What Is Amazon KDP? — Self-Publishing Glossary

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is where most indie authors start — and for most, it remains their primary sales channel. Amazon accounts for roughly 65–70% of English-language ebook sales globally.

How KDP Works

KDP is a self-service platform. You upload your formatted ebook file, cover image, and metadata directly to Amazon’s dashboard. Amazon reviews the submission (typically 24–72 hours) and lists your book for sale across Amazon’s global storefronts.

The process has no gatekeepers — anyone can publish, at any price, in any genre. Amazon takes a revenue share per sale; you keep the rest.

The Two Royalty Tiers

Tier	Rate	Price Range	Notes
Standard	35%	Any price	Available worldwide
Enhanced	70%	$2.99–$9.99	Most major territories

The 70% tier also has a delivery fee deducted (about $0.06–$0.15/MB depending on file size). For a well-formatted ePub, this is minimal.

Practical implication: Most indie fiction and non-fiction should be priced between $2.99–$9.99 to maximize royalties. Pricing at $0.99 is only sensible for promotional purposes (series starters, loss leaders).

KDP vs. KDP Select

KDP Select is an optional enrollment, not a requirement:

KDP (standard, no enrollment)

Publish on Amazon and everywhere else simultaneously
70% royalties in the $2.99–$9.99 range
No promotional tools beyond basic pricing

KDP Select (enrolled, 90-day exclusivity)

Exclusive to Amazon — can’t sell the ebook elsewhere during enrollment
Access to Kindle Unlimited (earn per page read)
Promotional tools: Free Book Promotions (up to 5 days per 90-day period), Kindle Countdown Deals
Automatically renews every 90 days unless you opt out

For most authors: start wide (no KDP Select), test the market, then evaluate whether KU income justifies exclusivity.

What You Need to Publish on KDP

A KDP account — sign up at kdp.amazon.com with your Amazon account
Tax information — W-8BEN for non-US authors (critical — see W-8BEN guide)
Payment method — bank account for direct deposit (or check in some countries)
Formatted ePub — not your Word document. KDP accepts Word but output quality is inconsistent.
Cover image — minimum 2560 × 1600 px, JPEG or TIFF
Metadata — title, description, keywords (up to 7), BISAC categories (up to 2)

See the full KDP publishing guide for step-by-step instructions.

Common Mistakes

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Uploading a Word .docx file instead of a properly formatted ePub — KDP accepts Word files but the conversion often produces poor-quality output with broken drop caps and inconsistent rendering.

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Not filing a W-8BEN form — without it, Amazon withholds 30% of US-source royalties by default, costing non-US authors thousands of dollars per year.

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Choosing the wrong royalty rate tier — the 70% rate requires pricing between $2.99–$9.99. Pricing your book at $0.99 or $10+ locks you into 35% royalties.

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Enrolling in KDP Select without understanding exclusivity — KDP Select gives you Kindle Unlimited access but requires 90-day exclusivity to Amazon. You can't sell on Apple Books or Kobo during enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is KDP free to use?

Yes. KDP is completely free to publish on. Amazon takes a percentage of each sale as its fee (30% at the 70% royalty tier, 65% at the 35% tier). There are no upfront costs, no listing fees, and no monthly fees.

What royalty rate does KDP pay?

KDP offers two royalty tiers: 70% for ebooks priced between $2.99–$9.99 (in eligible countries), and 35% for ebooks priced outside that range or in certain territories. For print books, royalties are calculated differently based on printing costs and list price.

What's the difference between KDP and KDP Select?

KDP is Amazon's publishing platform — available to all authors, no exclusivity required. KDP Select is an optional 90-day enrollment program that gives you access to Kindle Unlimited (page-read royalties) and promotional tools (free days, Countdown Deals), in exchange for exclusive distribution rights on Amazon. You can't sell the enrolled ebook on other platforms during the enrollment period.

How long does it take to go live on KDP?

KDP typically reviews and publishes new titles within 24–72 hours of submission. Updates to existing titles (price changes, description changes) typically process within 24 hours. Cover changes and file updates may take up to 72 hours.

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