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Choosing a Platform for Ebook Publishing: A Guide for Authors
You’ve written your book, had it professionally edited and designed, and now you’re at the final, exciting step: choosing a platform to publish your ebook and make it available to the world. An ebook publishing platform is a service or retailer that allows you to upload your book files and sell them to customers. This choice will determine where your book is sold, how you get paid, and your overall distribution strategy.
For modern independent authors, there are more options than ever before. While one platform dominates the landscape, understanding the different paths available is key to building a successful author career. As a publisher that guides authors through this decision, we’ve broken down the best and most popular platforms to help you choose the right one for your goals.
Key Takeaways & Summary
- The Dominant Platform: For the vast majority of authors, the starting point and primary platform is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which controls the largest share of the ebook market.
- Two Main Strategies: Your choice boils down to two main strategies: being “exclusive” to Amazon to take advantage of their Kindle Unlimited program, or “going wide” to sell your book on all other platforms.
- Aggregators Simplify “Going Wide”: Platforms like Draft2Digital are “aggregators.” You upload your book once, and they distribute it to multiple retailers (Apple Books, Kobo, etc.) for you.
- The Platforms are Free to Use: All the major publishing platforms are free to use. They make their money by taking a percentage of your book’s sales.
The Market Leader: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Amazon KDP is the 800-pound gorilla of the ebook world. It is a single platform that allows you to publish your ebook (and a print-on-demand paperback) for free to the largest bookstore on the planet.
Why it’s #1: KDP offers access to a massive built-in audience of Kindle readers, a simple-to-use interface, and a generous royalty structure of up to 70%.
The KDP Select Option: KDP offers an optional program called KDP Select. If you enroll, your ebook must be exclusive to Amazon for 90 days. In exchange, your book is included in the Kindle Unlimited (KU) subscription program, where you get paid for every page a subscriber reads.
The Bottom Line: For most first-time authors, publishing on KDP is non-negotiable. The question is whether to be exclusive or not. Our Amazon publishing services specialize in helping authors master this essential platform.
The “Go Wide” Strategy: Using an Aggregator Platform
“Going wide” means making your ebook available on as many retailers as possible, not just Amazon. The easiest way to do this is with an aggregator.
How it Works: Instead of creating separate accounts for Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc., you create one account on a platform like Draft2Digital. You upload your book once, and they act as your distributor, sending it to all the other stores.
The Benefits: This diversifies your income so you are not reliant on a single retailer. It also allows you to reach a global audience that may not use Amazon. The strategic debate between “going wide” vs. being exclusive to KDP is a major topic of discussion for author organizations like the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).
The Trade-Off: If you go wide, you cannot enroll your book in KDP Select and will miss out on Kindle Unlimited page read income.
Head-to-Head: KDP Select (Exclusive) vs. Going Wide
| Feature | KDP Select (Exclusive to Amazon) | Going Wide (Using an Aggregator) |
| Reach | Massive Amazon/Kindle Unlimited audience. | All other retailers (Apple, Kobo, etc.) + Amazon. |
| Income Streams | Book sales + KU page read payments. | Book sales from multiple retailers. |
| Management | Simple; one platform to manage. | Simple; one aggregator platform to manage. |
| Exclusivity | Must be exclusive to Amazon for 90 days. | No exclusivity requirements. |
How to Choose the Right Platform for You
Choose KDP Select (Exclusive) if: You are a beginner and want the simplest possible path, or if you write in a genre (like romance or fantasy) that has a large readership in Kindle Unlimited.
Choose to Go Wide if: You want to build a long-term, resilient author brand that isn’t dependent on a single company, or if you want to reach international readers who use platforms like Kobo.
Before you can choose a platform, you need a professionally written and produced book. Our ghostwriting services can help you create the high-quality manuscript that is the foundation of any successful launch.
Short FAQ
Q: Do I have to choose just one platform?
A: No. The most common strategy is to publish on Amazon KDP and use an aggregator like Draft2Digital to reach all other stores. You simply opt out of the KDP Select exclusivity program.
Q: What do these platforms cost to use?
A: They are all free to use. You never pay a fee to upload your book. The platforms make money by taking a commission (typically 30%) from each book you sell.
Q: What do I need before I can upload to a platform?
A: You need your final, professionally edited manuscript, a professional cover design file, and a clean, formatted EPUB file.
