KDP vs IngramSpark: Which Should You Use? (2026 Comparison)

What is the main difference between KDP and IngramSpark?

KDP is Amazon’s own self-publishing platform. You upload your files, set a price, and your ebook or print book is for sale on Amazon, the largest single book retailer. It is free to use, quick to set up and pays well on Amazon sales. Print copies are printed on demand when a reader orders.

IngramSpark is the self-publishing arm of Ingram, a major book distributor and wholesaler. Instead of selling to readers directly, it lists your book in a catalogue that bookstores, libraries and online retailers use to order stock. Your book is then printed on demand when one of those buyers orders it.

So the real difference is not quality but channel. KDP is a storefront with a printer attached. IngramSpark is a distribution pipe with a printer attached. Most of the comparison below follows from that.

How do royalties compare?

On Amazon, a KDP paperback pays 60% of the list price minus the printing cost. KDP also offers expanded distribution to other retailers, but at a lower 40% royalty (again minus printing cost) and with less control over where your book appears and how it is discounted.

With IngramSpark you set the wholesale discount yourself, and you earn the list price minus that discount minus the printing cost. Bookstores generally expect a discount in the region of 40% to 55%, and they usually expect returns to be allowed. That is why per-copy earnings through the bookstore channel are lower than on Amazon.

Here is a purely illustrative example, not real printing costs. Say a paperback is priced at $15 and costs $5 to print. On KDP through Amazon you would earn 60% of $15, which is $9, minus $5, so $4. On IngramSpark at a 55% discount you would keep 45% of $15, which is $6.75, minus $5, so $1.75. At a 40% discount it would be $9 minus $5, so $4. Real print costs differ by platform, page count and trim size, so run your own numbers with the IngramSpark Printing Cost Calculator and the Royalty Comparison Calculator before you set a price.

How do print options and quality compare?

Both platforms offer paperbacks in a range of trim sizes, with black and white or colour interiors, and both offer hardcovers. Historically IngramSpark has offered a wider choice of paper, finishes and formats, which is why many authors use it for premium hardcovers, photo-heavy books and anything aimed at bookstores or libraries. The exact menu changes, so check each platform’s current specifications for your trim size.

Both are print on demand, so you never buy inventory up front. The trade-off is that printers, paper and ink differ slightly. The same file can look a little different from each, especially colour covers and dark images.

Order a physical proof from every platform you plan to use. Check the cover colours, the spine text, the margins near the gutter and the paper feel. Spine width depends on page count and paper type, so recalculate it for each printer rather than reusing one cover file blindly. A spine width calculator and a gutter margin calculator help here.

Which is better for bookstores and libraries?

IngramSpark. Bookstores and libraries buy through wholesalers, and Ingram is one of the best known. Many independent bookshops are reluctant to stock books that are available only through Amazon’s channels, partly because of the discounts and the returns policy they expect.

If you want a bookshop to take your book, make it easy for them: set a standard trade discount, allow returns, and list the book at a sensible retail price. Returns are the risk. A returnable book can come back to you, and you may be charged for it, so understand the current return terms before enabling them.

Being in the catalogue does not mean a shop will stock you. It only means they can order you. You still need to pitch shops, run events or build local demand. Libraries work in a similar way, so the library guide linked below covers how to approach them. If you only plan to sell on Amazon, KDP alone is simpler and usually pays more per copy.

How do ISBNs and control differ between the two?

KDP can assign you a free ISBN for a print book, but that ISBN is tied to KDP and lists Amazon’s imprint as the publisher of record. IngramSpark requires you to supply your own ISBN. If you buy your own, you appear as the publisher and you can use the same number across platforms.

That matters if you use both. Each edition (paperback, hardcover, ebook) needs its own ISBN, and a single print edition should carry the same ISBN everywhere. In many countries ISBNs are sold, not free, and prices vary, so check your national agency, such as Bowker in the United States or Nielsen in the UK.

Also compare day-to-day control. KDP is fast: changes usually go through quickly and cost nothing. IngramSpark has historically charged fees for revisions after a title is approved, and its process is more detailed. Treat the current fee schedule as something to check before you upload, not after.

Should you use KDP and IngramSpark together?

Many authors do: KDP Print for Amazon, where it is simple and pays well, and IngramSpark for bookstores, libraries and other retailers. This gives wide reach with strong earnings on your biggest channel.

To avoid conflicts, use your own ISBN for the print edition on both platforms, and turn off KDP expanded distribution for that edition so the two do not compete for the same retailers. Keep the list price, trim size, page count and files consistent across both. Amazon may also stock your IngramSpark edition from time to time, which is normal.

Once you start, the work is mostly housekeeping: two sets of files, two sets of reports and two payments. Tools that export print-ready PDFs sized to each retailer’s specs reduce the pain. CruxOne, a browser-based AI publishing platform for indie authors, can produce print-ready PDFs and covers sized to retailer trim and spine specs, though the same job can be done with other software.

Which should you choose for your book?

Choose KDP alone if most of your readers find you on Amazon, you write ebook-first and the paperback is a side format, or you want the simplest setup with no upfront decisions. Most genre fiction authors start here, and many stay.

Add IngramSpark if you want bookstores or libraries to be able to order you, if you are publishing a hardcover or a heavily illustrated book, if you sell at events and want broad availability, or if you plan to go wide with your other formats and want your print edition to match.

If you are unsure, start with KDP, learn how your book sells, then add IngramSpark once you have a reason to. Work out whether it is worth it with your actual price and print cost, not guesses. Adding a second platform is easy later. Untangling a muddled ISBN setup is not, so get the ISBN decision right first.

Frequently asked questions

Is KDP or IngramSpark better?

KDP is better for selling on Amazon. IngramSpark is better for reaching bookstores, libraries and non-Amazon retailers. Many authors use both.

Can I use KDP and IngramSpark at the same time?

Yes. Use your own ISBN for the print edition on both platforms and turn off KDP expanded distribution for that edition.

Which pays higher royalties?

On Amazon sales, KDP usually pays more per copy. IngramSpark pays less per copy through bookstores because of wholesale discounts, but it reaches more outlets.

Do I need IngramSpark to get into bookstores?

For most self-published authors, yes. Bookstores and libraries order through wholesale catalogues such as Ingram’s, and rarely through Amazon’s channels.

Does IngramSpark require my own ISBN?

Yes, you supply your own. KDP can assign a free ISBN, but it is tied to KDP, so use your own if you plan to publish on both.