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VERDICT

Should I use Lulu?

Print-on-demand book publishing and selling platform - lulu.com

Depends. Buy Lulu if you are an author or store owner who wants free print-on-demand publishing with direct Shopify or WooCommerce selling. Skip it if you need responsive customer support or an ebook-first Amazon strategy — KDP fits better.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 11 usable public sources. Many 'Lulu' search results were unrelated entities (Metallica album, LuLu Hypermarket, LuLu firewall, lululemon, LuLu UI) and were excluded.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo direct user evidence found
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security postureNo platform-specific findings in sources

Pricing

Publish & print

Free to publish; per-book print costs

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Lulu Direct (Shopify)Free app; print costs per order

Best for

  • Self-publishing authors printing paperbacks
  • Authors selling print books direct
  • Shopify/WooCommerce stores selling books
  • Developers needing a print API

Not for

  • Ebook-first authors — Amazon KDP is the default
  • Anyone expecting fast, hands-on customer support
  • Buyers wanting fixed, predictable pricing — structure changed recently

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Complaint compilations about Lulu Press support span years; support is ticket-based

medium

Pricing structure changed recently; recheck your per-book print costs before committing

low

Print costs vary by book specs — run the calculator before setting your retail price

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free to publish — you pay only per-book print costs
  • Lulu Direct apps integrate selling with Shopify and WooCommerce stores
  • Public print API with pricing calculator for business use
  • Covered by independent self-publishing reviews and platform comparisons

Cons

  • Recurring customer service complaints documented over multiple years
  • Pricing structure changed recently, confusing existing publishers

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/30/2026 - 11 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x4review x6news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Free to publish; per-book print costs

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Free to publish; pay per print
  • Ease of use. No direct user evidence found
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Print API plus Shopify/WooCommerce integrations
  • Support quality: 2/5. Recurring complaints documented for years
  • Security posture. No platform-specific findings in sources
  • Free Publishing cost Pay only per-book print costs
  • Yes Free tier No upfront publishing fees
  • 2 Store integrations Shopify and WooCommerce apps

Pricing

Publish & print

Free to publish; per-book print costs

  • Set your own royalty
  • Use the print cost calculator

Lulu Direct (Shopify)

Free app; print costs per order

  • Sell books in your own store
  • Print-on-demand fulfillment

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Self-publishers report print-on-demand wins but frustration with recent pricing changes and long-running support complaints.

“Did lulu just change thier entire pricing structure?”
Reddit, r/selfpublish
“EVEN MORE Complaints About Lulu Press / Lulu.com!”
WritersWeekly
Full analysis

Based on 11 usable public sources. Many 'Lulu' search results were unrelated entities (Metallica album, LuLu Hypermarket, LuLu firewall, lululemon, LuLu UI) and were excluded.

Free print-on-demand book publishing with Shopify/WooCommerce selling; strong for print, weak on support.

Methodology

Based on 11 usable public sources. Many 'Lulu' search results were unrelated entities (Metallica album, LuLu Hypermarket, LuLu firewall, lululemon, LuLu UI) and were excluded.

Sources

  1. Lulu Publishing Review — Reedsyreedsy.com
    review
  2. Did lulu just change their entire pricing structure? — Redditreddit.com
    review
  3. Lulu publishing review — Reddit r/selfpublishreddit.com
    review
  4. Trustpilot reviews of www.lulu.comtrustpilot.com
    review
  5. Complaints About Lulu Press — WritersWeeklywritersweekly.com
    news
  6. Lulu vs Books.by comparisonbooks.by
    review
  7. Lulu vs Other Self-Publishing Platformsprintingcenterusa.com
    review
  8. Lulu Direct for Shopifyapps.shopify.com
    official
  9. Lulu Print API Pricing Calculatordevelopers.lulu.com
    official
  10. Lulu Book Cost Calculatorlulu.com
    official
  11. Lulu product security pagelulu.com
    official

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