Reviewed and updated October 2026. 

What is the best self-publishing company?

There is no one-size-fits-all for self-publishing companies: defining what is the best company for you is a very personal decision. For some authors, the best company is one that allows easy global distribution, and free uploads. For others, it’s a company that has access to industry experts, and distribution to bookshops. 

For aspiring authors in the UK, navigating the world of self-publishing can be both exciting and daunting. With so many options available, choosing the right self-publishing company can make all the difference as to whether or not you achieve your publishing goals.

In light of this, this article compares what we as a long-established industry player (with 30 years in business) thinks are the best options across a range of options: DIY publishing, assisted self-publishing and full-service self-publishing. We’ve grouped our recommendations by publishing route, and included guidance from the Alliance of Independent Authors to help you make your decision. 

So, where do you get started? 

First things first - define your goals

Before embarking on researching those organisations that can assist them in publishing their work, authors should take the time to define what it is they are trying to achieve through self-publication. 

There are a huge variety of reasons for wanting to publish a book, which can include:

• Wanting to be a sales success
• Wanting to see your books in bookshops
• Producing high-quality hard copies for family and friends
• Using a publication as a credibility tool for a business
• Fulfilling a lifelong dream of being published.

Each of these objectives is entirely valid, and each is likely to involve varying levels of publishing assistance along the way, which is why authors need to know what assistance they require from the start of their search. 

Once you have defined your publishing objectives, and understood what help they are likely to need (be that production, technical help, marketing assistance, editorial input, etc.), you are ready to look more closely at those organisations that can help turn publishing dreams into reality.

Decide Your Route 

Provider	Route	Best for	Cost	Support	Distribution	UK Bookshops
Amazon KDP	DIY	Amazon-focused authors	Free*	Limited	Amazon	Limited
Blurb	DIY	Design-led authors	Free*	Limited	Worldwide	Limited
IngramSpark	DIY	Global distribution	Free*	Limited	Worldwide	Limited
Lulu	DIY	Straightforward DIY	Free	Online support	Worldwide	Limited
Libero	Assisted	Specialist support	Varies	Personal support	NA	NA
Troubador	Full-Service	Professional UK publishing	Varies	Personal support	UK + global	Yes

*cost is technically free, however, authors can incur costs if they opt for services from other providers, such as editorial, cover design, etc. 

DIY Self-Publishing 

Best for: authors who are wanting to publish on a smaller budget. 

Advantages

• Low upfront cost
• Some companies offer global distribution
• Fast publishing

Disadvantages 

• No professional support
• Can be lower quality
• Very limited bookshop distribution* 

Assisted Self-Publishing 

Best for: authors who still want to publish on a free platform, like Amazon KDP, but want to opt for one-off professional services to enhance the quality of their publication. 

Advantages 

• Higher quality book (in terms of cover design, editorial, or whichever services you opt for!)
• Low-to-medium upfront cost
• Once you have completed the services on your manuscript, you can publish quickly 

Cons 

• Actual printed quality is still lower (providers opt print on demand, which is lower quality than print runs)
• Very limited bookshop distribution* 

Full-Service Self-Publishing 

Best for: authors who want the freedom of self-publishing, but the quality of traditional publishing. 

Advantages: 

• Print quality that is indistinguishable from traditional publishers
• Professionals every step of the way
• Single company for all stages of the process
• Depending on the provider, you could gain access physical bookshops 

Disadvantages:  

• Higher upfront costs 

*The reason that individuals who opt for either DIY self-publishing or assisted self-publishing often cannot access distribution to physical bookshops is because of how the book is printed. 

Companies offering these services tend to use print-on-demand technology, which bookshops rarely stock. Our Operations Manager, Chloe, explains “bookshops rarely order print-on-demand as they order on what is a Sales or Return basis. This allows bookshops to return books that aren’t sold. This isn’t applicable to print on demand books, as the books are printed to order, and there isn’t anywhere to return them to.” 

To get an understanding of the cost of each of these routes, read our article discussing this here. 

Once you decide your route, then here is, in our opinion, are the six best self-publishing companies in the UK as of 2026.

DIY Self-Publishing

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

Best for: DIY authors who are happy with the Amazon ecosystem, as opposed to being available on a wider range of retailers (such as Apple, Kobo, etc). 

Cost: Starting from free, but authors can incur more cost if they decide to opt for services (providers would have to be sourced elsewhere) 

Support: Limited, KDP does not have humans with whom authors can interact to ask questions 

Distribution: Amazon-wide only (printed available via POD) 

UK bookshops: Limited: most bookshops will not order from Amazon 

Our verdict: 

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) remains a popular choice for authors looking to self-publish their work, especially for those on a budget (publishing your book on KDP is completely free) and willing to take a hands-on approach. It has also been regularly rated positively by both authors and author-representing organisations as being a safe place for authors to publish their work.

However, publishing on Amazon KDP is very competitive. Whilst it is great for authors wanting to be discovered internationally, the high competition (with the Guardian estimating the majority of the 2.6 millions books being published a year were published through Amazon KDP every year) can make it very easy for books to get lost in a vast sea of content. Because of this, the chances of a self-published author ‘making it big’ on Amazon is realistically very small. 

Finally, authors need to be aware of Amazon’s royalty structure – it can be complex to understand but, in a nutshell, there are two options, either a 35% or a 70% royalty rate at the time of this article being written. With the 35% royalty, the Amazon sales commission (i.e. their charge for selling the book) is 65% for books priced below $2.99 and above $9.99. With the 70% royalty rate, the Amazon sales commission is 30% for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99. However, there is a large number of variables that go into those two royalty rates that every author needs to do extensive research and completely understand in detail ahead of committing to using Amazon as their publishing platform.

What does ALLi say?: they rank Amazon as an excellent partner, specifically for production and distribution. 

 

Blurb

Best for: DIY authors who want a design-led book

Cost: Starting from free, but authors can incur more cost if they decide to opt for services (providers would have to be sourced elsewhere) 

Support: Primarily available through email tickets and help centre, rather than access to people. 

Distribution: Worldwide distribution to online platforms (POD) 

UK bookshops: Limited 

Our verdict: 

Blurb is a self-publishing platform, allowing you to design, print and sell books, magazines and ebooks, offering worldwide distribution through major retailers like Amazon and Apple, and Ingram Spark. Blurb is a do-it-yourself platform: rather than supplying your PDF to a professional typesetter, you can simply upload a PDF, use Blurb’s bookmaking software, or use Adobe software plugins to create your book. They also offer free ISBNs. 

Blurb is a good option for self-publishers who are happy to take creative control, including cover design, formatting, and so on. However, for authors who are seeking either bookshop representation or a higher quality publication, opting for a publisher that can support with quality services, printing and distribution is essential. 

Like Amazon KDP, opting for Blurb also means that there are a range of services that you will not have access to (unless you outsource these yourself, at an additional cost).

Services such as editorial, cover design, illustration, and typesetting can ensure your book is of a professional standard throughout. The lack of professional guidance will extend beyond the service concerns - having a professional partner can be helpful when you have more general queries about your book, such as any concerns about copyright, or how to price your book. You will effectively need to become a professional in publishing - so you need to make sure you’re up for the challenge. 

What does ALLi say? They recommend Blurb, categorising them as production & distribution services. They make a note of the fact that Blurb offers a number of hard-to-find print formats. 

IngramSpark
   

Best for: Global distribution (via POD)

Cost: Free to join, but you still pay printing and distribution costs.  

Support: Provided via customer service channels, FAQs and blogs. 

Distribution: Worldwide distribution to online platforms (via POD)  

UK bookshops: Limited 

Our verdict: 

A well-known name in the self-publishing market, IngramSpark provides authors with global print-on-demand distribution options, making it a popular choice for those looking to reach a wide worldwide audience. In addition, IngramSpark offers cost-effective routes to publication - at the time of writing, they were offering all three of their pricing bands to authors for free. In addition to transparent pricing, IngramSpark also is transparent and genuine with authors, exploring their self-publishing options with lots of helpful information free to access on their website. Finally, IngramSpark does a great job of giving authors a live view of their sales information through their dedicated author portal.

However, authors should be aware that bookshops are often reluctant to stock POD books, needing to order volume to justify the shelf space. IngramSpark is also part of the global Ingram Content Group corporation, and while this makes them experts in content publication, it may result in a limited personal touch for authors looking to get regular consultancy and help from humans. Additionally, IngramSpark does not specialise in the UK market, being a global corporation.

What does ALLi say?: IngramSpark is rated as an excellent partner for production and distribution services. 

 

Lulu 

Best for: Straightforward DIY

Cost: Free 

Support: Provided via online support tickets, access to AI assistants and the option to connect to a live agent during opening hours (authors should note that the opening hours are US hours 9-5, translating to 2-10PM UK time). 

Distribution: Worldwide distribution via IngramSpark to online platforms. 

UK bookshops: Limited 

Lulu is a self-publishing platform that supports independent authors wanting to complete the majority of the publishing process themselves. Based in the US but available to authors globally, Lulu offers a range of services based largely around print-on-demand availability, allowing books to be available to buy globally. While authors are left to their own devices when it comes to publishing on this platform, Lulu has a user-friendly interface for publishing both print and digital books. It is especially popular with authors looking for a straightforward, budget-friendly route to publication without sacrificing control over their work.

While Lulu provides valuable tools for formatting, printing, and distributing books, it does not offer in-depth editorial or design services. Authors looking for hands-on support with editing, cover design, or marketing may need to seek additional help from external professionals. Nevertheless, for those comfortable managing the publishing process themselves, Lulu is a reliable and accessible platform with a strong reputation in the self-publishing world.

What does ALLi say?: ALLi ranks Lulu as an excellent partner. 

Assisted Self-Publishing 

Libero 

Best for: Authors who are publishing independently and want expert support at key stages of their publishing journey. 

Cost: Dependent on services

Support: Staff are contactable via telephone or via email

Distribution: N/A: they offer publishing services, but not publishing or distribution. 

UK bookshops: N/A 

Our verdict: 

Authors looking to use platforms like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark are committing to executing the majority of the publishing process with very little help from experts along the way. That will suit many authors for a variety of reasons, but those authors may be looking for help with small parts of the publishing process that they feel less confident in executing themselves. This is where a service provider like Libero comes in. 

Offering a range of specialist services, including editing, book design, ebook creation and marketing and publicity. Their competitive pricing and expert UK-based in-house team make them an attractive option for authors seeking professional assistance with only a part of the publishing process.

However, Libero does not provide the same level of consultancy as a full-service provider like Troubador, and they do not offer a comprehensive range of publishing services (for example, not offering any distribution, sales or metadata dissemination to the book trade). This means that those authors looking for a full set of services should explore other providers too.

Full-Service Self-Publishing 

Troubador Publishing

Best for: Authors who want the advantages of professional publishing, with the freedom of self-publishing 

Cost: Dependent on services opted for. Check our costing pages for examples. 

Support: Staff are contactable via telephone or via email

Distribution: UK-wide distribution to physical bookshops, global distribution via POD, ebooks and audiobooks. 

UK bookshops: Many authors get their books stocked in brick-and-mortar bookshops

We had to include ourselves, of course! Troubador is a self-publishing service provider that has been self-publishing books on behalf of authors since 1996. A family-run and independently owned business, we publish over 500 books of the highest quality in a variety of genres each year.

Troubador offers a comprehensive full service for authors, serving as a one-stop shop for all publishing needs. We are one of the only self-publishing service providers that can claim to be able to execute every part of the publishing process, including everything needed to take a manuscript through to a finished book: editorial services, book design, cover design and typesetting, and project management throughout the production process. We can also source bespoke illustrations for books, convert titles into an ebook or an audiobook and give them the best possible visibility across a variety of platforms, including, but not limited to, Amazon. 

Troubador is different to most self-publishing service providers in that we do not focus on print on demand (though we do, of course, offer that as well), instead preferring to produce and distribute books like the rest of the mainstream commercial publishing industry.

Our dedicated distribution facility in Leicestershire stores up to half a million books on behalf of authors. From this facility, we distribute directly to any UK bookshop, including larger groups like Waterstones, retailers like Amazon, wholesalers like Gardners and direct consumer orders from our online bookshop. 

To encourage those sales and give our author's books the best possible chance of being discovered, our trade marketing and publicity services can be taken to stimulate retailer interest, and our active sales representation gives those books the best chance of getting in front of the right trade book buyers.

Finally, an author's experience is crucial to the company. Authors maintain 100% of the rights to their work, have access to their sales information through our author centre, receive quarterly royalty statements and payments, and have constant access to the Troubador team via phone, email, or in-person meetings throughout their contract with us.

While Troubador is not the most expensive self-publishing company, we are positioned at the more premium end of the UK market and are suited to authors looking for high-quality products that have the best chance of being stocked in UK bookshops. Every author we work with receives a bespoke, no-obligation quotation specific to their project, and we display pricing examples on our website to help authors understand the ballpark figures involved in publishing with us. 

What does ALLi say?: ALLi ranks Troubador as an excellent partner, across the categories of production and distribution, marketing and promotion, design and formatting, editorial and multi/full services. 

So, what now?

The self-publishing landscape in the UK offers a wealth of options for authors at every stage of their journey. Whether you're looking for a full-service provider or individual assistance, these top self-publishing companies in the UK can help you bring your book to life and reach your audience effectively.

Of course, this list is not an exhaustive one. There are many other self-publishing service providers in the UK and many of them could easily have made this list. However, the ones we have featured we believe truly have the author’s best interests at heart and should be the first places authors explore.