Start With Your Goal
There is no single best place to self-publish. The right platforms depend on what you want from your book: the largest possible audience, Kindle Unlimited income, bookstore and library availability, the highest earnings per copy or a direct relationship with readers. Most authors end up using three or four platforms together.
Below are twelve platforms that matter in 2026, grouped by what they do, with what each pays and who it suits. Use the quick match table first, then read the entries for the platforms that fit your goal.
Quick Match Table
| Your goal | Start with |
|---|---|
| Reach the most readers fast | Amazon KDP |
| Earn from Kindle Unlimited | Amazon KDP with KDP Select |
| Be in every ebook store | Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play plus a distributor |
| Get into bookstores and libraries | IngramSpark for print, a distributor for library ebooks |
| Keep the most per sale | Direct stores such as BooksOasis or your own shop |
| Specialty print formats | Lulu |
| Audiobooks | ACX and Spotify for Authors |
Ebook and Print Retailers
1. Amazon KDP
Kindle Direct Publishing is where most indie authors start, because Amazon is the biggest book market for ebooks and print. Ebooks priced from $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com earn 70% minus a small delivery fee, and 35% outside that range. Paperbacks earn 60% of the list price minus printing at $9.99 and up. Optional KDP Select enrollment adds Kindle Unlimited income and promotional tools in exchange for ebook exclusivity. Best for: almost every author, as a core channel.
2. Apple Books
Apple Books for Authors is web-based and pays 70% on every ebook at any price, with no delivery fees. Your book appears in the Books app on every iPhone, iPad and Mac, and Apple supports pre-orders up to a year ahead. Best for: wide authors, premium-priced ebooks and box sets.
3. Kobo Writing Life
Kobo is free to join and pays 70% on ebooks from $2.99 with no upper cap, as long as the ebook is priced at least 20% below every print edition. Its optional Kobo Plus subscription is non-exclusive, and its strong international presence makes it a key wide store. Best for: wide authors, series writers and international readers.
4. Google Play Books
Google's Partner Center pays 70% of list price in most supported countries and reaches Android readers worldwide. Google sometimes discounts below your list price, which can prompt other stores to match, so watch prices. Direct sign-up is limited to supported countries. Best for: wide authors with international readers.
5. Barnes & Noble Press
Barnes & Noble's self-publishing platform sells ebooks and print books on its website and app. Its print program pays 55% of the list price minus printing and sets a minimum print price. It is a smaller ebook market than the stores above but has loyal readers. Best for: US wide authors who want a direct B&N presence.
Distributors
6. Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital sends your ebook to many retailers and library platforms with one upload, taking about 10% of the retail price per sale. New accounts pay a $20 activation fee, and low-earning accounts a yearly fee. It includes a free formatter, universal book links and black-and-white paperback printing. Best for: reaching smaller stores and libraries without separate accounts.
7. IngramSpark
IngramSpark lists print books in a wholesale catalog used by tens of thousands of retailers and libraries. Since February 2026, setup and revisions are free, with a 1.875% market access fee on sales. You choose the wholesale discount and whether to accept returns, the two settings bookstores care about most. Best for: authors who want print books in bookstores and libraries.
8. PublishDrive
PublishDrive distributes ebooks for a monthly subscription rather than a cut of sales, so you keep 100% of the royalties stores pay. A free plan covers one ebook to a few major stores, and paid plans scale with the number of books. Best for: authors with steady wide sales who prefer a fixed cost to a commission.
Print-on-Demand and Direct Stores
9. Lulu
Lulu offers the widest range of print formats, including coil-bound, saddle-stitched, photo books and premium color, plus its own bookstore, global distribution and Lulu Direct for selling print from your own Shopify or WooCommerce site. On its bookstore, you keep 80% of the profit after printing. Best for: workbooks, specialty formats and print sold from your own site.
10. BooksOasis
BooksOasis is an independent bookstore for indie authors and small presses that charges a flat listing plan instead of a commission. Ebooks pay 100% of the price, print pays the price minus printing and a 30% handling fee on that cost, and there is no exclusivity. Readers browse genre shelves and series pages and read in its app. Best for: an extra storefront that pays the most per sale, especially for readers you send there yourself.
I format, upload and set up books on KDP and every major platform, with metadata that helps readers find them.
Audiobooks
11. ACX
ACX publishes audiobooks to Audible, Amazon and Apple Books. Under its model from May 26, 2026, it pays 50% for exclusive distribution and 30% for non-exclusive, and its marketplace connects you with narrators who work for a fee or a royalty share. Best for: authors whose readers listen on Audible.
12. Spotify for Authors
Spotify for Authors brings audiobooks to Spotify, paying on individual purchases and on listening by eligible Premium subscribers. It requires a finished audiobook and works alongside a non-exclusive ACX title. Best for: reaching listeners beyond Audible.
What to Check Before Joining Any Platform
Whichever platforms you consider, the same handful of questions separates a good fit from a frustrating one.
- Exclusivity: does joining stop you selling the same edition elsewhere, and for how long?
- How you are paid: a royalty percentage, a share of profit after printing, a flat plan or a subscription. Work out what you keep on a typical sale.
- Upfront and ongoing fees: setup charges, yearly fees, activation fees or plan costs.
- Rights: you should keep the rights to your book. Be wary of any service that asks for them or charges large packages to "publish" you; those are signs of a vanity press.
- Payment schedule and minimums: how often you are paid, and the smallest amount they will send.
- ISBN rules: whether a free ISBN ties the edition to that platform.
Combinations That Work
| Author type | Typical setup |
|---|---|
| Kindle Unlimited series author | KDP with KDP Select, library channels via a distributor, IngramSpark for print, ACX exclusive |
| Wide fiction author | KDP, Apple, Kobo, Google direct; Draft2Digital for the rest and libraries; BooksOasis for direct sales |
| Nonfiction expert | KDP, IngramSpark for bookstores and events, Apple and Kobo, direct sales from your website |
| Workbook or journal creator | KDP for paperbacks, Lulu for specialty bindings, printables sold directly |
| Local or regional author | KDP, IngramSpark with bookstore terms, local consignment and events |
If print reach is the deciding factor for you, our comparison of KDP and IngramSpark explains how to use both without conflicts.
The Order to Set Things Up
- Finish and format the book as a clean EPUB and a print-ready PDF.
- Publish on Amazon KDP and decide on KDP Select.
- Add print distribution through IngramSpark if bookstores or libraries matter.
- If wide, open Apple, Kobo and Google accounts and add a distributor for the rest.
- Add a direct storefront for readers you bring yourself.
- Consider audio once the book has proven demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
For most authors, Amazon KDP is the essential starting point because of its reach. The best overall setup combines several platforms matched to your goals.
Yes, unless your ebook is enrolled in KDP Select, which requires ebook exclusivity with Amazon. Print editions are never exclusive.
Direct stores such as BooksOasis pay 100% of the ebook price under a flat plan. Among major retailers, Apple pays 70% at any price, and Kobo pays 70% from $2.99 with no upper cap.
Publish your print edition through a wholesale distributor such as IngramSpark with bookstore-friendly discount and returns settings, then approach stores directly.
Not for the biggest stores, which you can join directly. A distributor is useful for smaller stores and library platforms.
Most major platforms, including KDP, Apple, Kobo, Google and IngramSpark, cost nothing to publish on and earn from each sale. Some distributors and direct stores charge activation fees, subscriptions or listing plans instead.
ACX for Audible, Amazon and Apple Books, and Spotify for Authors for Spotify listeners if your ACX title is non-exclusive.