The world of self-publishing is vast, with numerous companies competing to assist and profit from your desire to publish a book. It’s so confusing. Who do you choose?
I asked ChatGPT for a list of the top nine self-publishing companies. Here they are:
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- Apple Books
- Kobo (Kobo Writing Life)
- Barnes & Noble
- Draft2Digital/Smashwords
- IngramSpark
- PublishDrive
- Blurb, Inc
- Lulu
The original list separated Smashwords out. Smashwords was purchased by Draft2Digital.
The problem you have, as you research these companies, is that they do not all provide the exact same service. For example, Kobo is big everywhere but the United States. Blurb specializes in print-on-demand book printing, while PublishDrive has a broad market in ebook distribution, especially to libraries.
I have looked at several of these companies for myself. I find they tend to be more expensive than Amazon, especially for print books. Or they do not provide the type of service I am interested in.
We are going to look closer at three of these companies: Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital. Every company presents challenges, and no company is perfect. You’ll need to make your own choice.
Amazon KDP (kdp.amazon.com)
Amazon pioneered online book sales, and they have become huge. Reportedly Amazon:
- Commands 30% of Global book sales
- Over 50% of all print books are sold via Amazon in the USA
- Over 60% of all audiobooks are through Amazon
- Over 80% of ebooks are distributed by Amazon
My personal choice is KDP. Mostly because Amazon is the first place most people look for books. Some authors sell exclusively on Amazon and are very successful.
KDP offers a print-on-demand service and a straightforward dashboard that makes uploading and publishing a book reasonably simple. Authors can get their book on the market in as little as 24-72 hours. The platform provides free ISBNs for print books (Note: These ISBNs work only on Amazon. You will need a true ISBN to sell in local bookstores.)
Amazon’s royalty structure is also a major draw, offering a competitive 70% royalty on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99 in major markets. Its KDP Select program, which requires 90-day exclusivity for ebooks, offers access to Kindle Unlimited readers and promotional tools like Kindle Countdown Deals. However, this exclusivity means you can’t sell your ebook elsewhere during that period.
You can create and distribute your audiobook through Amazon’s Audible service. Audiobooks are extremely popular at this time.
KDP offers tools that anyone can use to do whatever they want with their manuscript. Understand, while I have said it can be done, there will always be a learning curve with any system you use.
IngramSpark (ingramspark.com)
IngramSpark is the platform for authors who want to be treated like a Traditional Publisher. It’s an aggregator, which means it distributes your book to a vast network of over 40,000 retailers, libraries, and online platforms worldwide, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores. IngramSpark’s distribution network is its core strength, offering the kind of “wide distribution” that KDP’s Expanded Distribution often falls short of for physical books.
Authors must also provide their own ISBNs, which, while an added cost, gives them full ownership and control over their book’s identity. IngramSpark is also known for higher-quality printing, offering more options for paper, trim size, and hardcover formats than KDP. This makes it the preferred choice for illustrated and coffee table books, as well as for authors who prioritize a premium physical product.
The platform’s professional focus comes with a steeper learning curve and stricter file requirements. Still, the payoff is a book that can sit on bookstore shelves and reach a global audience.
My personal experience with IngramSpark has been frustrating. With KDP, when you submit a manuscript, it automatically analyzes the manuscript and, in minutes, tells you if there are errors in formatting and what needs to be fixed. You can fix the errors and resubmit your manuscript as soon as you are done.
With IngramSpark, once you submit your manuscript, it will take 12-48 hours before you are told of any errors. I had to fix and submit my manuscript 5-6 times before it was accepted. It took over a week for the document to be acceptable and ready for printing.
Draft2Digital (draft2digital.com)
I used Smashwords years ago to produce an ebooklet. Because Draft2Digital purchased Smashwords, I had to explore it.
Draft2Digital has earned its reputation as the “rising star” by making the publishing process as simple as possible. It is an aggregator, much like IngramSpark, but with a philosophy centered on author convenience and a “no upfront fees” model. Draft2Digital takes a 10% cut of the retail price, but only when a book sells, which is a low-risk proposition for new authors.
The platform excels at wide distribution, with a streamlined process for distributing ebooks to all major retailers and many smaller ones. Their automated formatting tools are a significant advantage, transforming a simple manuscript into a professional-looking ebook or print book interior with minimal effort. This removes a major technical hurdle for many authors. The recent merger with Smashwords has expanded its reach even further, and its print-on-demand service is still in the beta phase.
Beta means it is in test and still being developed. I am sure they will succeed, but there may be some bumps along the way.
Draft2Digital also offers unique author-centric tools like Universal Book Links, which provide a single URL for all retailers, and automatic royalty splitting for co-authored books. It’s a platform built to save authors time and hassle, allowing them to focus on what they do best: writing.
Choosing Your Path
The best platform is not a one-size-fits-all solution. For authors seeking maximum visibility and a streamlined process, particularly for ebooks, Amazon KDP is the dominant force.
For those seeking a professional-grade physical product and access to the broadest distribution network, particularly for brick-and-mortar bookstores, IngramSpark is the standard.
For authors looking to “go wide” with their ebooks to multiple retailers, Draft2Digital is an excellent and growing choice, offering a solution to the technical headaches and upfront costs.
Many experienced authors use a combination of these platforms—KDP for the Amazon marketplace and an aggregator like IngramSpark or Draft2Digital for everything else—to maximize their reach and control. The key is to understand your goals and choose the platform that aligns best with your vision.