover. It’s small, but to a discerning customer, it could be _big_. Whoever is handling the printing should use latex gloves or wash their hands before ever handling the books. This attention to care goes a long way. To be clear, this shouldn’t reflect on PublishDrive, but they should be made aware of these issues so that they escalate these issues with Ingram or Amazon. Overall, print distribution is nice through PublishDrive, but probably not right for me at this time since I’ve had better luck with other platforms like IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, or even KDP. Most likely, moving forward I won’t be using PublishDrive for print distribution, but it’s still a viable option for folks who do _not_ want to mess with the other options. For a better look at the quality, watch [this video](https://youtu.be/Emkabr-KXbI). Audiobook distribution is something I’ve yet to explore on PublishDrive, but it’s on my roadmap for future publications to test. They currently offer 13 audiobook retailers, subscription services, and library distributors between 20% to 50%. Besides those options, they also offer AI-narrated audiobook platforms through Apple Books and ElevenReader. The latter option is only available through Elevenlabs or through PublishDrive, so if you’re looking to break ground in the AI audiobook retailers, this might be something worth considering. Apple offers a 45% royalty, and ElevenReader provides 50%. You’ll need to read the fine print for some of these partners, because the royalty doesn’t always reflect how you’re actually paid. Do your research ahead to see if PublishDrive audiobook distribution is right for you. PublishDrive accepts audiobooks in: - MP3 and M4B formats, - In stereo - A minimum bitrate of 192kbps - A sample rate of 44.1kHz - Each audio file can’t be longer than 78 minutes - A 0.5 to 1-second pause at the beginning - 1 to 5 seconds of room tone at the end If you’ve formatted your audiobooks for ACX before, it’s pretty much the same strict standards. The cover must be square with a minimum of 1,400 pixels and 72dpi. PublishDrive gives you full control over your audiobook pricing. The industry uses loose guidelines based on listening time, but nothing forces you into a fixed range. You can set the price that fits your strategy and adjust it whenever you need to. Length influences listener expectations, yet PublishDrive leaves the final decision in your hands so you can choose the value that works best for your audience and your catalog. Keep in mind that Audible still currently prices your audiobook based on length, but I recently spoke with the team at ACX, where they shared that soon authors will be able to set their own price. Hang in there, I’m sure once Audible fixes this flawed model, PublishDrive will be the first to benefit. PublishDrive is always trying to level up its game and offer unique features you won’t find anywhere else. For instance, their promotions tab is pretty incredible whether you’re working with a limited budget or have deeper pockets to run paid promotions. Two of five advanced promotion options. You can access the promotions tab on the left side of your dashboard. In it, you’ll find access to Amazon Advertising, Drive Book Sales, and other Advanced Promotions. Yes, quite a few of the options come at a premium, but if you check in every month, you’ll find some free opportunities to showcase your book in front of PublishDrive’s audience or any of their partner’s audiences based on your content and timing. Abacus is PublishDrive’s royalty management tool designed for authors and publishers who work with co-authors, contributors, or larger teams. The software consolidates sales reports from several platforms, calculates royalty splits automatically, and generates clear statements you can share with collaborators. I personally do not use Abacus, but it can be a useful option for anyone who manages shared projects and wants a streamlined way to handle reporting, payments, and transparency across their catalog. This is currently a premium add-on tool. And the latest feature to roll out is the Publishing Assistant. The tool runs on a credit system instead of a subscription add on. The primary functions include: - Craft and optimize metadata - Create a cover image - Craft description ( blurb) - Generate keywords - Generate Amazon categories - Generate BISAC categories Craft and optimize metadata is one of five features in the Publishing Assistant. You start with sixty free credits to test it on at least one book. After that, you can top up credits as needed. Pricing starts at 100 credits for $9.99, 300 credits for $24.99, and 500 credits for $39.99. I’ve only dabbled with this tool, so I can’t say for certain on how useful it is. But it’s promising, and I’m sure it’ll only improve with time based on PublishDrive’s track record of improving what they have. Authors get paid through several methods depending on their location. You can choose wire transfer, local bank transfer, PayPal, check, Intercash, or Payoneer as your payout method. Each option carries its own fees and supported currencies, and you can switch methods anytime inside your payout settings. PublishDrive uses payment thresholds to manage payouts. The minimum threshold is $5, and you can choose from several preset options that range from $5 to $10,000. You can request a custom threshold if the listed amounts do not fit your needs. Before I breakdown the subscription costs of PublishDrive, please understand that these prices will change, so please review the most accurate prices before breaking ground here. PublishDrive currently has five subscription plans with increasing features and support in the premium plans. For the Free Plan, you get access to twenty-nine distribution channels for one ebook. The features include the ebook converter, sales analytics, AI chatbot, and Help Center. That’s it! They give you just enough access to give you a taste. The Starter Plan is $13.99 to $16.99 per month and provides all forty-nine distribution channels for up to three books. Keep in mind, each publication type counts as an option—ebook, paperback, and audiobook. So, if you want to publish one of your books in all three iterations, that’ll gobble up all of your slots in the Starter Plan. Besides the perks given in the Free Plan, you also get the print converter, imprint management, email support, and access to all promotion types except in-store featuring. On the Standard Plan, you pay $20.99 to $24.99 per month for up to six books. You get everything in the Starter Plan and unlock in-store featuring. With the Plus Plan, you pay $41.99 to $49.99 per month for up to eighteen books. You’ll get everything in the Standard Plan plus have shared account privileges for bringing on assistants or collaborators. And the Pro Plan is $83.99 to $99.99 per month for forty-eight books. Naturally, you get everything in all the previous plans, but also have access to bulk importing, API, and priority support. Should you need to distribute over forty-eight books, contact support for a custom plan suited to your needs. Side note: PublishDrive offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you aren’t happy with it within one month, just ask for a refund and move on with your life. While I’d love to give high marks to all self-publishing platforms, PublishDrive included, I don’t think it paints an accurate picture of what authors could expect. So let’s look at the pros and cons of PublishDrive. The pros include: 1. One dashboard for ebook, paperback, and audiobook 2. 100% net profits, no middleman taking the cut 3. Always innovating and improving their platform The cons are: 1. The monthly subscription fee 1. One book means only one type of book and _not_ all iterations 2. Some distribution is unavailable based on the content you’re publishing 1. EX: Dreame, Mackin.com, and any Hungarian platform (like Ekonyv, Bookline, Lira, and Libri) 3. No ordering print proofs until _after_ publishing Sure, PublishDrive is _not_ an option for all authors, especially for anyone on a limited budget. But, it’s an option worth looking into, even if you test out their free option for publishing your first ebook. You literally have nothing to lose when using this free option. I’m surprised that PublishDrive even offers this since they make _nothing_ from this offering. This type of goodwill goes a long way and will show what they can do for you and your author business. Should things take off and you see a positive return, you can always entertain upgrading your account to one of their premium subscription plans. Just be careful! After signing onto distribute through PublishDrive, you must choose a monthly or annual plan. When you run out of money or stop paying that bill, your book will quickly disappear from all distribution they offer. Choose wisely! If you’re interested in checking out PublishDrive, feel free to use my affiliate link: [DaleLinks.com/PublishDrive](https://dalelinks.com/PublishDrive). Do you want to explore other Amazon KDP alternatives? You’ll be overjoyed to hear that there’s a company that’s free to publish on and provides a 100% royalty with no catch. Check out [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHgU1XpwRCk&list=PLXCkkWHluK4Bxge93wn7VBdQ9YVk0uvup&index=8&t=1s) where I review the self-publishing company Laterpress. And if you want to catch a full video walkthrough of Laterpress, peek at my previous post here 👇. See you there!