Kindle Direct Publishing vs Printful
Kindle Direct Publishing
kdp.amazon.com
Printful
printful.comSide by side
| Figure | Kindle Direct Publishing | Printful |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $24.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 7 |
| Spec score · Print-on-Demand Platforms | 8.5 (#17) | 9.4 (#1) |
| Design and mockups | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Fulfillment coverage | global | global |
| Storefront integrations | Amazon.ca,Amazon.co.jp,Amazon.com,Amazon.com.au,Amazon.co.uk,Amazon.de,Amazon.es,Amazon.fr,Amazon.it,Amazon.nl,Amazon.pl,Amazon.se,Amazon.ie,Amazon.com.be; Expanded Distribution through bookstores,online retailers,libraries,and academic institutions | Shopify,Etsy,WooCommerce,Amazon,Big Cartel,Squarespace,eBay,Gumroad,Wix,PrestaShop,Square,ShipStation,Nuvemshop,Ecwid,Base,Storenvy,BigCommerce,Weebly,TikTok Shop,Magento,Adobe Commerce,Hostinger |
| Support | Authors can request phone support from a KDP representative by submitting a call request through the KDP Contact Us Form. | Printful advertises 24/7 customer support. |
| What it does | KDP lets authors self-publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcover books and make them available on Amazon. | Printful provides print-on-demand production, fulfillment, and shipping for merchants’ custom products. |
Plans
Printful
- FreeFree
- Growth$24.99 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
- Printful FreeFree
- Printful Growth$24.99 a month
- Printful FreeFree
- Printful Growth$24.99 a month
In their own words
Kindle Direct Publishing
Kindle Direct Publishing lets authors self-publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcover books and make them available through Amazon. Authors retain full rights to their books. eBook royalty choices are 35% and 70%; the 70% option is limited to certain territories and subject to delivery costs. Print books can earn up to 60% royalties and are printed on demand, with printing costs deducted from royalties when an order ships. Manuscript formats include DOC/DOCX, KPF, EPUB, HTML, RTF, TXT, and PDF. Kindle Create for Windows and Mac can prepare manuscripts exported from Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, or Google Docs. Authors can promote eBooks and paperbacks with Amazon Advertising, and share Instant Book Previews or sample chapters. KDP Select is a free 90-day program for Kindle eBooks that includes Kindle Unlimited and eligibility for certain promotions; enrolled eBooks must remain exclusive to the Kindle Store during that period. Publishing is free, but KDP does not accept magazines, periodicals, calendars, or spiral-bound books. New title creation and first-time submission are limited to two titles per format each week.
Printful
Printful provides print-on-demand production, fulfillment, and shipping for merchants’ custom products. Items are produced after a customer orders, so sellers do not need to purchase or warehouse inventory in advance; payment is due after an order. Its Design Maker includes tools and resources for designs and mockups, and listed production methods include direct-to-garment, embroidery, all-over printing, sublimation, and direct-to-film. The Free plan includes access to 563 custom products, unlimited stores, 10 Quick Stores, 22 ecommerce platform and marketplace integrations, and 24/7 customer support. Integrations include Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Amazon, Wix, and TikTok Shop. Printful offers Android and iOS apps for confirming orders and managing a store, along with a REST API for orders, sales, mockups, and custom solutions. Fulfillment coverage is global, with orders shipped from the nearest fulfillment center; Printful says 86% are fulfilled in the customer’s region. Growth costs $24.99 a month and includes up to 33% off product pricing, plus a 14-day trial. Enterprise pricing is custom.