KDP Amazon is the free self-publishing platform that puts your book in front of millions of readers worldwide. You can publish an ebook, paperback, or hardcover — with no upfront cost, no inventory to manage, and royalties up to 70% on every sale.
This guide covers everything you need to know about Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing: how it works, what you earn, how to set up your account, and how to get your book published step by step.
What Is KDP Amazon?
KDP stands for Kindle Direct Publishing. It is Amazon’s self-publishing platform, launched in 2007 alongside the first Kindle device. It lets anyone publish a book and sell it through Amazon’s store — no literary agent, publisher, or upfront investment required.
Amazon dominates the book market. According to WordsRated, over 1.4 million self-published books are released on Amazon every year, and roughly 90% of self-published authors use KDP as their primary distribution platform. That makes it the single most important platform for independent authors.
KDP supports three formats:
- Kindle ebooks — Digital books readers buy and download instantly
- Paperback books — Print-on-demand physical copies (Amazon prints each copy when it sells)
- Hardcover books — Premium print-on-demand editions with case laminate covers
You publish once, and Amazon handles printing, shipping, and customer service. You collect royalties every month.
How Much Does KDP Amazon Cost?
Nothing. KDP is completely free to use. There are no setup fees, no listing fees, and no subscription charges.
Amazon makes its money by taking a percentage of each sale. For print books, they also deduct the printing cost before calculating your royalty. But the act of publishing — creating your account, uploading files, listing your book — costs zero dollars.
The only costs you might incur are the ones you choose:
| Expense | Required? | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| KDP account | Yes | Free |
| Manuscript formatting | Optional | $0-$200 |
| Professional cover design | Optional | $100-$500 |
| Professional editing | Optional | $300-$2,000 |
| ISBN | Optional | Free from KDP |
| AI writing software | Optional | $97 one-time (Chapter.pub) |
You can publish a book on KDP for literally zero dollars if you write, format, and design the cover yourself. Most successful authors invest in at least a professional cover, since it directly impacts sales.
For a full cost breakdown, see our guide on Amazon self-publishing costs.
KDP Amazon Royalty Rates
Your earnings depend on the format and the price you set. Here is the current royalty structure:
Ebook Royalties
| Royalty Option | Your Share | Price Range | Delivery Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70% royalty | 70% of list price | $2.99-$9.99 | Deducted per MB |
| 35% royalty | 35% of list price | $0.99-$200 | None |
Most authors choose the 70% option and price their ebooks between $2.99 and $9.99. The delivery cost on the 70% tier is small — typically a few cents per sale for a standard-length book.
Print Book Royalties
Since June 2025, Amazon uses tiered print royalties:
| List Price | Royalty Rate |
|---|---|
| $9.99 / £7.99 and above | 60% |
| Below $9.99 / £7.99 | 50% |
Your actual earnings per sale are calculated as: (List Price x Royalty Rate) - Printing Cost = Your Royalty.
Printing costs vary based on page count, ink type (black-and-white vs. color), and marketplace. A 200-page black-and-white paperback typically costs around $2.50-$3.50 to print.
Real Earnings Examples
Here is what you might actually earn per sale:
| Format | List Price | Royalty Rate | Printing Cost | Your Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebook | $4.99 | 70% | ~$0.05 delivery | ~$3.44 |
| Ebook | $9.99 | 70% | ~$0.05 delivery | ~$6.94 |
| Paperback (200 pages) | $14.99 | 60% | ~$3.00 | ~$5.99 |
| Hardcover (200 pages) | $24.99 | 60% | ~$7.50 | ~$7.49 |
KDP pays royalties monthly, approximately 60 days after the end of the month in which the sale occurred. Payments go directly to your bank account.
How to Publish on KDP Amazon: Step by Step
Step 1: Create Your KDP Account
Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account or create a new one. Complete your account setup by providing:
- Your legal name or business name
- Address and phone number
- Bank account details for royalty payments
- Tax information (W-9 for US authors, W-8BEN for international)
The tax interview takes about five minutes. You will not receive royalty payments until this is completed.
Step 2: Write and Prepare Your Manuscript
Your manuscript needs to be finished, edited, and formatted before you upload it to KDP. Amazon accepts these file types:
- For ebooks: EPUB, DOCX, or KPF (Kindle Package Format via Kindle Create)
- For paperbacks and hardcovers: PDF (print-ready) or DOCX
Formatting matters. Ebook manuscripts need to be reflowable (text adjusts to the reader’s screen size and font preferences). Print manuscripts need proper margins, trim size settings, and bleed if your design extends to the page edge.
Our Pick — Chapter
Chapter.pub is an AI book writing platform that helps you write, structure, and format your manuscript from outline to finished draft. Over 2,147 authors have used it to create more than 5,000 books — and it exports clean files ready for KDP upload.
Best for: Authors who want to go from idea to formatted manuscript faster Pricing: $97 one-time (nonfiction) Why we built it: Most authors stall between “I have an idea” and “I have a manuscript.” Chapter bridges that gap.
If you already have a completed manuscript, Amazon’s free Kindle Create tool can help you format it for Kindle ebooks.
Step 3: Design Your Book Cover
Your cover is the single most important marketing asset your book has. On Amazon, it is the first thing readers see — and it determines whether they click on your listing.
KDP cover requirements:
- Ebook: Minimum 625 x 1000 pixels, recommended 2,560 x 1,600 pixels, JPEG or TIFF
- Paperback/Hardcover: Full cover (front + spine + back), PDF format, dimensions based on your trim size and page count
KDP provides a Cover Calculator that generates a template with the exact dimensions for your print cover, including spine width based on your page count.
Options for getting a cover:
- DIY with Canva — Free, decent for simple designs
- Hire a designer — $100-$500 for a professional cover on platforms like 99designs or Reedsy
- AI cover generators — Check our list of AI book cover generators for faster options
Step 4: Set Up Your Book in KDP
Log into your KDP dashboard and click “Create New Title.” You will choose between Kindle ebook, paperback, or hardcover. You can publish all three formats under the same title.
For each format, you fill in three sections:
Book Details:
- Title and subtitle (must match your cover exactly)
- Author name
- Description (up to 4,000 characters — this is your sales page)
- Keywords (7 keyword phrases, each up to 50 characters)
- Categories (up to 3 browse categories)
Content:
- Upload your manuscript file
- Upload your cover file
- Preview your book using Amazon’s online previewer
Pricing:
- Select your royalty option (ebook only)
- Set your list price for each marketplace
- Choose your distribution territories
Take your time with the description and keywords. They directly affect whether readers find your book in Amazon search. For keyword strategy, read our guide on Amazon keywords for books.
Step 5: Preview and Publish
Before hitting publish, use KDP’s built-in previewer to check your book on different devices. Look for:
- Formatting issues (broken tables, odd spacing, missing images)
- Cover quality and readability at thumbnail size
- Table of contents functionality (ebook)
- Page numbering and margins (print)
When everything looks right, click Publish. Amazon reviews your submission — usually within 24 to 72 hours — and then your book goes live on Amazon.
You will receive an email when your book is published. Your listing may take a few additional hours to appear in Amazon search results after going live.
KDP Amazon Features You Should Know
KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited
KDP Select is an optional program that enrolls your ebook in Kindle Unlimited. Subscribers can read your book for free, and you earn royalties based on pages read from a shared fund.
The trade-off: KDP Select requires exclusivity. Your ebook cannot be sold on any other platform (Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play) for the 90-day enrollment period.
KDP Select works well for fiction authors building readership. Nonfiction authors often do better with wide distribution.
Author Central and A+ Content
Author Central is a free Amazon profile for authors. You can add your bio, photo, blog feed, and editorial reviews. It also lets you track your sales rank and reviews across all your books.
A+ Content (formerly Enhanced Brand Content) lets you add rich media — images, comparison charts, branded text blocks — to your book’s product page. It is available through Author Central and can increase conversion rates.
Print-on-Demand
KDP prints physical books only when a customer orders one. There is no minimum order, no warehouse, and no upfront printing cost. This eliminates the biggest financial risk of traditional publishing: unsold inventory.
The quality is solid. KDP uses standard industry printing and offers cream or white paper, matte or glossy covers, and multiple trim sizes from 5” x 8” to 8.5” x 11”.
ISBNs on KDP
For ebooks, you do not need an ISBN. Amazon assigns a free ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) automatically.
For print books, you have two options:
- Free KDP ISBN — Amazon provides one at no cost, but it lists “Independently Published” as the publisher
- Your own ISBN — Purchase from Bowker ($125 for one, $295 for ten) to use your own imprint name
Using your own ISBN looks more professional and gives you more control, but the free option works fine for most authors. We break it down in detail in our ISBN cost guide and free ISBN guide.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping professional editing. Readers leave one-star reviews for typos and grammar errors. At minimum, hire a proofreader before publishing.
- Uploading a low-quality cover. A homemade cover signals “amateur book.” It is the fastest way to lose potential readers, no matter how good your content is.
- Choosing broad categories. Picking “Fiction > General” puts you against millions of books. Drill into specific subcategories where you can actually rank.
- Ignoring your book description. Your description is a sales page. Write it like one — clear benefit, specific promise, compelling hook. Do not paste your table of contents.
- Pricing too low or too high. An ebook at $0.99 earns $0.35 per sale and signals low value. An ebook at $14.99 only earns the 35% rate. The sweet spot for most ebooks is $3.99-$6.99.
- Publishing and waiting. Books do not sell themselves on Amazon. Plan your book marketing before launch day, not after.
FAQ
How long does it take to publish on KDP Amazon?
The upload and setup process takes 30 minutes to an hour if your files are ready. Amazon’s review typically takes 24 to 72 hours. Your book can be live and selling within three days of pressing publish.
Can you make money on KDP Amazon?
Yes. According to Amazon, KDP authors have earned over $3.5 billion in Kindle Unlimited royalties alone over the past decade. Individual earnings vary enormously — from a few dollars per month to six figures per year — depending on your genre, marketing, and volume of titles.
Is KDP Amazon free?
Completely free. There are no fees to create an account, upload your book, or list it for sale. Amazon earns money by taking a royalty split on each sale and deducting printing costs for physical books.
Do you need an ISBN for KDP Amazon?
Not for ebooks — Amazon assigns a free ASIN. For paperbacks and hardcovers, you can use a free KDP-provided ISBN or purchase your own. See our ISBN cost guide for details.
Can you publish on KDP Amazon and other platforms?
Yes, unless you enroll in KDP Select. Standard KDP publishing is non-exclusive for ebooks and always non-exclusive for print books. KDP Select requires 90-day ebook exclusivity in exchange for Kindle Unlimited enrollment. Compare your options in our best self-publishing platforms guide.
