IngramSpark vs StreetLib Comparison 2026
IngramSpark gets a physical book into the retail and library supply chain, free to set up with printing charged per copy by specification. StreetLib distributes ebooks and audiobooks to stores an author cannot easily reach alone, for $99 a year or $299 once, keeping 85 percent of net revenue either way. The two cover different formats rather than competing directly: IngramSpark is the print route, and StreetLib is a paid ebook aggregator with its cut stated up front.
Print a book into the retail supply chain
Ebook distribution that states its cut up front
At a glance
- Only IngramSpark has a free tier.
Side by side
IngramSpark | StreetLib | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Not listed | From $99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Paid subscription |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | Not stated | Annual only |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
IngramSpark
Print a book into the retail supply chain
IngramSpark is how an independent author gets a physical book into the catalogue bookshops and libraries actually order from, which Amazon's own printing does not do on the same terms. Setup costs nothing now, print is charged per copy, and the distribution reach is the reason to be here rather than the interface. Returns, discounts and trim sizes are decisions with real money attached, and the site is better at listing them than at explaining them.
Our note
Use the print cost calculator before finalising a page count, because trim size and paper choices move the unit cost enough to decide whether the book is profitable. Most authors list on both IngramSpark and KDP, using one for reach and the other for Amazon margin.
StreetLib
Ebook distribution that states its cut up front
StreetLib distributes ebooks and audiobooks to the stores an author cannot easily reach one by one, and is unusual in charging for the service rather than only taking a share. It publishes what it keeps, which is more than most aggregators do. For an author already selling through Amazon alone, the question is whether the other stores add up to more than the fee.
Why people weigh these two
- StreetLib instead of IngramSpark
- StreetLib at $99 distributes ebooks and states its cut up front, which is the number IngramSpark makes you work out from the fees.
- IngramSpark instead of StreetLib
- IngramSpark reaches the print retail supply chain and libraries, not only ebook stores, with a free tier to start, for an author who wants a paperback on a bookstore shelf too.
Which one should you pick
Choose IngramSpark for the physical book, since it is free to set up and reaches the bookshops and libraries that actually order from a wholesale catalogue. Printing is charged per copy once trim size, page count and binding are specified, so the real unit cost only appears at that point.
Choose StreetLib for ebook and audiobook reach beyond the obvious stores, at $99 a year or $299 once, keeping 85 percent of net revenue at either price. It only pays off once sales through those extra stores add up to more than the fee, so a single title selling mainly on Kindle is unlikely to recover the cost.
Common questions
- Do IngramSpark and StreetLib compete with each other?
- Not directly. IngramSpark handles print distribution into the retail and library supply chain, while StreetLib distributes ebooks and audiobooks to stores beyond the obvious ones. An author can use both for different formats.
- Which one is free?
- IngramSpark's title setup is free, with printing charged per copy. StreetLib always charges, $99 a year or $299 once, in exchange for a stated 85 percent share of net revenue rather than a larger cut for nothing upfront.
- Does StreetLib publish physical books?
- No, StreetLib is ebooks and audiobooks only. IngramSpark is the one built for physical print distribution into bookshops and libraries.
- Is StreetLib worth it for a single title?
- Usually not. It is built for authors with several titles whose combined sales through its extra stores clear the annual or lifetime fee; a single book selling mostly on Kindle will not recover the cost.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.