Ash Davies
Founder of Books.by · Helped 20,000+ authors self-publish since 2014
Two platforms, two very different approaches to self-publishing. Amazon KDP dominates online sales. IngramSpark gets you into bookstores. Here's an honest breakdown of royalties, distribution, and which you actually need.
| Feature | Amazon KDP | IngramSpark | Books.by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Type | Marketplace (Amazon only) | Distributor (40,000+ retailers) | Direct-to-reader storefront |
| Setup Cost | Free | $49/title (often waived with promos) | $99/year (unlimited titles) |
| Royalty Rate | 60% minus print cost | Retail − wholesale discount − print cost | 100% (minus print + processing) |
| Typical Royalty* | $5.74 | $3.75 | $9.60 |
| Payout Speed | 60 days | 90 days | Daily |
| Amazon Sales | ✓ Native | ✓ Via distribution (worse ranking) | ✗ Not applicable |
| Bookstore Distribution | ✗ | ✓ Barnes & Noble, indie stores | ✗ |
| Library Distribution | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Returns Policy | Non-returnable only | Returnable or non-returnable | Author controls |
| Free ISBN | ✓ (KDP-imprinted) | ✗ Bring your own | ✓ (unrestricted) |
| Customer Data | ✗ Anonymous | ✗ Anonymous | ✓ Full details |
| Cover Builder | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Print Quality | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Best For | Amazon marketplace sales | Bookstores & libraries | Direct sales, your own traffic |
*Based on a 200-page B&W paperback at $19.99 retail. IngramSpark assumes 55% wholesale discount.
KDP and IngramSpark aren't really competitors. They serve completely different purposes, and understanding this is the key to using them strategically.
Amazon KDP is a marketplace. It sells your book on Amazon.com and international Amazon sites. That's it. When someone searches "mystery novels" on Amazon and finds your book, that's KDP working. You get Amazon's massive customer base, recommendation engine, and Prime shipping. In exchange, Amazon takes 40% of your retail price.
IngramSpark is a distributor. It doesn't sell books to readers directly — it makes your book available to retailers who then sell to readers. Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, libraries, international retailers. IngramSpark gets your book into the supply chain that physical bookstores use to order inventory.
This is why comparing "KDP royalties vs IngramSpark royalties" can be misleading. KDP's 60% royalty is what YOU get after Amazon takes its cut. IngramSpark's royalty depends on what discount you give to retailers — typically 55% — because those retailers need margin to resell your book.
Let's break down the math on a $19.99 paperback (200 pages, black & white, 6"×9"). This is where things get real.
The royalty gap between KDP and IngramSpark is significant: $5.74 vs $3.75 per book. That's because IngramSpark requires a wholesale discount (typically 55%) so retailers have margin to resell your book. KDP doesn't need this because Amazon is the retailer.
This is why most authors don't rely on IngramSpark for income — they use it for access. The goal isn't to sell thousands through bookstores (you won't). It's to make your book orderable so that when a reader asks their local bookstore for your book, the store can get it.
The smart play is to use KDP for Amazon (where most online sales happen) and IngramSpark for everything else (bookstores, libraries, international retailers). Just disable IngramSpark's Amazon distribution to avoid conflicts. This gives you maximum reach without paying IngramSpark's lower royalties on Amazon sales.
Here's something neither KDP nor IngramSpark will tell you: most of their authors make almost nothing.
The average self-published book on Amazon sells 1-3 copies. Total. Ever. IngramSpark's bookstore distribution sounds impressive until you realize bookstores rarely stock self-published books — they just make them orderable.
Both platforms are passive. They sit there waiting for readers to find you. Neither helps you build an audience. Neither gives you customer email addresses. Neither lets you create a direct relationship with your readers.
This matters because the authors who actually succeed at self-publishing don't rely on Amazon's algorithm or bookstore placement. They build their own audience — through social media, podcasts, email lists, speaking, communities. And when you build your own audience and then send them to Amazon or IngramSpark, you're giving away 40-60% of every sale to a middleman.
This is where direct sales platforms like Books.by come in.
When you send your own traffic — your email list, your social media followers, your podcast listeners — to your own storefront, you keep 100% of royalties, get paid daily, and actually know who bought your book. Use KDP and IngramSpark for organic discovery. Use Books.by for your own traffic. Keep what you earn.
KDP is genuinely easy. If your files are ready, you can publish in under an hour.
IngramSpark has a steeper learning curve. Budget 2-3 hours for your first book, and expect to fix file issues.
Yes, most successful indie authors use both. Publish your print book through KDP for Amazon sales, and use IngramSpark for bookstore, library, and international distribution. Just make sure to disable IngramSpark's Amazon distribution to avoid conflicts.
IngramSpark is generally considered to have slightly better print quality, particularly for color books and premium finishes. Both use professional-grade printing, but IngramSpark offers more paper and finish options. For standard black and white novels, the difference is minimal.
Bookstores and libraries buy books at wholesale prices (typically 40-55% off retail). IngramSpark requires you to set this discount because they're a distribution platform — they supply books to retailers who need margin to resell. KDP doesn't require this because Amazon is the retailer.
KDP pays 60 days after the end of the month in which the sale occurred. IngramSpark pays 90 days after the sale. Both are significantly slower than direct sales platforms like Books.by, which pays daily.
KDP dominates ebook sales due to Kindle's market share. IngramSpark offers ebook distribution to other retailers, but most authors use Draft2Digital or publish direct to Apple, Kobo, and others for ebooks. For ebooks specifically, KDP is the stronger choice.
KDP provides a free ISBN but it's KDP-imprinted and can only be used on Amazon. IngramSpark requires you to provide your own ISBN. If you want bookstore distribution or to appear professional, you should purchase your own ISBN regardless of platform.
KDP's biggest drawback is that you're locked into Amazon's ecosystem with no bookstore distribution or library access. IngramSpark's biggest drawback is the low per-book royalty due to the required wholesale discount — you might earn only $2-4 per book sold through retailers.
Use KDP and IngramSpark for discovery. Use Books.by for direct sales. Keep what you earn, get paid daily, own your customer relationships.
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