Step 1 of 5

Who are you?

We need your legal name for the Author Services Agreement, plus how you'd like to appear publicly on your storefront.

This is how your name will appear on your storefront and on all printed books.
Please enter a short bio.
Appears on your public author storefront. You can update this anytime.
Please enter a valid email address.
Used for account access, order notifications, and payout confirmations. Never shared publicly.
For account security and urgent order issues only.
Required for your Author Services Agreement.
Used only for your signed agreement. Not shared or used for shipping.

Every plan includes your storefront, direct buy buttons, print fulfillment, and 7-day payouts for the standard $1.00 platform fee per book. Pick how much hosting and design help you want.

Step 2 of 5

Your publishing history

Tell us about your credentials and existing publishing relationships. This helps us confirm your eligibility and understand any existing contract considerations.

Please describe your publishing credentials or accolades.
Include any notable achievements — bestseller lists (NYT, USA Today, Essence, Amazon), awards, media features, speaking credentials, or other recognition. The more you share the better we can promote your storefront.
Only used if we need to copy your representative on any formal correspondence.

FreeRoot.io is a technology platform — not a publisher. We do not acquire any rights to your work. However, you are responsible for ensuring your use of our platform complies with any existing publishing contracts. Please confirm the following:

Step 3 of 5

Your books

Tell us about the titles you want to sell through FreeRoot.io. You can add more titles after onboarding from your author dashboard.

Please enter the book title.
Found on the back cover barcode or copyright page.
Literary Fiction Commercial Fiction Nonfiction Memoir / Biography Self-Help YA / Teen Children's Romance Political Other
Paperback Hardcover eBook (PDF) Signed Copy
Signed copies require you to mail pre-signed stock to our fulfillment partner. We'll walk you through this after approval.
Print Specifications

These specs determine exactly how your book is printed. Select the options that match your existing book dimensions.

Check your book's back cover or copyright page for dimensions.
Not sure which specs match your book? Download size templates to verify your file dimensions.
$
You set this. We recommend $18–$28 for paperbacks.
Used to calculate your exact printing cost.
✅ File Readiness Checklist

Before uploading, confirm your files meet these requirements. Incorrect files will be flagged during our review and delay your storefront launch.

Don't have print-ready files yet? Check the box below and our team will contact you to assess your files and provide a custom quote. Fees vary based on what your files need — simple formatting starts at $75, full preparation with cover design may be higher.
Please enter a brief book description.
🖼️ Cover PDF Requirements
Your cover must be a full wraparound PDF — one file that includes the back cover, spine, and front cover in a single layout.
  • Front cover — title, author name, cover art
  • Spine — width is calculated from your page count and paper type. Must match exactly.
  • Back cover — description, author photo (optional), barcode area, ISBN
Technical requirements:
  • PDF format with 0.125" bleed on all edges
  • 300 DPI minimum resolution
  • CMYK color mode recommended
  • All fonts embedded
  • Spine width must exactly match your page count
💡 Get your exact spine width: Use the free cover template generator at lulu.com/create — enter your trim size, page count, and paper color to download a template with the correct spine width pre-calculated.
⚠️ Wrong spine width = rejected print job. Always generate a fresh template after finalizing your page count.
🖼️
Click to upload your full wraparound cover PDF
PDF preferred · 300 DPI · 0.125" bleed · CMYK
📄 Interior PDF Requirements
Your interior PDF must include these pages in order:
  1. Title page (book title, author name)
  2. Copyright page — must include: copyright year, author name, "Published through FreeRoot.io", and ISBN if available
  3. Dedication page (optional)
  4. Table of contents (if applicable)
  5. All chapters and body content
  6. About the Author page
Technical requirements:
  • Page dimensions must exactly match your selected trim size
  • All fonts must be embedded in the PDF
  • PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 format preferred
  • 300 DPI minimum for any images
  • Do NOT include crop marks or bleed on interior pages
💡 Need a template? Download free interior templates sized to your trim size at lulu.com/create — includes proper margins and formatting guides.
📄
Click to upload your interior PDF
PDF/X-1a preferred · Fonts embedded · No crop marks on interior
Don't have a print-ready PDF? Our team can help. Fees depend on your file type and what's needed — contact us at hello@freeroot.io or check the box above to request a quote.
Step 4 of 5

Review & sign your agreement

Read the summary of your Author Services Agreement below. By signing, you confirm your identity and agree to the terms — including the non-disclosure of our platform methods.

What FreeRoot.io provides

A software-as-a-service technology platform enabling you to sell your books directly to readers. We provide the storefront, payment processing, print-on-demand fulfillment, and a 7-day rolling payout system.

What you pay

A flat fee of $1.00 per book sold. No monthly fees, no setup costs, no revenue share beyond the $1.00 per-unit fee. Payment processing fees and print costs are passed through at exact cost with no markup.

Website & Hosting Plan (if applicable)

The Free tier has no monthly cost. The Custom Domain + Managed Hosting tier is $15/month, billed to the card on file, for connecting your own domain with managed hosting, SSL, and uptime monitoring. The Custom Website Build tier includes everything in the Custom Domain tier plus a one-time $599 design fee — reimbursed through your first book sale payouts, which are applied entirely toward the $599 balance before any funds are disbursed to you. Once the $599 is fully recovered, all future payouts revert to the standard model: you keep everything minus the $1.00 platform fee per book. If you cancel hosting before the $599 fee is fully recovered, the remaining balance becomes immediately due.

Your rights

You retain 100% ownership of all intellectual property in your works. This agreement is entirely non-exclusive. You may sell your books through any other channel simultaneously.

Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure

Both parties agree to keep each other's confidential information private. This includes FreeRoot.io's technical architecture, API methods, and vendor relationships. You agree not to reverse engineer or replicate our platform methods. These obligations survive termination for 5 years.

Your reader data

All customer data collected through your storefront belongs to you. FreeRoot.io does not sell, rent, or use your reader data for marketing purposes.

Termination

Either party may terminate with 30 days written notice. No exit fees. Full data export provided within 14 days of request.

Governing law

This agreement is governed by applicable state law. Disputes are resolved first through mediation, then binding arbitration under AAA rules if needed.

The full Author Services Agreement will be sent to your email upon submission for your records. You may also download the Key Terms before signing.

By typing your full legal name below and submitting this application, you are providing a legally binding electronic signature under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001).

Please type your full legal name to sign.
Must match the legal name entered in Step 1.
Step 5 of 5

Set up your payouts

Earnings are paid out on a rolling 7-day cycle directly to your bank account. We use Stripe to handle payouts securely — your banking details go directly to Stripe and are never stored by FreeRoot.io.

🏦

Connect Your Bank Account

Click below to securely connect your bank account through Stripe. This takes about 2 minutes and your banking details go directly to Stripe — FreeRoot.io never sees them.

Powered by Stripe Connect · Bank-level encryption · Your data never touches FreeRoot.io servers
How payouts work
After each sale, your earnings — minus print costs, shipping, and our $1.00 platform fee — are queued for payout. Every 7 days, FreeRoot.io transfers your accumulated earnings directly to your connected bank account. You will receive an email notification for each payout.
Required to issue Form 1099 for earnings over $600/year.
Encrypted and stored securely. Never shared beyond IRS reporting requirements.
🌿

Application received.

Welcome to FreeRoot.io. We'll review your application within 48 hours and send next steps — including your signed agreement and storefront setup instructions — to the email you provided.

APPLICATION #FR-A-000000

A copy of your signed Author Services Agreement has been emailed to you. Keep your application number for your records.

What happens next

1
Our team reviews your application and credentials — usually within 48 hours.
2
You receive a countersigned copy of your Author Services Agreement by email.
3
We set up your author storefront and connect your book files to our print partner.
4
You review and approve a print proof before your storefront goes live.
5
Your storefront goes live and your first sale can happen the same day.