KDP is strongest where Amazon controls the shop. IngramSpark is built to feed a wider book-trade network. The useful question is not which company is “best”, but which route gives a particular edition the availability, margin, control and risk profile it needs.
Many independent publishers use KDP for Kindle and Amazon-facing print, then IngramSpark for wider print distribution. That can be sensible. It can also become a mess if ISBNs, territories, discounts, returns and files are duplicated without a plan.
Start by separating the jobs
Amazon KDP
KDP publishes Kindle ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks and hardbacks into Amazon marketplaces. It offers direct control of the Amazon listing, preview tools, proof and author copies, pricing controls and sales reporting. KDP print can also use Expanded Distribution, but eligibility and reach differ by marketplace and format.
KDP Select is a separate, optional programme for Kindle ebooks. It provides access to Kindle Unlimited and promotional tools, but it requires digital exclusivity during the enrolment period. The print edition may still be sold elsewhere. Authors should read the current KDP Select terms and benefits before treating Kindle Unlimited as a harmless extra.
IngramSpark
IngramSpark supplies print-on-demand and distribution through Ingram’s trade network. Its official distribution page lists access to more than 45,000 retailers, libraries, universities and other outlets. That means an eligible book can be ordered through participating channels. It does not mean those outlets will stock, display or promote it.
Distribution creates availability. Marketing creates a reason to order. The first never guarantees the second.
KDP and IngramSpark compared
| Decision | KDP | IngramSpark |
|---|---|---|
| Kindle ebook | Direct route; Select is optional and exclusive | Not needed for the Amazon-only Kindle route |
| Amazon print fulfilment | Usually the cleanest direct route | Can feed Amazon through Ingram, but listing behaviour is controlled by retailers |
| Wider print availability | Expanded Distribution may help eligible paperbacks | Core strength: broad trade and library ordering network |
| Own imprint | Use an ISBN registered to the publisher; free KDP ISBN displays “Independently published” | Use the publisher’s correctly registered ISBN |
| Wholesale discount | Platform formula; fewer trade controls | Publisher sets available trade discount within current platform options |
| Returns | No equivalent publisher-selected trade return programme for KDP direct retail | Publisher chooses return status and accepts the financial risk |
| Print choices | Good standard POD formats | Useful range of formats, bindings, trim and distribution options |
| Account purpose | Amazon retail and Kindle management | Publisher-style distribution and print management |
Platform specifications and fees change. Build the plan from the current calculators and help pages, not from an old video or a royalty screenshot posted in a forum.
Using both without creating duplicate editions
A common print strategy is to use the same publisher-owned ISBN for the same paperback edition on KDP and IngramSpark, with KDP serving Amazon and Ingram serving wider distribution. The files, title, subtitle, contributor names, trim size, publication date and imprint should match. If the physical product is materially different, it is a different edition and should be identified accordingly.
Free platform ISBNs reduce setup cost but limit portability and imprint presentation. KDP states that a free KDP ISBN carries the imprint “Independently published”. A publisher building a catalogue should normally understand and control its own ISBN allocation before uploading.
For ebooks, do not confuse KDP availability with KDP Select exclusivity. A Kindle ebook that is not enrolled in Select can generally be distributed to other ebook retailers, subject to the platform terms and the publisher’s rights. A Select-enrolled digital edition cannot simply be offered through other retailers or from the author’s website during the exclusivity period.
Bookshop terms: discount, returns and risk
Bookshops buy at a trade discount so they have room to operate. They also work in a returns culture. IngramSpark allows a publisher to choose wholesale terms and whether books are returnable. More attractive trade terms may make ordering easier, but they reduce the publisher’s compensation and increase exposure.
A returnable book can come back unsold. The publisher may be charged the wholesale cost and, depending on the selected option, shipping or destruction fees. IngramSpark’s own returns explanation shows how quickly the liability can become real. Do not select “returnable” because it looks professional. Model the worst credible return before accepting the risk.
Before offering trade-friendly terms
- Calculate print cost, retailer discount and publisher compensation in each market.
- Check whether the retail price still fits comparable books.
- Set a cash reserve for returns.
- Know whether returned copies will be delivered or destroyed.
- Confirm that there is actual bookshop demand, outreach or local relevance.
- Review terms after the launch rather than forgetting them permanently.
Which route fits the book?
| Publishing situation | Sensible starting route | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| First ebook with no trade plan | KDP, without Select unless exclusivity is intentional | Simple Amazon access while the author learns the market |
| Amazon-led paperback | KDP print | Direct Amazon fulfilment and easier listing control |
| Paperback intended for UK bookshop ordering | Publisher ISBN, KDP for Amazon, IngramSpark for wider trade | Each platform serves its stronger channel |
| Local-author campaign with bookshop interest | IngramSpark with carefully modelled terms, plus direct event stock | Trade ordering and local hand-selling can work together |
| Illustrated colour book | Price and proof both platforms before deciding | Colour POD economics may force a different format or print method |
| Publisher building several formats | Own ISBN allocation and a documented channel map | Consistency and long-term control matter more as the catalogue grows |
A clean dual-platform workflow
- Define the editions. List ebook, paperback, hardback and audio separately. Record the ISBN or identifier, trim, binding and market for each.
- Complete the metadata master. Freeze title, subtitle, contributor names, imprint, description, subjects, price and publication date.
- Prepare platform-ready files. Do not assume one cover PDF or interior file meets both sets of specifications.
- Upload and proof. Use digital previewers, then order physical proofs. Check spine, margins, black density, image quality and metadata on the product page.
- Publish the Amazon route. KDP is commonly made live first so Amazon has a direct supply path.
- Enable Ingram distribution. Use the matching publisher ISBN and metadata for the same edition, without KDP Expanded Distribution.
- Inspect retailer records. Data feeds take time and retailers decide how records appear. Log errors and correct them at the source.
- Monitor margin and returns. Treat the distribution setup as an operating system, not a one-time upload.
The correct answer may be KDP, IngramSpark, both, or neither for a particular format. Offset printing, short-run digital printing, direct fulfilment and specialist distributors still exist. The book’s physical specification, audience and sales method should decide the route.
Official platform references
- Amazon KDP: ISBNs and imprint names
- Amazon KDP: KDP Select
- IngramSpark: Global book distribution
- IngramSpark: Availability is not guaranteed ordering
Platform rules, fees, print options and retailer relationships change. Check the live terms before each publication.