KDP vs IngramSpark: Where Should Your Print Book Live?

For ebooks, the self-publishing choices are about retailers and aggregators. For print, the big decision is usually KDP versus IngramSpark. They aren't simply rivals: they reach different buyers and work well together. This guide compares them in detail, with 2026 terms and worked examples.

KDP Print and IngramSpark at a glance

Checked September 2026; sources at the end of this guide.

How KDP Print pays

On Amazon.com, KDP pays 60% of your list price minus the printing cost for paperbacks priced at $9.99 or more, and 50% below that. KDP's own example: a $15 book with 333 pages in black ink earns (0.60 × $15) minus $5.00 printing, or $4.00 a copy.

If you turn on Expanded Distribution, copies sold through other channels pay 40% of list price minus printing. For many books, that leaves very little per copy.

How IngramSpark pays

IngramSpark works like the traditional book trade. You choose a wholesale discount, the share retailers keep. You earn roughly: list price minus the discount, minus printing, minus the market access fee.

An industry example for a 200-page, 6 by 9 inch paperback at $16.99 with a 55% discount puts author earnings at about $3.08 a copy in 2026. A lower discount pays more per copy but makes bookshops less willing to stock the book.

Worked example: the same paperback on both

Take a paperback with a $5.00 printing cost, priced at $16.99.

Illustrative figures using the same printing cost for comparison; real printing costs differ between printers and books.

Reach: where each gets your book

KDP Print puts your book on Amazon, where a large share of print books are bought online. It rarely gets books into physical bookshops, which usually order through distributors.

IngramSpark lists your book in the catalogs bookshops and libraries use. That doesn't guarantee a shop will stock it, but it makes ordering possible, which matters for local events, signings, school visits and library requests.

Returns: the bookshop question

Bookshops expect to return unsold stock. IngramSpark lets you choose whether to accept returns. Accepting makes shops more willing to stock your book, but you pay for returned copies. Declining protects you, but many shops won't order non-returnable books.

KDP Print doesn't involve returns, because copies are printed after a customer buys.

Formats and quality

Both print good-quality paperbacks and hardcovers. IngramSpark generally offers more choice of trim sizes, paper and binding, including jacketed hardcovers, which suit some non-fiction and gift books. Always order a proof from each printer, as colours and paper can differ slightly.

See paperback and hardcover trim sizes and print margins and gutters for file preparation.

ISBNs: the detail that trips people up

KDP offers a free ISBN, but it can be used only on KDP. If you want the same edition on IngramSpark, you need an ISBN you own, bought from your country's ISBN agency. Most authors who use both buy their own ISBNs and use the same one for the edition on both platforms. See do you need an ISBN?

Using KDP and IngramSpark together

1. Buy your own ISBNfor the paperback (and a separate one for the hardcover).
2. Publish on KDP Printwith that ISBN, and turn off Expanded Distribution.
3. Publish on IngramSparkwith the same ISBN, and choose your wholesale discount and returns setting.
4. Keep list prices consistentbetween the two.
5. Order proofs from bothand check covers, spines and margins.

With this setup, Amazon orders go through KDP at its higher rate, and everyone else orders through Ingram.

Hardcovers

Hardcovers cost more to print on every platform, and costs rose in 2026, especially for jacketed editions. Get quotes on both platforms for your page count before setting a price, and make sure every channel still earns you something after printing and discounts.

Speed and ease of use

KDP is known for a simple, fast setup, with books usually live within days. IngramSpark's interface has historically been considered more complex, and its extra options take longer to understand, though removing setup and revision fees has made experimenting easier.

Author copies

Both let you order author copies at printing cost plus shipping, for events, reviewers and gifts. Compare printing and shipping costs for your book and location; for large orders, the difference can be significant.

Pricing a print book for both platforms

One list price has to work on Amazon and across the trade. A few rules of thumb:

• Start from similar books. Readers compare your paperback with others in the genre, not with your costs.
• Check the Amazon threshold. On Amazon.com, $9.99 and above earns 60% instead of 50%.
• Work back from the wholesale discount. If you offer bookshops 40% or more, make sure the remainder still covers printing and leaves you something.
• Price hardcovers separately. They cost more to print and are often bought as gifts, so they can carry a higher price.

Libraries in more detail

Libraries buy through library suppliers, many of which source from Ingram. Listing through IngramSpark makes your book available to them, and readers can request it. Local libraries are often happy to consider books by local authors, especially if you can point to events, reviews or local interest.

Selling at events

For fairs, signings and talks, you usually buy author copies at printing cost plus shipping and sell them in person. Order early, as shipping can take time, and bring a card reader. Both KDP and IngramSpark offer author copies; compare the total cost, including shipping, for your book and location.

A print launch timeline

Where a direct store fits

Neither KDP nor IngramSpark pays much per copy compared with selling print directly. Selling from your own store means no retailer discount, so more of each sale is yours.

Which should you choose?

Common mistakes

• Using KDP's free ISBN and then wanting the same edition on IngramSpark.
• Leaving Expanded Distribution on while also using IngramSpark, creating overlap.
• Setting a high wholesale discount without needing bookshop placement, and earning very little per copy.
• Accepting returns casually, then paying for a box of returned books.
• Skipping proofs and discovering spine or colour problems after launch.

Who each suits

KDP Print suits genre fiction authors, authors whose readers shop on Amazon, and anyone who wants the simplest possible print setup.

IngramSpark suits non-fiction authors, local-interest and children's books, authors who do school and library visits, small presses, and anyone who wants their book orderable by any bookshop.

A direct store suits authors with readers who follow them, and anyone selling print at events or through a newsletter.

A simple decision path

1. Do you need bookshops or libraries? If no, KDP Print is probably enough.
2. If yes, add IngramSpark with your own ISBN.
3. Do you sell print at events or to your own readers? Add a direct store for the best margin.

Sources

Checked September 2026: KDP paperback royalty; Bublish on IngramSpark's 2026 changes; IngramSpark pricing overview (Automateed).

In short

KDP Print and IngramSpark serve different buyers. Use KDP Print for Amazon, where it pays more and is simpler; add IngramSpark if bookshops and libraries matter to you; and sell print directly on a store like BooksOasis to keep the most from every copy you sell to your own readers.