A publishing house as publisher
Orbita Media GmbH, with more than 1,000 titles and 2 million books sold, is the publisher of your paperback.
Comparison 2027
BookBaby vs ShelfPublisher
Both print your paperback on demand. The difference is who stands behind it, what the ISBN costs and how many bookstores can order it.
The short answer: BookBaby charges 199 or 399 USD for print on demand, plus 79 USD for its ISBN, and sells the printed book through Amazon and its own Bookshop. With ShelfPublisher, Orbita Media GmbH, an international publishing house with more than 1,000 titles and 2 million books sold, publishes your paperback with an ISBN from its own block and lists it in the wholesale catalogs that more than 50,000 bookstores in 18 countries order from, Amazon included, for €20 to €35 per book.
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BookBaby vs ShelfPublisher for your paperback
What you get
BookBaby
ShelfPublisher
Publisher shown to retailers
BookBaby, for every printed book it distributes, also with your own ISBN; your own publishing name can appear as imprint
Orbita Media GmbH, an international publishing house with more than 1,000 titles
ISBN
79 USD for a single BookBaby ISBN, or your own (125 USD at Bowker, US)
Included, from the publisher's own block, registered with complete metadata
Where the printed book is sold
Amazon and the BookBaby Bookshop; BookBaby states its program is intentionally focused on these two channels
Listed as a publisher's title in the wholesale catalogs that more than 50,000 bookstores in 18 countries order from, Amazon included
What it costs
199 USD (BookBaby Bookshop) or 399 USD (Bookshop and Amazon) for print on demand, plus the ISBN
€20 to €35 per book, once; publisher, ISBN and listing included (pricing)
As of 7 November 2026, from BookBaby's own pages: BookBaby print on demand, Where printed books are sold, Publisher on the retail sites, BookBaby ISBN, Bowker ISBN prices. The two calculate the author's share on different bases, so their percentages cannot be compared side by side. Terms change: check the platform before you decide. BookBaby and Bowker are trademarks of their owners. ShelfPublisher is not affiliated with BookBaby.
What a publisher adds
What changes for your paperback
An ISBN you do not buy
The ISBN comes from the publisher's own block, with complete metadata reported by the publisher.
Where bookstores order
Listed in the wholesale catalogs that more than 50,000 bookstores in 18 countries order from, Amazon included.
One price per book
From €20 per book, paid once: no package fee per channel, no ISBN fee, no printing costs.
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More ways to compare
Looking at more than one platform? The alternatives page puts BookBaby next to Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital, Lulu and Barnes & Noble Press, each with its publisher, ISBN, bookstore reach and real cost.
- Five alternatives in one table: BookBaby alternatives
- What a paperback costs elsewhere: Prices and services at a glance
- Every comparison: Compare platforms
Also with ShelfPublisher
What else comes with a publisher
Earn by recommending
Recommend ShelfPublisher and earn 10% of the book royalties of the authors you bring, on every statement, with no time limit. Their own royalties stay untouched; you join in the portal.
A subscription for series
Publishing every month? A subscription gives you a fixed number of slots each month, cheaper per book than single slots (pricing).
One portal for every title
Status, quarterly sales statements, earnings and support tickets for each of your books in one place.
Bonuses and challenges
Weekly challenges, a league every season and a goal all authors reach together bring prizes: vouchers and Jokers. You redeem them at checkout as a discount on your next slots; with a subscription new bonuses arrive every week.
Book tracking in every subscription
Every subscription follows your books on Amazon: sales rank and stars every day, and an alert as soon as a 1- or 2-star review comes in.
Questions
BookBaby vs ShelfPublisher, answered
What is the difference between BookBaby and ShelfPublisher?
BookBaby sells print on demand packages for 199 USD (BookBaby Bookshop) or 399 USD (Bookshop and Amazon) and is shown as publisher of every printed book it distributes. With ShelfPublisher, Orbita Media GmbH, an international publishing house with more than 1,000 titles, publishes your paperback with an ISBN from its own block and lists it in the wholesale catalogs that more than 50,000 bookstores in 18 countries order from, for €20 to €35 per book.
Where is a BookBaby print book sold?
BookBaby states that printed books are available through Amazon and the BookBaby Bookshop, and that its program is intentionally focused on these two channels. A ShelfPublisher paperback is listed in the wholesale catalogs that more than 50,000 bookstores in 18 countries order from, Amazon included.
Do I need to buy an ISBN?
At BookBaby a single ISBN costs 79 USD, or you bring your own (125 USD at Bowker in the US). With ShelfPublisher the ISBN comes from the publisher's own block and is included in the price per book.
Who owns the ISBN?
The ISBN comes from the block registered to Orbita Media as publisher, and it stays with Orbita Media. Under the ISBN standard an ISBN identifies the publisher of an edition, so it cannot move with the book.
It costs you nothing. If you publish the book elsewhere after the contract ends, the new edition needs a new ISBN. The article ISBN for self-published books explains why.
Is a publisher the same as a distributor?
No. The publisher decides to publish the book, gives it its ISBN and imprint, pays for production and carries the risk. A distributor or wholesaler makes the finished book available to retailers and libraries and ships it when they order. At ShelfPublisher, Orbita Media is the publisher; the distribution runs through the wholesale channels. More in Amazon KDP vs a traditional publisher.
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Guides on self-publishing
How long does it take to publish a book?
How long does it take to publish a book? Traditional: 2–4 years. Self-publishing: weeks once your files are ready. ISBN and print on demand explained.
Read the article
What is print on demand and how does it work for books?
Print on demand prints a book only when someone orders it, so there is no stock to buy. Here is how it works for books, what it earns and how to start.
Read the article
How to get a book published in 2026: every realistic path
How to get a book published in 2026: literary agents and traditional houses, small presses, hybrid, KDP and Draft2Digital, or a publishing imprint.
Read the articleWant a publisher behind your paperback?
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