At a glance
- Manuscript upload
- Required
- Cloud storage
- Yes
- Account required
- Yes
- AI features
- Not determined
- AI training on your work
- Terms are silent or ambiguous
- Content licence
- Sublicensable to third parties
- Deletion
- Available
- Export / portability
- Not determined
- Policy transparency
- Mixed
“Not determined” means the documents were read and did not settle it. “Not assessed” means it has not been researched. Neither means “no”.
What this means for authors
Editorial interpretation — Mixed
Some terms protect the author and others do not, or an important question is left unanswered.
Non-exclusive, the author keeps ownership, and the licence is narrower than most reviewed here: tied to operating the site, and not stated to be irrevocable or perpetual. Lulu is also unusually direct that it may use AI and language models to review content, while saying nothing either way about training. Against that, the licence is assignable and sub-licensable through multiple tiers, layouts built with Lulu’s tools become Lulu’s, sold ebook versions are retained after a book is retired, and retailer listings can outlive it. Lulu’s total liability is capped at one hundred dollars.
Content licence
Worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, assignable and sub-licensable through multiple tiers, covering use, reproduction, distribution and public display “solely in connection with the Site” (§3). Unlike several platforms reviewed here, it is not stated to be irrevocable or perpetual. The author keeps ownership of the content, but any template or layout built with Lulu’s tools belongs to Lulu and “can be used by Lulu and others for any purposes”. Lulu may also filter, alter or remove content and disclose it to third parties to operate the service (§14), and decides which retail channels receive the files (§8).
AI and model training
AI is named, but for moderation rather than training. The 8 October 2026 terms reserve the right to use “artificial intelligence, language models, or other automated machine processes” to review uploaded content against Lulu’s content policies, so files may be read by automated systems. Neither the terms nor the August 2026 privacy policy mention training models on authors’ work: silence, not an exclusion.
Tracking and telemetry
Ordinary for a web service. The privacy policy describes third-party analytics and sharing for marketing through third-party providers, which Lulu says is not a sale and can be stopped on request. It also says Lulu staff and the third parties who fulfil orders and provide support “need to have access to your Content”.
Deletion
Drafts can be deleted directly, and a published book can be retired. Retiring is not deletion. Files may be removed after twelve months, but ebook files from any version that has sold are kept (Content Retention). Retail distributors can take up to eight weeks to act, some may never fully remove the book, and retailers may go on listing it as unavailable “in perpetuity” (§13). Closing the account takes effect within thirty days, and backups are purged only in the normal course.
Export and lock-in
Not established. The terms describe no way to export book files, and the privacy policy’s portability right covers personal data rather than manuscripts. Whether the project dashboard lets an author download their own uploaded files was not checked against Lulu’s documentation.
Sources
Every factual claim above is drawn from these documents.
Official terms
Lulu ISBN AgreementLulu Knowledge Base
Accessed 21 October 2026
Modified 21 October 2025. Source for Lulu.com becoming publisher of record on a free Lulu ISBN.
Official terms
Lulu Membership Agreement and Terms of UseLulu Press, Inc.
Accessed 26 October 2026 · Effective 8 October 2026
Shown as “REVISED: October 8, 2026”. Source for the 80% print and 90% ebook creator revenue, the Gross Profit definition, the $20 electronic and $75 cheque thresholds, the content licence, the AI provisions and the Lulu and bring-your-own ISBN agreements.
Official privacy policy
Privacy PolicyLulu
Accessed 26 October 2026 · Effective 3 August 2026
Does not sell personal data but may share it for marketing; third-party analytics; staff and fulfilment providers access content. No AI or training language.
Official help centre
Creator Revenue: The BasicsLulu Knowledge Base
Accessed 21 October 2026
Modified 11 June 2026. Source for the 50% print distribution fee, the twice-print-cost floor, the agency and reseller ebook models, and the older $5 PayPal and $20 cheque thresholds.
Official help centre
Ebook Distribution Channel InformationLulu Knowledge Base
Accessed 21 October 2026
Modified 23 March 2026. Source for the ebook retail channels.
Official help centre
Global Distribution: The BasicsLulu Knowledge Base
Accessed 21 October 2026
Modified 8 October 2026. Source for the ISBN requirement, the $4.99 review fee, the 12-week timeline, the 6–8 week credit lag, and the rule that titles already listed on Amazon or another retailer are not eligible.
Official help centre
ISBN: The BasicsLulu Knowledge Base
Accessed 21 October 2026
Modified 8 October 2026. Source for the free Lulu ISBN being available only on distribution-eligible projects, and Lulu Bookstore-only projects needing none.
Official help centre
Mandatory Ebook Distribution RequirementsLulu Knowledge Base
Accessed 21 October 2026
Modified 8 October 2026. Source for English-only ebook distribution, the $75 maximum and Amazon’s $1.99 minimum.
Related
Publishing Database
Author Answer
Caveats
This is an informational reading of published documents, not legal advice, and it describes what Lulu’s terms permit and require rather than what the company does in practice. Terms change without announcement. How this is assessed.