Best Self-Publishing Companies of 2026

If you landed on this page, you’re likely searching for the best self-publishing companies the Internet has to offer. Searching Google or Bing for “best self publishing companies” can be tricky business, as there are many companies out there offering very similar self-publishing services. After a while, the self-publishing companies start to blend together and it’s difficult to tell what sets any of them apart from one another. So what’s the best self-publishing company, anyway? Well, that depends on your specific needs and skills. No list of self-publishing companies will help you until you know what you need or want in your publishing journey…

Consider Your Options Before Choosing a Self-Publishing Company

Option 1 – DIY self-publishing: If you’re looking to self-publish in the truest sense of the term, you’ll need to do everything that a publisher would do but on your own: design your own book, perform editing, find a printer and distributor and do all your own marketing and publicity. This is likely the cheapest option, but your book product will probably scream “self-published!” and consumers will take notice.

Option 2 – Assembling your own team: The other self-publishing option would be to farm out the book design and editing to professionals and then find a printer and distributor and maybe even a marketing and publicity firm to help you, too — essentially assembling your own team. But then there’s the daunting task of vetting each team member and keeping everyone on track.

Option 1 and 2 above will require you to form your own self-publishing company. This will turn into a full time job. Is that what you want for yourself? Is that your goal — to own your own self-publishing company business? Do you have the skills and time to form and run your own self-publishing company successfully? If so, great! Get to it and expect to fail before you succeed. Owning your own company is not for the faint of heart.

Option 3 – Outsourcing everything to a self-publishing company: If running your own self-publishing company doesn’t sound appealing, it makes sense to hire an already established self-publishing company such as MindStir Media to handle the publishing work for you and make sure your book is published professionally…

If you decide you want to hire a self-publishing company to help you self-publish, here are some questions you should ask during your research phase

• How long has the company been in business? Make sure you only consider companies that have been in operation for at least five years. Many self-publishing companies, and businesses in general, fail within the first five years.
• Has the company found any success with any of their books? You should be able to see specific examples of successful books published with the company you’re researching. If none of their books have found success, what makes you think that yours will be any different if you go with that company?
• Does the company have any accolades or awards for quality or service? This can also refer to customer ratings and reviews.
• Who owns & operates the company? It’s important to know who is behind the company you’re considering. Does that person or corporation have a proven track record?
• Do they outsource their printing? And if so, does the printer have a solid reputation and track record?
• Will you keep your rights? Some self-publishing companies force you into an exclusive publishing agreement. In self-publishing, you should not be giving up your rights in any way.
• How long will it take to publish? A good full-service self-publishing company can usually publish a book in less than 6 months.
• What kind of distribution does the company offer? If they call themselves a self-publishing company but only offer printing or ebook conversion, with no distribution whatsoever, it’s probably not a good fit and they’re probably not really a self-publishing company. The best self-publishing companies help with all aspects of publishing including distribution.
• What percentage of royalties will you receive from the company? Believe it or not, there are self-publishing companies that only provide 15-20% royalties. Those percentages are entirely too low in the self-publishing world.
• Will you have any say over the book design and editing? A good self-publishing company will allow you to make the final call on items such as design and editorial.

What Sets MindStir Media Apart & Makes them a Leader Among the Best Self-Publishing Companies?

• MindStir Media has been helping authors self-publish for over a decade.
• We have helped authors self-publish many bestsellers & award-winners.
• We have been part of many notable projects, including books by Sho Kosugi (actor/martial artist celebrity known for feature films Revenge of the Ninja, The Scorpion King, Ninja Assassin, etc.); Arnold Kane (3-time Emmy Award Nominee and writer of TV hits Webster, The Love Boat, and The Jeffersons); Don Miller (award-winning film producer of If I Could Run, also published in book form under the same name by MindStir Media); MassMutual; and Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
• MindStir Media itself is an award-winning self-publishing company and is ranked #1 among the best self-publishing websites and companies as per Penny Matters, a renowned blog that ranks companies and products.
• MindStir is run by J.J. Hebert, the 9x award-winning author of four #1 Amazon Best Sellers. Hebert was also named “Entrepreneur to Watch in 2021” by International Business Times for his transformative work in self-publishing. He works with each client as their mentor, helping them with marketing and more.
• We are in good company, as we use the same printer as some of the most renowned traditional publishers, including Simon & Schuster, Harcourt Trade Publishers, Zondervan Publishing House and Oxford University Press. Quality matters to them and it matters to us, too. When you work with us, you can expect your book to be of the highest quality!
• All MindStir Media authors retain their copyright and publishing rights.
• We strive to publish books within 90 days.
• Our titles are available to over 30,000 wholesalers, booksellers and retailers in over 100 countries thanks to our distribution partnership with Ingram.
• Our clients receive attractive royalty rates, from 50-100% depending on the package selected.
• Our authors keep creative control and have final say over things like cover and interior design and editing.

Recommended by Kevin Harrington, Original “Shark” from Shark Tank

Learn More About Self-Publishing Company MINDSTIR MEDIA by Downloading Our Publishing Guide

We offer a 13-page self-publishing guide free of charge. The guide outlines our entire book publishing process, step-by-step, and then shows all of our publishing packages and pricing. It even reveals a valuable list of book marketing & advertising services proven to help authors sell more books. Go download it now if you want to learn how self-publishing works with MindStir Media.

Featured Self-Publishing Testimonials from MindStir Media’s Authors:

“After publishing three books with J.J. Hebert, there was never any question I’d call on [him] for my second series. Not only did [J.J.] offer great service, and expert guidance before the release, but J.J. Hebert and his team were there after publication, helping me with critical details like timing the release for maximum impact, sharing tips on building a fan base, and giving advice on gaining exposure for my books … I got more than a publisher. I got a partner.” —Paula Wiseman, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author

“With confidence and consistency, J.J. helped navigate me through what options I may have both within and outside of his company. He did this all well before I made a commitment or payment to him. … J.J.’s willingness to genuinely help, and the promptness with which he did (he often responded regardless of what hour I sent him an email, and this says something considering I am living in Thailand) allowed me to see that he is a good man who puts his morals before his business. As an online college professor, I can attest to the importance of “virtual visibility” and I can say that J.J. was always visible and always responsive in every step of the book publishing process … I’ve experienced his tenacity and work ethic, his open-mindedness and empathy… I highly recommend J.J. Hebert and [his] team for anybody who has a story to tell.” —Cameron Conaway, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author and Pushcart Prize Nominee seen in Newsweek, Forbes, NPR, ESPN, Reuters, and The Guardian

Frequently Asked Questions about Self-Publishing and Self-Publishing Companies

What are some of the best self-publishing companies?

Two of the best self-publishing companies are MindStir Media and Seacoast Press. MindStir Media offers a wide array of self-publishing service packages, and each author works with bestselling author J.J. Hebert. Seacoast Press, on the other hand, is laser-focused on helping its clients become bestselling authors.

How much do the best self-publishing companies charge for publishing?

Many of the best self-publishing companies in the market offer a range of services from $1,000 - $20,000 depending on the level of marketing, publicity and advertising provided.

Can self-published books be successful?

Countless self-published books have been successful. The key is to have a robust book marketing plan in place prior to publication. The best self publishing companies should be able to help you with this.