IngramSpark vs Lulu Direct (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, IngramSpark and Lulu Direct share a 2.2 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about features, where IngramSpark grades higher, or platforms, where Lulu Direct does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
IngramSpark
Print-on-demand and wholesale distribution for self-published books
Which one is for you
Pick IngramSpark if
- Fits if you want your book listed with bookstores and libraries, not only online
- Works for authors who already have print-ready files and an ISBN
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need an ISBN: IngramSpark sells one for $85 in the US, per format
- Watch out: you decide whether retailers can return the books, and that choice is yours to carry
- Skip it if you use KDP's Expanded Distribution, because IngramSpark says not to use both for the same title
- Not for you if you want a trial or a free plan, as each copy printed costs money
Pick Lulu Direct if
- Fits if you run a store or app that needs books printed and sent to buyers
- Works for authors who want Lulu's retail distribution beside print on demand
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: no book prices are published, so you can't know your cost until you run the calculator
- Tight if you want retail distribution: a one-time fee applies and review can take up to 12 weeks
- Not for you if you sell apparel or other merchandise, as the pages describe books, magazines, calendars and notebooks
- Too light for no-code use if you have no developer, since the API needs your own build
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAIngramSparkFair | 2.2GPALulu DirectFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNothing to join, then a printing cost per copy: the discounts page gives $4.17 for a 200-page 6 x 9 black-and-white paperback at 0 to 99 copies. An ISBN is $85 in the US unless you bring your own. | CNo subscription, and no price on the pages: you use a calculator for each size, paper and binding. Nothing to compare against the category. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo cost to sign up or upload a book, but every copy you order is paid for, and there is no trial. | CNo fee to start, but every print job is paid, and there is no trial. |
| Features | BHardcover and paperback printing, ebook conversion, a book-building tool, bulk discounts and a print-and-ship calculator, with global wholesale distribution. Nothing on the listing is missing for the job. | CPrint API, PDF printing, six countries, store buttons and retail distribution. The gaps: distribution adds a one-off fee with review of up to 12 weeks, and not every option qualifies. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You prepare files, buy or supply an ISBN and set returns yourself. | CNo store rating on record. Using the API means sending print-ready interior and cover PDFs from your own code. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, and no API or integrations on the listing. | BWeb only, but with Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, Amazon, Ingram, Zapier and Ghost links, and a public API. |
| Best for | getting self-published books into bookstores and libraries | a print API that ships books to your buyers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: IngramSpark and Lulu Direct. How we grade
Price against what you get
IngramSpark has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Lulu Direct has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other print-on-demand and dropshipping services on the chart, none scores higher than IngramSpark for less, and none scores higher than Lulu Direct for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- IngramSpark also covers digital downloads.
- Lulu Direct also covers online store and shipping labels.
At a glance
| IngramSpark | Lulu Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | No cost to create an account or set up a new book. You pay printing costs per copy, and ebooks earn an 85% share of net revenue. | No subscription: you pay the printing and shipping cost of each order, which Lulu's book cost calculator estimates. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Lightning Source LLC (Ingram Content Group) | Lulu Press, Inc. |
| Price read from | ingramspark.com | lulu.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
IngramSpark
- Distribution needs an ISBN for each format: IngramSpark sells one for $85 in the US, gives a free non-transferable one it owns, or you buy your own.
- Example printing cost from the discounts page: $4.17 per copy for a 200-page 6 x 9 inch black-and-white paperback at 0 to 99 copies.
- Publishers decide whether their books are returnable by retailers.
- IngramSpark says a title in KDP should not use KDP's Expanded Distribution if it is also distributed through IngramSpark.
Lulu Direct
- Lulu publishes no subscription or per-book price on its pages; the book cost calculator on the pricing page is the way to get a figure for a given size, paper and binding.
- Print and ebook titles sent for retail distribution carry a one-time distribution fee, and Lulu says review can take up to 12 weeks.
- Not every product option is eligible for retail distribution; Lulu publishes an eligible products guide.
- Books are printed from PDFs you supply; Lulu's pages describe printing books, magazines, calendars and notebooks rather than apparel or other merchandise.
Key features
IngramSpark
- Global book distribution
- Books enabled for distribution are listed through a network of bookstores, libraries and online retailers via a metadata feed. IngramSpark says retail listings take 2 to 6 weeks to appear.
- Hardcover and paperback on demand
- Print books are made when ordered. Publishers can also order copies of their own book directly from their account.
- Print and ship calculator
- A calculator shows print and shipping cost for a book, and a compensation calculator shows what each print sale earns.
- Bulk print discounts
- Print orders of 100 or more copies get a discount, from 2% at 100 to 299 copies up to 35% over 10,000 copies, according to the discounts page.
- Book-building tool
- A free tool creates print-ready files and ebooks. IngramSpark says it does not offer editing, typesetting or design services itself.
- Ebook conversion
- A print book can be converted to an ebook for $0.60 per page.
Lulu Direct
- Print API
- A RESTful API with JSON and XML support and webhooks accepts an order, shipping details and print specifications, then returns order status and tracking.
- Print from PDFs
- Books are printed from an interior PDF and a cover PDF supplied with each order, so a store can send a different file for every buyer.
- Large product range
- Lulu lists more than 3,000 combinations of size, paper and binding, covering paperbacks, hardcovers, coil-bound books, magazines, children's books, calendars and notebooks.
- Printing in six countries
- Lulu says it prints in Australia, Canada, France, India, the United Kingdom and the United States, and ships to more than 200 countries and territories.
- Store integrations and buy button
- Direct integrations are listed for Shopify, Wix and WooCommerce, plus an order import tool and a Direct Buy Button for selling from a newsletter or social profile.
- Bookstore and retail distribution
- Authors can list a book on the Lulu Bookstore, where Lulu says the author earns 80% of the revenue, or apply for distribution to retailers such as Amazon and the Ingram network.
Plans
IngramSpark
Free account$0
No cost to sign up or upload a print book or ebook. Print cost is charged per copy, and ebooks pay 85% of the net revenue IngramSpark receives.
Lulu Direct
Pay per order$0
No monthly fee is listed. Each print job is charged at the printing and shipping cost for the chosen size, paper, binding and destination.
Ways to pay less
IngramSpark
- Other savings
Bulk print discounts from 100 copies
Print orders of 100 or more books get a discount that grows with quantity, from 2% at 100 to 299 copies up to 35% over 10,000 copies.
Lulu Direct
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, IngramSpark or Lulu Direct?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both IngramSpark and Lulu Direct are free to use.
Which has a free plan, IngramSpark or Lulu Direct?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both IngramSpark and Lulu Direct have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.