Amazon KDP publishing guide for first-time and growing authors
Kindle Direct Publishing is Amazon's self-publishing service. This guide covers who it suits, what to have ready and where authors get caught out.
What Amazon KDP is
KDP lets you publish ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers to Amazon stores. Paperbacks and hardcovers are printed on demand, so nothing is printed until a reader buys. There is no setup fee. For print books, KDP deducts the printing cost from each sale.
The reach is large, but the control is narrow. Your book sits inside Amazon's store. Other retailers and many bookshops will not stock a KDP print book unless you add Expanded Distribution, which pays a lower royalty rate.
Who it suits
- Authors who want the biggest single reader base for ebooks and paperbacks
- First-time publishers who want no upfront cost
- Authors who want to test a book before they pay for wider distribution
- Authors who plan to run Amazon-based promotions
What to prepare before you upload
- An interior PDF or ebook file that matches your chosen trim size
- A cover file that matches your page count and spine width
- Title, subtitle, description, categories and keywords written and checked for length
- A list price that still pays you after printing cost
- A decision on the ISBN: a free KDP ISBN or your own
- Clear rights for any images, fonts and quotations
Things to weigh up
- Print royalty is a share of list price minus printing cost, so a thick or colour book can earn very little
- The 70% ebook option applies only inside a price band and in eligible countries
- A free KDP ISBN ties that edition to KDP; your own ISBN keeps the publisher record under your name
- Fees, rates and rules change, so confirm every figure in the KDP screen before you publish
Free tools for Amazon KDP
Each tool runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded. Results are planning estimates, so confirm the final figure on Amazon KDP itself.
- Royalty & Print Cost CalculatorWork out printing cost, minimum price and royalty for a KDP paperback, hardcover or ebook.
- Cover & Spine CalculatorGet the spine width and full wrap size for your page count and paper.
- Interior PDF CheckerTest your interior PDF for page size, fonts and margins before you upload.
- Metadata Manager & CheckerCheck title, keywords and description against KDP length rules.
Common questions
Is Amazon KDP free to use?
There is no setup fee. For print books, KDP deducts the printing cost from each sale, and you pay for any proof or author copies you order.
Will KDP get my paperback into bookshops?
Not by default. Expanded Distribution makes the book available to some other sellers, but a listing only lets a shop order it. It does not mean the shop will stock it.
Do I need my own ISBN on KDP?
No. KDP offers a free ISBN. The trade-off is that the free one can be used only on KDP for that edition, so many authors who plan to sell widely buy their own.
Can I use KDP and IngramSpark together?
Many authors do. You choose which channel supplies which retailers, and you avoid turning on overlapping distribution for the same edition. Read the IngramSpark guide for the other side.
Official pages
Disclaimer. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Platform terms, fees and rules change, so confirm them on Amazon KDP's own pages before you publish. Book Recommendations is independent and is not affiliated with Amazon KDP. See the full disclaimer and our editorial policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.