Publish Setup · Lulu magazines · 1 of 3
Publishing a Magazine with Lulu
← All Lulu publishing options: books, coil binding, bookstore & distribution
What to do and why it matters
Choose a printer that supports the publication you are making. Lulu offers magazine printing on demand: you can order a copy or make an issue available to readers without buying a large inventory. KDP’s book publishing service does not accept magazines or periodicals. A magazine needs its own production and selling decisions, rather than a borrowed paperback checklist.
Start with your goal
- Compare formats first. Open Lulu’s pricing calculator ↗ and try the magazine size, paper, color, binding, and page count you want. Confirm the combination is offered before finalizing the layout.
- Create or sign in to your Lulu account. Start a project and choose the Magazine product type when offered.
- Choose personal printing or retail sales. Personal printing lets you order copies without a public listing. Retail sales adds pricing and payment setup. Saving a project does not mean it is publicly for sale.
- Prepare the separate interior and cover files. Follow the next lesson before uploading a magazine assembled as one reading PDF.
What do these choices mean?
Click to expand for more information.
Print on demand
Copies are produced when ordered. You still pay production and delivery costs for your own orders; readers pay through the selling channel you choose.
Trim size and binding
Trim size is the finished width and height. Binding is how the pages are held together. Saddle stitch uses folded sheets stapled along the fold; perfect binding uses a glued spine. Choose only a combination Lulu offers for your issue.
One issue versus a recurring magazine
A recurring magazine has an ongoing title and dated or numbered issues. Do not automatically apply the book ISBN advice elsewhere in this roadmap: Lulu directs recurring periodicals toward an ISSN instead. An ISSN identifies the serial and does not create a sales listing. Check the linked identifier guidance before buying anything.
Official starting points
Magazine formats and templates ↗ · Project setup instructions ↗ · ISBN and periodicals explained ↗ · KDP’s supported content ↗
Completion checklist
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Your selections save on this device only. They are not synced or backed up.
Official instructions checked October 30, 2026. Account screens and product availability may change. Uploads, purchases, and publishing happen in your own Lulu account.