Trafford Publishing
Thinking about publishing with Trafford Publishing? Here’s an independent, sourced look at whether it’s a legitimate vanity press or one to avoid — measured against the IBPA hybrid-publisher criteria, the ALLi Watchdog, and Writer Beware, and last checked on 2026-06-09.
Key findings
- Not recommended — meets 1 of the 11 IBPA hybrid-publisher criteria.
- ALLi rates it Watchdog Advisory; Writer Beware lists it.
- Author pays: Current packages start at $1,999 (Journey) and reach approximately $15,699 (Odyssey); a selfpublishing.com review lists an older package structure ranging from $699 (Novo) to $10,999 (Tapestry). Editing, cover design, and marketing services are additional upsell items on top of base package fees..
- Author keeps their rights.
- Distribution: online retailers only.
- Watch for: part of a known bad network, overseas boiler-room operation.
Our assessment
Trafford Publishing is a vanity press imprint owned by Author Solutions (ASI), which was most recently acquired by Center Street Ventures in March 2025. ASI operates one of the largest networks of author-pay imprints — including AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, Palibrio, and Booktango, plus partner imprints with Simon & Schuster, Hay House, Thomas Nelson, and Reader's Digest.
ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors) has issued a Code Red (Watchdog Advisory) rating for the entire ASI network, noting that the company operates primarily as a marketing and services business targeting authors rather than as a genuine publishing partner. Writer Beware (Victoria Strauss / SFWA) documented the 2009 acquisition of Trafford; subsequent author testimonies in comments on that post and on complaint sites describe a pattern of unpaid royalties, unauthorized charges, and declining service quality after operations shifted to the Philippines, though these are author reports rather than formally investigated findings.
Current package pricing starts at $1,999 (Journey) and reaches approximately $15,699 (Odyssey); an older package structure reviewed on third-party sites ranged from $699 to $10,999. Trafford discloses royalty rates on its FAQ — 10% of retail for Amazon print sales, 25% for direct Trafford website print sales, and 50% of net digital receipts for ebooks — all substantially below what authors would retain through direct KDP or IngramSpark publishing.
Trafford's own legal page states authors retain all rights to their work and are free to take it elsewhere, making the ISBNs (assigned by Trafford) the primary constraint rather than copyright ownership. ComplaintsBoard records 46 complaints with approximately 64% unresolved.
Two class action lawsuits were filed against Author Solutions in 2013; both were dismissed or settled without class certification by late 2015. The company meets only one of eleven IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria (own imprint and ISBNs) and fails on transparency, editorial quality, trade distribution, and royalty rates.
Authors are advised to consider KDP or IngramSpark as direct self-publishing alternatives.
This is Glass Elevator’s assessment based on the sources listed below. Facts are attributed; opinions are the watchdogs’ own.
IBPA hybrid criteria
- Defines a clear mission & vision
- Vets submissions (is selective)
- Commits to truth & transparency
- Provides a negotiable, clear contract
- Publishes under its own imprint & ISBNs
- Publishes to industry standards
- Ensures editorial & design quality
- Manages a range of rights
- Provides real distribution
- Demonstrates respectable sales
- Pays higher-than-standard royalties
Watchdog ratings
- ALLi Watchdog
- Watchdog Advisory · source
- Writer Beware
- Listed · source
- BBB
- A+ accredited (despite low customer star ratings of approximately 1.27/5; BBB accreditation reflects complaint response, not resolution quality)
Writer Beware (Victoria Strauss) documented the April 2009 Author Solutions acquisition of Trafford. The original post noted that Trafford had relatively few complaints prior to acquisition and that the merger reduced author choice. Subsequent reader comments on the post (131 total) document a pattern of non-payment of royalties, unauthorized charges, and deteriorating service quality following the shift of operations to the Philippines — but these are author testimonies in the comments section, not primary Writer Beware investigative findings. Writer Beware also documented the 2013 class action lawsuit against Author Solutions, which was dismissed/settled by 2015.
Observable red flags
- Charges authors to publish
- Money required upfront
- Part of a known bad network
- Aggressive upsells
- No real trade distribution
- Vague or hidden pricing
- Overseas boiler-room operation
Terms
- Typical cost
- Current packages start at $1,999 (Journey) and reach approximately $15,699 (Odyssey); a selfpublishing.com review lists an older package structure ranging from $699 (Novo) to $10,999 (Tapestry). Editing, cover design, and marketing services are additional upsell items on top of base package fees.
- Royalty to author
- Disclosed on Trafford's FAQ: 10% of retail price for print copies sold through distribution channels (e.g., Amazon); 25% of retail price for print copies sold directly through the Trafford website; 50% of digital net received for ebook sales. These rates are below what authors would retain publishing directly through KDP (35–70% on ebooks; ~60% on print minus printing costs).
- Author keeps rights
- Yes
- Distribution
- Online retailers only
- What you get
- ISBN assignment (Trafford's ISBN, not author-owned), formatted print-on-demand and ebook files, listing on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and select online retail platforms; Library of Congress Control Number; minimal genuine trade distribution to physical bookstores. Marketing services (social media setup, author website, bookmark design) are included at base level; higher-cost marketing packages are additional upsells with reportedly poor ROI per author complaint records.
- Website
- www.trafford.com
Trafford Publishing: frequently asked questions
Is Trafford Publishing a legitimate hybrid publisher or a vanity press?
Glass Elevator's assessment is "Not recommended." Watchdog advisories, serious red flags, or membership in a known bad network. We do not recommend it. It meets 1 of the 11 IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria, and ALLi rates it Watchdog Advisory, and Writer Beware lists it.
How much does Trafford Publishing cost?
Current packages start at $1,999 (Journey) and reach approximately $15,699 (Odyssey); a selfpublishing.com review lists an older package structure ranging from $699 (Novo) to $10,999 (Tapestry). Editing, cover design, and marketing services are additional upsell items on top of base package fees. Always get the full, itemized price in writing before you commit.
What royalties does Trafford Publishing pay authors?
Disclosed on Trafford's FAQ: 10% of retail price for print copies sold through distribution channels (e.g., Amazon); 25% of retail price for print copies sold directly through the Trafford website; 50% of digital net received for ebook sales. These rates are below what authors would retain publishing directly through KDP (35–70% on ebooks; ~60% on print minus printing costs).
Does Trafford Publishing take your rights?
No — authors retain their rights. Still read the contract's rights and termination clauses before signing.
Is Trafford Publishing on Writer Beware or ALLi's watchdog list?
Writer Beware lists Trafford Publishing. ALLi has issued a Watchdog Advisory for it. See the sources on this page for the listings, and research independently before paying anything.
Should I publish with Trafford Publishing?
That's your call, but here's the basis: Watchdog advisories, serious red flags, or membership in a known bad network. We do not recommend it. Compare it against the IBPA checklist and watchdog ratings above, get every term in writing, and remember that traditional trade publishers pay authors rather than charging them.
Sources
- Trafford Publishing FAQ: Royalty Calculation (trafford.com)
- Trafford Publishing Legal Page: Author Rights (trafford.com)
- Writer Beware: Author Solutions Buys Trafford Publishing (Victoria Strauss, 2009) (writerbeware.blog)
- Writer Beware: Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Author Solutions Inc. (2013) (writerbeware.blog)
- Trafford Publishing Review — selfpublishing.com (0/5 stars; ALLi Code Red rating noted) (selfpublishing.com)
- Author Solutions Review — selfpublishing.com (Code Red ALLi rating confirmed) (selfpublishing.com)
- Trafford Publishing Complaints (46 filed, ~64% unresolved) — ComplaintsBoard (complaintsboard.com)
- ALLi Watchdog Desk — Alliance of Independent Authors (allianceindependentauthors.org)
- Author Solutions Acquired by Center Street Ventures (PR Newswire, March 2025) (prnewswire.com)
- Author Solutions Imprints — authorsolutions.com (authorsolutions.com)
- Trafford Publishing Journey Package — trafford.com (trafford.com)
- Author Solutions — Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)