How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book in 2025?

• Apr 14, 2025
• 6 min read

• Tags: Book Cover Design, Book Marketing, ISBN, Self-Publishing

Begin your self-publishing journey by understanding all the costs involved! From editing to formatting costs, we’ve included everything you need to know. We’ve also added the costs to create an ISBN and book cover design for your book. 

For those wondering about the total cost of self-publishing, we’ve given a specific estimate. The average costs can vary significantly based on factors like genre and word count, with services such as editing and marketing ranging widely in price. We’ve also mentioned how you can save costs while self-publishing. So, without wasting time, let’s get started! 

Introduction to self-publishing

Self-publishing has revolutionized the publishing industry, offering authors unprecedented control over their work and the potential for higher royalties. Unlike traditional publishing, where literary agents and publishers make most of the decisions, self-publishing allows authors to retain creative control from start to finish. This means you can self-publish a book that truly reflects your vision.

The self-publishing process involves several key steps: editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing. Each step is crucial to producing a professional-quality book that can compete with traditionally published titles. Self-publishing companies offer a range of services to assist authors through this journey, from developmental editing to final cover design.

How much does it cost to self-publish a book? 

The cost of self-publishing a book ranges from $2500-$5000, depending on how much you are willing to spend for your book. This includes the price of creating a copyright page and the ISBN costs. 

• Copyright page costs- $30-$65. 
• ISBN costs- $50 to $150. 

To understand how much does self-publishing cost, here is a breakdown of the pricing: 

1. Editing costs 

The cost of editing a 50,000-word book ranges from $1000 to $2,000. This includes the pricing of developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading. While developmental editing includes enhancing the story’s plot, characters, and pacing, line editing includes a line-by-line check of your novel. Editing costs also include copyediting (your novel’s spelling, grammar, and spelling check) and proofreading (rectifying any pending errors). 

For independent authors, financial considerations are crucial during the self-publishing process. It’s important to manage your budget effectively and explore affordable self-publishing platforms that cater specifically to indie authors.

You can also research the costs of top editing and proofreading services like PaperTrue and ProofreadingPal in detail. 

2. Formatting costs 

The cost of formatting or typesetting a 50,000-word novel ranges from $700 to $2000. This cost depends on the novel’s word count. It also depends on whether you want book formatting for a paperback or an eBook. The cost of formatting an eBook is generally less than the cost of a paperback. 

The design process, including interior design and book cover design, is crucial in creating a professionally published book. Essential aspects such as typesetting for readability and the visual elements of book covers should be considered, ensuring both uniqueness and genre consistency.

You can approach companies like PaperTrue, BookBaby, and Elite Authors to format your book. Several book formatting companies also provide additional services like optimizing your book for self-publishing on Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu, Smashwords, and Kobo at additional costs. 

3. Book design costs 

The cost to design the front and back cover of the book ranges from $250 to $1000. The exact cost depends on the customization required, quality, and the experience of the book designer. It’s also based on whether you want a book cover for a print book or an eBook. The cost to design a print book cover is more than the cost of an eBook cover. 

The book cover design price includes the costs for concept development and spine design (consisting of the book title, author’s name, and publisher’s name). You can hire professional book cover design services to get an attractive book cover. PaperTrue, BookBaby, and Ebook Launch are some of the top book cover design companies. Several companies also offer multiple revisions at extra costs. You can explore the costs of book cover design services to understand better. 

4. Costs to convert a book into an eBook 

The price to convert your eBook can range from $0-$350. Several eBook creator tools like Draft2Digital, Apple Pages, and Kindle Create help to convert and export eBooks in EPUB and PDF formats for free. FlipHTML5 and AdobeInDesign are some other eBook creator tools you can use. 

The costs can vary, depending on the book length, images and graphics, layout complexity, and special formatting requirements (hyperlinks, multimedia). You can also approach self-publishing companies like PaperTrue to convert your book into an eBook. 

5. Costs to publish on self-publishing platforms 

The price to self-publish on popular platforms ranges from $0-$1200. Amazon KDP, Lulu, Apple Books, Bookbaby, Kobo Writing Life, and Barnes & Noble Press are some of the popular self-publishing platforms. It is free to upload your books on platforms like Amazon KDP, Barnes and Noble Press, Kobo Writing Life, and Apple Books. However, several platforms, like BookBaby and Lulu, charge additional costs for printing your book. Also, several self-publishing companies charge extra to optimize your book as per the guidelines of popular self-publishing platforms. 

Print on demand is a modern self-publishing solution that allows authors to print books only when they receive orders, eliminating the need for substantial upfront investments.

Blurb, BookBaby, and Lulu also offer additional services like book cover design, formatting, and marketing. You can compare the costs of all top self-publishing platforms to decide the best one for your book. 

6. Marketing and promotion costs 

It costs $50-$10,000 to market and promote a book. The cost depends on how much you spend for paid advertising, creating a professional website, hosting events at bookstores, distributing press releases, email marketing, and social media marketing. It’s also based on whether you employ services to create a book trailer, blurb, author profile, and writing reviews to market your book. Hiring a professional PR firm for your book can also significantly increase costs. Following is a breakdown of how much these marketing strategies cost. 

• Creating a book trailer- $300-$1000 
• Blurb writing- $75-$260 
• Author profile- $125-$300 
• Using LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter- $0-$1000 
• Email marketing- $100-$1200 
• Press releases- $50-$1000
• Creating a professional website- $200-$3000  
• Hiring a professional PR firm- $1000-$5000
• Amazon advertising- $0.05-$10 per click for pay-per-click  (PPC) campaigns 
• Paid advertising on Google and Facebook- $5-$100 or more per month

Calculating total costs

Calculating the costs of self-publishing a book can seem overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable parts can help. On average, self-publishing a book can cost between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the services you choose. Editing costs, for instance, can range from $1,000 to $2,000, covering everything from developmental editing to proofreading. Cover design costs can vary from $250 to $1,000, depending on the complexity and quality of the design.

Marketing costs are another significant factor. Paid ads, book reviewers, and promotional campaigns can add up, with expenses ranging from $50 to $10,000. The type of book you’re publishing also affects costs. For example, historical fiction often requires extensive research and meticulous editing, while children’s books may need professional illustrations, increasing the overall budget. By using online tools and resources, you can estimate these costs and create a realistic budget for your self-publishing project.

Working with Professionals

Working with professionals is a cornerstone of the self-publishing process. Hiring experienced editors, cover designers, and formatters can make a significant difference in the quality of your final product. Developmental editors can help refine your story’s structure and ensure its commercial viability, while copy editors focus on correcting inconsistencies and polishing the text.

Cover designers play a crucial role in creating eye-catching front and back covers that attract potential readers. A well-designed cover can make your book stand out in a crowded market. You can find these professionals through self-publishing companies, online marketplaces, or by seeking referrals from other authors. It’s essential to research and interview potential candidates to ensure they have the right experience and skills to meet your needs.

After understanding what is the cost of self-publishing a book, let’s see how we can cut down on expenses. 

How to save costs while self-publishing your book 

Following are the top 5 strategies to reduce the cost to self-publish a book: 

1. Utilize free promotion tools 

You can use free promotion tools on Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu, Smashwords, Apple Books, and other self-publishing platforms. This will help you to reduce marketing costs. Here are some free promotional strategies you can implement: 

• Create a free author page on Amazon KDP, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble Press and link it to your website to promote your book. 
• Use the free preview feature of self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP, Kobo, Apple Books, and Kobo to allow readers to view sample chapters from your book. 
• Access Apple Books 250 free promo codes to create the best offers to promote your book.
• Engage with local bookstores by organizing events like bookstore readings and distributing flyers. These community spaces can help connect you with potential readers, enhancing your visibility and sales.

2. Cut costs on a professional author website 

The following are 3 ways to reduce the costs of creating a professional website: 

• Employ a freelancer to create a professional author website. 
• You can save the cost of developing a professional website by using DIY website builders like WIX and Squarespace. 
• You can also use free content management systems like WordPress for website development. 

3. Use DIY formatting tools and software

The best formatting tools and software you can use for book formatting are Reedsy Book Editor, Sigil, Kindle Create, and Calibre. These tools will help you structure your chapters, add scene breaks, images, and endnotes, and create your book’s Table of Contents (TOC). You’ll also be able to adjust the margins, font size, font space, indents, and spacing of the title page and chapters and add hyperlinks if required. However, using DIY formatting tools and software can be more time-consuming and less reliable than using book formatting companies. 

4. Take feedback from beta readers 

Getting feedback from beta readers about the plot, character development, and writing style can help save editing costs. Beta readers can help you enhance your manuscript before it reaches the professional editor. You can find beta readers through online writing communities, asking your friends and family for reviews, and through websites like BetaBooks, Critique Circle, etc. 

5. Reduce costs on ISBN 

Several self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP, Smashwords, Draft2Digital, Lulu, Barnes & Noble Press, and Blurb offer free ISBNs for books self-published using their platform. A con is that if you wish to self-publish on another platform, you can’t use the same ISBN. Also, the ISBN will be registered in the name of the self-publishing platform. This can create limitations in distribution, as some bookstores, retailers, and wholesalers might be hesitant to stock books where the ISBN is listed in the publishing platform’s name. 

Purchasing your own ISBN instead of using a free one offered by self-publishing platforms grants you greater control over your book’s distribution and discoverability in bookstores and online retailers.

In conclusion, self-publishing a book requires careful planning, budgeting, and execution. From editing and cover design to formatting and marketing, each step is vital to creating a high-quality book. Working with professionals can help you achieve your publishing goals and produce a book that appeals to your target audience. With the right resources and support, self-publishing can be a cost-effective and rewarding way to publish your book and reach potential readers.

We hope this article has answered your question: “How much does it cost to self-publish a book?” To make your publishing journey easier, you can also create a self-publishing checklist. As experts in self-publishing services, we’d love to help you accomplish your publishing dream. 

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Tanvi

With a foundation in Life Sciences, Tanvi enjoys curating technical writing tips tailored for ESL students. When she's not translating complex concepts into bite-sized nuggets, she can be found playing with dogs or painting landscapes.