Leanpub
Publish early, publish often.
Overview
Leanpub is a unique self-publishing platform built on the principle of 'Lean Publishing,' which encourages authors to publish their books while they are still in progress. This allows them to get early feedback from readers, build an audience, and iterate on their work. It's particularly popular for technical books, programming tutorials, and courses. Authors can write in plain text formats like Markdown.
✨ Key Features
- Publish in-progress ebooks and courses
- Variable pricing, allowing readers to choose how much they pay
- Generates ebook formats (EPUB, MOBI, PDF) from plain text manuscripts
- Integration with GitHub, Dropbox, and Bitbucket for writing workflows
- High royalty rate (80%)
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Unique 'Lean Publishing' process for in-progress books.
- Author-friendly writing workflow using Markdown and integrations like GitHub.
- Very high 80% royalty rate.
Unique Value: Provides a unique workflow for authors to publish, update, and sell in-progress books and courses, fostering a direct and iterative relationship with their readers while offering a market-leading royalty rate.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Publishing and selling technical books and programming courses.
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Fiction authors who prefer a traditional writing and publishing process.
- Authors who want wide distribution to retailers like Amazon (Leanpub is primarily a direct sales platform).
🏆 Alternatives
Unlike general-purpose platforms like Gumroad, Leanpub is purpose-built for the process of writing and publishing books and courses, with specialized tools for version control and format generation.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
Free tier: Free to publish. Leanpub operates on a revenue share model.
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