Originally published February 18, 2019; almost recently updated November 22, 2021.

To keep things simple for first-time authors, I ofttimes suggest they stick with Amazon's ecosystem, using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for both ebooks and print books. However, there is another major player in the print-on-need (POD) space: IngramSpark (IS), which is the POD service from Ingram, a major book distributor.

In this overview article, we'll look at why you might choose i POD service over the other—and the strategy for using both. I'm too doing an in-depth series that takes each department into greater detail. I will update this article with links equally they get added. If you lot have specific questions, permit me know and I volition do my best to incorporate answers for you lot.

Since I piece of work primarily with nonfiction books, in this article I'll utilize the example of a standard six×9, 150-page, black-and-white book. (We're non going to cover color books or ebooks here.)

Print Options

For paperback books, KDP and IngramSpark offering similar options. They both have multiple standard and nonstandard trim sizes and offering glossy and matte covers. I notice the departure in paperback quality between KDP and IS to be negligible (YMMV), though I take a slight preference for KDP due to their thicker paper (55# vs l# on IS).

Until 2022 IngramSpark was the simply option for POD hardbacks (between these two services); now KDP is offering some limited hardback functionality. IS offers many trim sizes and clothbound with a dustcover or casebound (where the cover image is printed on the hard embrace) and some variations. KDP offers five trim sizes and casebound only (no dust jackets).

For well-nigh details, here'southward a meaty 1700-word post on impress options.

User-Friendliness

Both platforms require basically the aforementioned elements to set upward a volume (interior file, embrace file, metadata); even so, KDP makes the procedure far, far easier.

KDP'southward interface is straightforward. It's costless to upload files, and if you lot find a fault later and need to upload fresh files, no problem—just do information technology. Mail service-publication, their reporting dashboard is clean and simple.

IS's interface and processes are unintuitive and their instructions are poor. IS charges setup fees of virtually $25 per file ($49 for both interior and cover). In one case you've approved your volume, if y'all need to upload new files for any reason, you must pay fees once more. Reporting dashboard? Serious headache.

I rarely have issues that crave me to contact KDP's customer service. I've talked to IS more times than I can count and I've been frustrated with them more frequently than not. Currently (November 2021), IS can only be contacted by email; they take disabled their live conversation office and are not taking phone calls. Seriously.

Proof Copies

Before approving your volume for auction, chances are you lot'll want to see a concrete copy of it.

KDP gives you the option of ordering up to five proof copies. They come with a big "PROOF" characterization on the comprehend, then they are not copies you could sell. But what y'all want before approving your book for auction is a gamble to see if there are any mistakes, so to me that is not an issue.

IngramSpark does not give you an option for proof copies. They have a two-step approval process, in which y'all kickoff approve for printing, then corroborate for distribution. To get a tangible copy, you have to approve your book for printing. Then you can order an writer copy for review before you approve your book for distribution. Even so, since you've canonical your volume to print, if yous need to brand any changes later on seeing a print copy, you have to upload a new file and pay another fee. Hmmm.

Writer Copies

Both platforms let authors to buy their ain books at cost plus shipping. Printing costs are in a similar range, just KDP is consistently less expensive than IngramSpark.

For case, a single 6×nine, 150-page volume is $2.65 to print on KDP and $three.32 on IS. When you add shipping (and an order fee for IS) for ten copies, the all-in unit cost is around $3.45* on KDP and $4.51 on IS. Over time, a dollar more than per book adds up. (*When you order writer copies on KDP, the books are sent to your Amazon cart, where shipping costs are shown. This is a change from when I originally wrote this article, and I couldn't get an updated aircraft price for this fictional scenario.)

Hardback is more expensive than paperback by about ii.5x. The same book that was $ii.65 on KDP in paperback is $7.30 in hardback. On IS, the $3.32 paperback becomes $nine.47 as a hardback.

Distribution

People tend to blur the different parties involved in self-publishing. Distinguish them thus:

  • You, the author, are the publisher.
  • The POD service you choose (KDP or IS) is the printer.
  • Amazon, other online stores, bookstores, and then on are distribution channels.

When you use KDP, you lot can choose to sell your book on Amazon and through KDP'southward "expanded distribution" to reach non-Amazon channels, such equally other online booksellers, bookstores, libraries, and academic institutions.

Using KDP for print-on-demand appears to give you lot an border in the Amazon search engine algorithm over books published elsewhere (like on IngramSpark). All other things being equal, greater visibility leads to greater sales.

IngramSpark is the equivalent of KDP, but IngramSpark does non have an owned sales platform equivalent to Amazon. What IngramSpark has is the near-equivalent of KDP'south expanded distribution, which is Ingram, the sibling-visitor book distributor. (In fact, KDP'southward expanded distribution goes through Ingram.)

When yous utilise IngramSpark, you tin brand your book bachelor to online stores (such as Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com) and to Ingram (the book distributor), which makes your volume available to bookstores, libraries, and so on.

One of the big benefits of using IngramSpark is that bookstores and other brick-and-mortar retailers are already used to ownership books from Ingram (the distribution channel) as a part of their regular purchasing process.

Additionally, to become into bookstores, your book almost always needs to exist returnable. When bookstores have books that don't sell, they ship them back to the publisher for a refund. IngramSpark makes books returnable; KDP does not. (Notation: Y'all the publisher bear the expense of returns. If bookstores aren't your focus, you tin can brand your books not returnable.)

Royalties

When you lot sell a volume, three components determine how much money you make:

  • the price,
  • the cut the sales channel takes,
  • and the printing price.

Let's consider our 150-page b/w volume again, priced at $x.

When yous publish on KDP and sell through Amazon, Amazon gets twoscore% of the price (you lot'll see this referred to as their "discount"), so the calculation is:

  • Listing price = $10
  • minus Sales aqueduct (40%) = $four
  • minus Printing cost = $2.65
  • equals your revenue = $3.35

If yous get through KDP's expanded distribution, the sales aqueduct gets lx%, and so your revenue is $one.35.

When your book is sold through IngramSpark'due south distribution, the adding is the same as that for KDP, merely on IS you have a option of what discount to give the distribution aqueduct.

The minimum discount you can offering is 30%; the maximum is 55%. To finer sell to bookstores, you need to offer a fifty–55% disbelieve; if you programme to sell primarily online and to utilise your book for marketing, yous can fix the discount at thirty% and so y'all retain as much turn a profit every bit possible.

Setting a 30% disbelieve for the sales aqueduct gives you lot $iii.68 in revenue. Setting a 55% discount for the sales channel gives you $i.18 in revenue.

Notice that even with IngramSpark's higher print costs, you can make more money on volume sales with IS than y'all can with KDP if you lot go with the lowest possible disbelieve.

The Strategy for Using KDP and IngramSpark

Based on your needs, there tin can be proficient reasons to stick with one platform or the other. KDP is easy, flexible, and has lower-cost author copies. IngramSpark is not user-friendly and nickel-and-dimes you on fees, merely it offers more hardback options, potentially higher royalties, and improve (potentially cheaper) distribution into non-Amazon retailers.

Many indie authors, still, use both POD platforms. The strategy:

  • Purchase your own ISBNs. You tin employ the aforementioned ISBN across platforms as long every bit the book is identical–that is, the aforementioned trim size, the same encompass type, and so on. (Exist sure to empathise how ISBNs work before using this strategy.)
  • Use KDP for Amazon sales but. Fix your book up on KDP start, and practice NOT enable KDP's "expanded distribution." (If you gear up up IS start, the IS data feed will go to Amazon, which is what you don't want.) Rationale: Using KDP gets your volume some do good in the Amazon search engine. Bonus: By setting up KDP first, you accept the risk to order proof copies and right any issues before you lot upload to IS, thus reducing the need to incur revision fees on IS.
  • Use IngramSpark for all other sales channels. Gear up your book up on IS second. Rationale: If yous sell primarily online, having your book on IS lets yous set a lower discount than Amazon takes. If your strategy entails bookstores, your volume can be more than appealing due to returnability and retailers' existing familiarity with Ingram's distribution processes.

Overall the dual-platform strategy can be a stiff approach to maximize sales and turn a profit.

Resources

KDP'due south Printing Price and Royalty Estimator.

IngramSpark's Publisher Comp Computer and Print and Send Reckoner (for writer copies and drib shipments).

KDP and IngramSpark Printing Options for more details comparing the 2 platforms.

Still have questions? Please read the comments. So if that doesn't exercise information technology, email me at karin@clearsightbooks.com and if it'south something new, I'll endeavour to answer your question and add our substitution to the comments. (Comments are closed because I got tired of the spam!)