Draft2Digital vs PublishDrive: which should I use?
- Both distribute ebooks (and more) to many retailers.
- Draft2Digital takes a cut per sale with no upfront fee.
- PublishDrive uses a subscription pricing model.
- PublishDrive emphasizes very broad global reach.
- The best fit depends on volume, reach needs, and pricing preference.
Draft2Digital and PublishDrive are both wide distributors that get your ebook (and often print and audio) onto many retailers and library platforms from one dashboard. Draft2Digital is simple to use and takes a percentage per sale with no upfront cost, which suits lower-volume authors. PublishDrive uses a subscription model and emphasizes very broad global and library reach, which can favor higher-volume authors or those wanting maximum distribution. The best choice depends on your sales volume, how broad you need reach to be, and which pricing model fits.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Choosing a wide distributor affects your reach, your costs, and your workflow, and these two use different pricing models (per-sale cut versus subscription) that favor different authors. Understanding the differences — Draft2Digital's simplicity and per-sale model versus PublishDrive's subscription and broad reach — lets authors pick based on their actual volume and distribution goals rather than guessing. It is a practical decision that meaningfully affects an indie author's economics and market coverage.
Chapter ii·What to include
- Both as wide ebook distributors.
- Draft2Digital's per-sale, no-upfront model.
- PublishDrive's subscription model.
- PublishDrive's broad global/library reach.
- Your volume and reach needs.
- The pricing model that fits you.
Chapter iii·Example
A lower-volume author chooses Draft2Digital for its simplicity and no-upfront, per-sale model. A higher-volume author wanting maximum global and library reach finds PublishDrive's subscription pays off across her catalog. Each matched the distributor to their volume and reach goals rather than picking by name.
WriteLoom keeps your editions and channels organized, whichever wide distributor you use.
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