Faba Books vs Books.by
- May 1
- 3 min read
Books.by is a solid option for publishing and selling books. But if you're an author struggling to get readers, or tired of relying only on sales... a purpose-built, ad-supported platform can unlock far more earning potential. We know because we tested traditional self-publishing models first.
Faba Books vs Books.by
Feature | Books.by | |
Built For | Authors who want 100x readers + revenue | Authors selling books |
Monetization Model | Ad revenue (ePMR) | Book sales only |
Pricing Strategy | Free books encouraged (more reach) | Paid books ($10–$40 typical) |
Earning Potential | Scales with readership (ePMR) | Limited by price per sale |
Discoverability | Higher (free = more readers) | Lower (paywall barrier) |
Revenue Metric | ePMR (Earnings per 1000 Reads) | Royalties per sale |
Free Tools | ✓ Cover generator, PDF converters, revenue calculator | ✗ Limited |
Author Website | ✓ Free hosted profile | ✗ Not included |
Setup Cost | $99 and $149 license | $299 for Printed & eBook |
Reader Experience | Optimized with ad placement | Purchase required upfront |
Ideal For | Authors struggling to sell | Authors with an existing minimum 40,000 follower audience |
Growth Potential | Viral / scalable | Linear (per sale) |
The challenge of selling books on Books.by
No one talks about the 20.4% industry average return rates!!!
Books.by is built for publishing, but it still relies on a traditional sales model, and that creates a few limitations:
You only earn when someone buys. If your book is priced at $9.99 and no one clicks “buy,” you earn nothing. Most authors struggle with discoverability, meaning great books often go unread simply because there’s a paywall upfront.
Limited reach due to pricing. Readers are far more likely to try something that’s free than commit to paying. That friction reduces downloads, visibility, and ultimately your earning potential. With Books.by, your growth is tied directly to how many people are willing to purchase, not how many want to read.
Revenue doesn’t scale with audience size. Even if you get traffic, conversions are never guaranteed. You might get 1,000 visitors and only a handful of sales. On an ad-supported model, those same 1,000 readers would still generate income.
No alternative monetization model. Books.by focuses on selling books, forcing readers behind a paywall. There’s no built-in system to earn from free distribution, which limits authors who want to maximize exposure first and revenue second.
Discovery is still your responsibility. Like most platforms, success depends heavily on your own marketing. Without an existing audience, it’s difficult to gain traction, especially when competing against thousands of paid titles.
Why Faba Books is different
Faba Books flips the traditional publishing model on its head. Instead of relying on sales, you earn from readership.
Free books = more readers. More readers = more revenue.
By removing the paywall, your book becomes instantly more accessible. Readers are far more likely to click, read, and share something that’s free, dramatically increasing your reach.
You earn from every read, not just purchases.
With Faba Books, revenue comes from strategically placed ads throughout your book. That means even if a reader never pays a dollar, you still earn.
Introducing ePMR (Earnings Per 1000 Reads).
Just like YouTube creators track RPM, Faba authors track ePMR (how much you earn per 1,000 readers). This gives you a clear, scalable metric tied directly to your audience.
Real earning potential (example):
Using our built-in revenue calculator, an average 200-page book with ~20 ad placements can generate:
~$294.40 ePMR
~$426.88 per month
Disclaimer: This example assumes a U.S.-based book with a U.S. audience, 5,000 monthly readers, and an average 29% engagement rate. Actual results may vary. Higher engagement rates can significantly increase revenue.
Built for growth, not just sales.
Instead of hoping someone buys your book, Faba Books rewards you for getting it read. The more people you reach, the more you earn, no conversion bottleneck.
Faba Books vs Books.by is like $FREE.99 vs $9.99. And we know that free always wins.
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