Budget example
A typical cost split for a photo book dream in Pune, shown in INR. Backers pay you directly using your accepted payment methods.
Example goal
₹850,000
- Image preparation₹127,500 · 15%
- Design and proofing₹170,000 · 20%
- Printing and binding₹425,000 · 50%
- Packing and delivery₹127,500 · 15%
What you receive
- Backers give
- ₹850,000
- 0% platform commission
- −₹127,500
- You receive
- ₹722,500
- 01
Price from quotes, not hopes
Get at least two quotes for every large cost and note what is included. Backers rarely mind a high goal; they mind a goal that looks invented.
- 02
Plan for what you receive
cohero takes 0% commission on backings, so you receive what Backers send directly through your payment methods. Set the goal so that amount covers your real costs.
- 03
Add a small buffer
Prices move. A buffer of five to ten percent in your last milestone covers surprises without making the goal look padded. Say so openly in your story.
Example milestone plan
An example plan for a photo book dream with a goal of ₹850,000. Backers pay you directly, funding the goal all at once or milestone by milestone as you post proof for each step.
Milestone 1
₹127,500 · 15%
Edit the image sequence
Post a contact sheet, sequencing notes and a selected image list showing the book narrative and planned page count.
Milestone 2
₹212,500 · 25%
Approve a bound dummy
Share photographs of the bound dummy, layout spreads and paper tests, with notes on colour and binding choices.
Milestone 3
₹382,500 · 45%
Produce the print run
Post the printer invoice, approved production sheets and photographs of finished copies from the completed run.
Milestone 4
₹127,500 · 15%
Pack and document delivery
Share packaging tests, a stock count and redacted dispatch records showing how completed books are being handled.
Risks to plan for
- R1
Print colours drift
Photographs can look different on the chosen paper than on screen. Schedule physical colour proofs before the print run and budget for one correction round in the dummy milestone.
- R2
Binding changes page count
A preferred binding may require a different page count or paper weight. Confirm specifications with the printer during layout and leave design time for a revised dummy before production.
- R3
Copies arrive damaged
Heavy books and delicate covers can suffer in transit. Test protective packaging before dispatch and include replacement materials and a small spare-copy allowance in the print budget.
How Backers are protected
14-day review per milestone
When proof is posted, each Backer has 14 days to review the proof, ask for more info, and decide whether to keep supporting your next milestone.
0% commission — direct gifts, nothing taken
Backers pay exactly what they choose directly through your payment methods. cohero takes 0% commission on backings, so you keep what is sent. Any refunds or disputes are handled directly between you, the Backer and your payment provider.
Gifts, not shares
Backings are gifts. No shares, equity, interest or repayment, and Dreamers keep full ownership. Nothing on cohero is an investment or a loan.
Questions and answers
Can I use a digital mockup as proof of the finished book?
A digital mockup can demonstrate layout, but it cannot show paper, colour or binding quality. Use it in the design stage, then post photographs of a physical proof and finished copies for the production milestone.
Does cohero take a commission on backings?
No. cohero charges 0% commission on backings. Backers pay you directly to your chosen payment method, so towards your goal of ₹850,000, you receive the full amount confirmed by you without platform deductions.
Should I fund a small edition or a larger print run?
Start with a quantity you can store, inspect and distribute. Compare printer quotes for the same paper and binding, then explain the chosen edition size to Backers without assuming that every copy will find a buyer.
Ready when you are
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