KDP vs. IngramSpark: Which Is Right for Your Book?

If you’re planning to self-publish a book, you’re likely familiar with these two names: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark.

Both allow independent authors and publishers to produce books using print-on-demand technology, meaning you don’t have to order hundreds—or thousands—of books upfront. But KDP and IngramSpark aren’t interchangeable. They have different strengths, particularly when it comes to distribution.

So, the question is: Which should you use?

The answer depends on where you want your book to be sold. And for many authors, the best answer isn’t one or the other. It’s both.

Let’s unpack both platforms.

What Is Amazon KDP?

Kindle Direct Publishing is Amazon’s self-publishing platform. Authors can use KDP to publish ebooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers and sell them through Amazon marketplaces. Its biggest advantage is obvious: Amazon.

For authors whose readers primarily purchase books through Amazon, publishing directly through KDP provides a relatively straightforward path to the world’s dominant online bookseller. KDP prints books as they’re ordered, ships them to customers, and pays the publisher a royalty based on the book’s price and printing costs.

KDP also offers Expanded Distribution for eligible paperbacks, making them available for ordering through bookstores, online retailers, libraries, and academic institutions. However, Expanded Distribution is not currently available for KDP hardcovers.

For many first-time self-publishers, KDP is the logical place to start. But Amazon isn’t the entire book market—which brings us to the next section.

What Is IngramSpark?

IngramSpark is a self-publishing platform operated by Ingram Content Group, a major book distributor serving the publishing industry. While KDP’s greatest strength is its direct connection to Amazon, IngramSpark’s strength is its connection to the broader book trade.

Through Ingram’s distribution network, a book can be made available to bookstores, libraries, and other retailers that already purchase books through Ingram. For a bookseller, ordering an independently published book through the same system used to order traditionally published books is considerably easier than establishing a purchasing relationship with an individual author.

That doesn’t mean putting your book into IngramSpark will put it on the shelves at Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore. Distribution and placement are two very different things. It does, however, make the book available through a channel booksellers routinely use.

Where Do You Expect Most of Your Sales?

This is one of the first questions I ask when thinking about distribution. The bottom line is this: There is no universally correct distribution strategy.

If you expect almost all your sales to come through Amazon, KDP may provide everything you need. That might be the case for an author with an established online audience who plans to direct readers primarily to an Amazon sales page.

If bookstore and library availability is an important part of your strategy, however, IngramSpark deserves serious consideration. The important thing is to make this decision based on your actual publishing goals—not because someone in a Facebook group announced that one platform is always better than the other.

What About Bookstores?

This is where many new self-publishers misunderstand the role of distribution. And I hate to be the one to break it to you, but making a book available to bookstores does not mean bookstores will stock it.

Bookstores have limited shelf space. They consider demand, sales potential, wholesale terms, returnability, and other factors when deciding what to carry.

IngramSpark lets publishers set a wholesale discount and choose whether their books are returnable. Those decisions can affect how attractive the book is to retailers.

Returns—which I think are ridiculous in this industry, but that’s another blog for another day—require particular caution. Traditional publishing operates on a returnable model: Bookstores can generally return unsold inventory. Independent publishers using IngramSpark can choose to make their books returnable as well. That may make a title more appealing to booksellers—but it also creates financial risk for the publisher. If copies are returned, you’re responsible for the applicable costs. Don’t check the “returnable” box simply because you’ve heard that’s what publishers are supposed to do. Make sure you understand the financial implications first.

KDP Expanded Distribution Isn’t the Same Thing

KDP offers Expanded Distribution for eligible paperbacks, so why bother with IngramSpark? Expanded Distribution does make KDP paperbacks available beyond Amazon. But if reaching the book trade is an important part of your publishing plan, working directly with IngramSpark offers advantages. IngramSpark gives publishers more control over trade terms, including wholesale discounts and returnability. And Ingram is already deeply embedded in the systems bookstores use to acquire books.

There’s another limitation worth noting: KDP Expanded Distribution currently applies to paperbacks, not hardcovers.

For an author who simply wants some availability outside Amazon, KDP Expanded Distribution may be sufficient. For an independent publisher deliberately pursuing bookstore and library distribution, IngramSpark offers a more trade-oriented approach.

So Why Not Just Use IngramSpark?

Because Amazon is, well, Amazon. Like it or not, they are the original behemoth of book sales. If Amazon will be an important sales channel—and for most independent authors it will be—there are good reasons to consider supplying Amazon directly through KDP rather than relying solely on another distributor to get the book there. Using KDP for Amazon sales gives you a direct relationship with the retailer for those editions.

That brings us to a publishing strategy many independent authors overlook.

You Can Use Both KDP and IngramSpark

For many self-publishers, this isn’t really a KDP-versus-IngramSpark decision. A common strategy is to use KDP for Amazon and IngramSpark for wider print distribution. This lets each platform do what it does best—and self-publishers can reap the rewards.

If you take this approach, however, you need to get the details right. Coordinate ISBN ownership, metadata, pricing, files, and distribution settings across platforms. For example, you don’t want to enroll a KDP paperback in Expanded Distribution if you’re using IngramSpark to distribute that same edition more broadly.

Publishing on two platforms isn’t particularly complicated once you understand the process. But it does require planning.

What About Ebooks?

Ebook distribution is a separate decision. KDP allows you to publish Kindle ebooks directly to Amazon. Authors can also choose KDP Select, which offers additional promotional opportunities and inclusion in Kindle Unlimited. But KDP Select requires digital exclusivity during the enrollment period. That means you can’t distribute that ebook through competing retailers while it’s enrolled. Authors who want to distribute ebooks widely have other options, including distribution to multiple ebook retailers.

Again, the right choice depends on your strategy. The fact that a publishing platform offers a service doesn’t necessarily mean you need to use every service it offers.

Start With Your Publishing Goals

One of the biggest mistakes independent authors make is choosing vendors and platforms before developing a publishing strategy. They open a KDP account because everyone uses Amazon. Then they hear they need IngramSpark, so they open that account too. Someone tells them they need to make their book returnable. Someone else says they should enroll in KDP Select. Soon, they’re making individual decisions without understanding how they fit together.

Reverse the process. Start by asking yourself these questions:

·       Where do I realistically expect readers to buy this book?

·       Is bookstore availability important to me?

·       Do I plan to actively approach independent bookstores?

·       Are library sales important for this particular book?

·       Do I want my ebook available exclusively through Amazon or distributed widely?

·       What formats am I publishing?

·       How much financial risk am I comfortable assuming?

Then choose the tools that support those goals.

KDP vs. IngramSpark: There’s No Single Right Answer

KDP and IngramSpark are tools. Neither is a publishing strategy on its own. For some authors, KDP alone is perfectly appropriate. Others will benefit from IngramSpark’s broader trade distribution. And many professionally self-published books can benefit from using both. The important thing is understanding why you’re choosing each platform—and what role it plays in getting your book into readers’ hands.

Note: Publishing platforms, policies, fees, and distribution options can change frequently, so always check the KDP and IngramSpark websites for the most current information before making publishing decisions.

Not sure which publishing and distribution options make sense for your book? Author Allies can help you build a publishing strategy based on your book, your audience and your goals.