9 KDP Alternatives For Self-Publishing Your Book

Amazon turned the book market on its head with its massive library of titles. Then it shifted the industry again with the introduction of the Kindle e-reader, and later, Kindle Direct Publishing. With deep roots in all things books and publishing, it's no surprise that Amazon is a go-to for self-published authors. The company has lowered the bar to entry, allowing anyone with an idea and the drive to succeed to publish their own materials without pitching editors or waiting for massive book deals.

However, many authors have grown tired of the KDP route, citing issues like massive competition, high fees, and limited marketing tools. Let's face it: People buy books from stores other than Amazon. Diversifying your publishing options can also help you reach a wider audience and get your books in front of more people. Self-publishing gives authors a chance to share their ideas with the world while retaining the rights to their creations. You might earn better royalties with other publishing platforms and find more revenue streams to turn a profit. These factors are encouraging self-published authors to seek other options, and there are plenty to be found. Let's explore 10 of the best KDP alternatives for self-publishing your book.

A popular alternative to Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark lets you publish print books and e-books with its user-friendly platform. For physical books, IngramSpark's print-on-demand service means you don't have to order large quantities of books at once, which can be cost-prohibitive for many authors. Books are printed as they're ordered, so you don't need massive storage space for your physical copies or a huge publishing budget to get started.

IngramSpark walks you through the publishing process step by step, which can be highly valuable for first-time authors. It helps you figure out the fine details of the process, like getting an ISBN number or choosing a book size and paper type. The platform also provides support for book marketing, including access to a global distribution network that includes thousands of retailers, online stores, and libraries. IngramSpark gives you comprehensive support for your book, along with self-service resources, guides, publishing courses, and blog articles to help you grow your book business.

If you want to write the next great American novel, having the right tools and software on hand can help you reach your goals faster. BookBaby puts a heavy emphasis on the author with its suite of self-publishing tools, with everything you need to get your book out of Google Docs and into the hands of readers. The platform includes tools for physical book printing, editing, book design, sales and marketing, e-book publishing, and even audiobooks. 

As with other self-publishing platforms, BookBaby offers a print-on-demand model, which lowers the bar to entry for many authors. There's no need to purchase a large quantity of books upfront, and your book will always be in stock. However, you will have to pay a nominal fee to set up your print-on-demand store, which starts at $199. BookBaby also offers a global distribution service to help get your books into major retailers and wholesale networks. For authors who want to focus on what they do best — writing great stories — BookBaby can do the heavy lifting on the other stuff, like book cover design, translation, proofreading, and all the little odds and ends that get in the way of a published product. 

One of the largest bookstores in the world, Barnes & Noble offers self-publishing services for authors. The company has streamlined its service to help you publish your completed manuscripts faster, citing that the process is as easy as creating a free account, uploading your content, and adding a cover file. Publishing with B&N Press also gives you an easy "in" to the company's loyal customers. Your book will be among the thousands of titles on the Barnes & Noble website and on the Nook app (Barnes & Noble's signature e-reader device), side by side with esteemed authors. You'll earn royalties from every sale while maintaining full control over your content and how it appears to your readers.

For first-time authors or anyone new to B&N Press, the company offers third-party resources to guide you through any questions you have about self-publishing. These resources include connections with editors and proofreaders, and support for marketing, design, and peer reviews. Royalty rates are also generous, with writers earning as much as 70% of their book's retail price.

Lulu offers self-publishing services for printed books, offering print-on-demand and one-time printing options. You can order as little as a single book or as many as thousands of copies at a time. One of its most unique features is its book printing API. You can connect the Lulu API to your eCommerce store or website. When customers place an order with you, the order automatically goes to Lulu for printing and fulfillment. There are no extra steps on your part, so you can collect sales (and the data that comes with them) and leave the details to Lulu.

Lulu also offers other types of book publishing, such as photo books, notebooks, journals, calendars, cookbooks, and even magazines. You can use Lulu's book pricing calculator to see how book size, cover and paper quality, and other details affect price so you can make informed decisions. There's also a tool to "tease" your upcoming books and take pre-sale orders, which will be fulfilled all at once when your book is published.

Google Play helps put your books in front of millions of readers in 75 countries (more than you'll reach using Amazon). If you have a completed manuscript, you can start selling books on Google Play in just a few minutes. You'll create an account (which is free), upload your content, and choose the countries where you'd like to sell your book. You'll earn a generous 70% commission on all book sales and have full control over your content and pricing. However, Google may discount your book, though royalties are typically based on your list price.

Compared to other self-publishing options, Google Play Books feels a bit watered down in terms of features and support. Your audience consists of Android users, so you could be missing out on a chunk of would-be readers. It's also better suited for authors who have already done the hard work of writing, editing, and designing their books and just need an outlet to share them. But in terms of speed, simplicity, and profitability, you're likely to find Google Play Books a helpful solution.

PublishDrive is a lesser-known self-publishing platform, but its global reach and simplified processes are worth exploring. Indie authors who have manuscripts ready to publish can upload them to the platform, then follow the steps to fill in all the necessary details to create a ready-to-publish book. Once it's live, PublishDrive provides distribution services for print, e-books, and audiobooks to help you reach more readers.

Some of PublishDrive's unique tools include a cover image generator and a metadata generator, helping to remove some of the burden from the author. The company has access to a wide network of digital libraries and brick-and-mortar stores. There's also a print-on-demand option to avoid having to finance large printing projects upfront and potentially having surplus copies left over. You can see all of your book data from the built-in dashboard, such as book sales by channel, royalties, and marketing metrics. It's also worth mentioning that PublishDrive works on a flat-fee basis, so you keep all of your royalties instead of giving up a percentage of your sales.

You might recognize the name Kobo from its line of e-readers, but the company also offers a path to self-publishing. The platform gives you turnkey access to self-publishing features, allowing you to publish completed books and start making sales in minutes. It's free to get started, and you stand to earn up to 70% of royalties on sales.

Kobo specializes in e-book publication. Its customers can subscribe to the monthly Kobo Plus service for unlimited reading and listening. Being part of the platform can give authors a chance to get in front of active readers. Kobo can add your books to its Kobo Plus service or distribute them to various digital libraries and online bookstores. The built-in data can be especially helpful for authors. You'll not only see where your sales are coming from but also view the reading activity from Kobo Plus subscribers. And, as with any good self-publishing service, Kobo allows authors to maintain the rights to their work, market their books however they like, and set their own prices.

Similar to Google Play Books, Apple Books for Authors helps Apple users get in front of an audience who likes to read on their digital devices. To start, you'll need an iTunes Connect account, which allows you to publish directly to Apple Books. The platform makes the publishing process quick and painless, especially if you already have all the elements of your book ready to go, like a cover image, metadata, and pricing.

The Apple Books platform creates a strong reader experience, which is good news for authors. Apple Books lets users curate their reading lists and sends them personalized recommendations based on past reads and interests. Any author publishing on the platform could end up as a recommended read. Since it focuses on digital books, readers can take their content just about anywhere. The digital-first approach lets authors gain more insights into their total performance. You can see daily sales reports and even launch different pricing strategies to find your sweet spot.

Writers write; it's what they do best. Having a self-publishing platform that takes the guesswork out of sales and marketing can be valuable to authors who want to focus all their energy on their words, and Draft2Digital does a good job of offloading some of the extras. Even if your manuscript isn't in perfect condition, you can upload it as-is and let Draft2Digital's conversion tools get it ready to publish. Once it's live, you can choose where to distribute your book for sale, including digital and physical storefronts. It's as easy as checking a box to sell in a particular store or website.

Pricewise, Draft2Digital has a simple, no-frills structure. It takes 10% of each book sale, which means it only makes money if you do. There are no subscription fees and no costs for formatting your book or using the platform. You control the content and the price of each book (free is also a price!), and there is no limit to how many sales you make. The platform also has built-in marketing tools to help you promote your book, even if you don't have a website, and sales-tracking tools to keep up with your earnings.