Best Book Publishing Platforms
Spines alternatives
7 tools scored in the same category. 5 score higher than Spines's 2.6/5.
Ranked by independent composite score, not by payment. Nobody on this page paid to be here.
Before you switch — what Spines does well
- Full control over pricing, sales, and royalties
- Strong analytics tools for tracking performance
- Wide distribution network of all major online retailers
And where it was marked down
- Could broaden marketing tools to allow publishers to promote their books more effectively
Global print-on-demand platform for direct-to-consumer book publishing and retail distribution
Scores 0.4 higher than Spines
A comprehensive distribution and automated formatting platform for independent authors and publishers
Scores 0.4 higher than Spines
Global self-publishing platform for distributing ebooks and print books via Amazon
Scores 0.3 higher than Spines
Premium digital bookstore reaching the global ecosystem of Apple device users
Scores 0.2 higher than Spines
The premier storefront for independent e-books, offering authors 75% royalties and global distribution via Draft2Digital. (Now: Acquired by Draft2Digital in March 2022; as of 2026, Smashwords functions primarily as a storefront brand while its publishing and distribution backend is fully integrated into the Draft2Digital platform.)
Scores 0.1 higher than Spines
A global digital bookstore providing extensive reach for ebooks and AI-powered audiobook distribution
Scores level with Spines
Enterprise cloud platform for creating and distributing secure interactive educational eBooks
Scores 0.1 lower than Spines
Common questions
What is the best alternative to Spines?
On Benchmark Grid's independent scoring, Lulu is the highest-scoring alternative in Best Book Publishing Platforms at 3.0/5, against Spines at 2.6/5. Which is right for you depends on your publication's size, revenue model and vertical.
Why would a publisher move away from Spines?
Our editors flagged: Could broaden marketing tools to allow publishers to promote their books more effectively. Whether those matter depends on your setup — many publishers run Spines successfully despite them.
Are these alternatives ranked by paid placement?
No. Every tool here is ranked by a composite score set by SODP's editorial team across 12 criteria. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, for a score, or for a position on this page.
