Google Play Books vs Lulu
Google Play Books
A global digital bookstore providing extensive reach for ebooks and AI-powered audiobook distribution
Publishers using it: 1
Lulu
Global print-on-demand platform for direct-to-consumer book publishing and retail distribution
Publishers using it: 3 · incl. Indie Author Magazine
Last verified Oct 19, 2026
At a glance
- Google Play Books scores 2.6/5 and Lulu scores 3.0/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent book publishing platforms benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are print quality & fulfilment (Google Play Books 0.0, Lulu 4.7) and distribution reach (Google Play Books 3.0, Lulu 4.5); they are within 0.3 on 2 of 10 criteria.
- Both are built for small and mid-market publishers.
- On total cost of ownership Google Play Books scores 4.7 and Lulu 4.4 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 1 publishers use Google Play Books and 3 use Lulu.
- Scores last verified 19 Oct 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Google Play Books is stronger on marketing tools (3.2 vs 2.2).
Lulu is stronger on print quality & fulfilment (4.7 vs 0.0), distribution reach (4.5 vs 3.0) and format support (4.6 vs 3.5).
Which one fits
Choose Google Play Books if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
- You weight marketing tools, metadata & discoverability and sales reporting & reconciliation heavily — Google Play Books leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Lulu if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
- You weight print quality & fulfilment, distribution reach and format support heavily — Lulu leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Google Play Books and Lulu in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 2.9Amazon KDPGlobal self-publishing platform for distributing ebooks and print books via AmazonRead review
- 2.6Draft2DigitalA comprehensive distribution and automated formatting platform for independent authors and publishersRead review
- 2.5KitabooEnterprise cloud platform for creating and distributing secure interactive educational eBooksRead review
- 2.5SpinesAI-powered publishing platform that streamlines book production from manuscript to distribution in under 30 days.Read review
All 6 scored tools are in Best Book Publishing Platforms.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Google Play Books · 1
Head to head
| Criterion | Google Play Books | Lulu |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution reach14% of capability | 3.0 | 4.5 |
| Royalty rates & payment terms14% of capability | 4.5 | 4.2 |
| Format support12% of capability | 3.5 | 4.6 |
| Rights & IP control12% of capability | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Metadata & discoverability10% of capability | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Production & formatting tools10% of capability | 3.0 | 3.2 |
| Sales reporting & reconciliation10% of capability | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Pricing controls8% of capability | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Marketing tools6% of capability | 3.2 | 2.2 |
| Print quality & fulfilment4% of capability | 0.0 | 4.7 |
| Capability45% of composite | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 4.7 | 4.4 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Google Play Books | Lulu |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Entry cost | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Implementation cost | 4.6 | 4.5 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 4.7 | 4.0 |
| Ongoing cost | 4.8 | 4.2 |
Google Play Books pricing
Free to use for consumers with individual book purchases. Publishers receive a standard 70% royalty on sales with no upfront fees.
Lulu pricing
Free to use with no monthly fees; users pay manufacturing and shipping costs. Lulu takes a 20% commission on print profits and 10% on ebooks.
What users say
Google Play Books
40 positive · 23 neutral · 23 negative
Lulu
12 positive · 13 neutral · 3 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Google Play Books scores 2.6 and Lulu scores 3.0 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Book Publishing Platforms benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/google-play-books/lulu, verified Oct 19, 2026)
Common questions
How do Google Play Books and Lulu differ?
Google Play Books is stronger on marketing tools (3.2 vs 2.2). Lulu is stronger on print quality & fulfilment (4.7 vs 0.0), distribution reach (4.5 vs 3.0) and format support (4.6 vs 3.5). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Google Play Books or Lulu?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Google Play Books scores 4.7/5 and Lulu scores 4.4/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Book Publishing Platforms. See alternatives to Google Play Books or alternatives to Lulu.
Weighing a third option? Add a tool to this comparison.
Where to next
Related comparisons
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