BCCKS

What BCCKS does

BCCKS Inc. (ブックス) is a Japanese self-publishing platform founded in 2011 and headquartered in Higashi-shinagawa, Japan, operating as a private, founder-owned company with 1-10 employees. The platform enables any user to create, publish, and sell both digital e-books and print-on-demand (POD) paper books from a single integrated system. Core technology consists of a browser-based editor supporting vertical Japanese text (縦書き), multi-format layouts (Bunko, Shinsho, A5 variable), and EPUB 3 export (reflowable and fixed-layout); a POD service producing physical books from 1-copy minimum across standard, mini-book (mamebon), and card-book formats; and native mobile reading apps for iOS and Android plus PWA support for browser-based reading. Authors can also build custom online bookstores and embed preview widgets on external sites.\n\nThe business model combines multiple revenue streams: a ¥540/month Premium subscription gating higher creation limits and advanced features; a 30% commission on direct digital book sales (authors retain 70%); pay-as-you-go distribution tickets (5 tickets for ¥540) for pushing EPUB files to 12+ external Japanese e-book retailers including BOOK☆WALKER (KADOKAWA), Rakuten Kobo, Apple Books, Kinoppy, and Kindle Store; and revenue from POD paper book printing with author-set royalties. Customer segments span individual self-publishing authors (primary), independent publisher collectives such as 日本独立作家同盟 (Japan Independent Writers' Alliance), cultural institutions (Kanazawa 21st Century Museum exhibition catalogs), educational institutions (Gunma Prefectural Women's University), and media companies (Tokachi Mainichi Shimbun, Kadokawa Games). Payment processing is handled via GMO Payment Gateway, supporting Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners, V-Preca, and Kyash. The company holds ABJ Mark registration (No. 第6091713号) from the Japanese Digital Publishing Association certifying authorized distribution rights.

Name

BCCKS

Legal name

BCCKS Inc.

Website

https://bccks.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BCCKS is a Japanese self-publishing platform (founded 2011, 1-10 employees) enabling individual authors and institutions to create, publish, and sell both digital e-books and print-on-demand paper books, with multi-store distribution to 12+ Japanese e-book retailers via a freemium and commission-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Self-Publishing Platform

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Books Printing (323117)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Self-Publishing Platforms (KDP-style Marketplaces & Portals) (MPAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK), Author Website, Storefront & Direct-to-Reader Commerce (D2C Sales) (MPAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Self-publishing platform
• Print-on-demand books
• Ebook creation tools
• Digital book distribution
• Online publishing service

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-shinagawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Premium Subscription: Monthly subscription at 540 yen (tax included) providing enhanced features including increased book creation limits (300 vs 50 books), additional panel limits, premium PDF creation, EPUB promotion page removal, and ad-free bookstore experience
2. Book Sales Commission: BCCKS retains 30% commission on digital book sales, with authors receiving 70% as royalties. For store distribution to external platforms, commission rates vary by store (25-50% author royalty)
3. Ticket Sales for Distribution: Authors purchase tickets (5 tickets for 540 yen including tax) for store distribution applications, updates, and removals to external e-book retailers
4. Print-on-Demand Sales: Revenue from paper book printing and binding services where authors set royalty amounts; prices vary by format, page count, and color/monochrome printing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BCCKS is a Japanese self-publishing platform that enables users to create, publish, and sell both digital ebooks and print-on-demand paper books. The service provides a web-based editor with support for vertical Japanese text layouts, automated EPUB 3 export, print-on-demand physical book production in various formats, and a store distribution service that lists authors' works on 12+ major Japanese ebook retailers. It operates on a freemium model with a free tier and a 540 yen/month Premium Plan, with authors retaining 70% of revenue on direct sales.

Product overview

BCCKS is a self-publishing platform that enables users to create, distribute, and sell both ebooks and print-on-demand physical books. The core offering consists of the BCCKS Editor (an online browser-based editor for composing ebooks with support for vertical Japanese text layouts), the data book/ebook reading system (accessible via web browser, dedicated bccks reader mobile apps for iOS and Android, and EPUB export), and the paper book/print-on-demand service (producing physical books in various formats including standard books, mini-books called 'mame-bon', and 'card book' postcard-format editions). EPUB Import allows conversion of external EPUB 3 files into the BCCKS format. The Store Distribution Service enables authors to distribute books to 12 major Japanese ebook retailers including BOOK☆WALKER, 楽天Kobo, Apple Books, and Kindle. The platform also offers bookstore creation tools for curated book displays, embeddable blog widgets for book previews, and a Personalized Publishing System for custom content. The platform operates on a tiered model: a free plan (limited to 50 books, 320 panels) and a Premium/Expert Plan at ¥540/month offering expanded limits, EPUB features, PDF export, social DRM, and store distribution capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BCCKS Self-Publishing Platform Web-based self-publishing platform that enables users to create, publish, and sell digital ebooks with support for vertical Japanese text (縦書き), horizontal text, multiple book formats (Bunko, Shinsho, 10-inch, A5 variable), multi-column layouts, ruby text, and image placement. Includes built-in bookstore creation, reader analytics, and EPUB export capabilities.
• bccks reader Mobile App Dedicated mobile reading application for iOS and Android devices that allows users to read BCCKS ebooks, sync their library across devices, and manage their bookshelf.
• Print-on-Demand Paper Book Service On-demand printing and binding service for physical books in various formats including standard books (Bunko, Shinsho, 10-inch, A5 variable), card books (postcard, chuban, oban sizes with 15-63 pages), and mini-books (mamebon at 12-copy minimum orders). Books are printed and bound per order starting from 1 copy, available in both color and monochrome.
• Store Distribution Service Distribution service enabling authors to list their EPUB books on 12+ major Japanese ebook retailers including BOOK☆WALKER, Rakuten Kobo, Apple Books, Kinoppy, BookLive!, ebookjapan, DMM, 7net, d-book, Sony Reader Store, KDDI BookPass, and Kindle Store. Requires ticket purchase (5 tickets for 540 yen per application).

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration23 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BOOK☆WALKERcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Japanese e-book retailer operated by KADOKAWA. BCCKS authors can distribute their EPUB files to BOOK☆WALKER through the store distribution service. Sales typically begin within 7 business days of application. Royalty rate: 50% to author (BCCKS + Store take 50%).
• 紀伊國屋書店 KinoppycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Japanese bookstore chain. BCCKS distributes EPUB files for sale on Kinoppy. Sales begin approximately 1-2 weeks after application. Royalty rate: 35% to author (BCCKS + Store take 65%).
• 楽天Kobo電子書籍ストアcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRakuten's e-bookstore platform. BCCKS distributes EPUB files to 楽天Kobo. Sales begin within 5 business days. Royalty rate: 50% to author (BCCKS + Store take 50%).
• Apple BookscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApple's e-bookstore for iOS devices. BCCKS distributes EPUB files for sale on Apple Books. Royalty rate: 35% to author (BCCKS + Store take 65%). Note: Sales start timing varies due to Apple's review process.
• KindleストアcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon's Japanese Kindle e-bookstore. BCCKS distributes EPUB files for sale on Kindle Store. Sales begin within 5 business days. Royalty rate: 25% to author (BCCKS + Store take 75%).

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Pixiv (ピクシブ): Major Japanese creator platform centered on illustration and manga with publishing-adjacent monetization (BOOTH, etc.). Pixiv is a comparable Japanese community-publisher in the creator-economy category, though leaning visual rather than text.

Direct peers

• Draft2Digital: Ebook and (via partners) POD distribution aggregator with a similar 'one platform, many stores' value proposition. Draft2Digital competes for authors seeking multi-retailer distribution but is English-language focused and lacks Japanese POD.
• IngramSpark: Global print-on-demand and ebook distribution service from Ingram Content Group. IngramSpark competes with BCCKS' POD and multi-store distribution proposition for authors who want broad retail reach, though without BCCKS' Japanese vertical-text editor.
• Rakuten Kobo Writing Life (KWL): Rakuten Kobo's KWL is the self-publishing portal for Japan's largest domestic e-book ecosystem other than Kindle. BCCKS distributes to Kobo but KWL is also a direct competitor for Japanese authors seeking higher royalties.
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): Amazon's global self-publishing platform for ebooks and POD paperbacks. BCCKS competes with KDP for Japanese self-publishers; unlike KDP, BCCKS offers localized vertical-text authoring and bundles POD with EPUB 3 export to multiple retailers, not only Kindle.
• Lulu Press: Self-publishing platform offering POD book printing and ebook distribution. Lulu is comparable in product scope (POD + digital) but is globally oriented and lacks BCCKS' Japan-specific publishing features.

Emerging players

• Hatena (はてな): Japanese blogging and publishing platform whose Hatena Blog and related services enable creators to publish and monetize. Hatena serves as a partial comparator in the Japanese individual-publisher tools landscape.
• note (note.com / note株式会社): Japanese creator-monetization platform that has expanded into paid articles and lightweight book publishing. note overlaps with BCCKS in enabling individual Japanese creators to monetize text content, though it is content-light on POD.
• EPUB Japan / 電書ちゃん: Smaller Japanese EPUB creation and conversion services targeting authors and small publishers. Adjacent to BCCKS in providing Japan-focused EPUB tooling, though narrower in distribution and POD capability.

Broad incumbents

• BOOK☆WALKER (KADOKAWA): KADOKAWA's flagship e-bookstore. While BCCKS distributes to BOOK☆WALKER as a partner, the store's broader retail catalog and parent-company resources position it as an incumbent that could push into self-publishing tooling directly.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BCCKS
• Facebookfacebook.com/BCCKS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bccks-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BCCKS