Draft2Digital vs KDP: The Wide Distribution Decision
KDP gives you Amazon. Draft2Digital gives you everywhere else. Here's how to decide — and why reviews matter on both.
Quick Summary
- Amazon-exclusive ebook (required for Kindle Unlimited)
- 70% royalties on ebooks priced $2.99–$9.99
- Best for Amazon-focused authors and KU genre fiction
- Free ISBN for Amazon listing
- 40+ retailers (Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, etc.)
- ~60% net royalties passed through
- Best for wide distribution strategy
- Excellent free formatting tools + Universal Book Link
The common approach many authors use:
KDP for Kindle ebook + Draft2Digital for all other platforms. Note: you cannot use both for ebook distribution if enrolled in KDP Select (Kindle Unlimited requires exclusivity).
Side-by-Side Comparison
Nine features that matter most when choosing your distribution strategy.
| Feature | KDP | Draft2Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Primary market | Amazon | Apple Books, B&N, Kobo, Scribd, 40+ others |
| Ebook royalty | 70% ($2.99–$9.99) or 35% | ~60% net (≈40–50% of list price) |
| Kindle Unlimited | Yes (requires exclusivity) | No (incompatible with KDP Select) |
| Print-on-demand | KDP Print available | Via IngramSpark integration |
| Formatting tools | Basic | Excellent (free, beautiful ebooks) |
| Universal Book Link | No | Yes (Books2Read link) |
| ISBN | Free (Amazon) or your own | Free universal ISBN provided |
| Setup cost | Free | Free |
| Best for | Amazon-first, KU authors | Authors going wide beyond Amazon |
The KDP Select Exclusivity Conflict
Important: KDP Select and Draft2Digital cannot coexist for ebooks
If you're enrolled in KDP Select (Kindle Unlimited), you cannot distribute ebooks through Draft2Digital simultaneously. KDP Select requires 90-day exclusivity on Amazon. Violating this can result in your KDP account being suspended.
After your KDP Select term ends and you opt out of auto-renewal, you are free to distribute through Draft2Digital. If you never enrolled in KDP Select, you can use both simultaneously — KDP for Amazon ebook, Draft2Digital for everything else.
- KDP ebook (no KDP Select) + Draft2Digital ebooks
- KDP Print + Draft2Digital ebook distribution
- KDP Select ebook + Draft2Digital for print
- KDP Select ebook + Draft2Digital ebook distribution
- Kindle Unlimited enrollment + wide ebook retail
When to Use Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital is the right choice in these situations — either as your primary distribution or alongside KDP (if not in KDP Select).
Your genre performs well outside Amazon
Apple Books is particularly strong for romance and literary fiction. Kobo dominates in Canada and parts of Europe. If your genre has a meaningful non-Amazon readership, you're leaving money on the table by staying exclusive.
You want a Universal Book Link for all your marketing
Draft2Digital's Books2Read link sends readers to their preferred retailer automatically. One link works for Apple Books readers, Kobo readers, and Amazon readers — making your social media and email marketing far more effective.
You write series and want readers everywhere
A reader who discovers your series on Apple Books and loves it will buy all your backlist on Apple Books. Wide distribution builds an audience across platforms that you own long-term.
You're leaving KDP Select and going wide
Draft2Digital is the fastest way to distribute to 40+ retailers in one upload. Once your KDP Select term expires, Draft2Digital lets you go wide in minutes rather than managing 8+ separate retailer accounts.
Draft2Digital's Hidden Gem: Free Formatting
Draft2Digital's formatter is excellent and completely free. Many authors use it even if they don't distribute everywhere — just to create beautiful, properly formatted EPUBs.
The tool handles chapter headers, front matter, back matter ("Also by" pages, author bio), and generates clean ebook files without requiring you to know CSS or ebook formatting. It is legitimately better than most paid formatters for standard novels.
Even KDP Select authors who can't distribute through Draft2Digital can use the formatter for free, then upload the resulting EPUB to KDP.
Amazon Reviews Still Matter When You Go Wide
Regardless of which distribution platform you use, your Amazon listing needs strong reviews for Amazon sales. Draft2Digital handles the wide distribution — but your Amazon review strategy remains equally important.
Wide authors who neglect Amazon reviews often find that their Amazon ranking stagnates even as their other platforms grow. Readers who discover you on Apple Books and then check you out on Amazon still read your review count. A book with 8 reviews on Amazon signals "unproven" even if it sells well on Kobo.
The wide author review strategy:
Build your Amazon review count first — it is the most impactful platform for discoverability. Once your Amazon presence is strong, the benefits of wide distribution compound because new readers from other platforms encounter a credible Amazon listing when they cross-check.
Strong Reviews Work on Every Distribution Platform
Whether you publish wide with Draft2Digital or stay exclusive on KDP, iWrity builds the Amazon review foundation that every distribution strategy needs.
Get Reviews with iWrityFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use both KDP and Draft2Digital at the same time?+
If your ebook is NOT enrolled in KDP Select, yes — you can use KDP for Amazon and Draft2Digital for all other retailers simultaneously. If you ARE enrolled in KDP Select, the 90-day exclusivity means you cannot use Draft2Digital for ebook distribution until your KDP Select term expires.
Does Draft2Digital charge any fees?+
Draft2Digital charges no upfront fees. They take a percentage of your royalties (approximately 10% of what you earn from retailers). No setup fees, no annual fees, and no charge for their free formatting tools.
Is Draft2Digital good for Kindle Unlimited authors?+
Not for ebook distribution while enrolled in KDP Select. However, KU authors can use Draft2Digital's free formatting tool to create beautiful EPUBs, and can distribute print editions via Draft2Digital's IngramSpark integration without any conflict.
Does Draft2Digital distribute to Amazon?+
No. Draft2Digital covers Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, Tolino, OverDrive, and 35+ other platforms — everything except Amazon Kindle. You must publish on KDP directly for Amazon ebook distribution.
Which has better royalties, KDP or Draft2Digital?+
KDP offers 70% royalties for Amazon sales on books priced $2.99–$9.99. Draft2Digital passes through approximately 60% of net retailer royalties, which is roughly 40–50% of list price depending on the retailer. The right choice depends on where your readers are.