17 Best Platforms to Sell Ebooks in 2026

Selling ebooks online is no longer limited to one store or one publishing model. Authors and publishers can sell ebooks through major retailers, wide distribution platforms, subscription services, digital libraries, and ecommerce storefronts.

The best platform depends on what you want to achieve.

Some authors want to sell directly on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books, or Barnes & Noble. Others want one dashboard to distribute ebooks to multiple stores. Some want subscription reading platforms like Kobo Plus or Everand. Others want to sell ebooks from their own website, WordPress site, email list, Facebook audience, or ecommerce store.

In this guide, we compare the best platforms to sell ebooks online, explain how each option works, and help you choose the right route based on reach, royalties, control, and ease of management.

What this guide covers

This guide compares three main ways to sell ebooks online:

• Ebook retailers and distributors: platforms that help you publish and sell ebooks through major online bookstores.
• E-reading subscription services: platforms where readers access ebooks through subscription-based reading apps.
• Ecommerce platforms: tools that let you sell ebooks directly from your own storefront, website, or audience.

You can use one route or combine several. For example, many authors sell through Amazon and other major retailers, distribute wide through an aggregator, and also sell directly from their own website.

 

Best platforms to sell ebooks online at a glance

Best Ebook Retailer and Distributors

The easiest way to sell ebooks online is through a direct retailer, an aggregator or a combination of both.

What is the difference between the two?

• Book retailers like Apple Books are your online storefronts, where readers can directly buy your ebook. Most of them have a self-publishing platform as well, so if you have a manuscript and a book cover ready, you can publish your book anytime.
• Book aggregators like PublishDrive are like having a sales rep for your ebook. They connect you with multiple retailers, subscription-based platforms, and digital libraries at once, expanding your reach to more readers.

So, let’s go over the best ebook platforms.

1. PublishDrive

PublishDrive is a book distribution and publishing platform for authors and publishers who want to sell ebooks across multiple online stores, subscription platforms, regional retailers, and digital library channels from one dashboard.

While this guide focuses on where to sell ebooks online, PublishDrive supports more than ebook distribution. Authors and publishers can also use PublishDrive to manage print-on-demand distribution, audiobook distribution, sales reporting, royalty management, and other publishing workflows as their catalog grows.

You do not sell ebooks directly from PublishDrive as a storefront. Instead, PublishDrive helps you distribute your books to major sales channels such as Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, subscription reading platforms, regional ebook stores, and library channels.

This makes PublishDrive useful if you want to sell ebooks online without uploading and managing your book separately on every platform, while also having the option to expand into print, audiobooks, and more advanced catalog management over time.

Ebook Conversion and Preparation

Before you can sell an ebook online, your manuscript needs to be converted into a store-ready ebook file. Most major ebook platforms require EPUB files, along with professional metadata, pricing, territorial rights, and a cover image.

PublishDrive includes tools that help authors prepare ebooks for distribution, including ebook conversion and metadata support. This helps reduce the technical work involved in getting your ebook ready for multiple retailers.

For authors and publishers managing more than one format, PublishDrive also supports broader publishing workflows, including print-on-demand and audiobook distribution.

Publishing & Distribution

PublishDrive helps you publish and distribute ebooks to multiple platforms from one account.

Instead of managing separate dashboards for Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, library services, and subscription platforms, you can upload your book once, choose your distribution channels, manage metadata, and track sales through PublishDrive.

Beyond ebooks, PublishDrive also supports print and audiobook distribution, which makes it useful for authors and publishers who want to build a multi-format publishing strategy from one central platform.

This is especially valuable for authors and publishers with multiple titles, international readers, or a wide publishing strategy.

Marketing tools

Once you choose the ebook platforms to distribute to, you can start thinking about a few marketing tactics to help your books get noticed.

If you choose to distribute your titles with PublishDrive, know that you have a few book promotion options right there on the platform.

What else to know

• Formats available: Ebook, audiobook, and print-on-demand distribution options.
• Royalty model: PublishDrive uses a subscription-based model on paid plans, so authors and publishers keep 100% of net royalties after store commissions.
• Reach: Major ebook retailers, subscription services, regional stores, digital libraries, and selected print and audiobook channels.
• Best for: Authors and publishers who want wide distribution, centralized reporting, royalty management, and easier multi-format catalog management.

2. Amazon 

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing usually called Amazon KDP, is one of the most popular platforms for selling ebooks online.

KDP lets authors publish ebooks directly to the Kindle Store. It is free to upload your book, and Amazon pays royalties based on the price, territory, and royalty option you choose.

Amazon offers 35% and 70% ebook royalty options. The 70% option applies only to eligible books, prices, and territories, and delivery costs may be deducted for ebook files. This makes Amazon powerful, but authors should understand the royalty rules before choosing their pricing strategy.

Amazon also offers KDP Select, which gives access to Kindle Unlimited and promotional tools, but requires ebook exclusivity with Amazon during the enrollment period. This means you cannot sell the ebook through other retailers while enrolled.

What else to know

• Best for: Authors who want to sell ebooks directly to Kindle readers.
• Formats available: Ebook, paperback, and hardcover in supported markets.
• Royalty model: 35% or 70% ebook royalty options, depending on eligibility.
• Main limitation: KDP Select requires exclusivity if you enroll.
• Best use case: Amazon-first authors or authors using Amazon as one part of a wider publishing strategy.

3. Kobo Writing Life

Kobo Writing Life is Kobo’s self-publishing platform for authors and publishers.

It allows you to sell ebooks through Kobo’s global ebook store and reach international readers, including markets where Kobo has a strong presence. Kobo is also important for authors who publish wide and do not want to rely only on Amazon.

Kobo Writing Life lets authors control pricing, rights, and promotions. Kobo says authors can earn up to 70% in royalties, while its royalty documentation explains that the 70% rate applies when books meet specific pricing requirements.

What else to know

• Best for: Authors who want to reach Kobo and international ebook readers.
• Formats available: Ebook, with audiobook access in selected cases.
• Royalty model: Up to 70% depending on price and eligibility.
• Main limitation: Kobo is one major channel, not a full replacement for wide distribution.
• Best use case: Wide authors who want direct access to Kobo readers.

4. Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble Press is the self-publishing platform for selling ebooks directly through Barnes & Noble and NOOK.

It is a useful platform for authors who want to reach B&N readers, especially in the US market. Authors can publish ebooks and print books through Barnes & Noble Press, with ebooks sold through the B&N digital ecosystem.

Barnes & Noble Press promotes a flat 70% royalty rate on ebooks.

Note: With B&N, you can also distribute audiobooks. For that, you’ll have to go through Findaway Voices or an aggregator such as PublishDrive, which has Findaway Voices on its distribution list.

What else to know

• Best for: Authors who want direct access to Barnes & Noble and NOOK readers.
• Formats available: Ebook and print.
• Royalty model: 70% ebook royalty.
• Main limitation: Focused mainly on Barnes & Noble’s own channels.
• Best use case: Authors who want to include B&N as part of a wider ebook sales strategy.

5. Apple Books

Apple Books for Authors lets writers and publishers sell ebooks directly through Apple Books.

Apple Books is especially useful if you want to reach readers using iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. It also has a clear royalty model. Apple says authors earn 70% royalties on every ebook, regardless of price, with no file delivery fees.

You can publish directly through Apple Books for Authors or use a distribution platform like PublishDrive to reach Apple Books alongside other stores.

Distributing on this ebook platform has many advantages:

• The Apple Books storefront favors book promotions, free books, and discounts. This helps authors launch their catalogs faster.
• Apple Books stands out as one of the few ebook retailers, alongside Google Play Books, that indexes book descriptions in its search. This feature helps with book visibility.
• Apple Books distributes ACX-exclusive audiobooks. This means that even if an author is exclusive to Amazon with their ebook and audiobook distribution, they can still be on Apple Books.

What else to know

• Best for: Authors who want to reach Apple readers.
• Formats available: Ebook, with audiobook options through supported Apple workflows.
• Royalty model: 70% ebook royalties.
• Main limitation: Direct publishing only covers Apple Books.
• Best use case: Authors who want strong Apple ecosystem visibility or wide authors who want Apple Books included in their distribution.
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6. Google Play Books

Google Play Books is another major platform for selling ebooks online, especially if you want to reach readers in the Google and Android ecosystem.

Authors and publishers can use the Google Play Books Partner Center to sell ebooks through Google Play Books in eligible markets. Google’s documentation says the 70% revenue split applies to eligible ebook sales in supported countries after accepting the relevant terms.

Google Play Books can be valuable for authors who want discoverability beyond Amazon, especially as part of a wide publishing strategy.

What else to know

• Best for: Authors who want to reach Google Play and Android readers.
• Formats available: Ebook, with audiobook options in supported cases.
• Royalty model: 70% revenue split for eligible ebook sales in supported countries.
• Main limitation: Account access, eligibility, and market availability can vary.
• Best use case: Authors who want Google Play Books included in their wider sales strategy.

7. Ingram

Ingram is best known for print-on-demand and global book distribution, but it also offers ebook distribution.

For ebook authors, IngramSpark can help make titles available through a range of retail and library channels. It is often more relevant for authors and publishers who care about print, bookstore availability, and professional distribution infrastructure, rather than authors who only want a simple ebook upload.

IngramSpark says ebook royalties are 85% of the net revenue received by IngramSpark from each ebook sale, regardless of retailer.

What else to know

• Best for: Authors and publishers who want print and ebook distribution infrastructure.
• Formats available: Print and ebook.
• Royalty model: 85% of net revenue received by IngramSpark for ebook sales.
• Main limitation: More complex than beginner-focused ebook platforms.
• Best use case: Authors and publishers who want professional print distribution alongside ebook availability.

E-Reading Subscription Services

Besides the already mentioned platforms that are ideal for selling ebooks, there are more places where to sell ebooks online: platforms that offer ebook subscription services.

8. KoboPlus

Kobo Plus is Kobo's non-exclusive subscription service that allows subscribers access to books on an all-you-can-read basis.

• Royalty payout: 60%. Check the details here.
• Reach: Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Taiwan, Hong Kong.

Note: Kobo Plus is one of the stores with the most significant sales in 2023 compared to 2022, as shown by our book sales report:

9. Scribd (Everand)

Scribd is a subscription that provides access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, documents, professional content, and more across three products:

• Everand offers millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, podcasts, and sheet music.
• Scribd hosts millions of community-uploaded documents, such as academic papers, legal documents, manuals, and more.
• SlideShare showcases millions of community-uploaded presentations and professional documents.

It was initially launched to publish academic papers and gained significant traction in 2009 after signing a deal to sell ebooks. If you want to sell ebooks online here, you have to go through one of their approved partners. You can’t publish an ebook directly on Scribd.

• Royalty payout: Scribd (Everand) has signed distribution agreements with their publishing partners, so you’ll have to check the distributor of your choice. With PublishDrive, the royalty payout is 55%
• Reach: Worldwide, focusing on the US and UK markets

10. Storytel

Storytel is another one among the best ebook platforms. It is a Stockholm-based ebook and audiobook subscription service where people can browse among over 1.5 million audiobooks and ebooks.

• Royalty payout: 50% with PublishDrive
• Reach: In over 25 markets, with a focus on ten core markets: the five Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Turkey, Poland, Bulgaria, and the USA.

11. Bookmate

Where to publish ebooks when you want to diversify your market reach? On Bookmate.

This one’s an ebook platform that works on a subscription basis, with more than a million subscribers around the world.

• Royalty payout: 50% with PublishDrive
• Reach: Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria.

12. Dreame

If you’re looking for a platform to sell ebooks and keep your audience super engaged and coming back for more, Dreame is the perfect place to distribute your titles.

Dreame is a reading app that addresses female readers in the English-speaking South Asian market. It features serialized online fiction for genres such as Romance, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy.

What’s different about this e-reading app is that readers pay with coins to unlock each episode. In this way, authors receive rewards for their work, encouraging them to write more.

• Royalty payout: Dreame has its writer’s benefits program, which you can check here. 25% with PublishDrive
• Reach: Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, the United States, UK, Canada, Australia, India

13. 24symbols

24symbols is a subscription service based in Madrid, Spain, designed for digital bookworms. It offers a collection of over 500,000 ebooks, allowing you to explore various genres like contemporary fiction, romance, thrillers, biographies, and more.

• Royalty payout: 55% with PublishDrive.
• Reach: the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Latin America

14. Perlego

Perlego is a global non-fiction-focused e-reading subscription service trusted by students worldwide.

Perlego partners with more than 3,000 publishers to offer users unlimited access to digital books.

• Royalty payout: 55% with PublishDrive
• Reach: Europe, the Middle East, and Africa

⚡Tip: Publishing your ebooks with PublishDrive helps you get occasional promotional opportunities with every e-reading subscription service from this list.

Ecommerce Platforms

Ecommerce platforms let you sell ebooks directly to readers instead of sending them to a retailer first.

This can give you more control over pricing, customer relationships, bundles, discounts, email marketing, and upsells. It can also work well if you sell ebooks together with courses, templates, coaching, memberships, or other digital products.

The tradeoff is that ecommerce platforms do not automatically give you access to a book-buying audience. You need to bring your own traffic through your website, email list, social media, ads, SEO, or community.

Here are a few places to check out:

15. Podia

Podia, you can host digital products such as online courses or ebooks. The platform comes with many marketing features to help you advertise and sell your ebooks, such as email marketing campaigns, messaging, embeds, or affiliate programs.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: You can build a website and blog, and offer 1 download/coaching product for free. However, you'll pay a 10% fee on any sales.
• Starter Plan ($9/month): This plan allows a custom domain and reduces fees to 8%. You can still only offer 1 download/coaching product.
• Mover Plan ($39/month): Ideal for selling digital products. This plan eliminates draft limitations and allows unlimited downloads, courses, webinars, etc. Fees drop to 5%.
• Shaker Plan ($89/month): The most expensive plan focuses on scaling your business. It includes all features of Mover and removes transaction fees entirely. There's also a first-year discount.

16. Sellfy

Sellfy, authors can create and customize their own storefronts to sell ebooks. They can also set the payment options and use the marketing tools from each plan the platform has.

Pricing:

• Starter – $19/month
• Business – $49/month
• Premium – $99/month

17. Payhip

Payhip is another platform great for selling ebooks and other digital products, such as software, design assets, templates, videos, music, and more. The platform has built-in marketing tools for promoting your assets.

Pricing:

• Free – 5% transaction fee on sales
• Plus – $29/month + 2% transaction fee on sales
• Pro – $99/month

Can you sell ebooks from your own website, WordPress, Facebook, or eBay?

Yes, but this is different from selling through ebook retailers.

When you sell ebooks through Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, or a distributor, your book is placed inside existing book-buying ecosystems. Readers can discover and buy your ebook through platforms they already use.

When you sell from your own website, WordPress site, Facebook audience, or ecommerce store, you are responsible for more of the sales process yourself.

You may need to manage:

• Payment processing
• File delivery
• VAT or sales tax rules
• Refunds
• Customer support
• Email marketing
• Website traffic
• Reader trust
• Piracy protection

Selling directly can be powerful if you already have an audience. For example, an author with a strong email list, a nonfiction expert selling ebooks and courses, or a publisher with an existing community may benefit from direct sales.

For most authors, direct sales work best alongside retailer distribution, not instead of it.

How to choose the best platform to sell your ebook

The best ebook selling platform depends on your publishing strategy.

Choose Amazon KDP if you only want Amazon reach

Amazon KDP is usually the first platform authors consider because Amazon has a large ebook-buying audience. It is a strong choice if you want to sell directly to Kindle readers.

Choose PublishDrive if you want wide distribution

PublishDrive is a good fit if you want to sell ebooks through multiple stores, subscription services, and library channels from one dashboard. It is especially useful if you have more than one book, want international reach, or do not want to manage separate retailer accounts manually.

Choose Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books, or Barnes & Noble Press if you want direct store control

Direct retailer accounts can make sense if you want to manage each major store separately. This gives you direct access to each platform, but it also means more dashboards, reporting, tax setup, metadata updates, and pricing management.

Choose subscription platforms if you want reading-app visibility

Kobo Plus, Everand, Storytel, Bookmate, Dreame, 24symbols, and Perlego can help you reach readers who consume books through subscription services. These platforms are usually best as part of a wider distribution strategy.

Choose ecommerce platforms if you already have an audience

Podia, Sellfy, Payhip, WordPress, Shopify, and similar tools can be useful if you want to sell ebooks directly. This works best when you already have website traffic, an email list, a social audience, or a nonfiction offer that can be bundled with other digital products.

Final Thoughts

There is no single best place to sell ebooks online. The right platform depends on your audience, format, pricing strategy, catalog size, and how much control you want over the publishing process.

If you want Amazon reach, Amazon KDP is an important platform to understand.

If you want to sell through multiple stores, subscription services, and library channels without managing every platform separately, ebook distribution through PublishDrive can save time and help you reach more readers.

If you already have your own audience, ecommerce platforms can help you sell ebooks directly and keep more control over the customer relationship.

For many authors and publishers, the strongest strategy is not choosing one platform. It is building a balanced ebook sales strategy that combines major retailers, wide distribution, subscription reading platforms, and direct sales where appropriate.

Sell your ebook online with PublishDrive and reach major ebook stores, subscription platforms, regional retailers, and digital library channels from one dashboard.

FAQ: Selling ebooks online

What is the best platform to sell ebooks?

The best platform depends on your goal. Amazon KDP is strong for Kindle readers, Apple Books is useful for Apple users, Kobo Writing Life is strong for international ebook readers, Google Play Books helps reach the Google ecosystem, and PublishDrive helps authors and publishers distribute ebooks to multiple stores from one dashboard.

Where can I sell ebooks online?

You can sell ebooks through online retailers, ebook distributors, subscription reading platforms, and ecommerce storefronts. Common options include Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo Writing Life, Barnes & Noble Press, Google Play Books, PublishDrive, Kobo Plus, Everand, Podia, Sellfy, and Payhip.

Can I sell ebooks from my own website?

Yes. You can sell ebooks from your own website using ecommerce tools, WordPress plugins, payment processors, or digital product platforms. This gives you more control, but you need to manage traffic, payments, file delivery, taxes, refunds, and customer support.

Is Amazon the best place to sell ebooks?

Amazon is one of the most important ebook platforms because of its large Kindle audience. However, it is not the only place to sell ebooks. Many authors also sell through Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, libraries, subscription platforms, and wide distribution services.

Should I sell ebooks directly or use a distributor?

Direct selling gives you more control over individual platforms, but it also creates more manual work. A distributor helps you reach multiple stores and manage publishing from one dashboard. Authors with more than one book or a wide publishing strategy often benefit from distribution.

Can I sell ebooks on Facebook?

You can promote ebooks on Facebook and send readers to your website, store page, or ecommerce checkout. Facebook is usually better as a marketing channel than as your main ebook delivery and sales system.

Can I sell ebooks on WordPress?

Yes. You can sell ebooks on WordPress using ecommerce plugins or external checkout tools. This works best if your site already attracts readers or if you have an email list, community, or nonfiction audience.

Can I sell ebooks on eBay?

In some cases, yes, but eBay is usually not the best primary platform for selling ebooks. Authors generally get better long-term results from ebook retailers, distributors, direct ecommerce stores, or their own website.