IngramSpark vs Amazon KDP (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Amazon KDP grades higher than IngramSpark: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Amazon KDP grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
IngramSpark
Print-on-demand and wholesale distribution for self-published books
Amazon KDP
Amazon's free self-publishing for ebooks and print-on-demand books
Which one is for you
Pick IngramSpark if
- Fits if you want your book listed with bookstores and libraries, not only online
- Works for authors who already have print-ready files and an ISBN
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need an ISBN: IngramSpark sells one for $85 in the US, per format
- Watch out: you decide whether retailers can return the books, and that choice is yours to carry
- Skip it if you use KDP's Expanded Distribution, because IngramSpark says not to use both for the same title
- Not for you if you want a trial or a free plan, as each copy printed costs money
Pick Amazon KDP if
- Fits if you want to publish on Amazon with no upfront cost
- Makes sense if you sell mainly ebooks and want a 70% royalty option
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: Expanded Distribution pays 40% of list price minus printing cost, and royalties arrive about 30 days after the month ends
- Tight if you price low: a minimum list price applies so the royalty covers printing
- Not for you if you want per-page-read income without KDP Select, as Kindle+ needs ebook enrolment
- Skip it if you also use IngramSpark, as the two should not both distribute the same title
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAIngramSparkFair | 2.4GPAAmazon KDPFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNothing to join, then a printing cost per copy: the discounts page gives $4.17 for a 200-page 6 x 9 black-and-white paperback at 0 to 99 copies. An ISBN is $85 in the US unless you bring your own. | CNo fee, but Amazon's cut is the price: up to 70% on ebooks and 60% on print, with the printing cost taken off. Its own example is $5.00 for a 333-page black-and-white paperback. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo cost to sign up or upload a book, but every copy you order is paid for, and there is no trial. | BJoining and publishing are free, with no trial needed, and one author could live on that. The costs come out of each sale. |
| Features | BHardcover and paperback printing, ebook conversion, a book-building tool, bulk discounts and a print-and-ship calculator, with global wholesale distribution. Nothing on the listing is missing for the job. | BEbooks, paperbacks and hardcovers, a royalty calculator, KDP Select and Expanded Distribution. The listing shows no gap in the core job of publishing a book. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You prepare files, buy or supply an ISBN and set returns yourself. | CNo store rating on record. You still format the manuscript and cover and set prices that clear the minimum. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, and no API or integrations on the listing. | CWeb only, with no API or integrations on the listing. |
| Best for | getting self-published books into bookstores and libraries | publishing ebooks and paperbacks on Amazon |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: IngramSpark and Amazon KDP. How we grade
Price against what you get
IngramSpark has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Amazon KDP has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other print-on-demand and dropshipping services on the chart, none scores higher than IngramSpark for less, and none scores higher than Amazon KDP for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Amazon KDP also covers amazon selling.
At a glance
| IngramSpark | Amazon KDP | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | No cost to create an account or set up a new book. You pay printing costs per copy, and ebooks earn an 85% share of net revenue. | Free to join and publish. Amazon pays a royalty on each sale: up to 70% on ebooks and up to 60% on print books, with printing cost deducted on print. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Lightning Source LLC (Ingram Content Group) | Amazon |
| Price read from | ingramspark.com | kdp.amazon.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
IngramSpark
- Distribution needs an ISBN for each format: IngramSpark sells one for $85 in the US, gives a free non-transferable one it owns, or you buy your own.
- Example printing cost from the discounts page: $4.17 per copy for a 200-page 6 x 9 inch black-and-white paperback at 0 to 99 copies.
- Publishers decide whether their books are returnable by retailers.
- IngramSpark says a title in KDP should not use KDP's Expanded Distribution if it is also distributed through IngramSpark.
Amazon KDP
- Printing cost comes off each print sale: KDP's own example is $5.00 for a 333-page black-ink paperback sold on the US marketplace.
- Sales through Expanded Distribution pay a lower 40% rate, and those royalties appear about 30 days after the month ends.
- A minimum list price applies so that the royalty always covers printing cost.
- Per-page-read royalties through Kindle+ require enrolling the ebook in KDP Select.
Key features
IngramSpark
- Global book distribution
- Books enabled for distribution are listed through a network of bookstores, libraries and online retailers via a metadata feed. IngramSpark says retail listings take 2 to 6 weeks to appear.
- Hardcover and paperback on demand
- Print books are made when ordered. Publishers can also order copies of their own book directly from their account.
- Print and ship calculator
- A calculator shows print and shipping cost for a book, and a compensation calculator shows what each print sale earns.
- Bulk print discounts
- Print orders of 100 or more copies get a discount, from 2% at 100 to 299 copies up to 35% over 10,000 copies, according to the discounts page.
- Book-building tool
- A free tool creates print-ready files and ebooks. IngramSpark says it does not offer editing, typesetting or design services itself.
- Ebook conversion
- A print book can be converted to an ebook for $0.60 per page.
Amazon KDP
- Ebooks and print books
- One account publishes Kindle ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers, and KDP says books appear on Amazon stores in more than 10 countries within 72 hours.
- Printed when ordered
- Paperbacks and hardcovers are printed when a customer orders them and shipped by Amazon, so there is no inventory to hold.
- Royalty options
- Ebooks offer a 70% or 35% royalty depending on content and country. Paperbacks pay 50% or 60% of list price, set by price and marketplace, less printing cost.
- Printing cost and royalty calculator
- KDP provides a calculator for estimating printing cost and royalty. Printing cost depends on the marketplace, page count and ink type, not on trim size or cover finish.
- KDP Select
- Enrolling an ebook in KDP Select makes it eligible for Kindle+ and earns royalties for pages read.
- Expanded Distribution
- Paperbacks can be offered through other channels, with a royalty of 40% of the list price in that channel minus printing cost. Japanese-language paperbacks cannot join.
Plans
IngramSpark
Free account$0
No cost to sign up or upload a print book or ebook. Print cost is charged per copy, and ebooks pay 85% of the net revenue IngramSpark receives.
Amazon KDP
KDP (royalty-based)$0
No fee to publish. Ebooks earn a 70% or 35% royalty; paperbacks earn 50% or 60% of the list price minus printing cost, and 40% minus printing cost through Expanded Distribution.
Ways to pay less
IngramSpark
- Other savings
Bulk print discounts from 100 copies
Print orders of 100 or more books get a discount that grows with quantity, from 2% at 100 to 299 copies up to 35% over 10,000 copies.
Amazon KDP
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, IngramSpark or Amazon KDP?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both IngramSpark and Amazon KDP are free to use.
Which has a free plan, IngramSpark or Amazon KDP?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both IngramSpark and Amazon KDP have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.