Kindle Direct Publishing

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) lets authors publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcover books for sale on Amazon. Publishing is free, and print books are made on demand, with printing costs deducted from print royalties when an order ships. Authors retain full rights. KDP lists eBook royalty options of 35% and 70%; the 70% option is available in certain territories and subject to delivery costs. Print book sales can earn up to 60% in royalties. Authors can use KDP Select, a free 90-day program for Kindle eBooks that includes Kindle Unlimited and eligibility for promotional offers. During enrollment, the Kindle eBook must be exclusive to the Kindle Store, though other formats may be distributed elsewhere. Supported manuscript formats include DOC/DOCX, KPF, and EPUB, along with HTML, RTF, TXT, and PDF. Kindle Create for Windows and Mac can prepare manuscripts exported from Word, Pages, or Google Docs. KDP also offers Amazon Advertising and options to share previews and sample chapters. It is available on Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows, with global fulfillment and Amazon storefront distribution.

KDP brings digital and print self-publishing together with no publishing charge and several manuscript options. Authors should weigh its royalty conditions and, for KDP Select, the temporary Kindle eBook exclusivity requirement.

KDP suits authors who want to publish digital and print books through Amazon and retain their book rights. Authors considering KDP Select should be comfortable with its Kindle eBook exclusivity during enrollment.

Kindle Direct Publishing is Amazon’s self-publishing service for authors releasing eBooks, paperbacks, or hardcovers. It is best suited to writers who want to sell through Amazon and offer print editions without holding stock. Its appeal is broad book-format support and no publishing charge; the key trade-offs are royalty conditions and Kindle eBook exclusivity for KDP Select.

Overview

KDP brings digital and print publishing into one service. Authors retain full rights to their books, and paperbacks and hardcovers are printed on demand when customers order them. Global fulfillment and Expanded Distribution, which can reach bookstores, online retailers, libraries, and academic institutions, give print titles routes beyond Amazon storefronts.

Amazon storefronts include Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.es, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.com.au, Amazon.nl, Amazon.pl, Amazon.se, Amazon.ie, and Amazon.com.be. This network makes KDP a natural choice for authors whose readers shop on Amazon. It is less suited to creators looking for a general merchandise or custom-product platform: KDP is built around books.

Key features

Formats and preparation

KDP supports eBook manuscripts in DOC, DOCX, KPF, and EPUB, as well as HTML, RTF, TXT, and PDF. Kindle Create runs on Windows and Mac and can prepare manuscripts exported from Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, or Google Docs. Design and mockup tools add presentation support, giving authors several ways to prepare a title without requiring a single manuscript format.

Royalties and promotion

eBook authors can choose between 35% and 70% royalty options. The 70% option is limited to certain territories and subject to delivery costs, so it should not be treated as a universal return. For print books, KDP advertises royalties of up to 60%; actual print economics include production costs, which are deducted from print royalties when an order ships.

Authors can promote eBooks and paperbacks through Amazon Advertising, and share Kindle Instant Book Previews and sample chapters. KDP Select is a free 90-day program for Kindle eBooks that includes Kindle Unlimited and eligibility for Free Book Promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals. The cost is distribution flexibility: during enrollment, the Kindle eBook must be exclusive to the Kindle Store. Print, video, audio, and other formats may still be distributed elsewhere.

Limits and support

KDP allows up to two new titles per book format each week for creation and first-time submission, with separate limits for each format. That should be ample for many individual authors, but frequent publishers need to plan releases around the cap. Magazines, periodicals, calendars, and spiral-bound books are not eligible.

Authors can request phone support by submitting a call request through the KDP Contact Us Form. KDP recommends enabling two-step verification and using a strong, unique password for the Amazon account, a sensible safeguard given that account access controls publishing activity.

Pricing

Kindle Direct Publishing: free. The plan is free to publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers. Print costs are deducted from print royalties when an order ships, so “free to publish” does not mean print fulfillment has no cost. KDP Select is also free, with a 90-day enrollment period and the Kindle eBook exclusivity requirement. There is no publishing subscription charge to weigh against sales, but authors should assess royalty terms and print costs before choosing formats or promotions.

Platforms

KDP is listed for Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Kindle Create is specifically available for Windows and Mac, and supports preparation of manuscripts exported from Word, Pages, or Google Docs.

Who it's for

KDP fits authors who want to retain their book rights, publish more than one format, and reach Amazon shoppers without paying a publishing fee up front. It is particularly compelling for writers willing to use on-demand print rather than purchase inventory and for those comfortable with Amazon-centered distribution.

It is a weaker fit for authors who need to sell a Kindle eBook through competing stores while enrolled in KDP Select, or whose work falls into an excluded category such as magazines or calendars. Writers prioritizing a non-book product catalog should look to a merchandise-focused service instead.

Pros and cons

• Pros: No publishing charge across eBooks and print formats keeps the barrier to entry low.
• Pros: Authors retain full rights, while print-on-demand avoids buying book inventory before orders arrive.
• Pros: Multiple manuscript formats and Kindle Create support make preparation workable across common writing tools.
• Cons: The 70% eBook royalty option is limited to certain territories and subject to delivery costs; print royalties are advertised as up to 60% and print costs reduce the payout.
• Cons: KDP Select requires Kindle eBook exclusivity for each 90-day enrollment period, ruling out simultaneous Kindle eBook distribution elsewhere during that period.
• Cons: The two-title-per-format weekly submission cap and excluded book types constrain some publishing schedules and projects.

Alternatives

For merchandise and print-on-demand needs beyond books, compare the Print-on-Demand Platforms directory. Printful is a better direction for merchants seeking custom products, unlimited stores, and 10 Quick Stores on its free plan. Shirtee.Cloud may suit sellers who want free registration, shop linking, and use, with production, shipping, and optional features charged when customers order.

Pixerr is an option for someone building a storefront around a free plan capped at one storefront, 24 products, six collections, 150 images, and 1,000 AI tokens per month. allthe suits sellers who prefer no subscriptions and per-order product and postage/tax charges, with no minimums or stock purchase. Zazzle offers a different route, including a Plus plan at $19.95 a year with a 30-day free trial and free standard shipping with tracking on qualifying items for eligible U.S. addresses.

Artelo may fit creators looking for unlimited products and listings, with production and shipping charged when orders are fulfilled. Printify has a free plan for merchants starting a business, capped at five stores per account. Redbubble is another free-to-sign-up option, though its Premium plan terms include a 20% platform fee on monthly earnings and a 50% fee on earnings from markup above 20%.

Verdict

Choose Kindle Direct Publishing if you are an author seeking no-fee access to Amazon book storefronts, on-demand print, and control of your rights. Its mix of formats and global fulfillment is the main reason to choose it; the main reason to look elsewhere is the combination of royalty conditions and, for KDP Select, temporary Kindle eBook exclusivity. Authors publishing non-book goods or requiring unrestricted Kindle eBook distribution during Select enrollment should consider a different platform.