DriveThruRPG Print-on-Demand Prices Increasing Again

Back in March 2025 we reported that print-on-demand costs at DriveThruRPG were increasing by as much as 50% in the US, with the price of a 300-page black-and-white hardcover rising from $13.08 to $19.04. The effect in the UK was much less pronounced, being only around 3-4%.

Now, less than a year later, DTRPG is increasing its PoD prices again. These new prices take effect on February 1st, 2026.

DTRPG uses Lightning Source as its printing partner and has print centres in the US, UK, and Australia. According to DTRPG's publisher newsletter, UK and Australia prices will increase by 3%, and US prices will increase by either 4% or 5%, depending on format--standard color will go up by +4%, while premium color and black & white will increase by +5%.

DriveThruRPG notes that the increase "is not driven by policy or positioning, but simply reflects the rising costs of paper and other materials, labor, and operations involved in producing physical books worldwide."

 

[Morrus]

Mind you, I'm not Canadian, but I've heard Canadian publishers trying to sell stuff in the US and folks in Canada trying to get stuff from the US complaining for decades! So it's not just something from the last two 'clown' years, the situation has become worse, but it wasn't great before either (or so I have been told).

It’s always been expensive for as long as I’ve been shipping things to Canada from the US.

 

[kronovan]

One of the reasons I switched ordering from the Modiphius US site to the Modiphius UK site. Found the shipping to Canada has been cheaper, faster and without duties.

Yep, I've been able to buy STA books from Modiphius UK and I'm going to buy the upcoming Dark Conspiracy from Mongoose UK. Both will ship directly at reasonable rates. I tried to order a WH40k book from Cubicle 7, but the shipping cost would have been as much as the book. I'm guessing that shipping from their Ireland location to Canada, can't so easily be done at a reasonable cost.

I seem to recall at one point Drivethru or were going to have a POD within Canada for their Canadian customers. Maybe I am misremembering.

I'd read the same at some point, but if that happened the cost of ordering POD doesn't reflect it. They did lower the costs for CDN customers at one point, but not enough for my wallet.

I'm finding myself more and more montoring CDN game webstores and pouncing on any wishlist books that become available. The handful I monitor often have surprisigly low prices and offer standard Canpost shipping rates - or equivalent for couriers.

 

[doctorhook]

Mind you, I'm not Canadian, but I've heard Canadian publishers trying to sell stuff in the US and folks in Canada trying to get stuff from the US complaining for decades! So it's not just something from the last two 'clown' years, the situation has become worse, but it wasn't great before either (or so I have been told).

You’re not wrong, this story didn’t unfold overnight. The most recent political/trade war phase is definitely a big escalation, but it’s just a new chapter not a new book (yet). Five years ago was the “pandemic supply-chain crisis” era, which was another stressful period that made Canada start to reconsider economic integration and strategic concerns.

It’s always been expensive for as long as I’ve been shipping things to Canada from the US.

It’s been bad for a long time now, but one big inflection point I remember was around 2008-2010 (IIRC; it was in the 4E years at any rate). About that time, it was the financial crisis years, the Canadian dollar hit parity with the USD for the first time in decades, and USPS made some massive changes to their rates. Early 2000s, ordering to Canada from the USA wasn’t onerous, but about the time of 4E, I remember some major sticker shock when looking at American shipping rates. Things never really improved after that.

 

[kronovan]

You’re not wrong, this story didn’t unfold overnight. The most recent political/trade war phase is definitely a big escalation, but it’s just a new chapter not a new book (yet). Five years ago was the “pandemic supply-chain crisis” era, which was another stressful period that made Canada start to reconsider economic integration and strategic concerns.

It’s been bad for a long time now, but one big inflection point I remember was around 2008-2010 (IIRC; it was in the 4E years at any rate). About that time, it was the financial crisis years, the Canadian dollar hit parity with the USD for the first time in decades, and USPS made some massive changes to their rates. Early 2000s, ordering to Canada from the USA wasn’t onerous, but about the time of 4E, I remember some major sticker shock when looking at American shipping rates. Things never really improved after that.

Yes, I remember that as well. In 2007 my kids and I were collecting Star Wars miniatures and there were few LGSs that could bring them in, while prices were very high for those that could. I remember ordering cases of them from a Florida retailer and I payed no more than $16 CDN a case for shipping and they'd arrive no later than 10 business days - terrific service! And yeah for sure, that USPS adjustment through a wrench into it.

The biggest inflection points I recall, were the huge publishing industry consolidations in the 1980s and then the mid 90s after Can-USA free trade. Before those we had branch publishing in Canada, whereby UK and USA publishers would have a corporate Canadian branch and much of the printing and binding was done here. So for example, in the 70's we had a Collins Canada and a Penguin Canada (that's Penguin before the big consolidation of US publishers) and a Random House Canada and a Bantam Book Canada. While book prices weren't as good as they were in the UK or USA (think part of that was licensing), they were relatively reasonable.

After the big consolidations in the 80s though, some prices inflated. A few UK publishers acquired US publishers and with a new US corporate presence, shut down their CDN branches. Penguin was one such UK publisher and some US publishers did the same. IIRC it was around that time that the dual prices (US & CDN) started to appear on the back of books. While the difference was noticeable, it was by no means exhorbitant.

Free trade was a bigger game changer though, as it didn't made sense anymore to have a branch in Canada, and I recall more and more books no longer listing Canadian branches in the front pages. It was the late 90's and early millenium when I recall the CDN price on dual listings becoming highly inflated - far higher than the exchange rate. Part of that was no doubt due to flucutations in Can-USA exchange rate will books sat for lengthy periods in distribution warehouses. I'm fairly certain though, that a lot of that highly inflated price had USA-Can distribution overhead baked into it.

I don't think it was entirely the fault of USA publishers, as I seem to recall the CAN Gov't insisting on cultural media protections in the original Can-USA-Mexico (NAFTA) trade agreement. IIRC that inflated the price of USA printed books - I know for sure it did for USA magazines. So yeah there was a series of events over decades that led to the current situation. I personally don't want to see a return to the branch publishing model; even though it created jobs in Canada it slso kept book prices high. If there could be a silver lining to the current cloud, it'd be that more direct UK-Canada distribution of UK books (and ERUO-Can distribution for Euro published) would evolve.

[Edit] As to Print On Demand, IMO it makes sense for it to be done in-country. And not just for Canada.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Shipping to Canada is expensive, but nothing compared to Brazil and Australia. Good lord, shipping for a $50 book is almost as much as the book itself.

 

[doctorhook]

Yes, I remember that as well. In 2007 my kids and I were collecting Star Wars miniatures and there were few LGSs that could bring them in, while prices were very high for those that could. I remember ordering cases of them from a Florida retailer and I payed no more than $16 CDN a case for shipping and they'd arrive no later than 10 business days - terrific service! And yeah for sure, that USPS adjustment through a wrench into it.

The biggest inflection points I recall, were the huge publishing industry consolidations in the 1980s and then the mid 90s after Can-USA free trade. Before those we had branch publishing in Canada, whereby UK and USA publishers would have a corporate Canadian branch and much of the printing and binding was done here. So for example, in the 70's we had a Collins Canada and a Penguin Canada (that's Penguin before the big consolidation of US publishers) and a Random House Canada and a Bantam Book Canada. While book prices weren't as good as they were in the UK or USA (think part of that was licensing), they were relatively reasonable.

After the big consolidations in the 80s though, some prices inflated. A few UK publishers acquired US publishers and with a new US corporate presence, shut down their CDN branches. Penguin was one such UK publisher and some US publishers did the same. IIRC it was around that time that the dual prices (US & CDN) started to appear on the back of books. While the difference was noticeable, it was by no means exhorbitant.

Free trade was a bigger game changer though, as it didn't made sense anymore to have a branch in Canada, and I recall more and more books no longer listing Canadian branches in the front pages. It was the late 90's and early millenium when I recall the CDN price on dual listings becoming highly inflated - far higher than the exchange rate. Part of that was no doubt due to flucutations in Can-USA exchange rate will books sat for lengthy periods in distribution warehouses. I'm fairly certain though, that a lot of that highly inflated price had USA-Can distribution overhead baked into it.

I don't think it was entirely the fault of USA publishers, as I seem to recall the CAN Gov't insisting on cultural media protections in the original Can-USA-Mexico (NAFTA) trade agreement. IIRC that inflated the price of USA printed books - I know for sure it did for USA magazines. So yeah there was a series of events over decades that led to the current situation. I personally don't want to see a return to the branch publishing model; even though it created jobs in Canada it slso kept book prices high. If there could be a silver lining to the current cloud, it'd be that more direct UK-Canada distribution of UK books (and ERUO-Can distribution for Euro published) would evolve.

[Edit] As to Print On Demand, IMO it makes sense for it to be done in-country. And not just for Canada.

I appreciate this comment! Adds some context from before I started buying stuff, and lot of background I didn’t know. Thanks!

 

[Morrus]

Shipping to Canada is expensive, but nothing compared to Brazil and Australia. Good lord, shipping for a $50 book is almost as much as the book itself.

Well Australia is a long way away! Geography is geography!

 

[jerryrice4949]

I don’t mind the price increases just wish they were also improving the quality. The color saturation and binding are still pretty poor even compared to POD places like Lulu.

 

[kronovan]

Shipping to Canada is expensive, but nothing compared to Brazil and Australia. Good lord, shipping for a $50 book is almost as much as the book itself.

Thats why we need in-country POD for game publications. And along with it, an empahsis on improving the quality. Were this to happen, I wouldn't be suprised that customers' demands for quality would be better received by a in-country POD biz. As it stands, driverthru seems to address once it every 5 years or so, with little improvement.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I don’t mind the price increases just wish they were also improving the quality. The color saturation and binding are still pretty poor even compared to POD places like Lulu.

Speaking of Lulu, the quality IME has always been better, but they were always just a bit more expensive. But they are about 5x faster to print and deliver. Now with the increase in cost, there is no reason why I would use DTRPG for my own printing needs.