PublishDrive Terms of Service

Last modified: April 1, 2026

Welcome to PublishDrive

These terms of service along with any documents expressly incorporated by reference (collectively “Terms of Service” or "Agreement") govern your access to and use of the PublishDrive platform, a self-service Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS") solution. This Agreement is entered into by and between you ("You," "Publisher," or "Customer") and PublishDrive Inc. ("PublishDrive," "Company," "we," or "us").

Through our website at https://publishdrive.com ("Website"), we provide you with a self-service platform offering various solutions for the publishing space ("Services" or "Platform Services"), including:

Distribution: A self-service platform that converts, distributes, markets, and manages publishers' works — including manuscripts, ebooks, audiobooks, and print-on-demand books — to online retailers worldwide.
Royalty-splitting: A self-service tool that enables publishers to automatically divide and distribute royalty payments among multiple contributors or rights holders and share information among contributors.
AI-powered publishing assistant: An intelligent assistant that leverages AI to help publishers with various tasks across the publishing workflow.
Future services / products: And any other tools or services / products we may offer in the future.

IMPORTANT: PublishDrive is a self-service platform. You are solely responsible for all actions taken through your account (see Section 3.2 for full details).

1. Agreement to Terms

PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY.

By creating an account, clicking "I AGREE," or using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, you must not access or use our platform.

You should also read our Privacy Policy (https://publishdrive.com/privacy-policy.html), which explains how we collect, use, and protect your data.

This Agreement is binding on you and your assigns, heirs, executors, affiliates, agents, personal representatives, administrators, and successors (whether through merger, operation of law, or otherwise).

2. Eligibility and Account Requirements

You may use the Services only if you:

Are at least 18 years old;
Are capable of forming a binding contract with the Company;
Are not barred from using the Services under applicable law;
Provide true, accurate, current, and complete information during registration;
Maintain accurate account information (including email address) throughout your use of the platform;
Safeguard and maintain the confidentiality of your username and password.

By using our Services, you represent and warrant that you are of legal capacity to form a binding contract with the Company and meet all of the preceding eligibility requirements.

You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account, whether or not authorized by you. You may not permit any third party to use the Services through your account and will not use the account of any third party. You must immediately notify the Company of any unauthorized use of your username, password, or account.

Self-Service Responsibility: You are solely responsible for all actions taken through your account, as defined in Section 3.2.

We may suspend and deny your access to and use of the Services and the Website if we reasonably believe that you have violated or acted inconsistently with the letter or spirit of these Terms of Service or violated our rights or the rights of any third party, or for any other reason, with or without notice to you.

3. Platform Services and Self-Service Model

3.1 Services Provided

PublishDrive provides a SaaS platform that enables you to:

Convert and format manuscripts into various formats (ebooks, audiobooks, print-on-demand);
Distribute your works to selected online retailers ("Stores");
Manage metadata, pricing, and marketing materials;
Track sales analytics and royalty earnings;
Access Marketing and Promotion tools for book marketing purposes;
Access AI-powered tools for metadata generation and content suggestions (opt-in) or other future AI-powered tools;
Create audiobooks through our partner services (e.g. Apple Digital Narration, ElevenLabs or others);
Calculate and manage royalties for co-authors using PublishDrive Abacus;
Access any new feature in the future about book publishing.

3.1.1. PublishDrive Abacus for Co-Authors

PublishDrive Abacus is a tool for calculating and managing royalties between co-authors and contributors. Book owners are responsible for providing sales data, setting up royalty allocations, and managing contributors. Contributors are individuals or publishers invited to share in royalties. PublishDrive calculates and administers royalty percentages but is not responsible for legal or financial disputes between Book owners and contributors. Separate subscription fees apply.

3.2 Self-Service Nature of Platform

PublishDrive is a self-service platform. This means:

You control your catalog: You are solely responsible for uploading, configuring, and managing your works. We do not handle, edit, or manage your content unless you explicitly request specific services.
We provide tools, not services: We make the platform available with various features and integrations. We do not perform tasks on your behalf unless explicitly agreed in a separate service agreement.
No presumption of action: We will not perform actions such as withdrawals, cancellations, updates, or corrections unless you explicitly request them through the platform interface or support channels.
Your responsibility for compliance: You are responsible for ensuring your content complies with all applicable laws, regulations, Store requirements, and industry standards.
No liability for your omissions: We are not liable for any consequences resulting from your failure to use the platform correctly, maintain your account, configure settings properly, monitor your distribution, or take necessary actions in a timely manner.

Examples of self-service responsibilities include but are not limited to: setting correct prices, selecting appropriate Stores, withdrawing works when needed, canceling subscriptions before renewal, updating banking information, providing accurate metadata, ensuring content quality, and complying with accessibility requirements.

3.3 Delivery Guide and Policies

By accepting these Terms of Services, you also accept the policies outlined in our Delivery Guide, which includes detailed formatting and content guidelines, as well as additional policies.

These policies are subject to change following the changes to these Terms of Service. You are responsible for reviewing and complying with all policies.

4. Intellectual Property Rights and Licenses

4.1 Your Ownership

You own all intellectual property rights, and copyright to your works shall remain your property.

Subject to our rights under this Agreement, you remain the copyright owner of the work and you own all right, title, and interest in and to:

The work itself;
The reading samples;
All copyrights and equivalent rights embodied therein;
All materials furnished by you.

It is your sole responsibility to file your copyrights and any other intellectual property with the appropriate governmental body (such as the U.S. Copyright Office).

It is also your responsibility to place a copyright notice on the copyright page or some other prominent place in the work.

4.2 Licenses You Grant to PublishDrive

You grant to PublishDrive a non-exclusive, worldwide right to digitally publish, distribute, market, print or cause to be printed, and sell and to license others to do so ("Publish") the work, as necessary to carry out the Direct Distribution Services you select during the term of these Terms of Service.

You may specifically limit the territory in the registration process (the "Territory"). Otherwise, the license is worldwide.

This license includes the right to:

Reproduce, format, reformat, digitize, and convert the work into any form of book in any form or format (EPUB, MOBI, PDF, audiobook, print, etc.);
Use and cite up to 5% of the work/books for promotional goals;
Distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, and otherwise make available, for promotional purposes, free of charge, portions of the work ("Reading Samples") in any form of media (including but not limited to Facebook, blogs, Google, Twitter, Amazon previews, etc.), to promote the license, sale, and distribution of books;
If you did not provide Reading Samples of the work, the Company or the Stores are entitled to produce their own Reading Sample of such work and to make use thereof for promotion of the work. Reading Samples are usually up to 10% of the volume of the work. However, some Stores (such as Google Play) require a minimum amount of 20% of the volume of the work as a Reading Sample;
For audiobook creation (as detailed in Section 4.3): adapt and prepare audiobooks as derivative works of your Underlying Work and retain a copy of each such audiobook for purposes of distribution and marketing under these Terms of Service; Modifications for technical or formatting purposes are permitted without limitation. This includes but is not limited to: resizing of artwork, format conversions, audio encoding, chapter marking, and technical optimization for partners’ distribution systems.
Use the work and metadata as may be reasonably necessary or desirable for us to exercise our rights under these Terms of Service;
Authorize Stores to use your cover artwork, metadata, and product description you provide for your work for marketing purposes without additional notification;
Make the necessary changes to this Agreement to comply with Stores' rules and regulations not mentioned above;
Authorize our Stores to perform any one or more of the activities specified above;
Carry out research and development activities with your content to improve the quality of the Company's service (not including AI training on your content).

The foregoing license shall continue for so long as necessary to (i) provide the Services, (ii) fulfill any arrangements entered into during the term of these Terms of Service, and (iii) comply with applicable law and recordkeeping practices.

4.3 AI Narration for Audiobook Creation

For complete terms governing AI-narrated audiobook creation, including rights ownership, partner-specific terms, and distribution rights, see Section 6 (AI Narration and Audiobook Services). You retain all rights to your original ebook, manuscript, or other text-based work (the “Underlying Work”); your ownership of the Underlying Work is not affected by the creation of an AI-narrated audiobook.

4.4 Names and Likenesses

You grant to us, during the term of this Agreement, the right to use and to authorize our Stores to use:

The names and approved likenesses of, and biographical material concerning any writers, authors, artists, or publishers associated with the work;
Work or publication names;
Cover images and artwork;
Author photographs and biographical information.

These may be used in any marketing materials for the sale, promotion, and advertising of the applicable work which is offered for sale or other use under the terms of these Terms of Service.

For example, an author, writer, publisher, or artist name and likeness may be used in an informational fashion, such as by textual displays or other informational passages, to identify and represent authorship and publishing credits of the applicable author, writer, or artist in connection with the exploitation of applicable work.

4.5 Promotion Rights

You grant to our Stores and us the right to market, promote, and advertise the work as available for purchase or license, as they and we determine in our and their discretion.

This includes but is not limited to:

Display in Store catalogs, search results, and recommendation engines;
Inclusion in promotional emails, newsletters, and marketing campaigns;
Feature in "also bought" or "customers also viewed" sections;
Use in social media marketing and paid advertising;
Create clips, excerpts, or samples of the work and/or audiobooks generated to promote their sale. These promotional materials may be distributed through any media or platform without additional compensation to you.
Inclusion in bundled offers or promotional pricing campaigns.

You will not receive additional compensation for these promotional uses beyond your standard royalties on any resulting sales.

4.6 Your Representations and Warranties

You represent and warrant that:

You own or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright holder of the work (as established in Section 4.1);
Your Underlying Work has been cleared for use by PublishDrive as set forth in these Terms, and you have not granted any conflicting rights to third parties that would prevent the creation or distribution of the digital content and/or audiobook generated (“Work”).
You have obtained all necessary rights, licenses, permissions, and clearances to allow for PublishDrive's and/or other parties for production, distribution, marketing, and exploitation of the Work, including audiobooks narrated by partners mentioned in Section 5, including but not limited to: rights to the text, rights to any included artwork or photographs, rights to any quoted material, and rights from any co-authors or contributors.
You own or control all intellectual property rights in the Underlying Work, or have secured all necessary permissions from rights holders.
The creation and distribution of an audiobook based on your Underlying Work will not violate any existing agreements, contracts, or commitments you have made to third parties.
Neither the exercise of the rights authorized under these Terms of Service nor any materials embodied in the content nor its sale or distribution as authorized in these Terms of Service will violate or infringe upon the intellectual property, proprietary or other rights of any person or entity, including without limitation: contractual rights, copyrights, trademarks, common law rights, rights of publicity or privacy, moral rights, or contain defamatory material or violate any laws or regulations of any jurisdiction;
The work does not advocate hateful, discriminatory, or racist views or actions toward others and does not contain offensive, harmful, pornographic, obscene, defamatory, unlawful, indecent, inflammatory, false, misleading, fraudulent, or otherwise objectionable content;
The work does not contain any advertisements or content that is primarily intended to advertise or promote products or services, multiple hyperlinks to advertisements, competitors' website links, spam, or affiliate marketing pages;
You will ensure that all work delivered under these Terms of Service complies with the technical delivery specifications provided by us in the Delivery Guide

4.7 Royalty Obligations

You are responsible for and shall timely pay all royalties, fees, and sums payable with respect to the Underlying Work, including but not limited to:

Payments to co-authors, illustrators, or other contributors to the Underlying Work;
Royalties for quoted material, excerpts from other works, or licensed content;
Fees for artwork, cover design, or photography used in the Underlying Work or audiobook;
Any other payments required under agreements related to the creation of the Underlying Work.

PublishDrive bear no responsibility for these payments and may deduct appropriate amounts from your royalties if claims arise.

4.8 Mutual Agreements

The parties mutually agree that:

Each party represents that it is authorized to enter into these Terms of Service on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
Each party represents and warrants that it will not act in any manner that conflicts or interferes with any existing commitment or obligation of the other party. No agreement previously entered into by either party will interfere with the performance of its obligations under these Terms of Service;
Each party represents and warrants that it shall perform its obligations hereunder in full compliance with any applicable laws, rules, and regulations of any governmental authority having jurisdiction over such performance.

We make no guarantees whatsoever about any minimum sales or uses of the work or any revenue to be earned under these Terms of Service.

5. Artificial Intelligence Features

5.1 AI-Powered Tools (Opt-In)

PublishDrive offers optional AI-powered features to assist with content creation and management. These features are entirely opt-in and include:

Metadata Generation: AI-assisted creation of book descriptions, keywords, categories, and other metadata through the PublishDrive Publishing Assistant. This feature uses advanced language models to suggest metadata based on your manuscript content.
Content Suggestions: AI-powered recommendations for improving discoverability, marketing copy, and reader engagement based on genre conventions and market trends.
AI Narration Services: Creation of AI-narrated audiobooks through partner services (e.g. Apple Digital Narration, ElevenLabs or others) that convert your text into spoken audio using synthetic voices.

These features are entirely opt-in. You must explicitly activate and use these features through the platform interface; they are not applied automatically to your content. You maintain full control over whether to use, modify, or reject any AI-generated suggestions.

5.2 AI Training and Data Usage

We do not use your content for AI training purposes.

Your uploaded content is used solely to:

Generate the specific output you request (e.g., metadata suggestions, audiobook narration);
Provide the distribution services you select through our platform;
Improve our service quality through research and development activities as permitted in Section 12 (which does not include training AI models on your content).

Your content is never shared with third parties for the purpose of training their AI models. When using third-party AI services (such as OpenAI for metadata generation), we share only the minimum necessary content to fulfill your specific request, and these partners are contractually prohibited from using your content for training purposes.

Content uploaded for AI-powered features in the PublishDrive Publishing Assistant is used only for generating the expected output as requested by you. We will never use your content for any other activity.

5.3 Third-Party AI Service Providers

Some AI-powered features utilize third-party providers to deliver functionality. When you use these features, you agree to comply with the applicable provider's terms of use and policies.

We encourage you to read the terms and privacy policies of these third-party providers to understand how they process and protect your data. This also applies to AI Narration partner services described in Section 6.

5.4 No Warranty for AI-Generated Content

AI-generated outputs may not be complete, accurate, reliable, or suitable for your purposes. You are solely responsible for reviewing, verifying, editing, and approving any AI-generated content before use.

We disclaim all warranties regarding AI-powered features, including but not limited to:

Warranties of accuracy, completeness, or correctness of AI-generated suggestions;
Warranties of fitness for a particular purpose or merchantability;
Warranties that AI-generated content will be free from errors, omissions, or inappropriate content;
Warranties regarding the quality, suitability, or performance of AI-narrated audiobooks.

We also disclaim any liability for any loss or damage that may arise from the use of the AI-powered Features. You acknowledge that your use of AI-generated content is at your sole risk. You also acknowledge that AI systems may produce unexpected, incorrect, or inappropriate results, and you agree to exercise appropriate human oversight and judgment.

5.5 Compliance with EU AI Act

PublishDrive seeks to align its practices with the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). Our AI systems are classified as limited-risk or minimal-risk systems under this regulation, and we implement the following measures:

Transparency: We clearly inform you when AI-generated content is being created or suggested, including metadata suggestions and audiobook narration. AI-generated content is clearly labeled as such within the platform interface.
Human Oversight: You retain full control over whether to accept, modify, or reject AI-generated suggestions. All AI features require your explicit activation and approval before implementation.
Data Governance: We maintain appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure data quality, security, and appropriate use of AI systems.
Risk Management: We conduct ongoing risk assessments of our AI systems to identify and mitigate potential risks to users and their content.
Record-Keeping: We maintain records of AI system operations, decisions, and data processing activities as required by applicable law.
Accountability: We have designated responsible personnel for AI system oversight and compliance with the EU AI Act.

We continuously monitor regulatory developments and update our AI systems and practices to maintain compliance with evolving requirements.

6. AI Narration and Audiobook Services

PublishDrive partners with third-party services to convert your text-based works into audiobooks using AI narration technology. These services currently include Apple Digital Narration and ElevenLabs, among others.

Before using any audiobook partner service, you should review the specific terms for that partner as displayed in your PublishDrive account.

When you opt into audiobook creation services:

Content Forwarding: We forward your content (manuscript, ebook, or other text-based work) to the partner service solely for the purpose of audiobook creation. We act as an intermediary facilitating the technical connection between you and the audiobook service provider.
Partner-Specific Terms: The partner creates the audiobook according to their own terms of service, technical specifications, quality standards, and production processes. We do not control the partner's production methods or quality outcomes. You agree to comply with the partner's specific terms and conditions, which govern the creation, distribution, and exploitation of the audiobook.
Variable Rights: Ownership rights, distribution rights, and exploitation rights vary by partner. Unlike Apple Digital Narration (where Apple owns all audiobook rights), other partners may have different intellectual property arrangements. Specific ownership terms for each partner are communicated when you select that partner's services.
Technical Modifications: Modifications for technical or formatting purposes are permitted without limitation. This includes but is not limited to: resizing of artwork, format conversions, audio encoding, chapter marking, and technical optimization for distribution systems.
Financial Terms: Pricing structures, royalty splits, production fees, and payment terms for audiobook services are communicated separately on our website (https://publishdrive.com) and in your account dashboard. These financial terms are not part of these Terms of Service and may vary by partner and change over time.
No Warranty: We make no warranties regarding the quality, accuracy, or suitability of audiobooks created by partner services. The partner is solely responsible for the technical quality and production standards of the audiobook. Each partner has different voice options, audio quality standards, language support, and production capabilities.
Distribution: Distribution channels, geographic availability, and Store partnerships may vary by audiobook partner.

6.1 Extended Distribution Rights

Apple has the right to continue distributing the AI-narrated audiobook for an additional six (6) months after you withdraw your ebook (the Underlying Work) from the Apple Books platform. This means:

If you remove your ebook from Apple Books, the audiobook will remain available for purchase through PublishDrive’s distribution channel for 6 additional months. For clarity, Apple retains full ownership of the AI-narrated audiobook as described in Section 6 above; this 6-month period governs the continued distribution link through your PublishDrive account only.
You cannot compel Apple to remove the audiobook during this 6-month period.
Apple will continue to pay royalties for audiobook sales during this extended period according to the applicable royalty rates.
After the 6-month period expires, Apple may, at its discretion, continue to distribute the audiobook or remove it from sale.

7. Distribution and Store Selection

7.1 Non-Exclusive Distribution

This is not an exclusive, all-or-nothing distribution agreement. You are the copyright owner, and you decide where you want to publish.

You retain the right to:

Sell your books in any form (ebooks, audiobooks, print books, or other digital formats) directly through your own website, at physical locations, or through any other channel.
Use other distributors, aggregators, or publishing services in addition to or instead of PublishDrive.
Publish different formats or editions of your work through different channels (e.g., ebook through PublishDrive, audiobook through another service, print through a different distributor).
Withdraw from PublishDrive and distribute through other means at any time.

Important limitation: A book can only be published in one Store via one distributor at a time. For example, if you publish your ebook to Amazon Kindle through PublishDrive, you cannot simultaneously publish the same ebook to Amazon Kindle through another distributor or directly. We monitor for possible duplicates, but you are ultimately responsible for ensuring you do not create distribution conflicts that could result in Store rejections or account suspensions.

7.2 Store Selection and Changes

You can choose which Stores (online retailers) will receive your works through PublishDrive. Available Stores are disclosed on our Stores Page (https://publishdrive.com/stores.html). These are retail channels that sell books to readers.

You can:

Select specific Stores for each work (you are not required to distribute to all available Stores).
Change your Store selection at any time through your account dashboard.
Opt individual works into or out of specific Stores as your strategy evolves.

However, we do not recommend frequent changes in the selection of Stores, as this can cause operational issues, metadata conflicts, sales tracking problems, and potential customer confusion.

7.3 New Store Additions

The Company is constantly improving its partnerships with new Stores, which are added to the platform over time. When we add new Stores:

Notification: We will inform you about new Stores and their specific terms, requirements, and business models.
Automatic Opt-In: Your works will be automatically sent to new Stores unless you opt out. This ensures you benefit from expanded distribution without requiring action.
Opt-Out Period: You have a 15-day opt-out period before a new Store is introduced. During this period, you can choose to exclude your works from the new Store.
Opt-In Requirement: We reserve the right to introduce some new Stores with opt-in action required by you (rather than automatic inclusion). This typically occurs when a Store has unusual terms or requirements.
Store Terminations: We reserve the right to terminate partnerships with Stores at our discretion due to business reasons, Store performance, or other factors.

All decisions regarding Store additions and terminations will be communicated to you in writing via email or platform notifications.

7.4 Distribution Rules and Content Handling

Generally, the Company will publish your work as delivered to us and will not edit or modify the work unless it is needed for commercial purposes (such as format conversion, technical optimization, or Store-specific requirements).

Certain modifications may occur or be caused by:

File conversions between different ebook formats (e.g., EPUB to MOBI).
Design conversions for different reading devices or platforms.
Technical optimizations required by specific Stores.
Automatic formatting adjustments to meet Store specifications.

The Company does not guarantee accurate preservation of the original work's format, particularly for complex formatting, custom fonts, special layouts, or interactive elements. You should review your work's appearance on different platforms after distribution.

You shall work with the Company in good faith to promote your work's availability on the Stores and the Company's website. This includes providing accurate metadata, appropriate cover images, and timely responses to any Store-specific requirements or issues.

The Company may refuse to distribute any content based on content violations or formatting-related issues, including but not limited to: poor file quality, corrupted files, files containing viruses or malicious code, files that do not meet minimum technical specifications, or content that violates our policies or Store requirements.

7.5 Content Delivery Requirements

You must provide to us, at your own expense, each work you desire to distribute through our Services in a digital format as specified by the Company on the website and in the Delivery Guide.

Important delivery requirements:

We will not return to you any electronic files or physical content or media you deliver to us in connection with the Services, but you can download the relevant files from your Dashboard. Maintain your own backup copies.
You must deliver all electronic files free and clear of viruses, worms, malware, and other potentially harmful or disrupting code.
Files must meet our technical specifications for format, file size, resolution, and quality.
You are responsible for ensuring your files are complete and final before upload.

7.6 Content Restrictions

Before any delivery, you must comply with our policies outlined in our Delivery Guide around what content is permitted for distribution and whether they permitted within closed user groups only.

You must specifically notify us in the book upload process on the self-service platform:

Adult content or sexually explicit material;
Content with age restrictions or rating requirements;
Content with territory limitations or geographic distribution restrictions;
Content that should not be distributed in certain countries or regions due to legal, cultural, or contractual reasons;
Content subject to embargo or special distribution rules.

Failure to provide appropriate metadata fields and/or comply with Content Policies may result in content being distributed inappropriately, potential legal issues, Store rejections, or account suspension.

8. Pricing and Promotions

8.1 Price Control

You set the price ("Digital List Price") of your work, including VAT (if applicable) and excluding sales tax (if applicable). You have full control over pricing and may:

Set different prices for different currencies (e.g., USD, EUR, GBP);
Change prices at any time through your account dashboard;
Schedule price promotions and limited-time discounts;
Offer free books (subject to our Free Books Policy in the Delivery Guide);
Set different prices for different business models (as library prices) wherever the Company’s website user interface allows it;
Set different prices for different formats (ebook, audiobook, print).

8.2 Price Implementation and Store Variations

We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that your work is sold at the Digital List Price you set. However, you acknowledge and agree that:

Different Stores operate under different business models (retail, wholesale, agency, subscription) and may offer your work at different end-user prices.
Stores may include your work in subscription services (e.g. Everand) where readers access content through a subscription rather than individual purchase.
Stores may offer discounted prices, bundle deals, or promotional pricing at their discretion in wholesale models.
Some Stores calculate customer-facing prices based on wholesale pricing, suggested retail prices, or algorithmic pricing.

When Stores use different pricing, PublishDrive will calculate and pay royalties based on the actual sales price or Store revenue.

8.3 Price Tiers and Adjustments

If the price you set does not meet a Store's requirements or price tiers:

We will attempt to adjust to the closest acceptable price tier on the higher end (favoring you).
Some Stores only accept prices in specific increments (e.g., $0.99, $1.99, $2.99) rather than arbitrary amounts.
You can view how your price was adjusted for each Store in your account dashboard.
You can opt out from any Store if you do not want us to adjust the price.

8.4 Pricing Errors and Disclaimers

If there is any mistake in the price displayed for your work on a Store, please notify us immediately through our contact form, and we will make reasonable efforts to correct it.

However, if there is a mistake in price display or any inaccuracy in pricing information:

The Company will have no liability to you for pricing errors, including lost sales or revenue.
We do not warrant or make any representations regarding the accuracy or reliability of pricing information displayed on Stores.
Stores control their own pricing displays and we cannot guarantee accuracy.
You are responsible for monitoring your prices and reporting discrepancies.

8.5 Free Books

We (and many of the Stores) accept free books. If you wish to offer your work for free:

Read our Free Books Policy in the Delivery Guide for specific requirements and limitations.
Not all Stores accept free books; some may have minimum pricing requirements.
Promotional pricing strategies (free for limited time, permafree, free first-in-series) have different requirements.
Some Stores may impose restrictions on transitioning between paid and free pricing.

You are responsible for understanding each Store's free book policies and any implications for your marketing strategy.

9. Payment Plans and Subscriptions

PublishDrive offers Services under different commercial plans (“Plans”), including subscription-based and other pricing models as made available by PublishDrive from time to time. Royalties are collected from Stores after their standard deductions. The amount payable to You depends on the Plan You have selected and been approved for, and may include subscription fees, revenue share percentages, listing fees, or other applicable charges as communicated on the Website. PublishDrive does not guarantee any specific royalty rate or revenue amount.

9.1 Subscription Model

PublishDrive operates on a subscription basis. We charge a fixed monthly or annual subscription fee for access to the platform and distribution services. The subscription fee is based on the Plan you select and the number of titles you distribute.

Current plans and pricing are available on our website (https://publishdrive.com/pricing.html ). You control which plan you choose.

9.2 Definition of "Title"

One "title" or "book" accounts to either:

One particular edition of one ebook format (e.g., one EPUB file);
One audiobook;
One print-on-demand book.

Therefore, if you have the same work in multiple formats (ebook, audiobook, and paperback), this counts as three (3) titles for subscription purposes.

9.3 Subscription Terms and Automatic Renewal

By purchasing a monthly or annual subscription, you agree to:

An initial monthly/annual subscription fee at the then-current monthly/annual subscription rate;
Recurring monthly/annual subscription fees charged automatically each billing cycle;
Responsibility for all recurring charges until you cancel your subscription.

Automatic Monthly/Annual Renewal Terms:

Once you subscribe, PublishDrive will automatically process your monthly/annual subscription fee on the same day each month/year (your billing date). For example, if you subscribe on the 15th of the month, you will be charged on the 15th of each subsequent month, or the same day next year for annual subscriptions.

PublishDrive will continue to automatically process your subscription fee monthly or yearly at the set subscription rate until you cancel your subscription.

You may cancel your subscription at any time, subject to the terms of our cancellation policy in Section 10.

9.4 Plan Limitations and Features

For the monthly/annual subscription, you pay the current monthly/annual subscription rate and you accept the limitations of the plan communicated on the website. Plan limitations may include:

Maximum number of titles you can distribute;
Access to specific features or tools;
Number of Store integrations available;
Customer support tier and response times;
Advanced analytics or reporting capabilities.

Fixed fees and any credits given to you are non-refundable except as specified in Section 10.

PublishDrive communicates via email and/or on the website if there are additional plans available for you on the platform, so you can freely choose the best suitable option for your needs. We may introduce new plan tiers, features, or pricing structures over time.

9.5 Additional Fees and Services

9.5.1 Store Listing Fees

Some Stores may require a one-time or annual work listing fee that must be covered by you (the Publisher). Examples include:

ISBN requirements for certain Stores;
Premium placement, advertising or featured listing fees;
Store-specific setup or registration fees.

These additional fees are clearly communicated on our website and in your account dashboard, so you can decide whether you want to sell your work on Stores with extra charges.

These listing fees are non-refundable if a work is withdrawn from the database or if you cancel your subscription.

Stores have the right to remove works at their own cost if the works do not meet quality standards for distribution, regardless of whether you have paid listing fees.

9.5.2 Direct Distribution Services

If you request physical copies of your work to be sent directly to you or another third party without retail distribution ("Direct Distribution Services"), you shall pay PublishDrive for:

All printing charges;
Service fees charged by third parties/Stores;
Freight and postal charges incurred on your behalf;
Production, taxation, and shipping costs;
Any applicable taxes (sales tax, VAT, customs duties).

If you choose to use Direct Distribution Services, you are responsible for collecting and remitting any applicable taxes (such as sales tax or VAT), and PublishDrive has no responsibility or liability for tax compliance related to Direct Distribution.

9.5.3 Print-On-Demand Costs

In the case of print-on-demand books distributed through the wholesale business model:

Production costs are covered by you (the Publisher);
These costs are deducted from the royalties earned from Stores;
You cover production, delivery, handling, and taxation costs in direct distribution for print-on-demand books.

9.5.4 Publishing Assistant and Credits

If you use the PublishDrive Publishing Assistant for AI-powered metadata generation or other services:

You can prepay for services through "Credits" which represent pre-payment for specific services;
Credits are non-transferable, non-refundable (except for unused credits as specified in Section 10), and cannot be exchanged for cash or other purposes;
Refunds for unused Credits are subject to processing fees and bank charges borne by you;
Credits cannot be transferred, sold, distributed, or donated to other users.

9.5.5 Additional Platform Services

If there are additional services you would like to purchase via the website (such as professional editing, cover design, ISBN purchasing, or marketing packages or any other add-ons), you can pay via credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer for the amount and services as communicated on the website.

9.6 Payment Methods

You agree that your credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Play, Google Play or Venmo account will be charged immediately when:

Your paid subscription starts (initial charge);
Each subsequent billing cycle renews (recurring charges);
You decide to buy any additional services from PublishDrive.

Your payment will be recurring, so your subscription fee will be charged on the same day every month or year until you cancel.

Fixed fee payments (subscription fees) are non-refundable except as specified in Section 9.

9.7 Changing Plans

If you change your mind about your subscription, no problem, —you can change your plan at any time through your account dashboard.

9.7.1 Upgrading

If you upgrade to a higher-tier plan:

The upgrade will be effective immediately upon confirmation;
The cost of your new plan will be applied with proration (we calculate a fair price based on the remaining days in your current billing cycle);
We adjust the new plan's first charge(s) based on how many days are left in the billing cycle;
You will be charged the newly-calculated pro-rata amount immediately (if any);
Your next regular billing will occur on your original billing date at the new plan rate.

9.7.2 Downgrading

If you downgrade to a lower-tier plan:

If you have more titles currently on sale than your new plan allows, you must withdraw titles to fit within the limitation of the new plan before the downgrade can be completed;
The system will not allow you to complete a downgrade if you exceed the new plan's title limit;
The downgrade will take effect at your next billing cycle (not immediately);
You will continue to have access to your current plan features until the billing cycle renews.

9.8 Non-Payment Consequences

If we do not receive payment from your credit card provider, or if your credit card expires or gets rejected, the following consequences apply:

You agree to pay all amounts due upon demand;
Following any such non-payment, we may require you to provide a valid credit card before you can continue using the Services;
We may decide to terminate the service provided to you;
If you do not pay the subscription fee, we are entitled to deduct the subscription fee from your accumulated royalties and keep your books on sale until we recover the subscription fee owed;
You authorize us to charge outstanding fees and other amounts due against any credit card you have on file with us.

We reserve the right to take all steps necessary to collect payments due from you, including but not limited to:

Legal action and pursuing collection through courts;
Using third-party collection agencies;
Reporting delinquent accounts to credit bureaus where applicable;
Suspending or terminating your account and removing your works from distribution.

If your account is more than 30 days past due and is forwarded to a collections agency, you will additionally be liable for any recovery fees charged by the agency, which may be up to 50% of the outstanding balance.

You are solely responsible for any and all fees charged to your credit card by the issuer, bank, or financial institution, including but not limited to: membership fees, overdraft fees, insufficient funds fees, over-the-credit-limit fees, international transaction fees, and currency conversion fees.

9.9 Billing Disputes

You agree to notify us about any billing problems or discrepancies within 90 days after they first appear on your credit card statement.

If you do not bring billing issues to our attention within 90 days, you agree that you waive your right to dispute such problems or discrepancies.

We may conduct an audit process on all outstanding fees quarterly.

9.10 Price Modifications

We may modify the price, content, or nature of the Services at any time. We will provide notice of any such changes by:

Email to your registered email address;
Notice board within the PublishDrive platform;
Publishing changes on the website.

Price increases for existing subscribers will be communicated at least 30 days in advance and will take effect at your next billing cycle.

10. Cancellation and Refund Policy

10.1 Cancellation Process

You can cancel your subscription at any time through your account dashboard. Cancellation is effective immediately upon confirmation.

After cancellation:

The effects described in Section 20 (Term, Termination, and Suspension) apply, including that your access to premium platform features will cease immediately;
Your works will be automatically withdrawn from stores;
Your royalty earnings will be paid out to you after all taxation and payment information is completed in your account;
You can withdraw your titles at any time without prior notice;
You retain access to your account dashboard to manage withdrawals and view historical data.

To permanently delete your account and all associated data, contact Support (see Section 30) with: (i) your username; (ii) the email address associated with your account; and (iii) "Account Deletion Request" in the subject line.

Cancellation is your responsibility under the self-service model defined in Section 3.2. You must cancel before your next billing cycle to avoid being charged.

10.2 Refund Policy

Subscription payments are generally non-refundable.

Any gift credits received are also non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for other purposes, transferred to other accounts, or converted to cash.

10.3 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee (New Subscriptions Only)

As an exception to the no-refund policy, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions only.

To qualify for this guarantee:

Refund request must be submitted within 30 days of your initial subscription date (not renewal date);
The guarantee can be requested only once per new subscription;
Re-subscribing with a previously churned account (an account that was previously active and canceled) does NOT qualify for this guarantee;
Any fraud-connected or fraud-identied accounts are NOT eligible for this guarantee;
The guarantee applies only to subscription fees, not to additional services purchased separately.

To request a refund under the money-back guarantee, contact Support (see Section 30). Include your account email, subscription date, and reason for the refund request.

Refund requests are processed within 14 business days of approval. Refunds are issued to the original payment method.

11. Royalty Payments and Accounting

11.1 Royalty Calculation

Whichever business model the Stores use (retail, wholesale, agency, subscription), we calculate your share of royalties based on:

The digital list price you set; OR
The retail price/sales price at which the book was actually sold; OR
Stores' revenue from subscription services or other models.

For print-on-demand books in the wholesale business model, production costs are covered by you (the Publisher)—they are deducted from the royalties earned from Stores before payment to you.

Your final royalties will be calculated using the percentage list for each Store communicated on our website under your account’s Imprint Settings. This page shows the exact royalty split for each Store and format.

11.2 Payment Threshold and Timing

We will make payments to you (by ACH, wire or electronic transfer, PayPal, or similar entity) when the amounts credited to you exceed:

The default payment threshold (available in your account); OR
The minimum threshold amount you set (the "Threshold Amount") in your account settings.

The default setting for Threshold Amount is available in your account and can be overridden by you.

Payments will occur within one (1) month from the date you receive your monthly earnings report. At our sole option, we may also elect to make payments to you at such other times as we deem appropriate, even if you have not yet met the Threshold Amount.

Current payment terms and methods can always be found at https://help.publishdrive.com/how-will-i-get-paid.

If the amount does not exceed the Threshold Amount, the Company has the right to hold back the transaction until it does exceed the threshold.

11.3 Publisher Payment Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

Providing the Company with correct and current banking information;
Any fees charged by banks or intermediary banks (e.g., wire transfer fees, international transfer fees, currency conversion fees);
Notifying the Company if your payment method has changed by making the appropriate changes to your account settings;
Ensuring all taxation and payment information is filled in your account before requesting payment.

If you provide incorrect banking information, the Company has the right to withhold payment until the next payment cycle after correct information is provided. See withholding rights in Section 12.5.

11.4 Self-Billing System

We use a self-billing system to create invoices for publishers. All Services provided under these Terms of Service are quoted and provided in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

By signing up, you confirm that PublishDrive is authorized to create invoices in your name based on sales reports using a self-billing system.

You are exempt from any additional billing costs (posting, tracking, fees of electronic billing, etc.).

For the self-billing system to work, we will ask you to provide us with legal data according to your country of origin laws (such as tax identification numbers, business registration details, VAT numbers where applicable).

If you refuse to provide the required information on time, or if you provide false or pseudo information, PublishDrive has the right to refuse the activity of self-billing. We will not issue any payments without a valid invoice.

11.5 Royalty Earnings Reports

All accounting details will be available and updated in your account area on the website and sent to you every month.

Each report will contain all transactions with end customers in all countries and through all Stores, based on the royalty payments you receive.

Different Stores may provide royalty earnings reports monthly or quarterly, so PublishDrive will include royalties from Stores whenever their accounting period allows it.

You can follow the accounting and payment schedule of Stores at https://help.publishdrive.com/publishdrive-reporting-and-payout-terms-financial-perks-for-publishers.

11.6 Sales Analytics

Some Stores provide us with live sales data, which is collected for you in almost real-time and displayed in your account dashboard.

Other Stores' sales data will be updated in the Sales Analytics functionality with a delay.

This is displayed on the website with interactive analytics and charts where you can filter information regarding your books.

IMPORTANT: Real-time sales data proceeds are estimated and might be incorrect and differ from the royalty earning reports mentioned above. Only the official royalty earnings report contains all the official data regarding work sales. Do not rely on real-time analytics for financial planning or tax reporting.

11.7 Chargebacks and Refunds

Stores might issue chargebacks or refunds in earnings reports when end customers return or refund books. These will appear as negative items on earnings reports.

If a Store issues a refund to a customer for your work, such a refund will be charged to you, the Publisher.

For print-on-demand books: Regardless of return status, you agree to reimburse costs related to any physical work returned due to inaccurate title setup requirements (such as incorrect trim size, binding type, or paper quality specifications).

If PublishDrive has paid you Publisher compensation for a printed title which is later returned, we will offset such previously paid Publisher compensation against any amounts we owe to you, or require you to immediately remit payment to us for the returned unit. All works published and distributed in print copy format (in wholesale or direct distribution) throughout the business operations of PublishDrive are non-returnable. The return status for Direct Distribution Services is also non-returnable.

11.8 Right to Offset

The Company reserves the right to deduct, offset, or withhold amounts from your royalties or other payments due to you in the following circumstances: (a) unpaid subscription fees or other amounts owed to PublishDrive (see Section 9.8); (b) reimbursement for returned print-on-demand books due to inaccurate title setup (see Section 11.7); (c) refunds, returns, or credits issued by Stores for previously paid royalties; and (d) tax withholding obligations under applicable law (see Section 12.5). Our exercise of any offset right does not limit other remedies available to us under this Agreement or applicable law.

11.9 Fraud and Suspicious Activity

If the Company receives notice of any claim, demand, action, suit, or other legal proceeding alleging facts inconsistent with your warranties and representations, or if the Company has, in its reasonable business judgment, a reason to suspect that your account has been subjected to and/or involved in fraudulent activities, the Company reserves the right to:

Discontinue posting of monies to your account;
Block your ability to withdraw funds;
Conduct an investigation until satisfactory resolution and explanation of the suspect activities is obtained;
Terminate accounts for any reason.

To the extent that any fraudulent activities are determined to be caused by your or your affiliates' actions or omissions, any costs incurred by the Company (including legal fees and costs) may, in addition to its other remedies, be deducted by the Company from any monies otherwise payable to you hereunder.

Certain Stores may also have policies related to fraud and suspected fraudulent activities, and you agree that such policies shall be binding upon you hereunder.

12. Tax Responsibilities

Tax responsibilities are divided between the Stores, PublishDrive, and you (the Publisher) as follows:

12.1 Store Responsibilities

The Stores are responsible for collecting and remitting any taxes imposed on their respective sales of your work to customers in their jurisdiction.

This typically includes sales tax, VAT, GST, and similar consumption taxes charged to end customers.

12.2 Publisher Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

Any income taxes or other taxes due and payable resulting from payments to you by the Company under this Agreement;
Proper tax reporting of your royalty income to appropriate tax authorities;
Obtaining necessary tax identification numbers (SSN, EIN, VAT number, etc.);
Filing all required tax returns and making all required tax payments.

12.3 PublishDrive Tax Charges

You agree to pay PublishDrive any sales, use, gross receipts, business activity, VAT, GST, and similar type taxes that PublishDrive is required to charge and collect and are imposed due to Services rendered under this Agreement.

12.4 Tax Indemnification

You will indemnify, reimburse, defend, and hold harmless from any tax claims and assessments (including interest and penalties) PublishDrive, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents may be required to pay concerning VAT, GST, sales, use, gross receipts, business activity, and similar type taxes based on the Services performed by PublishDrive on behalf of you according to this Agreement.

12.5 Withholding Obligations and Rights

We are obligated to withhold royalties and offset them against future payments based on taxation law, in particular U.S. federal taxes, including but not limited to taxes for non-U.S. publishers or backup withholding for U.S. publishers without proper tax documentation.

You are responsible for providing all necessary tax forms (such as W-9, W-8BEN, or W-8BEN-E) to minimize or eliminate withholding where applicable.

Failure to provide proper tax documentation may result in maximum withholding rates being applied to your payments.

Our exercise of these rights does not limit other rights we may have to withhold or offset royalties or exercise other remedies.

If we pay you a royalty on a sale and later issue a refund, return, or credit for that sale, we may offset the amount of the royalty previously paid for the sale against future royalties, or require you to remit that amount to us.

The Company has the right to withhold payment if:

Any Store withholds, for whatever reasons, the payment of any amount payable to the Company which includes the royalties due to you;
Your banking information is incorrect or incomplete;
The account is identified for fraudulent activity, sales manipulation, or is clearly connected to other Fraudulent accounts that had previously been identified;
Required tax documentation has not been provided.

13. Withdrawal of Works

13.1 Your Right to Withdraw

You can decide to withdraw a work from publication and distribution at any time for any reason. This is your right as the copyright owner.

Once you make your request to have a work title removed through your account dashboard or by contacting support:

Our team will begin working to remove the title from all selected Stores;
It may take 4-6 weeks or longer for the titles to be removed from retail outlets worldwide;
Different Stores have different processing times for removals;
Until we can remove such title, the rights and licenses granted under these Terms of Service will continue to apply to such title.

PublishDrive shall not be liable for any damage caused by delayed removal or missed deadlines if the Stores cause the delay. We will make reasonable efforts to expedite removals, but we cannot control Store processing times.

13.2 Store Archival Rights

Please note that Stores may maintain archival copies of withdrawn books solely to permit authorized continuing access by any end customer who purchased a license to that book before its withdrawal from sale.

This means customers who already purchased your book may retain access to download it even after withdrawal, in accordance with Store policies and customer purchase agreements.

13.3 Effect on Agreement

This Agreement shall not be terminated automatically by the Company's removal of a work from the website or Stores' websites or services.

Removing works does NOT terminate your overall Agreement with PublishDrive. Your account remains active and you can continue using the platform for other works.

13.4 Company's Right to Remove Works

The Company and the Stores reserve the right to remove and not use or exploit any of your works from the website in our sole and absolute discretion, for any reason or for no reason, including if the Company believes such content:

Is offensive, harmful, pornographic, obscene, defamatory, unlawful, indecent, inflammatory, false, misleading, fraudulent, or otherwise objectionable;
Is the subject of a dispute between you or us and a third party;
Is content to which you cannot document your rights upon Company's request;
Violates or is alleged to infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other rights or protected interests of a third party;
Is the subject of a takedown notice by a party claiming to own the rights therein under the DMCA or other applicable law;
Is the subject of any fraudulent activity; or
For any other reason in Company's sole and absolute judgment is necessary to protect the business interests of the Company and any of its business partners or Stores.

13.5 Store Rejections

If your work or content is rejected by any Store for any reason:

The Company will have no liability to you;
The Company will not offer any refund or credit for any Services;
You will not receive compensation for inability to distribute to that Store;
You may attempt to correct issues and resubmit, subject to Store policies.

Common reasons for Store rejection include: quality issues, formatting problems, metadata violations, content policy violations, duplicate listings, pricing errors, or rights conflicts.

14. Security and Digital Rights Management

PublishDrive implements commercially reasonable measures to help ensure your books are protected against illegal copying and unauthorized distribution.

The Company works only with Stores that provide copyright protection measures for selling the work.

We will stipulate within the metadata supplied to distribution outlets the level of digital rights management (the "DRM") required. This will typically be:

Hard DRM where possible (encryption that prevents copying and limits device transfers); or
Watermarking where there is no option for hard DRM (invisible marks that can trace unauthorized copies).

Different Stores have different DRM capabilities and policies. Some Stores do not support DRM at all.

While we implement available reasonable protection measures, we cannot guarantee that your works will never be pirated or illegally distributed, we disclaim any liability arising from such activities. No DRM system is completely secure.

If you become aware of illegal distribution of your works, you should report this to the relevant Store and may pursue legal action independently.

15. European Accessibility Act (EAA) Compliance

The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) requires that certain digital publications, including ebooks and audiobooks, made available to consumers in the European Union meet specific accessibility requirements.

The EAA requirements apply to works made available to EU consumers after June 28, 2025.

15.1 Your Responsibilities as Publisher

As the publisher distributing content to the EU market through PublishDrive, you are considered the economic operator responsible for accessibility compliance. You are solely responsible for providing the relevant metadata for accessibility features, statements and compliance. Read more about EAA compliance here: https://help.publishdrive.com/eaa-guide

15.2 PublishDrive's Role

PublishDrive acts solely as an intermediary platform for distribution. We:

Provide tools to help you add accessibility metadata to your works;
May offer guidance, resources, and best practices on accessibility compliance;
Pass through accessibility metadata to Stores that support it;
Do NOT verify, validate, or guarantee compliance with EAA requirements.

PublishDrive does not assume legal responsibility for EAA compliance. You, as the publisher and economic operator, are solely responsible for ensuring your content meets all applicable accessibility requirements.

15.3 Exemptions and Limitations

The EAA provides exemptions for:

Microenterprises (as defined by EU law), subject to certain conditions;
Content where accessibility would constitute a disproportionate burden (must be documented);
Certain types of specialized content.

You are responsible for determining whether any exemptions apply to your situation. We recommend consulting with legal counsel regarding EAA compliance obligations.

15.4 Right to Suspend Distribution

We reserve the right to:

Request confirmation of your EAA compliance efforts and documentation;
Suspend distribution of content to EU markets that may present legal or accessibility risks;
Remove content if required by Stores or regulators;
Implement policies regarding minimum accessibility standards for EU distribution.

15.5 Resources and Support

PublishDrive may provide resources to assist with accessibility compliance, including:

Documentation and guides on creating accessible ebooks;
Links to third-party accessibility validation tools;
Information about Store-specific accessibility requirements;
Updates on regulatory developments.

However, you remain solely responsible for implementing accessibility features and ensuring compliance.

16. EU Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) Compliance

As of December 13, 2024, the European Union's General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 ("GPSR") applies to all products made available to consumers within the EU, including digital goods such as ebooks, audiobooks, and print-on-demand books.

16.1 Your Responsibilities as Manufacturer

By using the PublishDrive platform to distribute content to the EU market, you acknowledge and accept that you are considered the manufacturer of your content under the GPSR.

As the manufacturer, you are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable safety and labeling requirements. Read more about GPSR compliance here: https://help.publishdrive.com/general-product-safety-regulation-gpsr

16.2 PublishDrive's Role

PublishDrive acts solely as an intermediary platform and does not assume any legal responsibility for compliance with the GPSR.

We may provide tools to help you include required information in metadata, but we do not verify or guarantee compliance.

16.3 Right to Request Compliance Information

We reserve the right to:

Request confirmation of your GPSR compliance;
Request copies of risk assessments or documentation;
Suspend distribution of any content that may present a legal or safety risk under applicable regulations;
Implement policies requiring minimum compliance information for EU distribution.

16.4 Cooperation with Authorities

If EU authorities contact PublishDrive regarding your content:

We may be required to provide your contact information to authorities;
We may suspend distribution pending resolution of safety concerns;
You agree to cooperate promptly with any regulatory inquiries.

Failure to maintain GPSR compliance may result in removal from EU distribution channels and potential legal consequences.

17. Limitation of Liability

IMPORTANT: THIS SECTION LIMITS OUR LIABILITY. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.

17.1 Services Provided "As Is"

PublishDrive and its affiliates, partners, the Stores, and suppliers do not warrant that the website or any part thereof, or any Services provided by PublishDrive, will be uninterrupted or free of errors, viruses, or other harmful components.

We do not warrant that any issues will be corrected.

The website, the Services, and any third-party content, software, services, or applications made available in conjunction with or through the website are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.

We disclaim all warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including without limitation:

Implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose;
Warranties of title and non-infringement;
Warranties that your use of the website will be uninterrupted or error-free;
Warranties that the website or its server is free of viruses or other harmful elements.

Although we endeavor to provide accurate information, we do not warrant or make any representations regarding the accuracy or reliability of the information on the website.

17.2 No Liability for Consequential Damages

PublishDrive shall not be liable to you for special, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages of any nature, for any reason, including without limitation the breach of this Agreement or any termination of this Agreement, whether such liability is asserted based on contract, tort (including negligence or strict liability) or otherwise, even if we have been warned of the possibility of such damages.

This includes but is not limited to:

Lost profits, revenue, or business opportunities;
Loss of data or information;
Business interruption or downtime;
Loss of goodwill or reputation;
Cost of substitute services or products;
Damages arising from Store rejections, pricing errors, or distribution delays;
Damages from inability to access your account or platform features.

17.3 Self-Service Platform Limitations

As a self-service platform, we are not liable for consequences resulting from your management (or failure to manage) your account and content as mentioned in Section 3. This includes:

Errors, omissions, or failures in uploading, configuring, or managing your works;
Your failure to configure settings correctly (pricing, Stores, metadata, territories);
Your failure to withdraw, cancel, update, or modify your works in a timely manner;
Your failure to monitor your account, sales, or distribution status;
Your reliance on presumed actions by PublishDrive where we have no contractual obligation to act;
Consequences of your failure to read notifications, updates, or policy changes;
Your failure to cancel subscriptions before renewal;
Store rejections due to content or formatting issues;
Pricing errors or discrepancies you failed to correct;
Distribution delays or failures caused by incorrect information you provided.

17.4 Cardinal Obligations Exception

Any liability of the parties for loss or damage caused by slight negligence shall be excluded unless concerning any loss or damage the breaching party is to be held liable for in consequence of non-performance of any essential obligation.

Essential obligations are those, the fulfillment of which is a fundamental prerequisite for this Agreement to be implemented duly and properly and on the adherence to which the parties may generally rely (so-called cardinal obligations).

In such an event, the breaching party shall be liable for damages to property and such financial losses directly attributable to the respective breach and which could reasonably be anticipated upon execution of this Agreement.

17.5 Use at Your Own Risk

You understand and agree that you use, access, download, or otherwise obtain information, materials, or data through the website or any associated sites or applications, and offer your authorized content via the Services, at your discretion and risk.

You will be solely responsible for any damage to your property (including your computer system, handset, or any other device or peripheral used in connection with the website) or loss of data that results from the download or use of such material or data.

17.6 Maximum Liability

In no event shall PublishDrive's total aggregate liability to you, for all damages, losses, and causes of action (whether arising in contract, tort including negligence, or otherwise) exceed the total amount you paid to PublishDrive in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to liability.

This limitation applies regardless of the number or type of claims and survives termination of this Agreement.

18. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company, its shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents, distributors, vendors, and affiliates, as well as the Stores and their respective officers, directors, and employees, from and against any third-party claims, demands, liabilities, costs, or expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, resulting from or arising out of:

Your breach of any of these Terms of Service;
Your violation of any law or regulation;
Infringement or alleged infringement of any intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other rights of third parties;
Content you upload, distribute, or make available through the Services;
Your failure to comply with EAA, GPSR, or other regulatory requirements;
Any fraudulent activity associated with your account;
Your violation of any Store's terms of service or policies;
Claims that your work contains defamatory, illegal, or harmful content;
Your failure to pay royalties to co-authors, contributors, or other rights holders;
Your misrepresentations or breach of warranties in these Terms.

This indemnification obligation survives termination of this Agreement.

We reserve the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claim.

19. Modifications to Terms

We can update and change these Terms of Service from time to time at the Company's sole discretion. We will notify you by posting the modified version on the website, indicating the last modified date, and through email or platform notifications. If you continue to use the Services after modifications, you agree to be bound by the modified Terms. Per the self-service model (Section 3.2), it is your responsibility to stay informed of changes to these Terms.

20. Term, Termination, and Suspension

We may suspend or deny your access if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, violated third-party rights, engaged in fraud, failed to pay fees, or your use poses security or legal risks. Suspension may occur with or without notice. Upon termination, your access is revoked, works may be removed, and you remain obligated to pay outstanding fees.

This Agreement commences when you first use the Services and continues until terminated. You may terminate by canceling your subscription, withdrawing all titles, and/or deleting your account. We may terminate immediately for breach, fraud, non-payment, or legal/security risks. Upon termination, your access ceases, titles are withdrawn (4-6 weeks), you remain liable for fees, and earned royalties are paid per normal schedule. If you terminate without reaching payment threshold, we may withhold payment until payout exceeds $5 USD or transaction fees. Survival provisions include intellectual property rights, limitation of liability, indemnification, governing law, and payment obligations.

21. Copyright Infringement and DMCA

If you believe your copyright is being violated, contact Support (see Section 30). For DMCA claims, provide: (1) signature of copyright owner or authorized agent; (2) description of copyrighted work; (3) description of where infringing material is located; (4) your contact information; (5) statement of good faith belief; and (6) statement under penalty of perjury that information is accurate.

22. Use of PublishDrive Name and Logo

You may not use PublishDrive's names, trademarks, or logos in marketing materials without prior written approval. Exception: You may publicly refer to PublishDrive as the distributor of your work. All Website Content is owned by us or our licensors and may not be used without permission.

23. Force Majeure

The Company will not be liable for failure or delay caused by events beyond its control, including denial-of-service attacks, natural disasters, fires, floods, acts of God, war, terrorism, labor conditions, pandemics, or governmental actions. Our obligations will be suspended for the duration of force majeure events.

24. Independent Contractors

The relationship between the parties is that of independent contractors. These Terms do not create any agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship. Neither party has authority to bind the other.

25. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflicts of law principles. You consent to personal jurisdiction in Delaware for any disputes. To the extent permitted by law, you and PublishDrive agree that claims may only be brought in individual capacity, not as a class action.

26. Severability

If any portion of these Terms is unlawful, void, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect. Invalid provisions shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make them valid, or severed if modification is not possible.

27. Waiver

Any waiver of any provision must be in writing and signed by the party to be bound. No failure or delay in exercising any right operates as a waiver. No single or partial exercise precludes further exercise or exercise of other rights.

28. Assignment

The Company may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, at any time and without your consent, including, without limitation, in connection with a merger, acquisition, corporate reorganization, or sale of assets. Any such assignment or transfer shall not release the Company from its obligations under this Agreement unless expressly agreed in writing. You may not assign your rights without the Company's prior written consent. Any attempted assignment without consent is void.

29. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy and Delivery Guide and all additional terms, constitute the entire Agreement between you and PublishDrive concerning the Services and supersede all prior agreements and understandings. Any amendment of these Terms of Service will be binding only if it is in writing and approved by PublishDrive.

30. Notices

Notices shall be in writing. Notices to you will be sent by email to your registered address. Notices to PublishDrive should be sent to support@publishdrive.com or through our contact form at https://publishdrive.com/contact-us.html. It is your responsibility to keep your contact information current.

By using the PublishDrive platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.

Last Modified: April 1, 2026