StreetLib began in Italy and built a reputation for international reach: regional stores, library networks and subscription apps across Europe and beyond, alongside the major retailers. For authors with readers outside the English-speaking world, that's a real strength. This guide explains how StreetLib pays, compares it with the main alternatives, and shows what a typical ebook sale earns through each route.
How StreetLib pays
| Plan | Price | You earn | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free | 70% of net revenue | Ebooks only; a growing list of global outlets, not Amazon or other major retailers |
| Pro | $99 a year (a lifetime option is also offered) | 85% of net revenue | Ebooks and audiobooks; all partners, including major platforms, subscription apps and library networks |
From StreetLib's plan guide (last updated March 2025) and help center, checked October 2026. Check StreetLib's current terms before signing up.
"Net revenue" is what the retailer pays after its own commission. So StreetLib's percentage is a share of the store's payment, not of the list price. StreetLib's help center gives examples of store commissions, such as Google Play's 30%.
Print through StreetLib
StreetLib's help center describes print earnings as the cover price minus a sales commission of 45% to 51% (excluding VAT) depending on the channel, minus StreetLib's distribution fee of 10% of the cover price, minus printing costs. It offers an online calculator to estimate print earnings for your book's specifications.
What a $4.99 ebook earns
| Route | Per sale (approx.) | Fixed cost |
|---|---|---|
| A 70% store via StreetLib Basic (70% of net) | $2.44 | None |
| A 70% store via StreetLib Pro (85% of net) | $2.97 | $99 a year |
| A 70% store via Draft2Digital (~10% of retail) | About $3.00 | Small account fees |
| A 70% store via PublishDrive (0% commission) | $3.49 | Subscription |
| A 70% store, direct | $3.49 | None |
| BooksOasis, direct | $4.99 | Flat plan |
Illustrative, assuming a store that pays 70% of list price; each store's terms and VAT rules differ.
At this price, StreetLib Pro and Draft2Digital pay out about the same per sale, while StreetLib Basic pays less. The deciding factor is often reach rather than rate: which stores and countries each service actually gets your book into.
The alternatives
Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital keeps roughly 10% of the retail price and reaches major retailers and library platforms, with well-liked formatting tools. Since 2026, new accounts pay a one-time $20 activation fee, and accounts earning under $100 a year in net royalties pay $12 a year. See Draft2Digital alternatives.
PublishDrive
PublishDrive charges a subscription by number of books, from a free plan for one ebook to $99.99 a month for 48, with 0% commission, so you keep all of what each store pays. It suits authors whose sales are high enough that a flat fee beats a percentage. See PublishDrive alternatives.
Going direct
Opening accounts with your biggest stores, such as Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo Writing Life, Google Play Books and Barnes & Noble Press, keeps each store's full payment. Many authors go direct with their main stores and use an aggregator only for regional stores and libraries they can't reach easily. See aggregator vs direct publishing.
Reaching readers outside the US and UK
StreetLib's appeal is international: regional bookstores, subscription apps and library networks, particularly in Europe. If a large share of your readers are in Italy, Spain, Germany or other non-English markets, compare each service's store list for those countries specifically. A service with a slightly lower rate but the right regional stores may earn more overall.
Also think about pricing in local currencies and VAT. European prices usually include VAT, which comes off before any royalty is calculated, so the same headline price earns less than in the US. StreetLib's help center notes that earnings are based on the cover price minus any fixed VAT.
Libraries and subscription apps
Retail stores aren't the only places readers find ebooks. Library platforms let readers borrow books through their local library, and subscription apps give readers access to a catalogue for a monthly fee. Both pay authors under their own terms, which differ from a straight sale. StreetLib's Pro plan lists library networks and subscription apps among its partners, and Draft2Digital and PublishDrive also reach library platforms.
These channels rarely make a single book rich, but they add up across a catalogue, and they introduce your books to readers who might never pay full price for an unknown author. A borrowed first book can lead to purchased sequels. If your books suit library readers, such as mysteries, romance and practical non-fiction, it's worth making sure your chosen service covers the library platforms used in your readers' countries.
Audiobooks
StreetLib's Pro plan covers audiobooks as well as ebooks, which suits authors who want one service for both. Audiobook distribution has its own economics: production costs are much higher than for ebooks, and each audio store pays under its own terms. Before choosing a service for audio, check which audio stores and library platforms it reaches, and whether you want to keep audio separate from ebooks for flexibility.
Pricing for international readers
Wide distribution raises a pricing question: should a book cost the same everywhere? Most services let you set prices per currency or per country. A price that feels normal in the US may feel high in some markets and low in others, and European prices include VAT, which comes off before your share is worked out. Rounding to prices readers recognise, such as 3,99 or 4,99 in euros, looks more natural than a straight currency conversion. Review your international prices once a year alongside your sales by country.
Using two aggregators
Some authors combine aggregators: one for major stores and another for regional stores that the first doesn't reach. That can work well, with one strict rule: never send the same book to the same store through two services. Duplicate listings confuse readers and stores alike. Keep a simple table of which service delivers which book to which store, and check it whenever you publish a new book or change a service, so nothing slips through twice.
Switching away from StreetLib
If you decide to move books from StreetLib to another service, plan it rather than doing it all at once. Removing a book through one aggregator and relisting it through another can make some stores treat it as a new product, which may separate it from its reviews and ranking history. Using the same ISBN helps stores recognise the book, but it isn't a guarantee on every store.
A cautious approach is to move a quieter title first, watch how each store handles it, and then move your stronger sellers once you know what to expect. Update your back matter, website and newsletter links as each book moves, and keep a record of where every book is listed so nothing ends up on the same store twice. If you're on an annual plan, time the move so you aren't paying for two services longer than you need to.
Where BooksOasis fits
BooksOasis isn't a distributor. It's a store you list on directly, open to readers worldwide, where you keep 100% of the ebook price on every sale.
- Flat plans: $29.99 a year for 10 books, $179 for 100 and $599 for 500.
- Ebook, paperback and hardcover on one listing; print ships internationally, with shipping worked out at checkout.
- Series pages, pre-orders and promotional prices.
- No exclusivity, so it sits alongside StreetLib or any other service.
Questions to ask before signing up
- Which stores, exactly? Ask for the current list for your formats and your readers' countries.
- How is my share calculated? Of list price, of net revenue, after VAT?
- What does it cost to leave? What happens to listings, reviews and reports if you move?
- How and when am I paid? Methods, frequency and minimums for your country.
- Can I control each store? Switch stores on or off per book, set prices per country?
The answers matter more than a few percentage points. A service that pays slightly less but reaches the stores your readers use, and pays you reliably, is usually the better choice.
Three authors, three routes
An Italian crime writer publishing in Italian and English uses StreetLib Pro for European stores and libraries, and goes direct to Amazon.
An American romance author with most readers in the US uses Draft2Digital for everything except Amazon, since its store list covers where those readers shop.
A non-fiction author with steady sales on three stores went direct to all three, used an aggregator for the rest, and lists every book on BooksOasis for readers who buy there.
Choosing
| If you... | Consider |
|---|---|
| Have many readers in European or regional markets | StreetLib Pro, compared store by store |
| Want easy formatting and major-store reach | Draft2Digital |
| Sell enough that a flat fee beats a percentage | PublishDrive |
| Sell most at two or three stores | Go direct there; aggregate the rest |
| Want 100% of the ebook price on some sales | Add BooksOasis |
Where BooksOasis fits
- A store you list on directly, open to readers worldwide.
- 100% of the ebook price and flat plans from $29.99 a year.
- Print on demand, shipped internationally.
What it doesn't do: BooksOasis doesn't distribute to other stores, libraries or subscription apps, and prices are shown in US dollars.
See plans and pricingSources
Checked October 2026: StreetLib distribution plans; StreetLib earnings; PublishDrive plans; Draft2Digital FAQ.
In short
StreetLib Pro pays 85% of what stores pay and shines for international and regional reach; Basic is free but pays less and skips the major stores. Compare Draft2Digital, PublishDrive and going direct on the stores that matter for your readers, and add a store where you keep 100% of the ebook price for the sales you send there.
Questions
How does StreetLib pay authors?
StreetLib's blog describes a free Basic plan paying 70% of net revenue on ebook sales to a smaller set of outlets, and a Pro plan at $99 a year paying 85% of net revenue, covering ebooks and audiobooks and all its partners. Its help center says 85% also applies to a lifetime access option.
What does 'net revenue' mean here?
What the retailer pays after taking its own commission. StreetLib's percentage is applied to that amount, not to the list price.
Does StreetLib's free plan include Amazon?
According to StreetLib's plan guide, the Basic plan reaches a growing list of global outlets but not Amazon and other major retailers. Those are on Pro.
How does StreetLib handle print?
Its help center says print earnings are the cover price minus a sales commission of 45% to 51% (excluding VAT), minus StreetLib's 10% distribution fee, minus printing costs.
Why do authors choose StreetLib?
Mainly for international reach, especially European and regional stores, library networks and subscription apps that other aggregators may not cover.
What's the best alternative to StreetLib?
Draft2Digital for easy formatting and major-store reach for roughly 10% of retail price; PublishDrive for a subscription with 0% commission; going direct where you sell most. Add BooksOasis to keep 100% of the ebook price on sales there.
What does a $4.99 ebook earn through StreetLib Pro?
If the store pays 70% (about $3.49), StreetLib Pro's 85% leaves you about $2.97. On Basic at 70%, about $2.44.
Can I use StreetLib alongside another aggregator?
Yes, but never send the same book to the same store through two services. Many authors use one aggregator for major stores and another for regional ones.
Is BooksOasis available in Europe?
BooksOasis is an online store open to readers worldwide, with prices in US dollars. Print books ship internationally, with shipping worked out at checkout.
Do I need an aggregator at all?
Not if you're happy managing accounts with each store yourself. Aggregators save time and reach stores that are hard to join directly.
Add a store where you keep 100%
List directly on BooksOasis. Plans from $29.99 a year for 10 books.