Book Publishers Market Report 2025

The book publishers market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $97.14 billion in 2024 to $100.14 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to educational initiatives, cultural and artistic movements, retail distribution channels, copyright and intellectual property laws, printing costs and affordability.

The book publishers market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $108.53 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to self-publishing trends, subscription models, audio books and podcasts, sustainable printing practices, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Major trends in the forecast period include digital publishing and e-books, data analytics for market insights, print technology advances, sustainability in publishing, collaboration with authors for multimedia content.

E-book sales are rapidly expanding in established markets like the USA and Europe, with eBooks generating a larger share of revenues compared to physical print in developed regions such as the US and UK. According to PWC, total global book publisher revenue is projected to grow at a CAGR of 1.7% during the forecast period. While the physical book publishing industry continues to decline at -2.8%, this downturn is balanced by significant growth in e-books, which are expected to increase at a CAGR of 11.7% in the same period. The rising consumer preference for digital versions is anticipated to have a substantial impact on market growth during this time.

The rising popularity of audiobooks is expected to drive growth in the book publishing market in the coming years. An audiobook is a recorded reading of a book or other written material, existing as a recording rather than a physical text. Audiobooks are offered in various formats, including compact discs, MP3s, and digital downloads. Book publishers contribute to audiobook production by hiring skilled narrators to record audio versions of their books. They may also collaborate with freelance authors or audiobook production studios to create high-quality audiobooks. For instance, in June 2024, the Audio Publishers Association (APA), a U.S.-based non-profit trade organization, reported that audiobook revenue increased by 9% to $2 billion in 2023, continuing a trend of annual growth as indicated by the Audio Publishers Association’s Sales Survey conducted by Toluna Harris Interactive. Thus, the increasing popularity of audiobooks is propelling the book publishing market.

The Print-on-Demand (POD) model is gaining popularity among book publishers, enabling them to manage printing and inventory costs efficiently. This model involves printing a book only after receiving an order, reducing publishing costs, and aligning with the preference to keep content in digital form. Major print-on-demand service providers include Blurb, CreateSpace, Lightning Source, Lulu, and Amazon, which aims to fully integrate POD technology by promising to print a book within 2 hours of an order. Self-publishers are positioned to benefit the most from this technology.

Major companies in the book publishing market are increasingly focusing on strategic collaborations with esteemed organizations to better address the needs of their existing consumers. For example, in March 2022, Hachette Book Group, a U.S.-based publishing company, announced a partnership with four prominent organizations: Lambda Literary, The City College of New York, the Hurston/Wright Foundation, and We Need Diverse Books. HBG aims to enhance hiring, education, mentoring, and support for diverse individuals passionate about writing and publishing through tailored programs developed in close collaboration with these partners. Lambda Literary is a U.S.-based LGBTQ literary organization, The City College of New York is a public institution, the Hurston/Wright Foundation is a U.S.-based literary non-profit, and We Need Diverse Books is a U.S.-based non-profit focused on promoting diversity in children's literature and publishing.

Major companies operating in the book publishers market include Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, Vivendi SA, CBS Corporation, Lagardere SCA, Thomson Reuters Corporation, Wolters Kluwer N.V., Penguin Random House LLC, Pearson plc, Elsevier B.V., Hubert Burda Media GmbH, Hachette Livre S.A., Egmont Group Ltd., HarperCollins Publishers LLC, Springer Nature, John Wiley & Sons Inc., McGraw-Hill Education, Scholastic Corporation, Cengage Learning, Cambridge University Press, Macmillan Publishers Limited, Oxford University Press, Bloomsbury Publishing plc, Faber & Faber Limited, Blackwell Publishing Limited, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd., Canongate Books Ltd., Allen & Unwin Limited, Grupo Planeta, Taylor & Francis Group plc, Chicken House Ltd., Granta Publications Ltd., Hay House Inc.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the book publishers market in 2024. Middle East is expected to be the fastest growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the book publishers market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the book publishers market report are Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, France, Germany, UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The book publishers market consists of revenues earned by entities by offering services such as design, editing, and marketing activities necessary for producing and distributing books. These establishments may publish books in print, electronic, or audio form. Their products include atlases, religious books, school or university textbooks, encyclopedias, technical manuals, maps and travel guides, in all cases excepting exclusive internet publishing). The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

Book publishers are individuals or firms that publish books, magazines, engravings, computer software, and more. They play a crucial role in facilitating the writing, editing, marketing, and sale of literary works, effectively connecting authors with their readers.

The main types of book publishers include consumer books, educational books, and religious books. Consumer books are those targeted at the general public and encompass various genres such as novels, cookery books, children's literature, biographies, and other literary forms. These books cater to different age groups, including below 12 years, 13 to 18 years, and above 18 years. Distribution channels for these books include both online and offline platforms.

The book publishers market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides book publishers market statistics, including book publishers industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a book publishers market share, detailed book publishers market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the book publishers industry. This book publishers market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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