Smashwords and Draft2Digital used to be competing ebook distributors. Now they’re the same company — and the answer to “which should I use?” depends on what you’re actually trying to do.
In this comparison, you’ll learn:
- What the D2D/Smashwords merger means for your publishing workflow
- How royalty rates, fees, and distribution channels compare in 2026
- Where each brand still serves a distinct purpose
- Which alternatives might be a better fit for your goals
Here’s the full breakdown.
At a Glance: Smashwords vs Draft2Digital
| Feature | Smashwords | Draft2Digital |
|---|---|---|
| What it is now | Ebook retail store | Publishing & distribution platform |
| Owned by | Draft2Digital (since 2022) | Draft2Digital |
| Distribution to retailers | No (handled by D2D) | Yes — Apple, Kobo, B&N, 14+ retailers |
| Own storefront | Yes — smashwords.com | No |
| Royalty rate (store/direct) | 75% ($2.99+) / 40% (under $2.99) | 60% at most retailers |
| Print-on-demand | No | Yes |
| Free ISBN | No | Yes |
| Activation fee | $20 (new accounts) | $20 (new accounts) |
| Annual maintenance fee | $12 if earning <$100/yr | $12 if earning <$100/yr |
| Formatting help | Manual (style guide) | Automated conversion |
What Actually Happened With the Merger?
Draft2Digital acquired Smashwords in March 2022, combining the two largest independent ebook distribution platforms into a single company. As of early 2026, approximately 90% of former Smashwords publishing accounts have been migrated to the Draft2Digital dashboard.
Here’s what changed:
- Smashwords the publishing platform is gone. You no longer upload books through smashwords.com for distribution.
- Smashwords the store lives on. The smashwords.com storefront still exists as a direct-to-reader ebook store with coupons, presales, and annual sales events.
- All distribution runs through D2D. Whether you’re a former Smashwords author or a new publisher, you manage everything — ebook uploads, print-on-demand, retail channel selection — from the Draft2Digital dashboard.
Mark Coker (Smashwords founder) joined D2D as Chief Strategy Officer. Kris Austin (D2D co-founder) became CEO of the combined entity.
This matters because most “Smashwords vs Draft2Digital” comparisons online are outdated. They compare two separate platforms that no longer exist as competitors.
Distribution: Where Do Your Books Actually Go?
Draft2Digital distributes your ebook to 14+ retail and library channels from a single upload. You choose which channels to activate.
Retail channels include:
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble / Nook
- Kobo
- Amazon (via D2D)
- Tolino
- Vivlio
- Fable
Library and subscription channels include:
- OverDrive
- Hoopla
- BorrowBox
- cloudLibrary
- Kobo Plus
- Everand (formerly Scribd)
The Smashwords store is an additional channel you can opt into — it functions as a direct-sales storefront where readers buy ebooks at prices you set, with coupon and promotional tools built in.
If you want to publish wide rather than staying exclusive to Amazon, D2D is one of the simplest ways to reach non-Amazon retailers without creating individual accounts at each store.
Royalty Rates: How Much Do You Actually Earn?
Royalty rates vary by channel. Here’s what you keep after D2D takes its commission:
| Channel | Royalty Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smashwords store | 75% ($2.99+) / 40% (below) | Highest rate — direct sales |
| Apple, B&N, Kobo, Fable, Gardners, Tolino | 60% | Standard across most retailers |
| Amazon (via D2D) | 60% or 30% | 60% for $2.99–$9.99; 30% outside that range |
| Vivlio | 55% | Slightly lower than other retailers |
| Everand | 60% | Only counts after 20% read-through |
| Kobo Plus | ~51% | Subscription pool share based on reading time |
| Library (OCOU) | 46% | One-time purchase by libraries |
| Library (CPC) | 3.8–4.6% | Per-checkout model (Hoopla, OverDrive) |
The key comparison: If you sell through the Smashwords store directly, you earn 75% — significantly more than the 60% you’d earn through a retailer like Apple or Kobo. But the Smashwords store has a much smaller customer base than those retailers.
For context, Amazon KDP pays 70% on ebooks priced $2.99–$9.99 when you publish direct. Going through D2D to Amazon drops that to 60% because D2D takes its 10% cut.
Bottom line: D2D’s rates are competitive for a distribution aggregator. You pay roughly 10% of list price for the convenience of a single dashboard. Whether that tradeoff is worth it depends on your ebook pricing strategy.
New Fees in 2026: What Changed?
In April 2026, Draft2Digital introduced two new fees that apply to both the D2D and Smashwords sides of the platform:
- Activation fee: $20 one-time for new accounts
- Annual maintenance fee: $12/year for accounts earning less than $100 annually
D2D says the fees exist to combat low-quality, automated account creation. Accounts with no titles in distribution are exempt from the maintenance fee.
These fees are relatively minor — $20 upfront and $12/year only if you’re barely selling. But they’re worth noting because D2D was historically a completely free platform. The shift signals that the combined company is looking for revenue beyond commission on sales.
If you’re publishing consistently and earning over $100/year across all channels, the maintenance fee doesn’t apply to you.
Formatting and Upload: How Easy Is It?
This is where Draft2Digital genuinely excels — and where Smashwords historically frustrated authors.
Old Smashwords formatting:
- Required compliance with a notorious 170-page formatting style guide
- Strict rules about font choices, paragraph spacing, and file structure
- Frequent rejections for minor formatting issues
D2D formatting:
- Upload a .doc, .docx, or .epub file
- D2D’s automated converter handles the rest
- Generates clean ebooks with automatic table of contents
- Includes automated end matter (author bio, “also by” pages, book teasers)
The automated end matter is one of D2D’s standout features. When you publish a new book, D2D can automatically update the “also by” section in all your existing ebooks — a huge time-saver if you have a growing backlist.
If you need more control over formatting, you can also upload a pre-formatted .epub file and D2D will distribute it as-is.
For dedicated book formatting software, tools like Atticus or Vellum give you more design control before you upload to D2D.
Print-on-Demand: D2D Has It, Smashwords Doesn’t
Draft2Digital now offers print-on-demand paperback publishing through its platform. This is a relatively new feature — D2D added 28,000 print titles in the past year alone, with hardcover and large-print formats coming soon.
Smashwords has never offered print. If you want physical books distributed through D2D, you’re using the D2D side of the platform.
For print distribution specifically, D2D competes with IngramSpark and Amazon KDP Print. KDP Print gives you access to Amazon’s massive marketplace, while IngramSpark offers broader bookstore and library distribution. D2D’s print offering is still maturing but provides a convenient option if you’re already using D2D for ebooks.
The Smashwords Store: Is It Still Worth It?
The Smashwords storefront offers something most distribution platforms don’t — direct-to-reader sales with your highest royalty rate (75% on books $2.99+).
What the Smashwords store does well:
- Coupon codes — create promotional pricing, free review copies, or reader incentives
- Presale pages — list upcoming books before launch with reader pre-commitment
- Annual sales events — Reading Ebook Week and other site-wide promotions have broken records for eight consecutive years
- Reader community — a built-in audience of ebook readers who browse and discover books on the platform
What it doesn’t do well:
- Discovery is limited — Smashwords traffic is a fraction of Amazon, Apple, or even Kobo
- The interface feels dated — despite improvements, the store experience isn’t as polished as major retailers
- No print sales — ebooks only
If you already publish through D2D, opting into the Smashwords store is a no-brainer — it’s an extra sales channel at a higher royalty rate with zero additional work. Just don’t expect it to be your primary revenue source.
How Does Chapter Compare?
Our Product — Chapter
Chapter is an AI-powered book writing platform that helps you draft, outline, and complete your manuscript. It’s a different category from D2D — you use Chapter to write the book, then use D2D to distribute it.
Best for: Writing and completing your book before you need a distributor
Pricing: $97 one-time (nonfiction) | Varies (fiction)
Why it matters here: Distribution platforms like D2D assume you already have a finished manuscript. Over 2,147 authors have used Chapter to get to that point — creating 5,000+ books with AI-assisted writing tools. Once your book is done, you export it and upload to D2D (or any other platform) for publishing.
If you’re stuck in the writing phase and researching distributors feels premature, Chapter can help you finish your book first.
What About Other Aggregators?
Since you’re comparing distribution options, here are two other platforms worth knowing about:
PublishDrive
PublishDrive charges a monthly subscription ($9.99/month and up) instead of a per-sale commission. If you’re selling high volumes across multiple channels, the flat-fee model can save money compared to D2D’s 10% commission. But for most indie authors with modest non-Amazon sales, D2D’s commission model is more cost-effective.
PublishDrive distributes to 20+ channels — slightly more than D2D — and doesn’t offer free formatting or ISBNs.
StreetLib
StreetLib is a European-based distributor popular with authors in non-English markets. It offers distribution to many of the same retailers as D2D, plus stronger European library and retailer connections. StreetLib takes a 10% commission on sales — identical to D2D.
If you’re targeting European readers specifically, StreetLib may reach stores and libraries that D2D doesn’t. For primarily English-language, North American markets, D2D is the more established choice.
Should You Publish Direct or Use an Aggregator?
This is the real strategic question behind “Smashwords vs Draft2Digital.”
Publish direct when:
- You want maximum royalty rates (especially on Amazon KDP)
- You’re willing to manage separate accounts at each retailer
- You need platform-specific features (KDP Select, Apple merchandising, Kobo promotions)
- Amazon is your primary revenue source
Use D2D as an aggregator when:
- You want wide distribution without the management overhead
- Non-Amazon sales are a secondary revenue stream you don’t want to ignore
- You value one-click updates across all your titles
- You want free ISBNs and automated formatting
Many authors use a hybrid approach: publish direct on Amazon (for the higher 70% royalty) and use D2D to handle all other retailers. This gives you the best of both worlds — maximum Amazon earnings with wide distribution everywhere else.
How D2D Pays You
Draft2Digital pays monthly via direct deposit (ACH/EFT) or PayPal. There’s no minimum payment threshold — if you earned $0.50 last month, you’ll get paid.
Payment processing fees apply:
- PayPal: 2.5% of royalties (max $1.50 for US authors, $25 for international)
- Check: $2.50 (US) or $4.00 (international) per payment
Compared to platforms that hold payments until you hit a $25 or $100 threshold, D2D’s no-minimum policy is author-friendly. You can track all your earnings across every channel in a single D2D dashboard.
For a broader look at how author earnings work, check our guide to book royalties.
The Verdict: Smashwords vs Draft2Digital
They’re the same company now. The real question is whether you should use D2D (which includes Smashwords) as your distribution strategy.
Use Draft2Digital if:
- You want to go wide with minimal friction
- You value automated formatting and end matter
- You want a single dashboard for all non-Amazon retailers
- You’re okay trading 10% commission for convenience
Skip D2D and publish direct if:
- You only sell on Amazon and plan to stay in KDP Select
- Your non-Amazon sales are high enough that managing individual accounts saves you meaningful money
- You need features only available when publishing direct (KDP Select enrollment, Apple pre-order stacking)
For most indie authors going wide, Draft2Digital is the best aggregator available in 2026. The Smashwords merger added a direct-sales storefront with the highest royalty rates in the ecosystem. The new fees are minor. And the automated tools save hours of formatting and catalog management.
Start with D2D for non-Amazon distribution. Publish direct on Amazon. And if you haven’t finished writing your book yet, start with Chapter — then worry about where to publish it.
FAQ
Is Smashwords the Same as Draft2Digital?
Yes, Smashwords is now owned by Draft2Digital following the March 2022 acquisition. All publishing and distribution functions are handled through the D2D platform. The Smashwords brand continues only as a direct-to-reader ebook storefront at smashwords.com, not as a separate publishing service.
Is Draft2Digital Free?
Draft2Digital charges a $20 one-time activation fee for new accounts as of 2026. There’s also a $12 annual maintenance fee if your account earns less than $100 per year. Beyond that, D2D is free to use — they earn revenue through a roughly 10% commission on each sale, not upfront fees.
Is It Better to Publish Direct or Use Draft2Digital?
Publishing direct gives you higher royalty rates — Amazon KDP pays 70% compared to 60% through D2D. But D2D saves you the work of managing separate accounts at every retailer. Most successful indie authors use a hybrid approach: publish direct on Amazon and use D2D for all other channels.
Does Draft2Digital Distribute to Amazon?
Yes, Draft2Digital can distribute your ebook to Amazon’s Kindle store. However, you’ll earn a lower royalty (60% instead of Amazon’s direct 70%) and you can’t enroll in KDP Select through D2D. Most authors publish directly on Amazon and use D2D for non-Amazon retailers only.
What Happened to My Smashwords Account?
If you had a Smashwords publishing account, it has been (or will be) migrated to Draft2Digital. Approximately 90% of accounts have been moved as of early 2026. Your books, sales history, and channel preferences transfer to the D2D dashboard. You can still opt into the Smashwords store as a sales channel through D2D.
