Are Affordable Self-Publishing Options a Real Thing?

Self-publishing is appealing to those who want creative control over their book and want the potential to make more money (per book sold) compared to other forms of publishing. 

The challenge is that it’s hard to nail down how much you should actually be paying to self-publish.

There are SO many different ways to self-publish, from doing everything yourself to hiring a company to do everything for you. This could cost anywhere from $0-$100K. Crazy, right?

But what if you’re not trying to break the bank to get your book published? Are there affordable self-publishing options available? 

It depends on your budget and your definition of  “affordable.”

In this article, I peel back the self-publishing curtain to take a close look at your options as a self-publisher. We’ll consider the different price ranges offered by service providers and what you can realistically expect to get at each price point. 

Every piece of the self-publishing puzzle costs something, unless you do it yourself, and even then, it costs you time. However, compared to other forms of publishing (traditional and hybrid), self-publishing has the potential for a more lucrative outcome, which can depend on your upfront investment into the final product. Competition can be stiff. If you’re going to compete with key players, you have to use the same measuring stick for quality. 

The cost of self-publishing

As a self-publisher, your responsibility is to ensure that these areas of your book are covered:

• writing
• editing
• cover design
• formatting
• printing
• marketing

And, these are just the basic categories. Within each category are subcategories. For example, there are at least 10 different types of editing to choose from. You won’t need all of them for your book, but you may need two or three depending on the type of writing support you need. Editing can make or break a book, so you want to hire the best professional you can afford. 

Let’s break down more of the subcategories of these areas and the cost range for each.

Writing

With writing your book, you have three options to get it done: do it yourself, hire a ghostwriter, or use AI.

Do it yourself

Writing the book yourself is essentially free unless you opt for a paid word processing system or use any number of book writing apps like Scrivener, The Novel Factory, or Novlr.

The costs you incur when writing your book will depend on you and how you like to work. Whether you prefer a suite of writing support or a simple pen and notepad will determine the cost of writing the book yourself.

Ghostwriting

Quality ghostwriting can be costly. Cheap, low-quality ghostwriting, not so much, but that’s not what you want, right?

If you’re going to hire a ghostwriter, you should hire a good one; otherwise, you may end up with a book that doesn’t sell and sullies your author reputation before you have a chance to establish it.

A high-quality ghostwriter not only writes well, but they can also express your idea fully and in your voice. This takes a specific skill set, so if you’re considering a ghostwriter, be prepared for the investment.

For industry-standard ghostwriting rates, visit the Editorial Freelancers Association’s rate page. Any rates that fall way below or above these rates should be scrutinized closely. New ghostwriters may charge low rates, and seasoned ghostwriters with bestsellers to their credit may charge much higher rates; however, if the rate extremes don’t fall into one of these two categories, it might be a red flag.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In the last few years, AI-generated books have flooded the market, which comes as no surprise. AI is easy to access, use, and can spit out a book faster than you can blink.

Self-Publishing School’s position on AI is this: AI support can be useful in outlining and brainstorming, but should not replace book writing. 

While writing a whole book in a matter of minutes might sound like a quick and easy  way to make money in the short term, in the long run, you can be facing:

1. A loss of authenticity and emotional depth in your books
2. Over-saturated AI book market
3. Copyright issues
4. Loss of writing skills over time

There are companies out there that will write your entire book using AI. Publishing.com is one of them (Not to be confused with selfpublishing.com). Their services are based on monthly credits. If you are not an AI Publishing Academy member, you can expect to pay between $49 and $129/month to use their AI services. According to their website, they offer “topic finding, manuscript generation, and sales tracking. 

The publishing.com website offers the following disclaimer:

Having a book written quickly by AI may look appealing on the surface, and many AI companies make the process sound super easy. The truth, however, is that writing is only a small (but critically important) part of the book publishing process, so you want to get it right. This includes spending your budget where it matters most, especially if you want a return on your investment. 

“Quick and easy” might get an AI-written book on a shelf in record time, but it doesn’t mean it will sell. Before you jump on the AI bandwagon, read the small print and off-site reviews. If you see any red flags, grab your bags and run!

Editing

Book editing begins with self-editing, ends with proofreading, and can potentially include eight additional types of editing in between. As a self-publisher, it’s your job to create the best book possible, so investing in the right editing can be the difference between a book that sells well and gets great reviews and one that flops. 

Out of all the pieces of the book publishing puzzle, editing and book cover design are at the top. Consider your manuscript as a rough diamond and editing as the polish that it needs to make it sparkle. I always recommend that authors invest in the best editing they can afford. This doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank, but editing is not one of the areas where you should cut corners. 

Do-it-yourself (DIY) editing

Beyond self-editing during the writing process, an author should seek outside support to fine-tune their manuscript. While self-editing alone is one of the cheapest methods of editing (beyond free apps), it can be the least effective for professional publication. 

I’ve known authors who were great writers (and sometimes also editors) who thought they could edit their own manuscripts. Unfortunately, they found out the hard way—after lots of negative reviews—that being the sole editor of your book is a recipe for disaster. 

Because our brains have an “autocorrect” function, it’s easy to miss mistakes in our own writing. It’s called typoglycemia. It’s the brain’s ability to read words, even when they’re in the wrong order. Like this sentence:

It’s esay to read tihs sntenacne bceasue our brains kwno hwat it sohuld actualyl say.

This phenomenon is why self-editing can be hit or miss. You still want to self-edit, but you don’t want that to be your last editing pass. It’s important to have an objective view of your manuscript, so finding an additional editing option or two is key. 

*Hint: When you self-edit, read passages backwards. It makes errors easier to spot because your brain can’t process the sentences logically. 

Hire a professional editor

Just like a professional ghostwriter, a professional editor can partner with you to develop the best book possible based on their knowledge and expertise. Most experienced editors have an area of expertise. For example, when I edit books, it’s usually as a developmental editor, which means I’m taking a broad view of the manuscript to see if it works. For fiction, I’m taking a close look at areas like:

• plot
• structure
• pacing
• character development
• theme

Other types of editors include copyeditors, line editors, and proofreaders, although traditionally, proofreaders aren’t put in the editor category since they don’t deal with structural changes. They are more of a quality control component of the publishing process. 

Hiring a professional editor can be expensive depending on your budget, but it’s highly recommended. The Editorial Freelancers Association’s rate page is a great place to find industry-standard fees for editors. 

Suggested article: Hire A Professional Book Editor: How To & 7 Sources

Using editing apps

There are many online apps available to help you with grammar and make your manuscript “sound” better. Many, like Grammarly and Prowriting Aid, are excellent choices for finding grammatical errors and offering suggestions for improving syntax. The Hemingway app is a good choice for improving reading comprehension based on reading levels.

Many of these apps have an AI component that can offer helpful suggestions. However, just as with writing, having AI do all of the editing of your manuscript can impact the voice and tone of the final piece and end up not sounding like you at all.

If you want to hire an editor but have a limited budget, consider using an app to assist with basic editing (e.g., grammar, repetition), then hire an editor for the deeper work of development, copy, or line editing.

Cover design

Like editing, book cover design should be a top priority and not an area to go the cheap route. 

Where quality editing keeps the reader reading, a great book cover gets someone to open your book in the first place. Your book might be amazing, but if the cover is a yawn fest, it will be passed over for something more interesting.

Unlike editing, there’s more budget wiggle room for getting a high-quality cover. 

Designing the cover yourself

Not recommended unless you know what you’re doing. Great cover design is not just a bout a pretty graphic. It’s typography, proportions, and color theory all rolled into one. If you have graphic design experience, go for it! 

If you don’t have design experience, please consider other options.

Hiring a designer

Ideally, hiring a professional book cover designer can ensure you get top-quality results. Professional designers understand the book market and understand how to balance genre expectations and your vision. They can tell you what’s tending while also giving you insight into designs that stand the test of time. 

Depending on experience, you can expect to pay between $50 and $500. I’ve come across designers who charged more, but it was usually tied to premium results and well worth the investment.

Before spending your hard-earned dollars on a cover designer, do the following:

• Ask to see their portfolio. You’ll want a designer who works within your book’s genre who can show examples.
• Consider turnaround time. Every designer is different. Make sure that their schedule is a good fit for yours, and add a time buffer, just in case life throws a curveball and there’s a delay.
• Get payment expectations upfront. Most designers require a deposit with the balance due upon completion, while others may break the payments up with more milestones in between. Steer clear of anyone who asks for the entire payment up front.

Using  templates and ready-made covers

Outside of creating the cover yourself, the most budget-friendly option is using a template or a ready-made cover.

Websites like Canva offer ebook cover templates that you can tweak and download. Other sites specialize in ready-made book cover designs that you can purchase. Both are cost-effective options.

Before downloading a template or pre-made cover, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the cover customizable? Templates and ready-made covers are popular. It’s not uncommon to see multiple books on Amazon with the same cover design but different titles. Look for templates and ready-made covers that allow you to customize elements like colors and typography. On rare occasions, you might even be able to change out the image.
• What are the final files offered? Make sure the file type can be uploaded to your preferred platform.
• What’s included in the price of the template (if it’s not free), and are there additional add-ons offered?
• Are revisions included with customization requests? If so, how many?

Formatting

Formatting is a crítical component of book design because it impacts readability. A book that is formatted well is easy to read and improves a reader’s experience.

Poorly formatted books can make a book difficult to read. Issues like poor spacing between lines or characters, or an unflattering typeface, can make the text hard to read and the content challenging to process. This often leads to eye strain and reading discomfort, and in the long run, a potential for loss of sales.

When it comes to formatting, you have two choices:

• Do it yourself with the support of formatting software.
• Hire someone to do it with the support of formatting software.

Unlike book cover design and editing, formatting is not subjective. It’s based on specific industry standards that must be met for the book to be uploaded and printed or, in the case of eBooks, digitally rendered properly.

Formatting software option 1

Software like Atticus and Vellum is user-friendly, making it easy for authors to format their own manuscripts. Most will allow you to format files for print and ebook.  Basic editing software starts at around $150. Some sites like Reedsy and Draft2Digital offer free formatting options on their website.

With basic editing software, there are fewer customization options, which can be a good thing. For inexperienced formatters, having strong guardrails in place reduces mistakes. For more flexibility, you’ll want to consider the next option.

Formatting software option 2

Industry formatting software is available for anyone to purchase, but if you’re new to designing, keep in mind that there’s a steep learning curve.

InDesign by Adobe was an industry favorite for decades. In recent years, Affinity Publisher moved into the formatting space as a more affordable alternative to InDesign’s subscription model, which is billed annually for around $275. 

Affinity (now owned by Canva) used to offer a one-time purchase of its individual software for around $70. The company announced in October 2025 that its entire software suite (now called Affinity by Canva) would be free forever. Professionally speaking, I’ve used Adobe and Affinity products. I was an early adopter of the Adobe suite of products almost twenty years ago when they offered a single purchase of the software, but found it cost-prohibitive when they switched to a subscription model. I began using Affinity Publisher five years ago. I found it comparable to Adobe InDesign and recommended it to other designers well before the software was free.

Printing

There are two types of printing available for self-publishers: Offset and print-on-demand (POD). The most affordable solution depends on your current budget and projected sales. 

Offset printing

Offset book printing refers to the process of printing books in large quantities on printers designed to create high-quality results through a plate system. Setting up the plates for each book can be quite expensive, but the more copies ordered, the less expensive the per-book price becomes. So, if you have presales of over 1,000 copies or are confident that you will sell at least that many, offset printing could be an affordable option. 

If you are not confident in your ability to sell thousands of copies, offset printing will cost you more in the long run. The cost of unsold books and inventory storage can add up quickly. 

POD

Print-on-demand in book publishing refers to books that are printed only when they are sold. In comparison to offset printers, POD printers are more like copy machines. There’s no tedious book setup that requires special equipment like plates and rubber blankets to transfer book text onto the page. The POD process is automated from start to finish, so per-book pricing is set from the first book published and doesn’t change as book quantity increases. 

If you are a new author or are unsure of how many copies you will sell, POD is a good option for testing the market. The price per book will typically be a dollar or two higher than offset printing, but you can always price the book accordingly to keep profit margins high.  POD also keeps you from tying up large sums of money in inventory.

Offset printing is still considered the highest quality based on paper choices and color accuracy; however, POD technology continues to improve, and with some book types, it’s hard to tell the difference between offset and POD. 

Marketing

While book marketing is important, unlike other areas of book publishing, it doesn’t impact the quality of the book produced, so there’s some built-in flexibility in how much you spend. 

Most affordable

Do-it-yourself marketing is the most affordable option and can work well when done strategically. Marketing is about getting your book in front of the people who want to read it. This means knowing your audience, where they hang out, and how they want to be marketed to. 

While you could hire others to market your book for you, this is one area I typically recommend that authors take the lead. Building an audience connection is personal. No third-party provider can do that for you. Over the last twenty years in this industry, I’ve seen almost every type of marketing imaginable. The most effective has always been when the act of marketing took a back seat to nurturing a community of readers to make them feel seen and heard. 

You can always hire someone to do the more skilled areas of marketing, like ads, but the most affordable and most effective will come from taking a grassroots approach and getting in the trenches with your readers. 

Some other affordable marketing options include:

• Book promotion sites. For a fee and sometimes for free, you can sign up with a book promotion website and offer your book at a discount to their large database of readers. Sites like BookBub, TheFussyLibrarian, HelloBooks, and others can give you access to readers you might not be able to find on your own. 
• Social media. Building a social media following is a good way to share helpful content with potential readers and spark interest in your books. It’s not recommended that you bulldoze them with book info because that can be a turnoff, but taking a softer approach and using social media to direct them to your website for more focused marketing can work in your favor. 
• Your email list. One of the BEST ways to market your book is through your email list. All of the other marketing you do should ultimately point potential customers to your website, where you can market to them directly. Third-party sites are fine, but they can be distracting. Use them as a means to an end. Once you get potential readers to your website (e.g., offering a few free chapters of your book) and they sign up for your email list, you know that they want to hear from you. Then you can use newsletters and promotional emails strategically to share your book’s information

Affordable self-publishing options

With a little bit of strategy, self-publishing can be a cost-effective way to get your book published on your terms, but it’s not free. As is true for so many other things, you get what you pay for. While you could take the cheapest route and do everything yourself, if you lack the experience, your book may not turn out the way you want. And, any company that promises a full publishing experience on the cheap is always a red flag.

To keep things reasonably affordable, establish a budget and prioritize what needs to get done. If it’s in your budget to hire a reputable self-publishing company, it will take a lot of the pressure off of you as an author and allow you to focus on building your author platform. Just make sure you thoroughly research each company and hire the best fit for you.

If you are on a limited budget, then hire smart. Start with the best editor you can afford. If you can’t hire a cover designer, research popular covers in your genre, then look for a professional template or pre-made cover that’s customizable. For formatting, use one of the user-friendly formatting software programs available or hire someone to do the work. Finally, whether you spend a little or a lot on marketing, do it strategically to make sure you get a good return on your investment, even if it’s just your time.

To learn more about how selfpublishing.com can make your book publishing dreams a reality, start here.