Blurb.com Pricing

Understanding the pricing structure at Blurb.com is crucial for any creator looking to publish a book, whether it’s a single family album or a large print run for distribution.

Blurb strives for transparency, offering tools and information to help you estimate costs accurately.

The pricing fundamentally depends on several key factors, providing flexibility but also requiring careful consideration.

Key Factors Influencing Pricing

The cost of your book on Blurb.com is not a flat fee.

it’s dynamic, based on the specifications of your project.

• Book Format: Different book types have different base costs.
  • Photo Books: Generally higher per-page cost due to premium photo papers and print quality. Ideal for images, art, and portfolios.
  • Trade Books: Designed for novels, poetry, and text-heavy content, often with lower per-page costs due to standard paper options.
  • Magazines: Priced differently than books, typically based on page count and quantity.
  • Notebooks & Journals / Wall Art: Have their own distinct pricing models.
• Page Count: This is one of the most significant cost drivers. The more pages your book has, the higher the printing cost.
  • Minimum/Maximum Pages: Each format has a minimum and maximum page count, which you should check before designing.
  • Cost Increments: Pages are typically priced in increments (e.g., every 4 or 8 pages), so optimizing your content to fit these increments can sometimes be cost-effective.
• Book Size (Dimensions): Larger books require more paper and ink, leading to higher costs.
  • Standard Sizes: Blurb offers various standard sizes (e.g., 8×10, 10×8, 12×12).
  • Impact on Layout: The chosen size will influence your design and content arrangement.
• Paper Type: The type and quality of paper significantly affect the price and the look/feel of your book.
  • Premium Photo Papers: Options like Lustre or Matte photo paper are more expensive but provide excellent image reproduction.
  • Standard Papers: Uncoated, ProLine Uncoated, and Premium Layflat are generally more affordable and suitable for text-heavy or certain visual styles.
• Cover Type: The choice of cover material and style impacts the final price.
  • Softcover: Generally the most economical option.
  • Hardcover: More durable and professional, but also more expensive. Options include ImageWrap (printed cover) or Linen (fabric cover with a dust jacket).
  • Layflat (for Photo Books): A premium option that allows pages to lie completely flat, ideal for panoramic photos, but comes at a higher cost.
• Quantity (Number of Copies): This is where volume discounts come into play, drastically altering the per-unit price.
  • Print-on-Demand (1-9 Copies): Higher per-unit cost, perfect for proof copies, gifts, or limited editions.
  • Volume Discounts (10+ Copies): Significant price breaks as the quantity increases. Blurb states discounts start at 10 or more copies of the same book.
  • Offset Printing (750+ Copies): For very large orders, offset printing offers the best economies of scale and lowest per-unit cost. This requires a custom quote.

Using the Pricing Calculator

Blurb provides a robust Pricing Calculator on their website, which is an invaluable tool for planning.

• Interactive Tool: Allows you to input all your desired specifications (format, size, pages, paper, cover, quantity) and instantly see the estimated cost per book and total.
• Real-time Updates: As you change variables, the price updates, helping you balance quality preferences with your budget.
• Shipping Calculator: Also provides a separate Shipping Calculator to estimate delivery costs based on destination and speed.

Understanding Royalties and Distribution Costs

For those looking to sell their books, understanding the revenue model is crucial.

• No Distribution Fees for Print Sales: Blurb explicitly states they charge “no distribution fees for printed projects and no commission for print sales.” This is a significant advantage, meaning you keep a larger share of the profit from each book sold through their platform or distribution channels.
• Author Royalties: When you sell your book through the Blurb Bookstore, Amazon, or Ingram, you set the retail price, and Blurb’s system will help you determine your royalty based on the print cost and the distribution channel’s cut.
  • Print Cost: This is the base cost for Blurb to produce your book. Your royalty is typically the difference between your chosen retail price and this print cost, minus any retailer/distributor fees (like Amazon’s or Ingram’s standard cut).
  • Pricing Strategy: Blurb provides guidance on how to price your book competitively while ensuring a reasonable royalty for yourself.
• Free ISBN: For trade books (paperbacks and hardcovers), Blurb offers a free ISBN, which is essential for professional distribution through Ingram and other retailers. This is a considerable cost saving, as purchasing ISBNs directly can be expensive.

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Factors Not Included in Direct Printing Costs

While the calculator covers printing, remember to factor in other potential costs.

• Design Services: If you hire a professional designer for your layout or cover, that’s an additional cost.
• Editing/Proofreading: Professional editing services are not included and are highly recommended for text-based books.
• Marketing/Promotion: Any advertising or promotional activities you undertake will be separate expenses.
• Proof Copies: While crucial for quality control, ordering physical proof copies will add to your total expenditure, especially if multiple revisions are needed.

In essence, Blurb.com’s pricing is highly configurable based on your project’s specific needs.

Their transparent calculators and clear statements on fees make it relatively easy to understand the financial commitment, especially when comparing them to other self-publishing platforms.

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