Lulu:
• Setup fee: 0.00
• Per book: purchased via Lulu 4.53, via distribution channels 1.50.
• Per page: 0.02
• Distribution/catalogue fee: 99.95, one off (gets you to Amazon, B&N etc.)
• Proof copy: whatever the normal price + shipping turns out to be; required
• ISBN barcode must be manually included
• Publisher must be Lulu (unless you are US-based) in order to have distribution outside the Lulu site.
• US only
Lightning Source:
• Setup fee: 50.00 for cover, 0.15 per page (electronic)
• Per book: 0.90
• Per page: 0.013 (0.015 for publisher direct orders, i.e. sold off my website, plus $1.50 per order handling, plus shipping)
• Distribution/catalogue fee: 12.00 per year
• Proof copy: 30.00 per copy; required
• ISBN barcode automatically included
• Publisher can be me.
• Also UK - separate setup, similar terms.
So being the nerd I am, I did a spreadsheet, and it looks like this:
| Num pages | Num books | Per book (Lulu) | Per book (LSI) | Better deal |
| 100 | 1 | 113.45 | 157.20 | Lulu |
| 100 | 10 | 14.50 | 17.70 | Lulu |
| 100 | 20 | 9.00 | 9.95 | Lulu |
| 100 | 25 | 7.90 | 8.40 | Lulu |
| 100 | 30 | 7.17 | 7.37 | Lulu |
| 100 | 40 | 6.25 | 6.08 | LSI |
| 100 | 50 | 5.70 | 5.30 | LSI |
| 100 | 100 | 4.60 | 3.75 | LSI |
| 100 | 200 | 4.05 | 2.98 | LSI |
| 100 | 500 | 3.72 | 2.51 | LSI |
| 100 | 1000 | 3.61 | 2.36 | LSI |
| 100 | 2000 | 3.55 | 2.28 | LSI |
| 100 | 3000 | 3.54 | 2.25 | LSI |
| 100 | 5000 | 3.52 | 2.23 | LSI |
| 150 | 1 | 114.45 | 165.35 | Lulu |
| 150 | 10 | 15.50 | 19.10 | Lulu |
| 150 | 20 | 10.00 | 10.98 | Lulu |
| 150 | 25 | 8.90 | 9.35 | Lulu |
| 150 | 30 | 8.17 | 8.27 | Lulu |
| 150 | 40 | 7.25 | 6.91 | LSI |
| 150 | 50 | 6.70 | 6.10 | LSI |
| 150 | 100 | 5.60 | 4.48 | LSI |
| 150 | 200 | 5.05 | 3.66 | LSI |
| 150 | 500 | 4.72 | 3.18 | LSI |
| 150 | 1000 | 4.61 | 3.01 | LSI |
| 150 | 2000 | 4.55 | 2.93 | LSI |
| 150 | 3000 | 4.54 | 2.90 | LSI |
| 150 | 5000 | 4.52 | 2.88 | LSI |
| 200 | 1 | 115.45 | 173.50 | Lulu |
| 200 | 10 | 16.50 | 20.50 | Lulu |
| 200 | 20 | 11.00 | 12.00 | Lulu |
| 200 | 25 | 9.90 | 10.30 | Lulu |
| 200 | 30 | 9.17 | 9.17 | Lulu |
| 200 | 40 | 8.25 | 7.75 | LSI |
| 200 | 50 | 7.70 | 6.90 | LSI |
| 200 | 100 | 6.60 | 5.20 | LSI |
| 200 | 200 | 6.05 | 4.35 | LSI |
| 200 | 500 | 5.72 | 3.84 | LSI |
| 200 | 1000 | 5.61 | 3.67 | LSI |
| 200 | 2000 | 5.55 | 3.59 | LSI |
| 200 | 3000 | 5.54 | 3.56 | LSI |
| 200 | 5000 | 5.52 | 3.53 | LSI |
| 300 | 1 | 117.45 | 189.80 | Lulu |
| 300 | 10 | 18.50 | 23.30 | Lulu |
| 300 | 20 | 13.00 | 14.05 | Lulu |
| 300 | 25 | 11.90 | 12.20 | Lulu |
| 300 | 30 | 11.17 | 10.97 | LSI |
| 300 | 40 | 10.25 | 9.43 | LSI |
| 300 | 50 | 9.70 | 8.50 | LSI |
| 300 | 100 | 8.60 | 6.65 | LSI |
| 300 | 200 | 8.05 | 5.73 | LSI |
| 300 | 500 | 7.72 | 5.17 | LSI |
| 300 | 1000 | 7.61 | 4.99 | LSI |
| 300 | 2000 | 7.55 | 4.89 | LSI |
| 300 | 3000 | 7.54 | 4.86 | LSI |
| 300 | 5000 | 7.52 | 4.84 | LSI |
| 400 | 1 | 119.45 | 206.10 | Lulu |
| 400 | 10 | 20.50 | 26.10 | Lulu |
| 400 | 20 | 15.00 | 16.10 | Lulu |
| 400 | 25 | 13.90 | 14.10 | Lulu |
| 400 | 30 | 13.17 | 12.77 | LSI |
| 400 | 40 | 12.25 | 11.10 | LSI |
| 400 | 50 | 11.70 | 10.10 | LSI |
| 400 | 100 | 10.60 | 8.10 | LSI |
| 400 | 200 | 10.05 | 7.10 | LSI |
| 400 | 500 | 9.72 | 6.50 | LSI |
| 400 | 1000 | 9.61 | 6.30 | LSI |
| 400 | 2000 | 9.55 | 6.20 | LSI |
| 400 | 3000 | 9.54 | 6.17 | LSI |
| 400 | 5000 | 9.52 | 6.14 | LSI |
I'm assuming a 5-year period, so the catalogue fee for LSI is $60.
Assuming I've got the calculations right, that makes a pretty convincing case for Lightning Source if I expect to sell more than 30 copies of my 100-page book, and as the page count rises that difference between 0.02 and 0.013 per page just has a stronger and stronger impact.
Not a really big surprise, since if I understand correctly Lulu prints through Lightning Source themselves. But interesting.
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