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| Top eBook Selling Platforms and How to Make Money Online |
Hi, Are you wrote an ebook. Or maybe you are still thinking about writing one. Either way, you are probably asking the same question every new writer asks: where do I actually sell this thing, and will I really get paid?
Good news for you. You don't need a publisher, an office, or a big budget to start. You just need the right platform. In this article, we will look at the top places to sell ebooks in 2026, how much money each one really pays you, and how to pick the best one for your goals. We checked every number against the official source, so you can trust what you read here.
Real Way to Earn Money form Ebooks Selling
An ebook is just a digital book. There is no printing cost, no shipping, and no warehouse. You write it once, and it can sell for years without any extra work. This is why so many writers, teachers, coaches, and even hobby bloggers now sell ebooks as a side income or even a full-time job.
You might be wondering, "But is this still worth it in 2026, with so much competition?" Honestly, yes. Millions of readers still buy ebooks every single day. The trick is picking the right platform and understanding how you get paid. Let's break it down, one platform at a time.
1. Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)
Amazon KDP is the biggest ebook store on the planet. If you search "self publish ebook," this is the name you will see the most. It is completely free to use, and anyone can upload a book in a few hours.
How the money works: Amazon gives you two royalty choices for ebooks:
- 70% royalty — for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99, sold in eligible countries. Amazon takes a small delivery fee based on your file size.
- 35% royalty — for books priced outside that range, or for public domain content.
This information comes straight from Amazon's own KDP help pages, so you can check it yourself before publishing.
There is also a program called KDP Select. If you join it, your book becomes part of Kindle Unlimited, where readers pay a monthly fee to read unlimited books. You get paid based on how many pages people actually read, not just on sales. The catch is that KDP Select asks you to sell your ebook only on Amazon for 90 days. No other store during that time.
Good for: New writers who want the biggest audience with the least setup work.
Keep in mind: Pricing your book just right matters a lot. A book priced at $2.98 or $10.00 earns far less than one priced at $2.99 or $9.99. Always check Amazon's official royalty page before setting your price.
2. Draft2Digital – One Upload, Many Bookstores
Here's the thing about Amazon KDP — it only sells on Amazon. If you want your book on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and even library apps, you would normally need separate accounts everywhere. That's a lot of extra work.
Draft2Digital (also called D2D) solves this problem. You upload your book one time, and D2D sends it out to dozens of stores automatically. It also has a free tool that turns your Word document into a properly formatted ebook file.
How the money works: D2D does not charge any upfront fee. Instead, it takes about 10% of the royalty that each store pays you.
- Apple Books usually pays 70% of the list price. After D2D's cut, you keep about 63%.
- Kobo also pays around 70%, so you keep roughly 63% after D2D's fee.
- Barnes & Noble pays a little less, so your final share is closer to 58–59%.
D2D also merged with Smashwords in 2022, so books uploaded to D2D can now also appear in the Smashwords store.
Good for: Writers who want to reach readers outside Amazon without managing five different accounts.
3. Selling Direct on Apple Books and Kobo
If you don't mind a bit of extra setup, you can skip the middleman completely.
- Apple Books for Authors lets you upload directly and keep the full 70% royalty share, without D2D's small cut.
- Kobo Writing Life works the same way. Kobo pays 70% royalty on ebooks priced $2.99 and above, and a lower 45% rate on books priced below that.
Going direct means a little more admin work, since you manage each dashboard yourself. But over hundreds of sales, that extra few percent can really add up.
Good for: Writers who already have a following and want to squeeze out every extra dollar.
4. Gumroad – Sell Your Ebook Your Own Way
Gumroad is different from the platforms above. It is not a bookstore. Instead, it gives you a simple page to sell any digital product — including your ebook — directly to your own audience. Think of it as your own personal shop, not a shelf in someone else's store.
How the money works: According to Gumroad's own help page, sales made through your own links are charged a fee of 10% plus $0.50 per sale. If a buyer finds your product through Gumroad's built-in "Discover" marketplace instead of your own link, the fee jumps to a flat 30%.
Gumroad also acts as what is called a "Merchant of Record." In simple words, this means Gumroad handles sales tax and VAT for you around the world, so you don't have to register for tax in every country yourself.
Good for: Writers who already have an email list, a YouTube channel, or social media followers and want to sell directly, without depending on Amazon's algorithm.
5. Payhip – A Simple and Budget-Friendly Option
Payhip works a lot like Gumroad but with a slightly different pricing style. It lets you sell ebooks, courses, and other digital files from your own storefront.
How the money works: Payhip offers three simple plans, and every plan has the exact same features. The only difference is the fee:
- Free plan: 5% fee per sale, no monthly cost
- Plus plan: $29 per month, only 2% fee per sale
- Pro plan: $99 per month, 0% fee per sale
On top of Payhip's fee, normal card processing charges from Stripe or PayPal also apply, usually around 2.9% plus $0.30 per sale. Payhip also automatically handles VAT for sales in the EU and UK, based on information from its official pricing page.
Good for: New sellers who want to start completely free and upgrade only once their sales grow.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
There is no single "best" platform for everyone. It really depends on your goal.
|
Your Goal |
Best Platform |
|
Reach
the biggest number of readers |
Amazon
KDP |
|
Sell
in many stores at once, with less work |
Draft2Digital |
|
Keep
the highest royalty percentage |
Direct
on Apple Books or Kobo |
|
Sell
directly to your own fans and followers |
Gumroad
or Payhip |
|
Start
with zero cost and low fees |
Payhip
Free plan |
And here's a small secret many new writers don't know: you don't have to pick just one. Many successful authors use Amazon KDP for the biggest audience, and Draft2Digital or Gumroad on the side for extra income streams. This is often called "going wide."
Simple Steps to Start Selling Your Ebook Today
You might be wondering where to even begin. Here is a simple path:
- Finish and edit your ebook. Even a short, well-written 8,000-word guide can sell well if it solves a real problem.
- Design a simple cover. A clean, readable cover matters more than a fancy one. Free tools like Canva work fine for beginners.
- Pick your main platform. If you are brand new, start with Amazon KDP because of its huge reader base.
- Set your price carefully. Stay inside the 70% royalty range on the platform you choose.
- Add your book description and keywords. This helps readers actually find your book in search results.
- Publish, and then market it. Share it on social media, in newsletters, or with a small paid ad. A book that nobody knows about will not sell, no matter how good it is.
Common Mistakes New Ebook Sellers Make
A lot of first-time sellers lose money without even realizing it. Here are the most common mistakes:
- Pricing outside the 70% royalty range. A $1.99 or $11.99 ebook on Amazon earns far less than a $4.99 one, because of the royalty rules.
- Ignoring platform fees before setting a price. If you forget Gumroad's 10% fee or Payhip's 5% fee, your real earnings will surprise you.
- Not checking official pages before publishing. Rules and fees do change over time, so always confirm current numbers on the platform's own website before you rely on them.
- Publishing without a cover or clear description. Readers judge a book cover in seconds. Don't skip this step.
- Choosing KDP Select without understanding the 90-day exclusivity. If you want to sell wide from day one, skip KDP Select.
Final Thoughts
Selling ebooks online is still a real and honest way to earn money in 2026. And that's really the good part — you don't need to be a bestselling author to start. You just need one useful, well-written ebook and the right platform to match your goals.
Start small. Pick one platform, publish your first ebook, and learn as you go. Once you see your first sale land in your account, you will understand why so many writers keep coming back to write another book.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. Fees, royalty rates, and platform rules can change at any time. Always check the official website of each platform before publishing or pricing your ebook.
