Best Book Publishing Platforms
Amazon KDP alternatives
7 tools scored in the same category. 2 score higher than Amazon KDP's 2.9/5.
Ranked by independent composite score, not by payment. Nobody on this page paid to be here.
Before you switch — what Amazon KDP does well
- A vast audience base of millions of readers
- Access to Amazon's advertising features and tools
- Flexible pricing and customization options
And where it was marked down
- Could offer more flexible payment methods like PayPal
Global print-on-demand platform for direct-to-consumer book publishing and retail distribution
Scores 0.1 higher than Amazon KDP
A comprehensive distribution and automated formatting platform for independent authors and publishers
Scores 0.1 higher than Amazon KDP
Premium digital bookstore reaching the global ecosystem of Apple device users
Scores 0.1 lower than Amazon KDP
The premier storefront for independent e-books, offering authors 75% royalties and global distribution via Draft2Digital. (Now: Acquired by Draft2Digital in March 2022; as of 2026, Smashwords functions primarily as a storefront brand while its publishing and distribution backend is fully integrated into the Draft2Digital platform.)
Scores 0.2 lower than Amazon KDP
A global digital bookstore providing extensive reach for ebooks and AI-powered audiobook distribution
Scores 0.3 lower than Amazon KDP
AI-powered publishing platform that streamlines book production from manuscript to distribution in under 30 days. (Now: Rebranded from Boox.ai in early 2024 to better represent its role as the foundational backbone (spine) of the publishing process.)
Scores 0.3 lower than Amazon KDP
Enterprise cloud platform for creating and distributing secure interactive educational eBooks
Scores 0.4 lower than Amazon KDP
Common questions
What is the best alternative to Amazon KDP?
On Benchmark Grid's independent scoring, Lulu is the highest-scoring alternative in Best Book Publishing Platforms at 3.0/5, against Amazon KDP at 2.9/5. Which is right for you depends on your publication's size, revenue model and vertical.
Why would a publisher move away from Amazon KDP?
Our editors flagged: Could offer more flexible payment methods like PayPal. Whether those matter depends on your setup — many publishers run Amazon KDP successfully despite them.
Are these alternatives ranked by paid placement?
No. Every tool here is ranked by a composite score set by SODP's editorial team across 12 criteria. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, for a score, or for a position on this page.
