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."

 

[dragoner]

DTRPG's POD is dependent on location, such as where I am, it's Studio 2.

 

[jerryrice4949]

One of the worst print on demand books I ever got was from Lulu. It fell apart in less than a month. Books produced print on the demand are not great, but lightning source does a pretty damn good job for the volume they handle.

How long ago was that? I have printed 3 books from Lulu in the past 24 months and they are far better quality that Lightning Source.

 

[doctorhook]

One of the worst print on demand books I ever got was from Lulu. It fell apart in less than a month. Books produced print on the demand are not great, but lightning source does a pretty damn good job for the volume they handle.

To be fair, that’s not totally unique to POD books. The worst binding I ever got on a book was my release-day copy of the 5E (2014) Player’s Handbook—it literally fell apart within 4 weeks, huge chunks falling out. This problem was fairly widespread in that particular print run, there are lots of stories from July/Aug 2014 of people having the same problem with the same book. Obviously WotC sorted out the issue subsequent to that.

Not saying this is common or that POD is high quality, just that this isn’t unheard-of.