KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital — here’s how to choose without regretting it later
The first real decision a self-publishing author faces isn’t the cover or the price or the launch strategy. It’s the platform — and it’s a decision that shapes everything downstream, from where your book appears to how much you earn per sale to how much control you have over distribution.
The good news: you don’t have to choose just one. The bad news: the tradeoffs are real, and understanding them before you upload your manuscript will save you significant headaches later.
Amazon KDP: The Default, For Good Reason
Kindle Direct Publishing is where most self-publishing authors start, and there are genuine reasons for that. Setup is free. The interface is straightforward. And because Amazon controls a majority of the U.S. ebook market and a substantial share of print-on-demand paperback sales, publishing through KDP puts your book in front of the largest pool of online book buyers in the world.
The royalty structure is favorable for ebooks: 70% on titles priced between $2.99 and $9.99, 35% outside that range. For print, KDP calculates royalties at 60% of list price minus printing costs — typically leaving authors $2–5 per paperback depending on page count and trim size.
The significant tradeoff is exclusivity pressure. KDP Select — Amazon’s program for ebook enrollment — offers benefits like Kindle Unlimited page reads and promotional tools, but requires exclusive digital distribution. If you enroll, your ebook cannot be sold anywhere else. Many authors find this worthwhile early on, when discoverability is the priority. Others find it limiting as they build wider readership.
Best for: Authors who want to reach Amazon’s massive customer base, especially in genre fiction, and are comfortable with a primarily Amazon-focused strategy.
IngramSpark: The Distribution Powerhouse
IngramSpark is the self-publishing arm of Ingram, the largest book distributor in the United States. When you publish through IngramSpark, your book becomes available to the same wholesale network that supplies independent bookstores, libraries, and hundreds of online retailers worldwide.
This matters enormously if physical bookstore distribution is important to you. Amazon KDP print books are available on Amazon; IngramSpark books can appear on bookstore shelves. Not automatically — booksellers still have to order them — but the infrastructure is there in a way it isn’t with KDP alone.
IngramSpark charges setup fees (currently around $49 per format, though they periodically offer free upload promotions), and the royalty rates are slightly lower than KDP on Amazon sales. The print royalty calculation is also more complex. But for authors who want their book treated like a “real” book in the distribution sense, IngramSpark is the right tool.
Best for: Authors prioritizing bookstore availability, library sales, and wide international distribution. Nonfiction authors with professional networks, local authors with strong community ties, and anyone who cares about indie bookstore support.
Draft2Digital: The Aggregator Option
Draft2Digital is an ebook aggregator — you upload once, and they distribute to Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, libraries via OverDrive, and dozens of other retailers. They take 10% of sales as their fee, with no upfront costs.
The value proposition is simplicity. Instead of managing separate accounts at five different retailers, you manage one. D2D also handles some formatting automatically and offers clean royalty reporting across platforms.
The tradeoff is that the 10% fee adds up, and for retailers where you could publish directly (Amazon, Barnes & Noble Press, Kobo Writing Life), going direct gives you more control and sometimes better royalty rates or promotional access.
Best for: Authors who want wide distribution without managing multiple accounts, and who aren’t selling primarily through Amazon.
The Strategy Most Experienced Authors Use
Publish print through IngramSpark for broad distribution. Publish ebooks directly on Amazon KDP (without Select enrollment) for the largest ebook marketplace. Use Draft2Digital or direct accounts for all other ebook retailers — Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, libraries.
This three-track approach requires more setup but maximizes both reach and royalties. Once it’s configured, ongoing management is minimal.
The worst thing you can do is make this decision hastily and then discover six months later that your book isn’t available where your readers shop. Spend an hour understanding each platform before you upload — it’s time that pays back many times over.
Not sure your manuscript is ready to upload? Tin House Press offers manuscript assessment services to help you put your best work forward. Learn more.
