A Comprehensive List of eBook Distribution Channels

eBook distribution, or where and how readers can find and purchase your book, is one of the most important aspects of independent book publishing.

For self-published authors, understanding the various eBook distributors is as crucial as writing the book itself. This allows them to explore various distribution channels and set up a system that works best for them.

Since eBooks are rising in popularity and more people are becoming self-published authors than ever before, there are several different eBook distribution channels to choose from.

In this post, you will find more information on eBook distribution and the various distribution channels. These channels essentially offer a space for authors to advertise and sell copies of their eBooks.

What is an eBook Distribution Channel?

An eBook distribution channel helps authors make their digitized books or eBooks available for several readers across the globe and monetize them accordingly.

Apart from this, these eBook distribution channels have various features such as robust tools to manage content as well as offer insightful reports that authors can use for varied purposes such as marketing and competitor analysis.

But why go with an eBook distribution platform in the first place, you might wonder?

Here are some of the advantages of using an eBook distributor:
Enhance sales as they make your eBook more accessible to a wider set of readership

Helps save a great deal of time, resources, and money in building your distribution platform

Makes the overall process of eBook creation simple and hassle-free

A host of advantages like content testing so that the eBook is widely accepted by the audience and provides better analytics on user behavior
Integrates easily with other distribution platforms for a wider reach

A Comprehensive List of eBook Distribution Channels

There are several popular names in the eBook distribution space. While some sell their digitized books directly to customers, others work more as aggregators.

The main advantage of the former option is that you get to save on intermediary pay to distribute your content. On the other side, aggregators have the benefits of a much wider audience reach across the world.

To make the choice easier for you, here are some of the eBook distribution channels that you can explore:

1. Kindle Direct Publishing

Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP, is a well-known name in the eBook distributor space. Being an Amazon company, KDP gives you the benefit of selling to millions of Amazon eBook readers.
KDP typically pays 70% royalties for all eBooks that range between $2.99 and $9.99, whereas only 35% for eBooks priced either higher or lower.

2. Kitaboo

KITABOO is another excellent eBook distributor that allows you to directly distribute your eBooks to both institutes and individual users. The platform lets you do everything from adding users, generating access codes for these users, and mapping eBooks to them to distribute securely

The best part is that the eBooks can then be delivered either on KITABOO Reader or your own eReader apps available on multiple platforms like iOS and Android

KITABOO is the best option if you wish to maximize your profits with better royalties. The platform lets you create your own eBook reader, thus giving you much more flexibility on your reader interface. Besides, you can also personalize it to suit your niche audience, something which is not possible with other platforms

3. Barnes and Noble Press

Similar to KDP, Barnes and Noble Press offers authors a quick and straight route to eBook readers. Taking the B&N route will get your eBook on the Barnes & Noble eBookstore easily.
Barnes and Noble offers a decent 70% royalty to everyone, regardless of factors such as the price of the eBook.

4. Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital is another powerful player in the eBook distribution space.

Serving as an eBook aggregator, the platform allows authors to easily upload all their ePub files to a single place. This is followed by them distributing your book to various eBook outlets.

D2D is gaining popularity as a distribution channel because of its ease of use and high customer satisfaction rating.

5. Apple Books

Boasting roughly the same eBook market share as Barnes & Noble, Apple Books is more user-friendly than B&N.
In terms of distribution, your eBook will be available on the Apple Books app, which is only for Apple devices. Apple Books also offers a decent 70% royalties regardless of the price of the eBook.

6. PublishDrive

PublishDrive is another well-known eBook distribution channel that primarily works as an aggregator and distributes to over 100 countries. The channel also distributes to several other popular platforms such as Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, and numerous other eBook outlets.

The benefit of the platform is that, as a relatively new player in the market, they lead to ease of use for both authors and publishers.
Previously operating under a common royalty-share model, PublishDrive has moved to a flat fee model of $9.99/month, which is especially attractive to high-selling authors.

7. Kobo Writing Life

Kobo Writing Life is a great choice if your book appeals to more than simply the readers in the US Kobo primarily caters to readers in Canada and other areas outside the US.

Publishing with Kobo means your eBook will be distributed through the Kobo Store, but it is a solid option for those targeting the Canadian market.

Royalties on the platform range from 70% for eBooks priced above $2.99 in the US to 20% for all books available in the public domain.

8. Smashwords

Smashwords is a popular eBook aggregator site that allows you to upload your eBook with them, making it available on all popular platforms, including Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and many more retailers and library networks.

The channel also lets you earn 60% of any sales through a retailer (since Smashwords also keeps a small share) and 80% of any books sold on the Smashbooks Store.

9. Street Lib

StreetLib is yet another popular eBook aggregator known for making it easier for authors to reach the widest audience worldwide. It is primarily an international distributor with a strong presence in Europe and Latin America.

The channel has several (over 200) distribution partners to ensure that your readers get to read the content regardless of their location. Like other players in the space, they also charge an extra 10% on each eBook sale made through their distribution partners.

In Conclusion

Irrespective of your choice of distribution channel, it is important to keep in mind that the eBook publishing and distribution landscape is ever-changing. This makes the space quite hard to navigate, even for the most experienced or seasoned authors. Thus, in this post, we have listed some of the best eBook distributors you can explore as indie authors.