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Featured Leanpub Book

Spec Driven Development

Build With AI Without Losing Control

Bezael Pérez

Using AI to code is easy. Using it without losing control — not so much.

By week three, your project stops moving. The agent forgets decisions it made ten days ago. A change in auth breaks the dashboard. You spend more time re-explaining context than writing features. The code works, but only you know why — and you're not even sure you remember all of it.

That's vibe coding hitting its ceiling.

Spec-Driven Development is the method that replaces the chaos with a spec the AI actually executes. Not a ceremonial document. A working artifact: PRD, issues, tests, code — all traceable, all connected, all in the right order.

This book shows you:

  • How to grill your own idea before writing a single prompt
  • How to write a PRD the AI won't misinterpret
  • The 7 phases that turn an idea into working software
  • How to use GitHub SpecKit and openSpec (and when not to)
  • How to work this way in a team without slowing down
  • The 5 anti-patterns that destroy every spec

22,000 words. 13 chapters. 5 appendices with ready-to-copy templates.

No theory dumps. No filler. Just the method.

Learn More

The Shelf

  • Machine Learning for C# Developers Made Easy

    Fiodar Sazanavets

    Helping C# and .NET developers to learn how to do machine learning and become highly sought-after (and well-paid) AI engineers. No prior experience of ML required!

  • Humanoid Robots with AI and Simulation

    gareth thomas

    Humanoid Robotics: From Design to DeploymentRobotics is no longer child’s play. The real breakthroughs don’t come from flashy demos or science fiction fantasies. They come from the hard, mathematical truths that govern how machines move, think, and interact with the world.

  • 10X ORG – Powered by Org Topologies

    Alexey Krivitsky, Craig Larman, Roland Flemm

    #1 Best Seller in Management Science (Amazon International, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden – Feb 2026) and in other categories. Available worldwide on Amazon (Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle) and across all major digital platforms, including Leanpub, Apple Books, and Google Play. Learn how to drive your organizational performance with people and AI to 10X and beyond — in impact and relevance.

  • The Effective Software Engineer

    Stefan Ellersdorfer

    What makes a software engineer truly effective? Beyond writing code, effectiveness comes from ethics, sustainable practices, collaboration, and the courage to adapt. The Effective Software Engineer guides you from clean coding habits to organizational empowerment, bridging the gap between developers and leaders.

  • Becoming a Harness-Driven Developer

    Miloš Kecman

    AI can generate code faster than ever. But speed is no longer the hardest part of software development.The real challenge is building systems where generated code remains correct, controlled, and aligned with architectural intent. Becoming a Harness-Driven Developer introduces a new development model for the age of AI-assisted engineering - one where developers focus less on writing every line by hand and more on defining the rules, structure, and enforcement mechanisms within which AI code agents operate.Through a practical repository mapped directly to the book’s chapters, this book shows how to move from ad hoc coding to a harness-driven approach based on specification, architecture, invariants, controlled execution, and system evolution. This is a book about staying in control while software development changes.

  • Build Your Own Coding Agent

    J. Owen

    Skip the black-box frameworks. Build a production-grade AI coding agent from scratch in pure Python - cloud or local, tested with pytest, all in a single file.

  • Logic for Programmers

    Hillel Wayne

    Logic is the most important branch of math to software engineering. Knowing logic opens up a vast world of development techniques, from everyday tricks of the trade to exotic tools for cracking impossible tasks. This book teaches the basics of logic and nine special logic-powered techniques: property testing, decision tables, constraint solving, and more. Over 50 exercises are provided to help readers master the material. No prior math background required!

  • Residues: Time, Change, and Uncertainty in Software Architecture.

    Barry M O’Reilly

    Residuality Theory is a new way to think about the design of software systems that explains why we experience design the way we do, why certain things seem to work only sporadically, and why certain architects get it right so often regardless of which tools they use. A new, scientific approach is defined that fuses Software Engineering, Complexity Science, and Philosophy to produce an entirely new way to think about how to design software. The result is a theoretical base that allows architecture to finally become its own discipline.

  • Ishi: The Discipline of Determined Intent

    Gareth Holebrook

    Capable people drift into failure through accumulated lapses in attention. By the time collapse becomes visible, erosion has been active for years. Ishi is the discipline that interrupts drift before collapse forces correction.

  • Mastering Modern Time Series Forecasting

    Valery Manokhin

    800 pages. 11 chapters. The full forecasting stack in Python — from ARIMA to foundation models — with production-grade code and proper evaluation. No hype.

Top Books

  1. GeoAI with Python
    A Practical Guide to Open-Source Geospatial AI
    Qiusheng Wu

    Satellites capture massive volumes of imagery every day, but turning pixels into insight requires AI. This book teaches you to build, train, and apply deep learning models to real satellite imagery using Python and open-source tools, with 23 chapters of executable code you can run today. All code examples are freely availabe at https://book.opengeoai.org.

  2. Фундамент архітектури
    База, якої вас ніколи не вчили
    Сергій Немчинський

    Чому проєкт-цукерочка через рік перетворюється на непідтримуване пекло? Тому що вас ніколи не вчили базі. Ця книга — єдина система координат, яка нарешті збере ваші розрізнені знання про ООП, GRASP, SOLID та GoF в одну цілісну картину.

  3. The SysML v2 Book
    Practical Insights and Comprehensive Reference
    Tim Weilkiens and Vince Molnár

    Learn SysML v2 with the ultimate guide for all skill levels in MBSE. Authored by insiders, it's your key to unlocking the full potential of system modeling and a passport to mastering your MBSE.

  4. Introduction to GIS Programming
    A Practical Python Guide to Open Source Geospatial Tools
    Qiusheng Wu

    Unlock the power of geospatial data with Python! This hands-on guide is designed for beginners and intermediate users eager to explore spatial analysis and interactive mapping using open-source tools. You'll learn how to work with real-world data through practical examples and build skills in Python programming, vector and raster analysis, web mapping, and cloud computing. Whether you're a student, researcher, GIS professional, or data scientist, this book will equip you with the tools to tackle geospatial challenges with confidence. Color-print copies are available through Amazon.

  5. Super Study Guide: Transformers & Large Language Models
    Afshine Amidi and Shervine Amidi

    A clear, illustrated guide to large language models, covering key concepts and practical applications. Ideal for projects, interviews, or personal learning.

  6. Deep dive into a SQL query
    A Journey Through PostgreSQL's Query Processing
    Jesús Espino

    What really happens when PostgreSQL executes your query? Follow a SQL statement through every stage of PostgreSQL's internal pipeline—from raw text to returned results—and gain the deep understanding that transforms how you write, tune, and debug database applications.

  7. OpenIntro Statistics
    Includes 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Editions
    OpenIntro, Christopher Barr, Mine Cetinkaya-Rundel, and David Diez

    A complete foundation for Statistics, also serving as a foundation for Data Science. Leanpub revenue supports OpenIntro (US-based nonprofit) so we can provide free desk copies to teachers interested in using OpenIntro Statistics in the classroom and expand the project to support free textbooks in other subjects. More resources: openintro.org.

  8. CISSP: The Last Mile
    Your guide to the finish line
    Pete Zerger

    The book covers every topic in the latest CISSP exam syllabus, organized in a format that makes it easy to drill down on specific exam domains and concepts at-a-glance, making it an essential exam resource for anyone who aims to prepare for the exam without wasting time or money.

  9. Spatial Data Management with DuckDB
    From SQL Basics to Advanced Geospatial Analytics
    Qiusheng Wu

    Unlock the power of DuckDB for modern geospatial analytics. This hands-on guide helps GIS professionals master efficient spatial data management, transforming massive real-world datasets into powerful insights using SQL, Python, and DuckDB’s spatial extension. Full-color print edition is available on Amazon.

Featured Leanpub Bundle

The Python Craftsman

The Python Craftsman series comprises The Python Apprentice, The Python Journeyman, and The Python Master. The first book is primarily suitable for programmers with some experience of programming in another language. If you don't have any experience with programming this book may be a bit daunting. You'll be learning not just a programming...

The following 3 books are included in this bundle...

  1. The Python Apprentice
  2. The Python Journeyman
  3. The Python Master
Learn More

Top Bundles

  1. The Open Geospatial Python Series
    Qiusheng Wu

    Learn geospatial Python from the ground up to advanced GeoAI. Build real-world workflows for GIS, spatial data management, and AI-powered analysis.

  2. Modern GPU Architecture and Programming Complete Bundle
    gareth thomas

    A 7-book GPU collection covering architecture, CUDA, assembly, PTX, SASS, and parallel computing. Learn how to move from high-level programming to low-level execution and optimize performance across modern GPU systems.

  3. C++20, C++17, and Move Semantics
    Nicolai M. Josuttis

    C++20, C++17, and MoveSemantics - The Complete Guides

  4. One Person AI Business Success - Everything You Need to Know
    Finxter

    If you are introverted and ambitious and you want to learn how the best one-person founders create explosive online businesses - with passive income elements - this is the perfect bundle for you.

  5. Residues and The Philosophy of Software Architecture
    Barry O’Reilly

    This bundle includes the books “Residues: Time, Change and Uncertainty in Software Architecture” and “The Architect’s Paradox: Uncertainty and the Philosophy of Software Architecture” by Barry M O’Reilly. The books complement each other, with Residues giving a practical description of how to apply residuality theory and The Architect’s Paradox...

  6. Go Backend MasterClass (Updated 2026)
    GitforGits | Asian Publishing House

    We build backend services in Go with patterns that keep APIs fast, simple, and reliable. We also accelerate delivery using cookbook solutions for the problems we hit again and again.

  7. 안드로이드 & 코틀린 딥다이브 패키지 (Manifest Android Interview + Practical Kotlin Deep Dive) 한국어판
    Jaewoong
    No Description Available
  8. Cisco CCNA 200-301 Complet
    François-Emmanuel Goffinet

    Ce lot comprend les quatre volumes du guide préparation à l'examen de certification Cisco CCNA 200-301.

  9. Event Sourcing
    Martin Dilger and Greg Young
    No Description Available

Interviews with Leanpub authors and special guests

The Leanpub Podcast

Hosted by Leanpub co-founder Len Epp

In The Leanpub Podcast, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp interviews authors and special guests about their lives & careers, their areas of expertise and the issues of the moment, and their experiences as writers. Every episode is deeply researched and covers areas that are equally of human interest, general interest, and professional interest.
Featured Leanpub Podcast Interview

Sal Kimmich, Author of Code, Chips and Control: The Security Posture of Digital Isolation

Episode: #328Runtime: 01:04:41Released: 2025-12-09

Sal Kimmich - In this episode of the Leanpub Podcast, Sal Kimmich explains how modern computer chip supply-chain threats, insecure defaults, and fragmented trust models shape today’s cybersecurity posture. They discuss digital isolation, open-source governance, and practical strategies for building resilient, verifiable systems.

Listen or Read NowWatch on YouTube

Featured Leanpub Course

Top Courses

  1. Stratospheric - From Zero to Production with Spring Boot and AWS
    Hands-on online course to learn all you need to know to get a Spring Boot application into production with AWS.
    Philip Riecks, Björn Wilmsmann, and Tom Hombergs

    Hands-on online course to learn all you need to know to get a Spring Boot application into production with AWS. Visit our landing page for a tour of the contents. Make sure to get familiar with all available bundle options before enrolling.

  2. The Hundred-Page Language Models Course
    Andriy Burkov

    Master language models through mathematics, illustrations, and code―and build your own from scratch! This course includes nearly three hours of exclusive video interviews with the author, covering questions related to each of the six lessons included in the course.

  3. Patterns of Application Development Using AI
    Obie Fernandez

    Unlock the power of AI in your applications with this groundbreaking course on AI-driven application architecture. Discover practical patterns and principles for building intelligent, adaptive, and user-centric software systems that harness the potential of large language models. This course includes exclusive video interviews with the author.

  4. Generative AI in a Nutshell
    How to Survive and Thrive in the Age of AI
    Henrik Kniberg

    This is a fast-paced, practical, and visual guide to the strange new world of Generative AI. It is like an extended version of Henrik's viral video with the same name.

  5. Microservices Masterclass
    David Farley and CourseAI

    Microservices are a great approach for building software at scale. But although the ideas at the root of microservices may sound simple, this is not a simple approach. There are several big traps along the way, and it's important to avoid them...

  6. Manifest Android Interview Course
    The ultimate guide to cracking Android & Compose technical interviews.
    Jaewoong

    To ace your next Android developer job interview, focus on truly understanding the concepts, not just memorizing answers, and practicing how to apply them. With over 250 quiz questions, 370 practical and follow-up questions with full answers, and 60+ pro tips, this course helps you sharpen skills, understand the why, and prepare for real-world technical challenges. ISBN: 979-8285926436

  7. Machine Learning Made Simple
    8 Pillar Machine Learning Algorithms in Python
    Finxter and Lukas Rieger

    This course gives you an intuitive understanding of the eight most important machine learning algorithms. It helps you get started using them in your own projects NOW -- in a single line of Python code. After finishing this course, you'll be able to select, understand, and implement the top 8 machine learning algorithms in your own projects.

  8. The Kubernetes Course
    Nigel Poulton

    This course is based on the 2025 edition of the best-selling Kubernetes book, that has been fully updated for the latest versions of Kubernetes and the latest industry trends. You won't find a better and more up-to-date book-based course on Kubernetes. Hand-crafted over the past 8 years by best-selling author Nigel Poulton.

  9. Astrophysics for the Rest of Us: Physics of Stars
    Toshiya Ueta

    What does it really mean to “observe” a star? This course trains you to think like an observational astronomer, moving from intuition to first-principles reasoning about starlight and stellar matter. By following real observational clues and turning data into explanations, you will build a coherent picture of stellar physics.

Publish Early, Publish Often

Become a Leanpub author

Leanpub makes it easy to create, publish, and sell ebooks or online courses while earning industry-leading royalties. With 80% royalties on purchases of $7.99 or more (or 80% minus a small $0.50 fee for purchases under $7.99), your work earns what it deserves. For example, a $10 sale brings you $8, and selling 5,000 copies at $20 could mean $80,000 in your pocket!

Leanpub has already paid out $15,356,784.59 to authors. Whether you write in Markdown or upload PDF/EPUB files, Leanpub’s intuitive publishing tools simplify the process. Use our in-browser editor or sync with GitHub or Dropbox and publish your ebook with a single click. Plus, you decide when to release—during the writing process or upon completion.

Learn More

As an academic, I like Leanpub because it lets me write and get my ideas out there quickly. Leanpub is simply the best place for publishing my books.

Roger D. Peng
Associate Professor of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Featured Leanpub Track

Game Studio Starter Kit (6 Game Collection)

This is the perfect Game Studio starter kit for launching your online dream business. This kit contains 6 tutorials books to help you create 9 different online game mechanics. You could have all 9 games ready in a day for each game. Start your Game Studio today.

This track includes the following 6 courses...

  1. Making Online Dress-UP Fashion Games
  2. Making Dating & Quiz Browser Games
  3. Making Puzzle Browser Games
  4. Making Peg Solitaire Browser Games
  5. Making RPG Games with Phaser v2
  6. Phaser Game Design Workshop Course
Learn More

Top Tracks

  1. AI Masterclass
    Henrik Kniberg, Obie Fernandez, and Andriy Burkov

    About the Track: AI Masterclass Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way we live, work, and build technology. The AI Masterclass Track brings together three powerful courses from world-class experts to give you a comprehensive, practical, and hands-on education in the age of AI. Whether you want to understand the big picture, apply AI...

  2. 14 C# Courses Bundle
    EngineerSpock

    Taking this bundle, you'll get a comprehensive set of courses that cover almost the whole surface of the .NET framework.The big topics that are covered:WPFMVVMSpecFlow and SeleniumLINQMultithreading and Parallel ProgrammingC# in Depth: Puzzles and GotchasAlgorithms and Data Structures in C#VS and R#and engineering practices:Unit Testing with...

  3. Kotlin for developers
    Marcin Moskała

    This is the complete track to learn about essential Kotlin features and get ready for working in Kotlin in daily basis. It starts from essentials, and on the way reaches advanced topics like efficient collection processing or DSL creation.

  4. 7 Course-Bundle: Shut Up and Code Python + PyCharm + Coding Interview + Machine Learning + One-Liners + Regex + Lambdas
    Finxter, Lukas Rieger, and Shubham Sayon

    "Shut up and code." Laughter in the audience. The hacker had just plugged in his notebook and started sharing his screen to present his super-smart Python script. "Shut up and code" The letters written in a white literal coding font on black background was the hackers' home screen background mantra. At the time, I was a first-year computer...

  5. Real World Python
    Lukas Rieger and Finxter

    Learn Python the Practical Way - In this course you learn all the basics of the Python programming language. It contains exercises, explanatory videos, an example solution and a quiz. This will enable you to apply your skills to a wide range of real world problems.A collection of more Python exercises - Exercises with solutions to continue...

  6. A Simple Path to Python Success
    Finxter, Lukas Rieger, and Shubham Sayon

    Python is the fastest-growing major programming language on the planet. This practical course set will teach you Python in a hands-on, highly practical way that guarantees your success. All you need to go from zero to completing your own Python projects in a relaxed, student-centric, and fun environment. Create yourself a new skill that'll bring...

  7. Design and Architecture Fundamentals in C#
    EngineerSpock

    Taking this course bundle, you'll learn:SOLID principles (SRP, OCP, ISP, LSP, DIP) in-depthMeta principles: DRY, KISS, YAGNI, SoC, CQS, Law of Demeter, PoLADependency Injection in Depth: IoC or DI containers, best practices, and anti-patternsFunctional Programming in C#: purity and side effects, functional C# features, immutability,...

  8. Game Studio Starter Kit (6 Game Collection)
    Stephen Gose

    This is the perfect Game Studio starter kit for launching your online dream business. This kit contains 6 tutorials books to help you create 9 different online game mechanics. You could have all 9 games ready in a day for each game. Start your Game Studio today.

  9. WPF + MVVM
    EngineerSpock

    Learn both WPF and MVVM to build fully functional UI-applications with the modern UI-building framework, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).MVVM will help you to build WPF apps in a correct way from the software design perspective.

Leanpub Reader Memberships

A Reader Membership gets you hundreds of free books, and credits to spend on the rest...

With about 2000 books which are Free With Membership and credits for the rest, the real question is: How many credits do you want?

Mini Reader

A Mini Reader Membership includes access to about 2000 books on Leanpub that are Free With Membership, and includes 1 book credit every 6 months for premium books. Includes hundreds of books about computer programming, data science, software architecture, and more.

$7.99/ month

  • Get 1 book credit every 6 months to spend on Leanpub books
  • Get free access to about 2000 books on Leanpub that are Free With Membership
  • Includes hundreds of books about computer programming, data science, software architecture, and more
  • Optional public profile page and the ability to show reviews on your profile
  • Support Leanpub authors and Leanpub

Light Reader

A Light Reader Membership includes access to all of Leanpub's books which are free with membership, and includes 1 book credit every 2 months for premium books. The book credits are delivered every other monthly payment, starting with the second payment.

$17.99/ month

  • Get 1 book credit every 2 months to spend on Leanpub books
  • Get free access to about 2000 books on Leanpub that are Free With Membership
  • Includes hundreds of books about computer programming, data science, software architecture, and more
  • Support Leanpub authors and Leanpub

Standard Reader

A Standard Reader Membership includes access to all of Leanpub's books which are free with membership, and includes 1 book credit every month for premium books. The book credits are delivered every monthly payment.

$27.99/ month

  • Get 1 book credit every month to spend on Leanpub books, which is more than the cost of the membership!
  • Get free access to about 2000 books on Leanpub that are Free With Membership
  • Includes hundreds of books about computer programming, data science, software architecture, and more
  • Support Leanpub authors and Leanpub

Frequently Asked Questions about Reader Memberships and Credits

This is the FAQ for Leanpub Reader Memberships. If you're looking to learn more about Author Memberships, please see the Author Memberships page.

If you can't find what you're looking for below, chances are the answer is in our amazing Help Center which has hundreds of carefully-written articles and a number of lovingly-created videos answering the questions we've been asked over the years. Or, email our support team and one of us will get back to you.

    • Do I need a Reader Membership to buy books or courses on Leanpub?

      No! You can always buy Leanpub books or courses with money, without having a Reader Membership.

    • What is a Reader Membership?

      A Reader Membership is a paid subscription that gives you access to about 2,000 Free With Membership books, plus book credits you can use to purchase Leanpub books. Membership is optional: you can read and buy books on Leanpub without subscribing.

    • What about course credits?

      Course credits are available through Learner Memberships. A Learner Membership includes both book credits and course credits. If you want course credits, please see our Learner Memberships page. Reader Memberships focus on books only.

    • Does Leanpub have a free Reader Membership?

      No. Every Leanpub user can read and buy books, but a Reader Membership is always a paid subscription that provides additional reading benefits. If you have not paid for a Reader Membership, you simply do not have one.

    • What are the benefits of the different levels of Reader Membership?

      All Reader Memberships give you access to about 2000 books that are Free With Membership. Our Mini, Light, and Standard Reader Memberships all come with book credits, with higher levels including more credits per month. All Reader Memberships allow you to purchase additional book credits. Our Legacy Reader Membership (no longer offered for sale) does not include credits, only access to the Free With Membership books.

    • Can I buy book credits without a Reader Membership?

      No. You need a Reader Membership to buy book credits. You can always buy Leanpub books with money without having a Reader Membership. Any Reader Membership — including the currently offered Mini, Light, and Standard plans, as well as the no-longer-offered Legacy Reader Membership — lets you purchase additional book credits.

    • Are reader and author memberships different?

      Every Leanpub user can have multiple memberships: a Reader Membership, a Learner Membership, and an Author Membership. This FAQ explains the Reader Memberships. A Reader Membership affects your features as a Leanpub reader (books), a Learner Membership gives you book and course credits, and an Author Membership affects your features as a Leanpub author.

    • Why would I subscribe to a Reader Membership?

      A Reader Membership gives you access to about 2000 books which are Free With Membership, along with book credits you can use to buy Leanpub books. Your membership also helps support Leanpub authors through our Royalty Pool, and it gives you the convenience of buying books instantly with credits. Different Reader Membership levels include different amounts of book credits.

    • What books are free with a Reader Membership?

      There are about 2000 books which are Free With Membership. You can search them by going to the Store in the top menu, choosing the Books submenu, and changing the filter from Bestsellers Last Week to Free With Membership.

    • Are there any books which are free without a Reader Membership?

      Yes! You can search them by going to the Store in the top menu, choosing the Books submenu, and changing the filter from Bestsellers Last Week to Free For Everyone. Any reader, including those without a Reader Membership, can read these books for free.

    • How does my paid Reader Membership support Leanpub authors?

      Most of the cost of the paid Reader Memberships goes toward paying for the book credits that you get. Leanpub authors earn excellent royalties from those credit purchases, as you'll see below. We also pay into a Royalty Pool to support the authors of the books you get which are Free With Membership.

    • Why get a Reader Membership?

      A Reader Membership gives you book credits, typically at a discount to their a la carte price. These credits can be used toward buying any book on Leanpub. It's easier to pay with credits than with money: just click a button! You also get free access to about 2000 books which are Free With Membership. Your paid Reader Membership helps support Leanpub authors through the Royalty Pool. Finally, your paid Reader Membership helps us build a better Leanpub for our authors and our readers!

    • What are book credits?

      One or more book credits can be used to purchase ANY Leanpub book. Every Leanpub book has a price in credits listed on its store page. When you use credits to purchase a book, you do not pay anything extra. (You pay any taxes on credits when buying the credits themselves.) Most Leanpub books cost just 1 book credit.

    • How can I get book credits?

      You get book credits when your Reader Membership subscription renews, either monthly or annually. You can also buy additional book credits at any time from the Buy Credits page.

    • Why buy extra book credits?

      We have different levels of paid Reader Memberships that come with different numbers of book credits. However, if you need extra credits, you can buy them easily on the Buy Credits page. This way, you can get the credits you need without changing your membership level, and have the convenience of shopping with credits instead of money.

    • Can I use my royalties to buy book credits?

      Yes, as long as you have a Reader Membership! Just add the credits to the shopping cart on the Buy Credits page, and at checkout choose to pay with your Leanpub royalties, credit card or PayPal.

    • Can I use my royalties to pay for a Reader Membership?

      No. Since all Reader Memberships we currently sell include credits, we no longer offer a Lifetime option for any of these Reader Memberships. So, because of this, you cannot use royalties. Making royalty purchases work for subscription payments would be too complex to justify doing.

    • What is a Legacy Reader Membership? What happened to the old Reader Membership?

      We used to sell just one type of Reader Membership. We are now calling this the Legacy Reader Membership. The Legacy Reader Membership used to cost $4.99 per month, $19 per year, or $99 lifetime. The Legacy Reader Membership provided free access to about 2000 books which are Free With Membership, and did not come with any credits for premium books. The Legacy Reader Membership is no longer available for sale.

    • I have a Legacy Reader Membership. What happens to it?

      If you currently have a Legacy Reader Membership, nothing changes. Your price does not increase, and the membership benefits do not change. This is true if you have a Monthly, Annual or Lifetime Legacy Reader Membership. Your membership continues to give you free access to about 2000 books which are Free With Membership.

    • If I upgrade to one of the other Reader Memberships, what happens to my Legacy Reader Membership?

      If you upgrade from a Monthly or Annual Legacy Reader Membership, you cannot downgrade back to the Legacy Reader Membership. If you upgrade from a Lifetime Legacy Reader Membership, you will automatically downgrade back to the Lifetime Legacy Reader Membership if your upgraded Reader Membership expires or if you cancel it.

    • How are the credit prices of books calculated?

      Credit pricing is based on each book's maximum discounted price. Divide by $25 and round up. So, a $19 book costs 1 credit, and a $39 book costs 2 credits. Most books cost just 1 credit. Authors can opt out of credit pricing if they choose.

    • How do my Leanpub credit card, PayPal or royalty purchases support Leanpub authors?

      For credit card, PayPal or royalty purchases, we pay 80% royalties on books priced at $7.99 and up. Below $7.99, we pay 80% minus 50 cents. So, Leanpub authors earn $3.50 from a $5 sale, $8 from a $10 sale, $16 from a $20 sale, and $24 from a $30 sale. Leanpub was founded by authors, and exists to serve our authors.

    • How do taxes like VAT work for book credits?

      Book credits are taxed like Leanpub ebooks. For our EU and UK customers, this means that if your country has a discounted rate for ebooks, then the book credits will have this same discounted rate. This is correct because a book credit can only be used to purchase a Leanpub ebook, so it is a single-purpose voucher whose VAT rate can be calculated at the time of purchase. For example, in the UK, ebooks are taxed at 0% VAT.

    • Do I still support authors when I use book credits?

      Yes! When you use book credits to purchase a book, the author still earns great royalties. Typically the author earns the same amount of royalties as a minimum nonzero price purchase with a credit card or PayPal. So, you continue to provide excellent support to Leanpub authors when you use book credits to make a purchase.

    • How do author royalties work for purchases using book credits?

      The short answer is that the author typically earns the same royalties they would earn on a minimum nonzero price purchase. The longer answer is that the royalty rate is determined by comparing the credit cash price to the minimum nonzero price, as explained in the questions below.

    • What is the credit cash price?

      The credit cash price is the cash equivalent of the credit price. To calculate it, the credit price is multiplied by $25 per book credit, regardless of the actual purchase cost. For example, if a book has a 2 book credit price, the credit cash price is $50 (2 x $25). The credit cash price is then compared to the minimum nonzero price to determine author royalties.

    • What is the minimum nonzero price?

      The minimum nonzero price is set by the author, and is the minimum non-free price that a reader can pay for a book. Leanpub books can also be available for free, either Free With Membership or Free For Everyone. However, even in these cases, there is also a minimum non-free price which the author sets. The minimum nonzero price affects how author royalties work for purchases using credits.

    • What are the author royalties for purchases where the credit cash price is lower than the minimum nonzero price?

      If the credit cash price is lower than the minimum nonzero price, the author earns 80% royalties on the credit cash price. So, the author earns $20 per book credit used (80% of $25). For example, if a book has a $29 minimum nonzero price and a 1 book credit price, the author earns $20 when a reader purchases with 1 book credit. This is the ideal scenario: the reader gets a slight discount, and the author still earns excellent royalties!

    • What are the author royalties for purchases where the credit cash price is greater than or equal to the minimum nonzero price?

      If the credit cash price is greater than or equal to the minimum nonzero price, the purchase is treated as a minimum nonzero price purchase. For example, if a book has a $19 minimum nonzero price and a 1 book credit price, the author earns $15.20 (80% of $19). Or, if a book has a $39 minimum nonzero price and a 2 book credit price, the author earns $31.20 (80% of $39). In all cases, the author earns the same royalties as on a minimum nonzero price purchase.

    • I have more questions, what should I do?

      Click on the Help menu above to go to our amazing Help Center. We put way more thought and effort into it than you would typically expect. Check it out, and if you can't find the answer, email us at hello@leanpub.com!

Leanpub authors love Leanpub.

We're authors too, and we built Leanpub to be the platform we would love to use. It turns out, we weren't alone...

  • As an academic, I like Leanpub because it lets me write and get my ideas out there quickly. Leanpub is simply the best place for publishing my books.

    Roger D. Peng
    Associate Professor of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

  • Leanpub's book-creation tools allowed me to focus on creating the types of books I wanted to write instead of worrying how to create my own book publishing toolchain. I have never regretted using Leanpub to publish my ebooks.

    Chris Hartjes
    The Grumpy Programmer

  • Leanpub takes the pain out of publishing. They provide the tools, you provide the books and then magic happens.

    Ryan Bigg
    Author, Multitenancy with Rails

  • I love using Leanpub because I can write my book using simple Markdown notation. Leanpub let's me focus on my content and they handle the rest.

    Taylor Otwell
    Creator Of Laravel

  • Leanpub is a game changer for independent authors, removing the hassles associated with formatting, book production, and electronic sales, freeing up the time to do what we do best: write.

    W. Jason Gilmore
    Author, Easy Laravel 5

  • Leanpub helped me achieve my goal of publishing a book. Its simple, easy to use interface got my book up and making money within weeks, I love Leanpub!

    Samantha Laing
    Growing Agile

  • Leanpub helped me gauge interest in my book, get payments early on when it was only a few chapters, and has got me a bunch of sales just from people browsing around the site.

    Phil Sturgeon
    Author, Build APIs You Won't Hate

  • Leanpub helps me see my books as I write them. Even better, I can find readers early, to read my books and offer suggestions. I can pivot, if I see the need.

    Johanna Rothman
    Author of 8 Leanpub books and counting…

  • Leanpub made it simple for me to run with my book idea and build my reputation in the Ruby community. I went from first draft to first sale in days, not months or years.

    Aaron Sumner
    Author, Everyday Rails Testing with RSpec

  • Four years ago, I joined Leanpub to just give it a try. Today, over 28,000 book sales later, I cannot help but say that I'm the biggest Leanpub fan on this planet!

    Manuel Kiessling
    Author, The Node Beginner Book

  • Leanpub makes publishing your own book super easy. The fact that you can release updates continually helps with the mindset of getting a minimum version out ASAP and then iterating to improve.

    Karen Greaves
    Growing Agile

  • I earn more royalties from my books on Leanpub than I do with well established publishers or through Amazon (which I publish on thanks to Leanpub's mobi conversion).

    Paul Bradshaw
    Paul runs the MA in Online Journalism at Birmingham City University

  • Leanpub allows me focus on content, takes care everything else and offers an amazing author royalty. It’s a fantastic platform for writing and publishing books.

    Simon Brown
    Author, Software Architecture for Developers

  • I love that Leanpub makes writing and publishing a beautiful book so simple. I no longer spin my wheels with layouts and formats - Leanpub gets out of the way when it's time to write, and then automates everything when it's time to publish.

    Daniel Root
    Author, Trello Dojo

  • With Leanpub, the first person who purchased my book for $9.99 almost two years ago (and only received a preface, and two short intro chapters) has had access to almost every bit of knowledge I've gained in those two years, and *that's* the value.

    Jeff Geerling
    Author, Ansible for DevOps

  • Simple and lean, forces me to focus on writing and marketing, and pays excellent royalties.

    Reg "Raganwald" Braithwaite
    Author, JavaScript Allongé, the "Six" Edition

  • Leanpub forces you to focus on writing and gives you immediate feedback. Allowing Leanpub to take care of the curation and delivery helped me focus on shipping my book.

    Paul Redmond
    Author of Writing APIs With Lumen

  • While most eBook exporter apps today can generate PDF files and many support ePub, there's one tool we recommend above all after trying 8 of the most popular: Leanpub.

    Matthew Guay
    Content Marketer at Zapier