How to Publish on Apple Books: Complete Guide for Indie Authors

Apple Books is the #2 ebook retailer globally. In certain markets — particularly English-speaking countries outside the US — Apple Books commands a significant share of ebook sales. Authors publishing exclusively on Amazon are missing a meaningful portion of their potential readership.

Why Apple Books Matters

Market size: Apple has sold hundreds of millions of devices globally. Every iPhone, iPad, and Mac ships with Books pre-installed. That’s a massive potential audience.

Royalty rate: Apple pays 70% royalties on all titles, regardless of price. No minimum price requirement (unlike KDP’s 70% tier which requires $2.99+). You earn 70% on a $0.99 book.

Reader demographic: Apple Books readers skew toward higher-income, tablet-reading audiences. Romance, thriller, and non-fiction perform particularly well.

No exclusivity requirement: Unlike KDP Select, Apple Books doesn’t require exclusivity. Publish everywhere simultaneously.

Two Ways to Get on Apple Books

Option 1: Direct via Books Connect (Mac required)

Apple’s publisher portal is Books Connect (itunesconnect.apple.com). Direct submission gives you:

• Maximum royalty rate (70%)
• Direct control over your listings
• Ability to run promotions and price changes directly

Requirement: You must use a Mac. Apple’s Books Connect requires Safari or the Books app on macOS to submit files.

Option 2: Via Draft2Digital (any platform)

Draft2Digital distributes to Apple Books without requiring a Mac. D2D takes 15% of your author share (so roughly 59.5% effective royalty vs 70% direct), but saves the overhead of managing a direct Apple account.

For most indie authors starting out: use Draft2Digital first, go direct once your Apple sales justify the overhead.

Step-by-Step: Direct Submission via Books Connect

Step 1: Create a Books Connect Account

Go to itunesconnect.apple.com. Sign in with your Apple ID. Select “Books” and complete the publisher setup: your name (or publisher name), banking information, and tax forms.

Step 2: Complete Tax Information

Apple requires a tax form for all publishers. For non-US authors, this is equivalent to the W-8BEN you file with KDP — it establishes your foreign status and applicable tax treaty rate.

Step 3: Prepare Your Files

You need:

• A valid ePub file (ePubCheck validation passes with 0 errors)
• Cover image: JPEG or PNG, minimum 1400 × 1400 px (square), RGB

Apple is strict about ePub quality. A file that KDP accepts may be rejected by Apple if it has ePub validation errors. Vellum output passes Apple’s validation requirements.

Step 4: Submit Your Book

In Books Connect, click the “+” to add a new book. Fill in:

• Metadata: Title, subtitle, author, series info, language
• Description: Your blurb (plain text, no HTML on Apple)
• Categories: Apple uses its own category system (maps to BISAC)
• Keywords: 8 keywords (Apple gives you more keyword slots than KDP)
• Price: Apple matches your price across regions automatically

Upload your ePub and cover. Submit for review.

Step 5: Apple’s Review Process

Apple reviews all submissions — typically 1–3 business days. They check:

• ePub validity (strict — no validation errors allowed)
• Cover quality and appropriateness
• Metadata accuracy (title on cover must match title in metadata)
• Content policy compliance

Apple is stricter than KDP on ePub formatting quality. Plan for 3–5 days for first submissions.

Apple Books vs. KDP: Key Differences

Need Help Publishing on Apple Books?

MekarPad’s Global Launch Setup includes Apple Books setup in your own account — ePub submission, metadata optimization, tax form assistance, and monitoring until Live. We handle this alongside Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital, and Kobo in a single order.