Book Publisher, also known as Wheatmark, requires that you have copyediting (proofreading) done.  This is a good thing for most POD books, except that Book Publisher does not take responsibility for the quality of the copyediting. Since many writers need editing because they have some problems with punctuation, capitalization, possessives etc., how will they know if the editor did a good job? Book Publisher has a base setup price of $799 for a paperback book, and this includes a cover if you supply the artwork or images to use.  If you don't, then add another $300 to the base rate. A Library of Congress CIP number will cost an additional $279. 

Book Publisher's royalties are low: 20% of net Publisher's receipts. This means that after the distributor discount (typically 55%) and book cost is subtracted out, the remainder is split 20/80 with 20% going to the author.  For a 200 page book that they retail for $15.95, this amounts to $15.95 - 55% - Print cost = 3.27 * 20% = $.65 per book.  On books sold directly through the publisher the royalty is 20% of the retail price or $3.19.  Discounts to author are low.

They do offer different imprints and try to keep the "vanity press" stigma off the book, and their marketing packages do attempt to get word of the book out to the media. I think it's a little expensive to publish a press release electronically (as email) for $125, however.

In Summary:

          On the plus side:
Non-exclusive contract

Different imprints

Can offer a CIP#

          On the negative side:
A little on the expensive side

Require copyediting by their editors but don't take responsibility for the work

Custom cover is additional

Royalties low

Author discounts low

CIP# expensive

CC