Menu

Selling hardcovers direct

Sell your hardcover next to the paperback and the ebook.

A hardcover is often the copy your most loyal readers want, for a shelf or a gift. It sits on the same book page as the other formats, so readers choose the one they want. Print it on demand through BookVault or Lulu, or post copies you already have.

Join the waitlistSee the plans

How it works

  1. Add the hardcover edition

    On the book, tick hardcover and choose print on demand or own stock.

  2. Choose hardcover binding

    For print on demand, pick the printer and hardcover binding, then the trim size, paper and page count.

  3. Upload the print files

    Upload the interior PDF and the hardcover cover PDF. A hardcover cover is usually a different size from the paperback’s, so check your printer’s template.

  4. Price it

    Set its own price. A hardcover usually costs more to print, so check the printer’s quote first.

Files and details

Interior PDF
Up to 500 MB. Often the same interior as the paperback.
Cover PDF
Up to 200 MB. Made to your printer’s hardcover template.
Trim sizes
5x8, 5.25x8, 5.5x8.5 or 6x9 inches for print on demand.

What readers get

Every format on one page
Readers see the ebook, audiobook, paperback and hardcover together and pick one, or a bundle.
Shipping before they pay
Readers pick their country and a shipping rate in the cart, so the total holds no surprises.
Receipts in their library
Every order and a printable receipt are in the reader’s library.

What it costs to sell a hardcover

Your plan, Stripe’s card fee on each sale and, for print, the printer’s price.

Card fees are Stripe’s standard rates for the country your Stripe account is in.
WhatCostDetails
Lanternbee, Free plan5% per saleTaken only when you sell. No monthly bill.
Lanternbee, Author plan$35€29£25 a month, paid yearlyOr $45€39£35 month to month. No fee on your sales.
Card payment, US account2.9% + 30¢Stripe’s standard rate for a US card. Cards issued outside the US add 1.5%, and paying in another currency adds 1%.
Card payment, UK account1.5% + 20pStandard UK cards. EEA cards are 2.5% + 20p, other international cards 3.15% + 20p, plus 2% when the currency is converted.
Card payment, EU account (Ireland)1.5% + €0.25Standard EEA cards. UK cards are 2.5% + €0.25, other international cards 3.15% + €0.25, plus 2% when the currency is converted.
Stripe Tax0.5% per saleOnly on sales where you are registered to collect tax. This is the pay-as-you-go rate for Stripe’s own checkout.
Lanternbee on print costsNo mark-upYou pay the printer’s price, or your own cost for stock you hold.
BookVault title setup, free plan£19.95 or $24.95 per titleEach format is its own title at BookVault. Less on BookVault’s paid plans.
LuluPrint cost + shipping + a fulfillment feeNo setup or subscription fee.

Limits to know about

  • Sending paid orders to BookVault and Lulu automatically is being built. You can set up print editions now.
  • For own stock, postage labels and marking orders as posted inside Lanternbee are being built.
  • Shipping rates are flat rates you set per zone. A heavier hardcover may need its own rates.

VAT and sales tax

Printed books are often taxed differently from ebooks. Stripe Tax applies the rule for the reader’s country at checkout. Check your own country on the VAT pages.

VAT on books, country by country

Questions about selling hardcovers

Can a hardcover and a paperback share an ISBN?

No. Each format needs its own ISBN, and Lanternbee keeps one per edition.

Can I sell a hardcover with the ebook as a set?

Yes. Make a bundle with the two editions and set one price for both.

Works with

BookVaultComingPrint on demand for paperbacks and hardcovers, printed in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.LuluComingPrint on demand through Lulu’s print network, with no setup fee.EasyPostComingPostage labels for copies you post yourself. Planned, not built.ShippoNot built yetAnother postage label service. Not connected to Lanternbee.StripeBeing builtReaders pay you through your own Stripe account. You are the seller, and Stripe pays out to your bank.

Read more