Alternatives
Where can authors sell their own books?
The stores, delivery services and email tools authors use to sell their own books, priced and sourced next to Lanternbee. Every comparison says where the other one does better.
Not open yet. We’re letting authors in from the waitlist, a few at a time.
| Store | What it is | Price | Fee on sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lanternbee | A bookstore of your own, with editions, series, bundles and delivery. | Free, or US$39 a month (US$29 paid yearly) | None, on every plan |
| Big Cartel | A small, low-cost store for artists and makers. | Gold: Free. Up to 5 productsPlatinum: US$15 a month, or US$12 a month paid yearly. Up to 50 productsDiamond: US$30 a month, or US$24 a month paid yearly. Up to 500 products | Gold: None; card fees applyPlatinum: None; card fees applyDiamond: None; card fees apply |
| BookFunnel | A delivery service for ebooks and audiobooks, built for authors. | First-Time Author: US$2.50 a month. Billed US$30 a year; no direct sales deliveryMid-List Author: US$20 a month, or US$16.67 a month paid yearly. Audiobooks are an add-on from US$2 a month plus US$0.04 per hour deliveredBestseller: US$30 a month, or US$25 a month paid yearly | First-Time Author: None; your store’s fees applyMid-List Author: None; your store’s fees applyBestseller: None; your store’s fees apply |
| BookSpace | A print-on-demand bookstore for authors, formerly called Books.by. | Core: US$8.25 a month. Billed US$99 a yearPro: US$24.92 a month. Billed US$299 a year | Core: None; printing, shipping and card fees come out of each salePro: None; printing, shipping and card fees come out of each sale |
| Curios | A store and marketplace for books, music and video, with its own reading and listening app. | Trial: FreeLite: US$9 a month, or US$7.50 a month paid yearlyPlus: US$29 a month, or US$24.17 a month paid yearlyPro: US$69 a month, or US$57.50 a month paid yearly | Trial: None on your first 25 sales, then 15% + US$0.25 on each saleLite: None; buyers pay the card fee on top of your pricePlus: None; buyers pay the card fee on top of your pricePro: None; buyers pay the card fee on top of your price |
| Etsy | A big online marketplace for handmade, vintage and digital goods, books included. | Standard: FreeEtsy Plus: US$10 a month | Standard: US$0.20 to list each item, plus 6.5% of each sale, shipping includedEtsy Plus: The same fees, with some listing and ad credit each month |
| Gumroad | A simple way to sell digital products, with no monthly fee. | Gumroad: Free | Gumroad: 10% + US$0.50 per sale; 30% on sales through Gumroad’s Discover marketplace |
| Kit | An email tool for creators, with simple selling built in. | Free: Free. Up to 10,000 subscribersCreator: US$33 a month. For 1,000 subscribers; US$390 billed yearly | Free: 3.5% + 30¢ per sale, card fees includedCreator: 3.5% + 30¢ per sale, card fees included |
| Ko-fi | A tip jar, membership and small shop for creators. | Free: FreeGold: US$12 a month | Free: 5% on shop sales, memberships and commissionsGold: None; payment processor fees still apply |
| Lemon Squeezy | A checkout for software and digital products that handles tax as merchant of record. | Lemon Squeezy: Free | Lemon Squeezy: 5% + 50¢ per sale; some sales outside the US cost a little more |
| Payhip | A store for digital products, with courses, memberships and physical goods too. | Free Forever: FreePlus: US$29 a monthPro: US$99 a month | Free Forever: 5% on each salePlus: 2% on each salePro: None |
| Podia | A home for courses, downloads, community and email. | Mover: US$49 a month, or US$42 a month paid yearlyShaker: US$99 a month, or US$84 a month paid yearly | Mover: 5% on each saleShaker: None |
| Sellfy | A store for creators selling downloads, subscriptions and merchandise. | Starter: US$29 a month, or US$22 a month paid yearly. Up to US$10,000 in sales a yearBusiness: US$79 a month, or US$59 a month paid yearly. Up to US$50,000 in sales a year | Starter: NoneBusiness: None |
| Shopify | A general online store builder with thousands of add-on apps. | Basic: US$39 a month, or US$29 a month paid yearly | Basic: 2% on each sale if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments; card fees apply either way |
| Squarespace | A website builder with a store built in. | Basic: US$25 a month, or US$19 a month paid yearlyCore: US$39 a month, or US$29 a month paid yearly | Basic: 2% on store sales, ebook downloads included; 7% on courses and member areasCore: None on store sales, ebook downloads included; 5% on courses and member areas |
| Wix | A drag-and-drop website builder with store plans. | Core: US$29 a month. Billed yearly; monthly billing is priced at checkoutBusiness: US$39 a month. Billed yearly | Core: No Wix fee on store orders; Wix Payments charges 2.9% + US$0.30 in the USBusiness: No Wix fee on store orders; card fees apply |
| WooCommerce | A free store plugin for WordPress websites. | WooCommerce: Free. Hosting is about US$25 to US$350 a month; extensions are US$29 to US$299 a year each | WooCommerce: None from WooCommerce; WooPayments card fees about 2.5% to 2.9% + 30¢ |
Other stores’ prices in US dollars, checked on 9 November 2026. Card fees apply everywhere. The sources for each figure are on that store’s page. Lanternbee is not open yet; authors join the waiting list.
How does each one compare with Lanternbee?
Lanternbee vs Big Cartel
Authors with a short list of books and art or merch, who want a small store for a low monthly price.
Lanternbee vs BookFunnel
Authors who give away reader magnets, send ARCs to a review team, run group promotions, or already have a store and need the files delivered.
Lanternbee vs BookSpace
Authors who mainly sell paperbacks, want printing and shipping fully handled, and don’t need ebooks or audiobooks in the same store yet.
Lanternbee vs Curios
Authors who sell ebooks and audiobooks, want sales tax handled for them, and like the idea of a marketplace and app where readers can browse.
Lanternbee vs Etsy
Authors whose books suit Etsy shoppers, such as gift books, children’s books, journals and signed copies, and who want marketplace shoppers more than a store of their own.
Lanternbee vs Gumroad
Authors who sell now and then, want to start in minutes, and would rather pay a bigger fee per sale than any monthly bill.
Lanternbee vs Kit
Authors whose newsletter is the centre of everything, who sell a few ebooks to their list.
Lanternbee vs Ko-fi
Authors with fans who already support them, who want tips and memberships with a few books on the side.
Lanternbee vs Lemon Squeezy
Authors who sell digital products worldwide and want tax off their hands, and who don’t need print or a book-shaped store.
Lanternbee vs Payhip
Authors who mostly sell ebooks and PDFs, want something simple and cheap to start, and want sales tax handled for them.
Lanternbee vs Podia
Nonfiction authors who teach: workbooks next to a course, coaching or a paid community.
Lanternbee vs Sellfy
Authors who sell digital files and want branded merchandise from the same store.
Lanternbee vs Shopify
Authors who also sell a lot of merchandise, want a specific app that only Shopify has, or have someone to set up and look after the store.
Lanternbee vs Squarespace
Authors who already have a Squarespace site and want to sell a handful of books from it, or who care most about the website’s design.
Lanternbee vs Wix
Authors who want to design every page of their website themselves and sell a few books from it.
Lanternbee vs WooCommerce
Authors who already run a WordPress site, like to tinker or have a developer, and want full control over every part of the store.
On Shopify today: how the importer moves your store.
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