Harmony Publishing vs Troubador (Matador)
Troubador, with its Matador imprint, is a UK full-service self-publishing company with bespoke quotes.
Short version. Troubador is a UK full-service publishing company with more than 30 years' experience, and Matador is its self-publishing imprint. It does not offer pre-set packages: each author gets a bespoke quote, and it publishes four worked examples from £650 to £7,500 including VAT. It says it never holds the rights to your books. We offer full-service self-publishing with our packages and their prices on one page. If you want a UK company with its own distribution warehouse and a bespoke quote, Troubador is built for that.
Side by side
| Harmony Publishing | Troubador (Matador) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A full-service self-publishing company: editing from Premium, cover, layout, ISBN, printing, eBook and distribution | A UK full-service self-publishing company; Matador is its self-publishing imprint |
| Pricing model | Packages with the price on the page | Bespoke, no-obligation quotes; it says it does not offer pre-set packages |
| Published prices | From $699 (Essentials) | Four worked examples including VAT: £650 (eBook, cover, ISBN); £3,000 (adds proofread, print files and 200 printed copies); £6,000 (500 printed copies, copy edit, trade marketing and a publicity campaign); £7,500 (adds an author website and digital marketing) |
| Payment | See the packages page | No instalments, but staggered: a £500 deposit on contract, the rest invoiced as work is carried out |
| Printed copies | Printed copies from Complete ($1,299) up | In its £3,000 and £6,000 examples: 200 and 500 printed copies |
| Rights | You keep 100% of royalties and all rights | It says it never holds the rights to your books |
| Bookshop and retail reach | Global distribution including Amazon KDP; eBook conversion and distribution from Complete | Bookshop and online retail, a dedicated sales team and its own on-site distribution warehouse |
| Best for | Authors who want the package price and inclusions on one page | UK and European authors who want a traditional-publisher-style service with a bespoke quote |
Competitor descriptions reflect their published service structure at the time of writing and may change. Check current terms directly. Our prices are on the packages page.
Troubador figures come from troubador.co.uk and troubador.co.uk/pricing, checked 4 October 2026.
Three questions to ask any provider
Including us. The answers decide more about value than the headline price:
- Ask who the publisher of record will be. If it is not you or your imprint, understand why before you sign.
- Ask what royalty share they take. Any percentage of your sales is a cost that compounds over the life of the book.
- Ask whether you receive your editable source files. If you cannot take your book elsewhere later, you are locked in.
On all three, our answer is: you are the publisher of record, we take no royalties, and you receive your print-ready and editable files.
Frequently asked questions
Is Troubador the same as Matador?
Matador is Troubador's self-publishing imprint. Troubador is an independent UK publisher that also offers self-publishing services.
Does Troubador publish its prices?
It publishes four worked examples, from £650 to £7,500 including VAT, based on a manuscript of up to 75,000 words containing only text. It says each author's actual quote depends on the services needed and on production complexity.
Do I keep my rights with Troubador?
Troubador states: we don't hold the rights to your books, ever. With us you also keep all rights to your book, and you keep 100% of royalties.
Which is better for me?
Troubador suits authors who want a bespoke, UK-based service with bookshop sales support. Our packages suit authors who want to compare whole packages and their prices on one page. Compare the inclusions and the total you are quoted.