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

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Royalty % = author's net share of list price. POD = Print on Demand available. ARCs = Advance Review Copy distribution.

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 →

News

Resources

Legal

Advertise with The Publishing Times

Reach publishing professionals, authors & industry insiders

Media Kit Get Started →

Affiliate Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org affiliate ID: 122250. Full Disclosure