The Best Self-Publishing Platforms for Canadian Authors

A detailed comparison and breakdown of the best self-publishing platforms available to Canadian authors looking to self-publish their book!

 

You’ve written a book, and it’s ready for self-publishing, but what are the best self-publishing platforms for Canadian authors? That is an excellent question with a variety of answers.

At Indie Publishing Group, one of the most common things we’ve found working with Canadian authors new to the self-publishing world is that while most authors are aware of the two biggest self-publishing platforms, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark Publishing, they’re not aware that there a variety of other self-publishing platforms available.

While your manuscript is being professionally edited, it’s the perfect time to start researching self-publishing platforms and planning where you want to self publish your book. Did you know you can self-publish your book on multiple self-publishing platforms simultaneously with minimal investment or changes to your files? That’s why it’s essential to plan in advance for which self-publishing platforms you will focus on and which will give you the best return on your investment.

In the following article, we’ll be focussing on:

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
• IngramSpark Publishing
• Apple iBooks
• Barnes & Noble Press
• Kobo Writing Life
• Smashwords Publishing
• Google Play Books

 

If you’re currently working on your manuscript and still in the writing and editing stage, be sure to check out our article on Self-Editing Tips for Canadian Authors, which covers everything you need to know about self-editing before you send your manuscript for professional developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

 

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

• Uploading Cost – 100% free to upload and self-publish paperback, hardcovers, and ebooks. Unlimited revisions. No cost.
• Royalties – 60% on paperbacks and hardcovers, 70% on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99, and 35% for ebooks priced below $2.99.

 

Arguably one of the biggest self-publishing platforms available to authors in Canada by market share and sales, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) dominates the global book market.

According to a study and report compiled by Statista in 2024, Amazon KDP’s market share for all online book sales includes the United States – 71%, United Kingdom – 68%, and Canada – 55%. Regardless of how you feel about Amazon, there’s no denying that it dominates the self-publishing world.

Amazon KDP is one self-publishing platform that Canadian authors can’t afford to ignore.

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) – The self-publishing platform itself is where you upload, publish, and manage your books as an author, self-publishing on Amazon.
• Amazon KDP Select – An exclusive ebook program available to authors that allows them to enroll their ebooks into Kindle Unlimited. Please note that when you enroll your ebook in KDP Select, you can’t publish your ebook anywhere else online for the period of your enrollment (90 days). Authors get paid per page read based on a percentage of the global pool, which is calculated by how many people are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.
• Amazon Kindle Unlimited – An ebook lending program that allows Amazon customers to read unlimited ebooks enrolled in the program for a monthly subscription.

 

When you self-publish directly via Amazon KDP, you also get access to Amazon Author Central, which allows you to create an Author Profile and allows people who buy your book to follow you. Why is this important? Because when you release your next book, your Amazon followers are automatically updated via email that you’ve released your next book.

Amazon also owns Audible, a massive audiobook platform that is connected to Amazon. If you self-publish your audiobook via ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange), it will be linked alongside your ebook and print books on your Amazon book listing.

Amazon KDP is a print-on-demand (POD) platform, which means that when a customer orders a print copy of your book, paperback, or hardcover, Amazon KDP prints the book in a printing facility located in their country and ships it directly to them. Once your books have been published and approved, as the author, you don’t have to worry about printing or shipping.

Read Amazon Print On Demand Publishing Explained to discover what Print On Demand (POD) is and how it assists self-published authors in Canada.

The most significant disadvantage to authors only focusing on Amazon KDP is their reach and distribution into brick-and-mortar stores, libraries, and schools, which isn’t great compared to IngramSpark Publishing.

 

IngramSpark Publishing

• Uploading Cost – 100% free to upload paperbacks, hardcovers, and ebooks. However, after 30 days, there is a $25 fee for title revisions.
• Royalties – 45% on paperback and hardcovers, 70% on ebooks.

 

IngramSpark Publishing is the self-publishing component of the parent company, Lightning Source. While the main company, Lightning Source, is geared toward traditional publishers, IngramSpark Publishing is a self-publishing platform geared directly to Canadian and international authors.

While Amazon KDP is designed primarily as a funnel to direct author’s books to Amazon marketplace platforms, IngramSpark Publishing is mainly a book distribution platform with a much larger focus on getting your books onto multiple platforms (including Amazon) instead of selling books directly to customers.

IngramSpark distributes your physical and digital books to the world’s biggest book-selling platforms, including Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo Writing Life, and many more. Click here for a detailed breakdown of IngramSpark’s distribution channels.

Importantly, as a Canadian author, IngramSpark distributes to several Canadian book platforms, including Chapters Indigo, Canada’s largest bookstore. So, if you want to get your book into Canada’s biggest brick-and-mortar bookstore chain, IngramSpark is one way to achieve that.

One advantage that IngramSpark offers Canadian self-published authors over Amazon KDP and almost all other self-publishing platforms is that they have a massive variety of trim sizes and cover formats. So, if you’re looking for a non-standard trim size or personalized and professional cover options, IngramSpark can do that.

IngramSpark Publishing isn’t as user-friendly for new authors as Amazon KDP, but their dominant reach into brick-and-mortar stores, along with book catalogs for schools and libraries, makes them an option you can afford to explore.

 

Apple iBooks

• Uploading Cost – 100% free to upload ebooks with no setup costs.
• Royalties – 70% on all ebooks.

 

Apple iBooks has been allowing Canadian authors to self-publish their ebooks since 2010. They’re incredibly dominant in the ebook market, thanks to the popularity of Apple iPhones and iPads, which feature Apple’s Book app, driving Apple product users toward their ebook market.

While the platform doesn’t focus on physical books, it’s definitely worth taking a closer look if you’re focused on promoting your digital books to readers. All you’ll need to get started is an Apple iTunes Connect Account, which is free for authors.

Previously, publishing ebooks on Apple iBooks wasn’t as straightforward, requiring both iTunes and a Mac to publish directly or go through a distributor such as IngramSpark or Smashwords and have them push the book to the platform. However, recent changes have made Apple iBooks much more accessible to Canadian authors looking to expand the reach of their self-published ebooks.

Apple iBooks currently has over 40 country-specific digital stores that allow readers to purchase and download ebooks directly from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer. They also allow authors to set their own specific prices, set up free promotions, and offer readers discounts on their titles with no exclusivity, unlike Amazon KDP.

 

Barnes & Noble Press

• Uploading Cost – 100% free. No uploading or setup costs.
• Royalties – 55% for print books and 70% for ebooks.

 

Once operating under Nook, Barnes and Noble Press offers another self-publishing platform for authors in Canada looking to publish their books on as many platforms as possible. It provides print and digital ebook options for authors looking to get their books listed on Barnes & Noble catalogs and ebooks listed on Nook platforms, which are available to all Android, iOS, and Windows users.

Barnes and Noble publishes all their paperback books exclusively via their online and physical bookstores.

 

Kobo Writing Life

• Uploading Cost – 100% free. No uploading or setup costs.
• Royalties – 70% royalties for ebooks priced over $2.99 and 45% royalties for ebooks priced under $2.99.

 

While Kobo Writing Life only boasts 2% of the global ebook market, it takes 25% of the Canadian ebook market, making it very important for self-published authors in Canada to self-publish ebooks.

One advantage that Kobo has over almost every other self-publishing platform, except for Amazon (with their Kindle eReader), is that they also sell their own ebook reading tablet, which means that anyone who purchases their tablet will be funneled to books they sell.

In Canada, Kobo is teamed up with retail giant Chapters Indigo, which makes it a significant choice for Canadian authors.

 

Smashwords Publishing

• Uploading Cost – 100% free. No uploading or setup costs.
• Royalties – Up to 80% royalties on ebooks.

 

If you’re focussing on ebooks, Smashwords Publishing is definitely worth a closer look. Much like IngramSpark Publishing, Smashwords distributes your ebook to multiple ebook retailers, including iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble, and it sells directly to readers via their online retail store.

Some of the ebook requirements for Smashwords can be a little difficult or tricky, primarily because they are distributed to so many different ebook platforms, and your ebook will need to be formatted to suit all platforms.

 

Google Play Books

• Uploading Cost – 100% free. No uploading or setup costs.
• Royalties – 70% royalties on ebooks with no minimum or maximum price.

 

Another option for authors in Canada that is focused on maximizing exposure and sales of their ebooks and audiobooks is Google Play Books. Like the Apple Books app, the Google Play Books app comes preloaded on all Android phones and tablets, acting like a funnel for ebooks and audiobooks listed on Google Play Books.

 

The Best Self-Publishing Platforms for Canadian Authors | Conclusion

The self-publishing world is constantly evolving, and how much time you dedicate to publishing and marketing your book or book plays will play a significant factor in which self-publishing platforms you choose.

For Canadian authors, the minimum we recommend is publishing on Amazon KDP and IngramSpark Publishing, giving you a broad reach with minimal time invested.

At Indie Publishing Group, we’re proud to assist Canadian and North American authors in self-publishing their books, including assisting with the children’s book self-publishing process.

If you are writing a book and need any assistance with paperback or ebook formatting, cover design, professional editing, or uploading to self-publishing sites such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us. We also offer children’s book illustrations and children’s book formatting services.

Our experienced and professional self-publishing team is standing by to assist you with your self-publishing dreams. Do you have any additional writing or self-publishing questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us directly.

One of our friendly and professional team members will get back to you ASAP!