Books.by has an appealing pitch: a flat yearly fee, 100% of your sales proceeds, daily payouts and your buyers' details. It is a genuinely good option. But it isn't the only way to sell books direct, and depending on your formats, budget and goals, another platform may fit better. This guide compares them fairly, using prices checked in September 2026.
What Books.by offers
To compare fairly, here is what Books.by lists on its pricing page:
| Plan | Price | Formats | Per-sale deductions | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $99/yr (listed as 50% off $199) | Paperback only | 2.9% + $0.30 processing; printing at wholesale cost | Custom bookstore, free ISBNs, cover builder, daily payouts |
| Pro | $299/yr | Ebook and paperback | Same | Adds analytics, discount codes, pre-orders, pixel and Google Books integrations |
From books.by/pricing, September 2026. Books.by also offers a 100-day money-back guarantee.
Its strengths are clear: 100% of proceeds, buyer details, daily payouts, and free ISBNs. The main trade-offs are price if you want ebooks ($299 a year) and the fact that you bring the readers yourself.
Books.by alternatives compared
| Platform | Yearly cost | Ebooks | Per-sale cost | Readers browse a shared store? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BooksOasis | From $29.99 (10 books) | Yes, 100% of price | Yes, on demand | None on ebooks; print cost plus 30% of it | Yes |
| Books.by Pro | $299 | Yes | Yes | 2.9% + $0.30 | No, your own store |
| Payhip (free) | $0 | Yes (files) | No | 5% plus processing | No |
| Payhip (Pro) | $1,188 ($99/mo) | Yes (files) | No | Processing only | No |
| Gumroad | $0 | Yes (files) | No | 10% + $0.50 plus processing | Partly, through Discover (30% fee) |
| Shopify + BookFunnel | Shopify plan plus BookFunnel plan | Yes (files) | With add-ons | Processing | No |
Checked September 2026. Payment processing modelled at a typical 2.9% + $0.30.
BooksOasis
BooksOasis is an ebook-first bookstore where authors and publishers list their books for a flat plan. The key differences from Books.by:
- Price: Starter is $29.99 a year for up to 10 books, including ebooks and print. Growth is $179 a year for 100 books; Publisher is $599 for 500.
- Ebook earnings: 100% of the ebook price, with no processing fee taken from your royalty.
- Print: paperback and hardcover on demand; the printing cost plus a handling fee of 30% of that cost come out first. Readers pay shipping.
- A shared store: your books appear on genre shelves, in search, and on your author and publisher pages, alongside other authors' books, so readers can discover you without a link from you.
- Reading app: buyers read ebooks instantly in Oasis Reader on any device, so you never handle files or delivery.
- Pen names: unlimited author names and imprints.
Where Books.by is stronger: buyer contact details, free ISBNs, daily payouts and a store that is entirely your own brand.
Payhip
Payhip lets you sell ebook files, and other digital products, from a simple store. Its free plan charges 5% per sale, the $29 monthly plan 2%, and the $99 monthly plan nothing, with PayPal or Stripe processing fees on top. You get buyer emails, discount codes and a basic storefront. It doesn't print books.
Payhip is ideal if you sell few copies and want no yearly fee, or sell many digital products beyond books. See Payhip alternatives.
Gumroad
Gumroad has no monthly fee but takes 10% plus $0.50 per direct sale, plus processing, and 30% on sales through its Discover marketplace. It is quick to set up and familiar to creators, but expensive per sale, especially on cheap ebooks. See Gumroad alternatives for selling ebooks.
Shopify with BookFunnel
If you want a full website store under your own brand, a common setup is Shopify for the shop and BookFunnel to deliver ebook files to buyers. It is the most flexible option, and the most work: you pay for both services, design the store, handle marketing and run customer support.
It suits established authors with a large mailing list who want complete control.
Lulu for print direct
Lulu is one of the longest-running print-on-demand platforms, with many formats and options to sell through its own bookstore or connect to your own website. It suits authors whose focus is print, especially unusual formats.
Cost comparison: 10 books, 300 ebook sales a year at $4.99
| Platform | Yearly fee | Per-sale costs | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| BooksOasis Starter | $29.99 | $0 | $1,467.01 |
| Books.by Pro | $299 | About $133 | About $1,065 |
| Payhip free | $0 | About $208 | About $1,289 |
| Gumroad | $0 | About $433 | About $1,064 |
Example calculations: 300 sales of a $4.99 ebook ($1,497 revenue), processing at 2.9% + $0.30 where the platform passes it on.
At higher volumes, flat-fee platforms pull further ahead, because their cost doesn't grow with sales.
Standalone store or shared bookstore?
This is the real decision, more than price.
| Standalone store (Books.by, Payhip, Shopify) | Shared bookstore (BooksOasis) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who brings readers | You do | You, plus readers browsing the store |
| Branding | Entirely yours | Your author and publisher pages within the store |
| Buyer details | Usually shared with you | Readers keep their accounts with the store |
| Ebook delivery | Files, or a platform reader | Instant reading in Oasis Reader |
| Best for | Authors with a large following or mailing list | Authors who want discovery plus full ebook margin |
Many authors use both: a standalone store for their mailing list, and a shared bookstore to be found by new readers.
Where BooksOasis fits
- The lowest yearly price here for ebooks and print together, with 100% of ebook sales.
- A shared store where readers can discover your books on shelves and in search.
- No files to deliver: buyers read instantly in Oasis Reader.
What it doesn't do: BooksOasis doesn't hand you buyers' email addresses or distribute to other retailers. Every book passes a short moderation review.
See plans and pricingDelivering ebooks: files or a reading app?
How a buyer receives your ebook matters more than most authors expect.
- File delivery (Payhip, Gumroad, BookFunnel): the buyer downloads an EPUB or PDF. It is flexible, but some readers struggle to get files onto their devices, and files are easy to share.
- A reading app (BooksOasis): the buyer reads instantly in Oasis Reader in any browser, with offline downloads inside the app. There is nothing to transfer, and the book isn't handed over as a copyable file.
If your readers are less technical, or piracy worries you, an app-based store removes friction and risk. If your readers expect DRM-free files, file delivery suits them better.
Sales tax and VAT on direct sales
When you sell direct, someone has to handle sales tax and VAT, which for digital goods can depend on where the buyer lives. Some platforms handle this for you; others leave it to you as the seller. Before choosing, check who is responsible on each platform, especially if you sell to buyers in the European Union or the UK, where VAT rules for digital products are strict.
A shared bookstore generally handles the sale itself, which can simplify things compared with running your own shop.
How and when you are paid
| Platform | Payouts |
|---|---|
| Books.by | Daily royalty payouts |
| Payhip | Through your connected PayPal or Stripe account |
| Gumroad | Regular scheduled payouts |
| BooksOasis | Bank transfer or PayPal; international wires once your balance passes a minimum, so fixed wire fees don't eat small payments |
Choosing the right one
| If you... | Choose |
|---|---|
| Want ebooks and print at the lowest yearly cost | BooksOasis |
| Want buyer emails and daily payouts, and sell mostly paperbacks | Books.by Core |
| Sell a few ebooks and want no fixed fee | Payhip free |
| Want a fully branded website shop | Shopify with BookFunnel |
| Want discovery beyond your own audience | BooksOasis, plus retailers |
Mistakes to avoid with direct sales
- Expecting the store to sell the book for you. On a standalone store, nobody arrives unless you send them.
- Paying for features you won't use. Advanced analytics and pixels matter only if you run ads.
- Pricing below your retail listings. Amazon may price-match, which can lower your royalty there.
- Forgetting print costs rise. Review print prices when printers update their rates.
- Splitting readers across too many stores. Pick one main direct link for your own audience.
Getting started with direct sales
- Decide your formats.Ebook only, print only, or both. This rules platforms in or out quickly.
- Estimate your yearly sales.Low volumes favour no-fee plans; higher volumes favour flat fees.
- Choose standalone, shared, or both.Match the platform to where your readers will come from.
- Keep your retail listings.Direct sales add to retail sales; they rarely replace them.
- Point readers to one direct link.Use it in your newsletter, website and back matter.
Sources
Checked September 2026: Books.by pricing; Payhip pricing; Gumroad fees (Checkout Page).
In short
Books.by is a strong choice for authors who want their own branded store, buyer details and daily payouts. If you want ebooks and print at a lower yearly price, with 100% of the ebook price and a store where new readers can find you, BooksOasis is the natural alternative. Payhip and Gumroad suit low volumes with no fixed fee, and Shopify suits authors ready to run a full shop.
Questions
What does Books.by cost?
Books.by lists a Core plan at $99 a year for paperbacks, and a Pro plan at $299 a year that adds ebooks and marketing features. You keep 100% of sales proceeds minus card processing of 2.9% + $0.30.
What is the cheapest alternative to Books.by for ebooks?
BooksOasis Starter costs $29.99 a year for up to 10 books, including ebooks, and you keep 100% of the ebook price with no processing cut. Payhip's free plan has no yearly fee but takes 5% per sale plus processing.
Does BooksOasis give me my buyers' email addresses?
BooksOasis is a shared bookstore, so readers buy from BooksOasis and keep their accounts there. If building your own mailing list is your priority, a standalone store like Books.by, Payhip or your own website may suit you better alongside it.
Is Books.by a marketplace?
Books.by gives each author their own bookstore. Readers usually arrive through links you share, so you drive most of your own traffic.
Can I use Books.by and BooksOasis together?
Yes. They are separate stores. Many authors sell in several places, pointing their own readers to one store and letting others discover them on another.
Does Books.by sell ebooks on its Core plan?
No. According to its pricing page, the Core plan is paperback-only. Ebook publishing is included in the Pro plan at 99 a year.
Do I need an ISBN to sell on BooksOasis?
BooksOasis identifies each book and edition in its own store. If you plan to sell the same print edition through other channels, an ISBN you own lets you use it consistently everywhere.
Which is better for print, Books.by or BooksOasis?
Both print on demand. Books.by passes printing through at wholesale cost with card processing deducted; BooksOasis deducts the printing cost plus a 30% handling fee on that cost, with no card processing taken from you. Compare quotes for your own book.
What happens to my BooksOasis books if I stop paying?
Your published books stay live and keep selling. Royalties from sales made while your plan has lapsed are held, not lost, and are paid once you renew.
How many books can I list on BooksOasis?
Starter covers 10 books, Growth 100 and Publisher 500. You can add extra listings at any time with pay-as-you-go, which gets cheaper per book on larger plans.
Is there a free trial on BooksOasis?
BooksOasis plans are paid, starting at 9.99 a year for 10 books, which is designed to be low enough to try the platform properly with a first book or two.
Ebooks and print from $29.99 a year
Keep 100% of every ebook sale on BooksOasis.