What Are The Best Platforms To Sell An Ebook Online?

I've been self-publishing my fantasy ebooks for years, and I swear by Amazon KDP as the best platform. Their reach is massive, and the royalty rates are decent if you price your book right. The interface is super user-friendly, even for tech newbies like me. I also love how they handle everything from sales to taxes in most countries. Draft2Digital is another solid choice for distribution to smaller platforms like Apple Books and Kobo without the hassle of uploading separately. Smashwords is great if you write niche genres since their audience actively seeks indie authors. Just avoid relying solely on one platform – diversification is key in this game.

For those who want control, selling directly via Payhip or Gumroad lets you keep more profits and build an email list. I use Payhip for my website because it integrates smoothly with Discord communities where I engage my readers. The downside is you have to handle all the marketing yourself, but the 90% profit margin makes it worth the effort for established authors.

As someone who's experimented with every major ebook platform, I can break down the pros and cons from both a business and creative perspective. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing dominates the market, offering 70% royalties for books priced between $2.99-$9.99. Their exclusivity program (KDP Select) gives perks like Kindle Unlimited borrows, but requires you to avoid other platforms for 90 days. For wide distribution, I recommend aggregators like PublishDrive which can get your ebook into 400+ stores globally, including tricky markets like China's Dangdang.

Apple Books has the cleanest reading experience in my opinion, and they pay higher royalties (70%) across all price points unlike Amazon. Their algorithm seems to favor literary fiction and poetry. Kobo Writing Life is fantastic for reaching Canadian and European audiences, plus they have cool promotional tools like price matching. For romance or erotica authors, Smashwords' meatgrinder converter creates decent EPUB files while giving access to libraries via OverDrive.

The new player worth watching is Payhip – their built-in coupon system and instant payouts (no 60-day wait like Amazon) are game-changers. I've moved most of my backlist there because they allow direct reader relationships through integrated mailing lists. Whatever you choose, remember metadata optimization matters more than the platform itself – a bad blurb will sink your book anywhere.

From my experience helping indie authors market their work, the best platform depends on your goals. If you want maximum visibility, go with Amazon KDP – nothing beats their algorithm for discoverability. Their paperback option through CreateSpace is a nice bonus too. For authors who hate Amazon's monopoly, Draft2Digital provides a stress-free way to reach multiple stores while formatting your manuscript beautifully automatically.

I always suggest new authors try Kobo Writing Life alongside Amazon because their promotions team actually handpicks books for featuring. Got two of my clients' fantasy novels spotlighted on Kobo's homepage last year. For nonfiction or academic works, Google Play Books has better search integration than people realize. Their 70% royalty applies to all price points worldwide, which Amazon doesn't offer.

Don't overlook smaller platforms either. StreetLib excels for European language publishing, while XinXii handles German markets well. The key is tracking where your specific genre performs best – my paranormal romance sells triple on Apple Books compared to B&N Press for some reason. Always check competitor books' sales ranks across platforms before deciding.