KDP vs IngramSpark: which one should you choose?
This is the first fork in the road for most self-publishers, and it is usually framed as a fight. It is not. Amazon KDP and IngramSpark do different jobs well, and a large share of working authors quietly use both. Here is the honest comparison.
What each platform is
Amazon KDP is Amazon's own publishing platform: free to use, fast, and plugged directly into the world's biggest bookshop. IngramSpark is the self-publishing arm of Ingram, the largest book distributor in the world, whose catalogue feeds tens of thousands of bookstores, libraries and online retailers.
Reach
KDP puts your book on Amazon, which is where most book sales happen, and its Expanded Distribution reaches further but with a lower royalty and patchy bookstore acceptance, because many bookstores will not order Amazon-printed books. IngramSpark is the opposite: its distribution network is its whole point, and bookstores and libraries order Ingram books as a matter of routine, although listing is not the same as stocking; a store still has to choose to order.
Royalties
On KDP, paperbacks sold on Amazon pay 60% of list price minus printing cost at $9.99 and above, and Expanded Distribution pays 40%. On IngramSpark you set a wholesale discount (typically 40 to 55%) and your compensation is the list price minus that discount and printing. Run your own numbers with our KDP Royalty Calculator: for Amazon sales, KDP almost always pays more per copy; IngramSpark earns its keep on copies KDP cannot reach.
Formats and print quality
Both print respectable paperbacks and hardcovers. IngramSpark offers more trim sizes, hardcover styles and paper options, and is often preferred for children's books, cookbooks and other image-heavy books. KDP wins on speed: a change to your files can be live in days, and proofs are quick to order through Amazon.
Cost and control
KDP is free, including a free ISBN for print (with distribution limits). IngramSpark charges setup and revision fees that change with promotions, and works best with your own ISBN, which adds cost but gives you full control of the edition everywhere. With KDP you should avoid ticking Expanded Distribution if you plan to use IngramSpark for the same print edition, or the two listings will fight each other.
The verdict
If your readers buy on Amazon and you want the simplest, cheapest route: KDP alone. If you want bookstores and libraries to be able to order your book, or you need Ingram's format range: add IngramSpark for print distribution, keep your ebook on KDP, and use your own ISBN so both editions stay cleanly yours. That combination, KDP for Amazon plus IngramSpark for everywhere else, is the setup most professional indie authors end up with.
Publishing on both sounds like a lot of setup?
It is, the first time. Wecrafte handles multi-platform publishing for authors end to end: ebook, paperback and hardcover, on as many platforms as you want. See wecrafte.com or write to info@wecrafte.com.