e-booktime.com

What It Is

E-BookTime, LLC is a self-publishing and print-on-demand service provider based in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. Founded in 2002, it initially focused on e-book publishing and later expanded into paperback and hardcover books. Strictly speaking, it is not a typical SaaS or enterprise software product; rather, it is a publishing services platform built around a website, forms, and human-assisted services, helping authors with formatting, publishing, listing, and sales tracking.

Core Features and Workflow

Its core services include Kindle and Nook e-book publishing, paperback and hardcover print-on-demand, ISBN assignment for print books, distribution through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Ingram, author sales accounts, discounted author book purchases, copyright registration, and LCCN filing assistance. Authors do not need to handle formatting themselves—the platform converts manuscripts into publication-ready books. It accepts formats such as Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, and Works, and can even scan typed manuscripts for an additional fee. The sales account lets authors view sales by edition; sales from the direct store update in real time, while wholesale and e-book channel revenue is posted weekly.

Pricing and Business Model

Pricing is based on one-time service fees: $295 for e-book publishing, $395 for paperback plus e-book, and $695 for the hardcover, paperback, and e-book package. Add-on fees include scanning from $100, post-publication changes at $150, copyright registration at $125, LCCN at $50, and interior images at $5 each. The royalty structure is relatively clear: around 30% for paperback sales through the direct store and around 15% through other retailers; 25% for hardcover sales through the direct store and 10% through other retailers; and 50% of net receipts for e-books.

Pros and Cons

The main advantages are transparent pricing and royalty information, authors retaining all rights, support for distribution through major U.S. online bookstores, and a reasonably clear refund policy. The drawbacks are also apparent: it only publishes U.S. authors and does not accept memoirs, autobiographies, biographies, and certain other categories; the base fees do not include full editing; print book interiors are black-and-white only; and the website and workflow feel fairly traditional, lacking the team collaboration, APIs, automated workflows, and granular permissions commonly found in modern SaaS tools.

Who It’s For and Access from China

E-BookTime is better suited to individual U.S. authors who want to publish English-language books at a relatively low cost, especially those seeking both print and e-book distribution. It is not a strong fit for enterprise software buyers, content teams, or Chinese authors. The source text does not provide details on access from China, and payment methods are not specified by card type. For the Chinese market, it would make sense to first compare alternatives such as KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu, and Draft2Digital, or to choose local digital reading and book distribution channels.