Best Place to Sell eBooks for Maximum Profit: Platform Comparison and Tips
Looking to sell your eBook? Here's a quick guide to the top platforms:
| Platform | Royalty Rate | Reach | Ease of Use | Extra Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 35-70% | Global | High | Many |
| Apple Books | 70% | 50+ countries | Medium | Some |
| Google Play Books | 35-70% | 75+ countries | Medium | Few |
| Smashwords | 60-80% | Multiple retailers | Medium | Some |
| Draft2Digital | Up to 90% | Multiple retailers | High | Many |
Key takeaways:
- Amazon KDP has the largest market share
- Apple Books works well for Apple users
- Google Play Books offers wide reach
- Smashwords and Draft2Digital distribute to multiple retailers
Choose based on your target audience, book genre, and personal preferences. Consider royalty rates, distribution reach, and available marketing tools when making your decision.
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1. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a top choice for many authors to sell their eBooks. Here's what you need to know:
How Much You Earn
KDP uses a two-tier royalty system:
| Price Range | Royalty Rate |
|---|---|
| $2.99 - $9.99 | 70% |
| Outside $2.99 - $9.99 | 35% |
You can also make money through Kindle Unlimited, where readers pay a monthly fee to access many books.
Who Can See Your Book
KDP puts your eBook on Amazon stores worldwide, giving you access to millions of potential readers.
Ways to Boost Sales
KDP offers tools to help you sell more books:
- Kindle Countdown Deals: Short-term discounts
- Free Book Promotions: Offer your book for free to attract new readers
Setting Your Price
You choose how much your eBook costs. You can change the price anytime to see what works best for sales.
KDP is a good option for authors who want to reach many readers and have control over their book's pricing and promotions.
2. Apple Books
Apple Books is another popular place to sell eBooks. Here's what you need to know:
How Much You Earn
| Royalty Rate | Delivery Fees |
|---|---|
| 70% | None |
This means you keep more money from each sale compared to some other platforms.
Who Can See Your Book
Your eBook can reach readers in over 50 countries, especially those who use Apple devices.
Ways to Boost Sales
Apple Books offers several tools to help you sell more:
- Featuring books in collections
- Suggesting your book to readers
- Letting readers pre-order your book
- Offering book samples
Setting Your Price
You decide how much your eBook costs. You can change the price whenever you want to see what works best.
Apple Books is a good choice if you want to reach many readers and have control over your book's price and promotions.
3. Google Play Books
How Much You Earn
Google Play Books pays you:
| Book Price | You Get |
|---|---|
| $2.99 - $9.99 | 70% |
| Other prices | 35% |
You don't pay extra fees, so you keep more money.
Who Can See Your Book
Your eBook can reach readers in over 75 countries, including South Africa, India, and many European countries.
Ways to Boost Sales
Google Play Books gives you tools to sell more:
- Free book offers
- Discounts
- Special deals
- "Free Series Starter" section for book series
Setting Your Price
You choose your book's price and can change it when you want. This helps you find the best price for sales.
Google Play Books is good if you want to:
- Reach many countries
- Control your book's price
- Use tools to sell more books
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4. Smashwords
How Much You Earn
Smashwords offers good pay rates for authors:
| Sales Channel | Royalty Rate |
|---|---|
| Major retailers (Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo) | 60% |
| Smashwords store | Up to 80% |
Who Can See Your Book
Smashwords puts your eBook in many online stores and libraries, including:
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Many others
This helps many people find your book.
Ways to Boost Sales
Smashwords gives you tools to help sell more books:
- Free book offers
- Discounts
- "Free Series Starter" program for book series
Setting Your Price
You choose your book's price and can change it when you want. This helps you find the best price for sales.
Smashwords is good if you want to:
- Reach many readers
- Earn good money from sales
- Control your book's price and sales
5. Draft2Digital
How Much You Earn
Draft2Digital takes a small cut from your book sales:
| What You Get | What Draft2Digital Gets |
|---|---|
| Up to 90% of book price | 10% of book price |
The exact amount you earn depends on where your book is sold.
Who Can See Your Book
Draft2Digital puts your eBook in many online stores and libraries, including:
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- OverDrive
This helps more people find and buy your book.
Ways to Boost Sales
Draft2Digital gives you tools to sell more books:
- Free book offers
- Discounts
- "Series starter" deals
- Sales tracking
- Real-time data on how your book is doing
Setting Your Price
You choose how much your book costs. You can change the price when you want to see what works best for sales.
Draft2Digital also gives you a special link. This link helps readers find your book in different stores.
Draft2Digital is good for writers who want to:
- Reach many readers
- Keep most of the money from sales
- Control their book's price
- Get help selling their book
It's easy to use and offers help when you need it. This makes it a good choice for new writers and small publishers.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Each eBook selling platform has good and not-so-good points. Here's a quick look at what's good and not so good about each:
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Many customers | Only on Amazon |
| Easy to use | Many other books to compete with |
| High pay (up to 70%) | Some low-quality books |
| Tools to help sell books |
Apple Books
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| High pay (up to 70%) | Not in all countries |
| Easy to use | Many other books to compete with |
| Works well with Apple devices | Some low-quality books |
| Tools to help sell books |
Google Play Books
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Many customers | Many other books to compete with |
| High pay (up to 70%) | Some low-quality books |
| Easy to use | Few tools to help sell books |
| Tools to help sell books |
Smashwords
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Sells on many websites | Many other books to compete with |
| Easy to use | Some low-quality books |
| High pay (up to 85%) | Not much help if you have problems |
| Tools to help sell books |
Draft2Digital
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Sells on many websites | Many other books to compete with |
| Easy to use | Some low-quality books |
| High pay (up to 90%) | Not much help if you have problems |
| Tools to help sell books |
Each platform has its own good and bad points. Think about what matters most to you when choosing where to sell your eBook.
Summary
Choosing where to sell your eBook depends on what you want and who you want to reach. Each place to sell has good and bad points.
To make the most money, you need to know how each place works and how much they pay you. Here's a quick look at the main places:
| Platform | Good Points | Bad Points |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | Lots of readers, high pay | Only on Amazon |
| Apple Books | Works well with Apple devices, high pay | Not in all countries |
| Google Play Books | Many readers, high pay | Few tools to help sell |
| Smashwords | Sells on many websites, high pay | Not much help if you have problems |
| Draft2Digital | Easy to use, very high pay | Many other books to compete with |
The best place to sell your eBook is the one that fits what you want to do. Think about:
- Who you want to read your book
- What kind of book you wrote
- What matters most to you (like how much money you make or how easy it is to use)
FAQs
How profitable is selling ebooks?
Selling ebooks can make money. In 2022, Amazon KDP said 40% more independent publishers earned $50,000 or more compared to 2020. But not everyone makes a profit from ebooks.
Which is the best platform to sell an ebook?
The best platform depends on what you want and who you're trying to reach. Popular choices include:
| Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | Largest market share |
| Apple Books | Good for Apple users |
| Google Play Books | Wide reach |
| Smashwords | Sells on many sites |
| Draft2Digital | Easy to use |
Look into each one to see which fits your needs best.
Which platform sells most books?
Amazon sells the most ebooks. They have 68% of all ebook sales. This is because they have many customers and their platform is easy to use.
What is the best platform to sell ebooks?
The best platform is one that matches your goals and readers. When choosing, think about:
| Factor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Pay rates | How much you earn |
| Where books are sold | Who can buy your book |
| Marketing tools | Help to sell more |
| Ease of use | How simple it is to use |
Some good options are PublishDrive, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play Books, and Ingram.