Curious which marketplace or platform will actually grow your sales and keep more money in your pocket? This guide answers that question with clear, data-backed choices for authors and small publishers.
You will compare major retailers like Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble, plus aggregators and direct-store tools that let you keep reader data and build a business.
Amazon offers up to 70% royalties at common price bands and exclusivity rules for certain programs. Aggregators consolidate distribution across stores, while direct ecommerce tools help you capture email and control pricing.
By the end of this section, you’ll have a clear framework for matching platform features, pricing, and marketing tools to your audience and goals.
Key Takeaways
- Major retailers deliver reach; Amazon KDP has a 70% royalty tier for typical price ranges.
- Aggregators simplify distribution and can increase international reach without extra uploads.
- Direct stores help you capture email, set pricing, and keep higher margins.
- Subscription services boost discovery but pay different royalty shares across platforms.
- Match your choice to genre, audience, and whether you want control or maximum exposure.
User intent: comparing platforms, features, and fees to maximize ebook sales
A clear platform strategy balances discoverability, fees, and the marketing tools you need to grow sales.
You want a quick comparison that shows trade-offs: marketplaces give reach but take a cut, while direct channels protect margins and data. Amazon KDP takes about 30% on many 70% royalty titles plus delivery fees. PublishDrive’s subscription model can let you keep 100% net from vendors.
Direct stores like Sellfy charge plan fees and offer 0% transaction fees on paid plans. Payhip provides free and paid tiers with 0–5% transaction fees. Shopify scales via apps for delivery and analytics.
| Platform | Cost model | Marketing tools | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | Revenue share (30% cut common) | On-site promos, large audience | Maximum discoverability |
| Sellfy / Payhip | Subscription or tiered transaction | Email capture, pixels, analytics | Higher margins, direct sales |
| PublishDrive | Subscription | Aggregator distribution, reporting | Wide channel reach with one dashboard |
| Shopify | Monthly + apps | Plugins for delivery & marketing | Scalable storefronts and bundles |
Use this short framework to match your audience, pricing, and operational work. For a deeper platform list and tools that suit content creators, see platform list.
Best ebook retailers and self-publishing platforms for broad marketplace reach
Major retail stores and device ecosystems still drive the bulk of ebook discovery and sales. Pick platforms that match your pricing, audience, and goals rather than hoping one channel will do everything.
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Why it matters: Amazon remains the largest place for discovery with over 200 million monthly visitors on Amazon.com and Kindle stores across 13 countries.
Use the 70% royalty band for $2.99–$9.99 if you want higher returns. KDP Select offers promotional tools but requires 90-day exclusivity, which can limit your ability to go wide.
Apple Books
Why it matters: Apple pays a flat 70% royalty and indexes book descriptions for in-app search, helping visibility on preinstalled Apple devices.
Leverage promotional pricing and timed free periods to accelerate traction among iOS readers.
Google Play Books
Why it matters: Google’s Partner Center gives Android-native distribution across billions of active devices and offers 70% for most partners.
Control pricing and territories in one dashboard and use Google visibility as a discovery channel.
Kobo Writing Life
Why it matters: Kobo pays up to 70% above $2.99 and reaches readers in 190+ countries. Its Walmart tie-in adds U.S. retail exposure.
International merchandising and localized pricing can grow sales beyond anglophone markets.
Barnes & Noble Press
Why it matters: B&N connects you with loyal NOOK readers in the U.S. at a 70% royalty. Authors can route audiobooks via Findaway or aggregators.
Consider B&N for U.S.-focused launches and audio expansion.
- Quick tactics: Clean metadata, localized pricing, and high-quality EPUB files increase conversion and merchandising chances.
- Monitor each retailer’s promo calendar and forecast revenue per platform to decide if you prioritize one place or distribute broadly.
Aggregators and distributors to expand reach without uploading everywhere
Aggregators let you push a single upload across dozens of retailers and libraries. This cuts dashboard work and opens regional markets quickly.
PublishDrive
Subscription pricing and metadata tools make PublishDrive efficient for scale. Authors keep 100% of net royalties from vendors, and the service reaches 20+ channels, 400+ stores, and thousands of libraries.
Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital distributes to major retailers and library partners. Use its Universal Book Links for cross-retailer marketing. The platform also supports print-on-demand for hybrid product lines.
Smashwords
Smashwords offers an extended retailer network, free ISBNs, and preorder capability. It’s a low-cost way to professionalize listings and build launch momentum.
IngramSpark
IngramSpark pairs global POD with ebook distribution. Expect wider bookstore reach but lower publisher take (about 40% royalty on many channels).
- Quick checklist: weigh monthly plan costs against time saved, reporting access, and extra sales potential.
- Combine an aggregator with selective direct listings for the best balance of reach and control.
Bottom line: use aggregators if you want to sell ebooks broadly without managing dozens of platforms. For authors handling many titles, this option speeds growth and centralizes marketing tools.
Subscription services for discovery, page reads, and international audiences
Subscription platforms turn steady reading into reliable payouts and expanded reach. They work well for backlist titles, series, and nonfiction that readers binge or reference.
Kobo Plus
Non‑exclusive and paying about 60%, Kobo Plus helps authors target North America and Europe. Opt in via Kobo Writing Life or an aggregator like PublishDrive for broad distribution.
Scribd & Everand
These services accept content through approved partners. Expect roughly 55% via PublishDrive and steady discovery among US and UK readers.
Storytel
Storytel pays around 50% through partners and spans 25+ markets. It’s valuable for genre fiction and nonfiction with cross-border appeal.
Regional and niche platforms
Bookmate, 24symbols, and Perlego focus on CIS, Spanish/Latin audiences, and nonfiction learners, respectively. Payouts run ~50–55% via PublishDrive.
Dreame
Dreame uses a coin/serial model with lower take (~25% via PublishDrive) but high engagement in South Asia and English-language markets.
- Strategy tip: use subscription data for release cadence, try windowing, and track uplift versus retail sales.
Direct-to-consumer ecommerce platforms to keep more control and profits
A direct storefront turns readers into repeat customers and gives you actionable data. Use owned channels when you want higher margins, full customer emails, and flexible launch options.
- Sellfy: paid plans from $19/month with 0% transaction fees, analytics, ad pixels, and secure delivery—ideal for ad-driven funnels and steady backlist sales.
- Payhip: free tier (5% fee), Plus $29/month (+2%), Pro $99/month (0%). Supports pay‑what‑you‑want, coupons, and affiliate promos for pricing tests.
- Podia: free plan (10% fee) then tiers to Shaker $89 (0%); bundles email marketing, webinars, online courses, and affiliates into one stack.
- Shopify: scalable site options (trial then low monthly plans) with apps for digital delivery, subscriptions, and email integrations as your catalog grows.
- SendOwl: plans from $39/month, secure downloads, dripped chapters, and license keys—great for serialized releases and anti‑piracy control.
- Gumroad: fastest setup with percentage fees, flexible pricing, and creator-first audience tools for quick validation.
Quick strategy: prioritize store design, checkout UX, and early email marketing. Model monthly plan fees versus percentage-based fees against expected volumes. For integration ideas and useful plugins, see ecommerce plugins.
Pricing, royalties, and transaction fees: what authors actually take home
Net income per sale often looks smaller than list price once platform cuts, delivery charges, and gateway fees are included.
Model unit economics before you pick channels. Marketplaces like Amazon, Apple, Google Play, Kobo, and B&N offer 70% royalty tiers for $2.99–$9.99, and 35% or lower under that band.
Aggregators charge either a monthly subscription (PublishDrive) or take a distributor margin (Draft2Digital, Smashwords). PublishDrive lets authors keep 100% net from vendors after the subscription.
| Channel type | Cost model | Typical take | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major marketplaces | Revenue share | Up to 70% (price band dependent) | Max reach and discoverability |
| Aggregators | Subscription or percentage | PublishDrive: 100% net (minus sub) | Scale distribution without many uploads |
| Direct storefronts | Monthly plans or percentage | 0% tx fees on paid plans (Sellfy, some Podia) | Higher margins, email capture |
| Print/POD (IngramSpark) | Per title + distribution | ~40% on many channels | Wholesale and bookstore reach |
Factor gateway transaction and payout fees (PayPal/Stripe). For lower-priced ebook products, those small fees cut margin fastest.
- Target $2.99–$9.99 for the best royalty bands.
- Run a simple P&L: units × royalty − monthly plan fee − gateway fees.
- Check subscription payouts (Kobo Plus ≈60%, Scribd ≈55%) when forecasting blended revenue.
Quarterly reviews of pricing, promos, and platform mix keep money moving to the right channels and optimize long-term sales.
Marketing tools that move ebooks: email, discounts, and on-platform promos
Editorial placements and search indexing on major stores create long-term traffic that compounds with good reviews.
Use platform-native promotions — Apple editorial features, Kobo merchandising, and Google Play indexing — to spike rank and gather reviews quickly.
On owned channels, capture email subscribers on your website and store. Send launch sequences, discounts, and cross-sells to grow lifetime value.
Deploy pixels and analytics (Sellfy, Shopify) to track ads, retarget abandoners, and improve ROAS across titles and products.
Practical playbook
- Offer limited discounts and coordinated price pulsing across channels with clear urgency.
- Set up an affiliate program (Payhip, Podia, Gumroad) with unique codes for partners.
- Use Draft2Digital UBLs so readers land at their preferred retailer and conversion improves.
- Bundle ebook, audiobook, and workbook bonuses to lift average order value.
- Run courses or webinars (Podia) as content marketing funnels that feed your list.
| Tool | Primary use | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Apple editorial | Visibility & features | Rank spike, sustained traffic |
| Sellfy pixels | Attribution & retargeting | Higher ad efficiency |
| Payhip affiliates | Partner-driven promotions | New audience reach |
File formats, delivery, and DRM: EPUB/MOBI, secure downloads, and reader experience
Choose EPUB first. It gives the broadest compatibility across Apple Books, Kobo, and most platforms. Validate files with retailer checkers to catch layout or TOC errors that hurt reviews and sales.
Amazon accepts Word and PDF and converts them, but a native EPUB prevents odd typography and image issues. Use PublishDrive or similar tools for clean EPUB/MOBI conversions when you distribute widely.
Keep file sizes small. Amazon deducts delivery costs for 70% listings, so compress images without harming readability. Include internal links and an email signup inside the book to grow your owned audience.
- Secure delivery: use expiring links, limited attempts, and watermarking on direct products to reduce piracy without blocking readers.
- DRM trade-offs: platform DRM can deter casual copying but may frustrate customers; consider watermarking plus clear customer education.
- Test devices: check Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo for typography, images, and TOC navigation.
Maintain version control and push updates across retailers and your store quickly. For serialized work, tools like SendOwl support dripped chapters and steady reader engagement.
Matching platforms to your audience, genre, and business model
Match platform strengths with reader habits and genre norms to maximize conversions. Start by mapping your audience, device use, and launch goals. That will guide whether you prioritize marketplaces, subscriptions, or a direct store.
Genre matters: serialized romance and fantasy often perform best in subscription and serial platforms like Dreame or Kobo Plus. Nonfiction and academic work find traction on Perlego and Apple Books, which index content well.
If your audience reads primarily on phones, prioritize Apple Books and Google Play for frictionless purchases. For global reach, use Kobo Writing Life and Storytel for Nordic and European markets.
- Course-driven businesses: integrate ebooks with online courses on Podia or Shopify apps for higher margins.
- Control and data: lead with a direct store (Sellfy/Payhip) and layer marketplaces for discovery.
- Backlists: aggregators save time while you keep strategic direct listings.
| Goal | Best platform mix | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile-first audience | Apple Books + Google Play | Native device discovery and easy purchases |
| Serialized fiction | Dreame + Kobo Plus | Subscription models drive engagement |
| Nonfiction/academic | Perlego + Apple | Search visibility and library-like access |
| Full control & data | Sellfy/Shopify + selective marketplaces | Higher margins and customer emails |
Test exclusive vs. wide, watch transaction and plan costs, and reassess each quarter. Use analytics to see which option earns the most money for each product and audience segment.
Hybrid strategy: sell direct to your list and list on marketplaces for discovery
Use your own storefront as the sales hub, and let marketplaces drive discovery and algorithmic traffic.
Marketplaces like Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo, and B&N attract new readers and boost visibility. List there for algorithmic lift and wide reach.
Direct stores (Sellfy, Payhip, Podia, Shopify) keep more profit and give you customer email addresses. Use email marketing to nurture buyers, launch titles, and cross-sell related digital products.
- List-first tactics: prelaunch on your website for loyal subscribers, then expand to marketplaces for wider exposure.
- Incentives: offer list-exclusive bundles, bonuses, or early access on your website to move sales into high-margin channels.
- Affiliate growth: recruit reviewers and creators, track performance, and pay affiliates promptly to scale reach.
- Monitor costs: compare marketplace fees and transaction fees with your monthly plan costs; shift promotion where margins are strongest.
- Operational discipline: keep UX fast, secure checkout, clear policies, and consistent branding across platforms and your website.
Monthly reporting lets you see which channels earn the most money. Reinvest where ROI is highest and prune platforms that underperform. This hybrid plan balances discovery with sustained, profitable sales.
Step-by-step: how to start selling ebooks online today
Start by turning your manuscript into a launch-ready product with clear steps and measurable milestones. This short plan moves you from clean manuscript to a staged launch that captures revenue and reader data.
Production and distribution checklist
- Finalize manuscript & design. Invest in professional editing and a cover that lifts CTR across marketplaces and your store.
- Format and validate. Convert to clean EPUB, verify the TOC, and use PublishDrive or an EPUB checker for compliance.
- Metadata. Write a search-optimized title, subtitle, keywords, and category tags for Apple and Google indexing.
- Pricing plan. Align prices with KDP 70% bands, set regional rates, and schedule promos.
- Distribution mix. List directly at key retailers, use an aggregator for breadth, and open a direct store for high-margin products.
- Delivery & security. Configure SendOwl or Sellfy/Payhip for expiring links, drip chapters, and secure fulfillment.
- Audience build. Grow your email list, run ARC outreach, and sequence launches for your list first.
- Marketing assets. Create UBL links, install tracking pixels, and set up affiliates and analytics; see creative pins integration here: sell on Pinterest.
- Staged launch. Sell direct to your list first, then roll out marketplaces and apply for on-platform promos.
- Iterate. Monitor sales, reviews, and transaction reports; tweak cover, description, and pricing and plan your next release.
| Step | Primary tool | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Format & validate | PublishDrive / EPUB checker | Retailer compliance |
| Delivery | SendOwl / Sellfy | Secure fulfillment |
| Marketing | Payhip / Podia | Email & affiliates |
Where to sell my ebooks online: curated picks by use case
Match distribution choices to your release plan: wide reach for discovery, direct stores for higher per-sale returns. This short guide gives three clear options so you can pick the right mix fast.
Maximum reach: PublishDrive plus major retailers
Use PublishDrive if you want broad syndication. Its subscription model opens 20+ channels and library access while authors keep 100% net from vendors.
Layer direct listings at Amazon, Apple, Google Play, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble for promo controls that aggregators can’t offer.
Highest control and margins: Sellfy, Payhip, or Shopify
Direct stores keep more per sale. Sellfy offers 0% transaction fees on paid plans. Payhip ranges 0–5% by plan. Shopify scales via apps for delivery and analytics.
Build on a store when you prioritize email capture, coupons, and higher average order value with bundles or box sets.
Subscription discovery boost: Kobo Plus, Scribd/Everand, Storytel
Enroll select titles in subscription services to expand audience reach. Kobo Plus pays roughly 60%, while Scribd/Everand average ≈55% via PublishDrive and Storytel ≈50% via partners.
Use these platforms for bingeable series, then upsell sequels and boxed bundles on your store.
- Rapid setup: Gumroad or Payhip validate demand fast before investing in a full site.
- Print + ebook: IngramSpark adds POD reach for nonfiction and giftable titles.
- Library reach: Draft2Digital and PublishDrive open steady library channels.
- Royalty focus: Aim for 70% pricing bands and promote direct-store purchases when margins matter most.
- Data-first: install pixels, use UBL links, and track attribution so you can reallocate spend to top performers.
| Use case | Primary pick | Key benefit | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum reach | PublishDrive + major retailers | Wide channel & library distribution; 100% net from vendors | Subscription |
| Highest margins | Sellfy / Shopify / Payhip | 0% tx fees on paid plans; email capture & control | Monthly plan ± small gateway fees |
| Subscription discovery | Kobo Plus, Scribd, Storytel | High-engagement discovery and steady reads | Payout share (~50–60%) |
| Quick validation | Gumroad / Payhip | Fast setup, low friction for market testing | Percentage fee or low plan |
Your next move: choose the right mix of platforms and start earning
Combine a fast, mobile storefront with a targeted marketplace mix to optimize revenue and audience growth. Keep your store for high-margin sales and layer retailers for algorithmic discovery.
Set a simple 90‑day plan: one release or relaunch, two promo pulses, and steady list growth each month. Pick fee structures that match your stage and move up to 0% transaction plans as volume justifies fixed costs.
Build the marketing foundation: email, pixels, and an affiliate program so every launch strengthens your business. Add courses or bundles as digital products to lift lifetime value.
Track KPIs weekly — units, revenue, AOV, refund rate, list growth — and iterate. Millions of readers use Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Kobo, and B&N; show up there, then bring them home to your storefront and keep the money.
