Guide for authors
KDP vs IngramSpark: which should UK authors use?
Updated September 2026
The short answer: Use Amazon KDP to sell on Amazon, because it pays the most per copy there. Use IngramSpark to reach UK bookshops and libraries through Gardners. Most professionally published books use both, with KDP’s Expanded Distribution switched off.
What each platform does
Amazon KDP prints and sells your paperback, hardback and Kindle ebook on Amazon. It costs nothing to set up and pays monthly.
IngramSpark is the self-publishing arm of Ingram, the world’s largest book distributor. In the UK its catalogue feeds Gardners, the wholesaler that supplies most bookshops and libraries. That is how an independently published book becomes something Waterstones or your local library can order.
Royalties compared
KDP paperbacks pay up to 60% of the list price minus the printing cost on Amazon sales, with a lower rate below certain price points. Kindle ebooks pay 70% within a set price band.
IngramSpark works differently: you set a wholesale discount for retailers, and you receive the list price minus that discount, minus printing, minus a small market access fee (1.875% from February 2026). Bookshops generally expect a 55% discount and the option to return unsold copies.
Here is a worked example for a 300-page, black-and-white paperback priced at £9.99, with printing of roughly £3.85:
| Route | Roughly what you earn per copy |
|---|---|
| KDP, sold on Amazon | About £2.10 |
| KDP Expanded Distribution | Close to nothing at this price |
| IngramSpark at a 55% bookshop discount | Well under £1 at this price |
That is why books meant for bookshops are usually priced a little higher, and why the platform choice should follow your goals, not just the royalty rate.
The Expanded Distribution trap
KDP offers a tick box called Expanded Distribution that makes your paperback available beyond Amazon. It pays a lower rate, it does not let bookshops return unsold copies, and if you tick it, it can stop you using the same ISBN on IngramSpark. If you plan to use IngramSpark for bookshops, leave it unticked.
Which should you use?
- Selling mainly online, especially ebooks: KDP alone is simple and pays well.
- Want bookshops, libraries or institutions to stock you: add IngramSpark, set a trade discount and consider returns.
- Want a hardback with a wide choice of sizes and finishes: IngramSpark offers more options.
- Want the best of both: KDP for Amazon, IngramSpark for everywhere else, one set of ISBNs you own or your publisher owns.
How Schribe handles it
Our Essentials package publishes through Amazon KDP. Complete and Transchribe add IngramSpark and Gardners for bookshop and library reach, with hardback included. Files are checked against each platform’s specification before upload, so they pass first time.
Want it done properly, without the guesswork?
Schribe publishes books to trade standard at fixed, published prices from £995. You keep your copyright and every penny of royalties.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same ISBN on KDP and IngramSpark?
Yes, as long as you use your own ISBN (or your publisher’s) and leave KDP’s Expanded Distribution switched off. A free KDP ISBN can only be used on Amazon.
Does IngramSpark get my book into Waterstones?
It makes your book available to order through Gardners, which supplies most UK bookshops and libraries. Whether a shop stocks it on the shelf is up to the shop.
Which pays more, KDP or IngramSpark?
Per copy, KDP usually pays more on Amazon sales. IngramSpark pays less per copy but reaches bookshops and libraries that KDP cannot reliably reach.