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All tiers at a glance

Compare picks across every budget — click any tool to see full details.

Category$0Under $300$2,000+
Writing ToolsyWriterFreeScrivener$60–$96 one-timeScrivener$60–$96 one-time
EditingProWritingAidFree – $36/moProWritingAidFree – $36/moReedsy Editors$500–$5k/word
FormattingReedsy Book EditorFree – $11Atticus$147–$147 one-timeVellum$200–$250 one-time
Cover DesignCanvaFree – $20/moSelfPubBookCovers$55–$279/project99designs$299–$1k/project
PublishingAmazon KDPFreeAmazon KDPFreeIngramSparkFree
MarketingStoryOriginFree – $10/moBookFunnel$30–$300/yrBookBubFree – $4k/project
Est. annual costEst. $0/yrEst. ~$292/yr*Est. ~$1.1k/yr*

* Estimate mixes billing periods (monthly, one-time, per-project). Monthly costs are annualised; one-time and per-project costs are counted once. Actual spend will vary by usage.

Under $300

Self-Publish for Under $300

A professional-quality stack that won't break the bank

Estimated stack cost

$237year 1$30/yr after

+ variable costs for tools priced per-word, per-project, or per-use

Based on entry-level pricing. One-time purchases counted in year 1 only.

01

writing tools

Scrivener$60–$96 one-time

Industry-standard writing software — a one-time $49 purchase you'll use for every book

Also consider:Dabble Writer— cloud-first & mobile writing$9–$29/mo+$48/yrPlottr— visual story planning & series plotting$5–$15/mosame cost
02

editing

ProWritingAidFree – $36/mo

One month of Premium ($30) gives you unlimited AI editing for your manuscript

Also consider:Grammarly— quick grammar & clarity polishFree – $30/mosame costAutoCrit— fiction-specific pacing & dialogue checksFree – $30/mosame cost
03

formatting

Atticus$147–$147 one-time

One-time $148 purchase for beautiful cross-platform formatting — works on any device

Also consider:Reedsy Studio— free option with clean ePub exportFree – $11Kindle Create— Kindle-only authors keeping it simpleFree−$147/yr
04

cover design

SelfPubBookCovers$55–$279/project

Exclusive premade covers from $60-$150 that look professional and genre-appropriate

Also consider:GetCovers— larger premade selection & faster search$10–$20/projectCanva— full creative control with templatesFree – $20/mo
05

publishing

Amazon KDPFree

Free to publish with the highest royalty rates in the industry

Also consider:Draft2Digital— going wide beyond AmazonFreesame cost
06

marketing

BookFunnel$30–$300/yr

Starting at $20/year for reader magnet delivery to build your mailing list

Also consider:StoryOrigin— group promos & newsletter swapsFree – $10/mo−$30/yr
Comparing (0/4)

The Under $300 Stack

This stack balances cost and quality, investing in tools you'll reuse across every book you publish. The biggest expenses — Scrivener and Atticus — are one-time purchases that pay for themselves after your first book.

Estimated total: ~$250-$300 (less for subsequent books since Scrivener and Atticus are one-time purchases)

Where to splurge if you have extra budget: Upgrade to a custom cover design ($150-$350 from Miblart or GetCovers). A great cover is the single best investment you can make.