Google Play Books Partner Center vs Lulu
February 07, 2026 | Author: Laura Candler
The Google Play Books Partner Center and Lulu are both self-publishing platforms for independent authors. They allow publishing free and paid books, accept files in PDFs and EPUBs formats with proper metadata, allow to set own price and change it after publication, provide access to sales statistics.
However, Google Play Books Partner Center distributes books only through its own Google Play store and the Google Books online catalog. Royalty payments are processed via AdSense. The platform has strict requirements for content, including inserts and the absence of watermarks in files. Different geographic rights can be managed separately in the management console.
Lulu publishes books both in its own Lulu store and also on Amazon and other retail platforms through extended distribution. The platform also supports print-on-demand service to create paperbacks, offers a wide selection of print formats and bindings and allows to create photo books, calendars and magazines. The platform includes tools for creating covers and provides more flexible pricing system for printed books.
However, Google Play Books Partner Center distributes books only through its own Google Play store and the Google Books online catalog. Royalty payments are processed via AdSense. The platform has strict requirements for content, including inserts and the absence of watermarks in files. Different geographic rights can be managed separately in the management console.
Lulu publishes books both in its own Lulu store and also on Amazon and other retail platforms through extended distribution. The platform also supports print-on-demand service to create paperbacks, offers a wide selection of print formats and bindings and allows to create photo books, calendars and magazines. The platform includes tools for creating covers and provides more flexible pricing system for printed books.
