How to Publish on PublishDrive
PublishDrive is a Budapest-based ebook, audiobook, and print distribution aggregator built for international reach. Its network is strongest where D2D is thinnest: subscription platforms (Storytel, Bookmate, 24symbols), academic subscription (Perlego), serialized fiction apps (Dreame), and Eastern European retail (Empik). Most wide authors use both D2D and PublishDrive — D2D for English-language library and retail, PublishDrive for international and subscription channels.
Step 1: Choose Your Subscription Tier
Unlike D2D (commission-only, no monthly fee), PublishDrive charges a monthly subscription based on catalog size and passes through 100% of royalties from partners.
⚠ PublishDrive's pricing changes periodically. Always verify current tier pricing at publishdrive.com before signing up. The tiers described here are directional — the actual rates at the time you sign up may differ.
Break-even calculation: if D2D would charge 10% commission on your expected monthly sales through channels available on both platforms, and PublishDrive's monthly fee is less than that 10%, PublishDrive is more economical at that volume. For small catalogs with modest sales, D2D's commission model may be cheaper. For established catalogs with significant Storytel and subscription income, the subscription model often wins.
Step 2: Create Your Account
Go to publishdrive.com, sign up, select your subscription tier, and complete payment. Set up your publisher profile with your name, contact information, and payment preferences. Complete tax documentation and configure your payout method (PayPal or bank transfer).
Step 3: Add a New Title
From your dashboard, click + Add New Content and select Ebook, Audiobook, or Print. Enter standard metadata: title, subtitle, series (use the same name as all other platforms), author, contributors, description, BISAC category, language, and ISBN if applicable.
Cover Image Requirements
Step 4: Upload Files
For ebooks, upload your ePub file. For audiobooks, upload MP3 files meeting standard specs (192 kbps CBR, -18 dB RMS, -3 dB peak, -60 dB noise floor) plus opening credits, chapter files, and closing credits as separate files. PublishDrive runs automated QC and will report any file spec failures.
Step 5: Configure Distribution Channels — The Critical Step
Deselect any platform where you already have a direct account or where D2D is already distributing. Enable the international and subscription channels that are PublishDrive's primary value.
Channels to Deselect (Direct or D2D Already Handles)
Channels to Enable (PublishDrive's Unique Value)
⚠ Tolino and Vivlio appear in both D2D's and PublishDrive's distribution networks. If D2D is already distributing to Tolino or Vivlio for your titles, deselect those channels in PublishDrive. Duplicate distribution creates competing product listings. Audit your full D2D channel configuration before enabling every PublishDrive channel.
Step 6: Pricing and Submit
Set your retail price. PublishDrive distributes pricing to retail partners and uses it as a reference for subscription platform calculations. For subscription platforms, your royalties are based on reads rather than per-sale pricing. Submit your title — partner timelines vary: retail partners go live within days, Storytel and subscription platforms can take 1–4 weeks.
Step 7: AI Metadata Tools
PublishDrive offers AI-assisted metadata suggestions for categories, keywords, and description optimization. Treat these as starting points, not authoritative recommendations. Your genre knowledge is more reliable than algorithmic suggestions. Review every AI suggestion critically and reject anything that doesn't accurately represent your book.
PublishDrive royalties sync into ScribeCount once your account is connected. For wide authors using D2D, PublishDrive, and direct platform accounts simultaneously, ScribeCount consolidates all earnings into one dashboard. This is the only practical way to see total income across this many channels without spending hours in multiple separate reporting systems.
PublishDrive vs. D2D: Division of Responsibility
Direct accounts: Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, Barnes & Noble — always direct
D2D: OverDrive, Hoopla, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Bookshop.org, Gardners, Everand — English-language library and subscription
PublishDrive: Storytel, Bookmate, Dreame, Perlego, 24symbols, Empik — international and subscription channels D2D doesn't reach
For overlapping channels (Tolino, Vivlio): choose one aggregator and be consistent
Common PublishDrive Mistakes
Enabling Tolino or Vivlio in PublishDrive when D2D already distributes there — duplicate listings
Enabling Amazon, Apple, Kobo, or B&N through PublishDrive when direct accounts exist
Not enabling Storytel, Bookmate, and Dreame — the primary reason to use PublishDrive
Not calculating whether the subscription fee is lower than D2D's commission at your expected volume
Not connecting PublishDrive to ScribeCount — losing visibility into international and subscription platform income
PublishDrive fills the international distribution gaps D2D leaves open. Storytel alone justifies the subscription fee for many authors with established wide readership. Enable the subscription platforms that are PublishDrive's primary value, apply the deselection discipline carefully, and connect it to ScribeCount.
-Randall Wood