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Publishing Platform Comparison 2026
Compare 12 publishing and distribution platforms side-by-side. Sort by royalty rate, distribution reach, ease of use, or support quality. Click any platform name to read the full editorial review.
| Free | POD | ARCs | Best For | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amazon KDP Largest ebook marketplace | 70% | excellent | excellent | good | fair | Maximum Amazon reach, KDP Select borrows |
Barnes & Noble Press 65% ebook royalty, no exclusivity | 65% | good | good | fair | good | Nook readers, B&N in-store placement |
BookFunnel Best ARC & reader magnet delivery | good | excellent | good | excellent | ARC delivery, reader magnets, group promos | |
Bookshop.org 10% of every sale supports indie bookshops + 10% affiliate commission | good | excellent | fair | good | Indie-bookstore-friendly authors, affiliate income, ethical brand alignment | |
CraveBooks Free book discovery & promotion | fair | excellent | fair | good | Book discovery, reader newsletter promos | |
Draft2Digital Best aggregator for going wide | 60% | excellent | excellent | good | excellent | Wide distribution, best aggregator UX |
Edelweiss+ Preferred by booksellers & buyers | fair | fair | fair | fair | Bookseller and library buyers, trade reviews | |
IngramSpark Best for bookstore & library reach | 45% | excellent | fair | fair | good | Library and bookstore distribution, hardcover |
NetGalley Reach professional reviewers & librarians | good | good | good | good | Professional reviewers, librarians, media | |
Prolific Works Free to use for giveaways | fair | good | fair | good | Free book giveaways, list building | |
Reedsy 70% royalty on direct sales | 70% | fair | excellent | good | excellent | Direct sales, professional freelancers marketplace |
Smashwords Coupon system for reader promos | 60% | good | fair | fair | fair | Ebook-only wide distribution, coupons |
StoryOrigin Best newsletter swap & ARC analytics | fair | excellent | excellent | excellent | Newsletter swaps, ARC teams, group promos |
Going Wide vs. KDP Select
KDP Select offers Kindle Unlimited borrows and promotional tools but requires 90-day exclusivity. Going wide via Draft2Digital or IngramSpark reaches Apple Books, Kobo, and libraries — often worth more for non-fiction and series authors with established readerships.
Read KDP Strategy articles →ARC Platform Strategy
BookFunnel is the best all-round ARC delivery tool for indie authors. NetGalley and Edelweiss+ reach professional reviewers and librarians but cost significantly more. StoryOrigin excels for newsletter swaps and building ARC teams organically.
Read Book Marketing articles →Print Distribution
KDP Print is free and reaches Amazon. IngramSpark costs more but gets your book into bookstores and libraries via the Ingram catalog — essential if you want physical retail presence. Draft2Digital Print is a newer, simpler option worth considering.
Read Self-Publishing articles →