The complete guide to Amazon Kindle Unlimited for Canadian authors considering Amazon KDP’s ebook lending program!
Choosing whether to enroll your ebook in Kindle Unlimited is essential for Canadian authors navigating self-publishing. In the following guide to Amazon Kindle Unlimited, we’ll walk you through the process.
Kindle Unlimited (KU) is a program that Amazon KDP offers to readers, which allows them access to the whole Amazon ebook library of enrolled ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines. As well as being a convenient and cost-effective way for voracious readers to discover new books and authors, Kindle Unlimited offers authors a variety of benefits.
In the following guide to Kindle Unlimited, we’ll focus on:
- What Is Kindle Unlimited (KU) Publishing?
- How Do Authors Get Paid for Enrolling Their Ebook in Kindle Unlimited?
- Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC) Formula and How It Works
- How Do Authors Get Paid When They’re Enrolled In Kindle Unlimited?
- The Benefits of Kindle Unlimited for Canadian Authors
- The Disadvantages of Kindle Unlimited for Authors
- Kindle Unlimited FAQs
Curious about the benefits of Kindle Unlimited for Canadian authors? Let’s go through Kindle Unlimited and break down how it works, the benefits of Kindle Unlimited for authors, FAQs, and much more. If you’re still deciding which is the best self-publishing platform for you, check out The Best Self-Publishing Platforms for Canadian Authors, where we break down the most popular self-publishing platforms for authors.
What Is Kindle Unlimited (KU) Publishing? | Guide to Amazon Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited is a book subscription program. Think of it like the Netflix of books. As the reader, you pay a monthly subscription service, and your fee gets you access to the millions of digital ebooks, magazines, and audiobooks enrolled in the KU program.
When authors enroll their books in the program, they also commit to enrolling in Kindle Select. This 90-day exclusivity agreement grants Amazon global rights to the ebook version of their book. It’s important to note that when you agree to enroll your book in Kindle Unlimited, you can’t sell any digital copies anywhere else online, including your own author website. However, it doesn’t restrict where or how you sell physical versions of your book, such as the paperback or hardcover.
How Do Authors Get Paid for Enrolling Their Ebook in Kindle Unlimited?
Unlike when you sell a copy of your ebook and get a royalty, Kindle Unlimited pays authors a ‘Per Page Read Price’ based on the number of pages someone reads. If they read one page, you get paid for one page, but if they read 300, you get paid for 300. However, you’ll only be paid the first time they read your book, not for multiple readings.
Subscribers to Kindle Unlimited pay a monthly fee to access the KU library. The number of subscribers enrolled in the program determines how much the page read price is for that month. For example, according to Wise Words Media, the February 2025 Global Fund was $51.9 million, and the KDP Per Page read amount paid to authors enrolled in Kindle Unlimited was $0.004199.
While it’s tempting to put as many words or pages into your ebook as possible, it’s an exciting, captivating, and well-written story that will ensure readers read through to the end of the book.
Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC) Formula and How It Works
The Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC) is a formula that Amazon KDP uses to measure and track the number of pages a reader reads, regardless of how the ebook is formatted. Most ebooks are formatted into a reflowable ePub format, allowing readers to customize font size to suit their needs. However, page counts can change depending on who’s reading the ebook.
To ensure that authors receive a fair per-page-read price, Amazon KDP uses the KENPC formula, which includes standard formatting settings like font size, line space, line height, and non-text elements like graphs, tables, and images to count pages read.
How Do Authors Get Paid When They’re Enrolled In Kindle Unlimited?
Amazon KDP will pay authors enrolled in Kindle Unlimited using the same payment method and schedule as their other royalties. You can also track how many pages you have in your Author Dashboard on Amazon KDP.
The Benefits of Kindle Unlimited for Canadian Authors
Enrolling in Kindle Unlimited not only gives your book more exposure, but it also opens up several other benefits that you can’t access on Amazon unless you’re enrolled in the program, including:
- Kindle Countdown Deals – This allows authors to set up countdown price discounts in advance at pre-set times so that you can advertise to your followers on social media or subscribers.
- Free Book Promotion – Another benefit of enrolling your book in Kindle Unlimited is five free promotional days every 90 days. These 5 days can be pre-selected, which allows you to set up social media campaigns and promote your ebook to new readers. It’s advantageous if you have a series of books or you’re releasing a new book and want to boost older books to new readers.
The Disadvantages of Kindle Unlimited for Authors
It’s not all sunshine and roses, and while for most Canadian authors, the advantages of enrolling in Kindle Unlimited outweigh the disadvantages, you still need to weigh the pros and cons.
- 90-Day Exclusive Period—If you enroll your ebook in KU for 90 days, it must be exclusive to Amazon KDP, which means you can’t sell it on any other platform.
- Smaller Books with Fewer Pages – For children’s book authors, the appeal of Kindle Unlimited is high, but because they typically only have between 24 and 32 pages, the per-page read price is much lower than a royalty.
Kindle Unlimited FAQs
- What are the benefits for authors who choose to enroll in Kindle Unlimited? – Greater visibility, inclusion in the Kindle Unlimited Library, five free promotion days, countdown deals, and royalties based on pages read.
- What are the limitations and restrictions for authors enrolled in Kindle Unlimited? – Yes, while enrolled in KU, your ebook version of your book must be exclusive to Amazon and can’t be sold on other online platforms or via your author dashboard.
- How do they calculate royalties for Kindle Unlimited Authors? – Royalties are based on the number of pages read and the global pool amount, which is based on the number of authors enrolled in KU and the number of subscribers.
- Is Kindle Unlimited available to Canadian authors? – Yes, Kindle Unlimited is available to Canadian self-published authors.
Guide to Amazon Kindle Unlimited for Canadian Authors | Conclusion
Weighing up the decision to enroll your ebook into Amazon KDP’s Kindle Unlimited is a big decision, but you won’t have to be enrolled forever. After 90 days, if you feel like going broader with your ebook distribution to other platforms is better suited to your marketing plan, just un-enroll before it auto-renews, and you’ll be ready to try different platforms like IngramSpark Publishing, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and many others.
If you are writing a book and need any assistance with paperback or ebook formatting, cover design, professional editing, uploading to self-publishing sites such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, or Amazon KDP keyword and category research, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We also offer children’s book illustrations and formatting services.
Our experienced and professional self-publishing team stands 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!
For authors still considering which self-publishing platform suits them as a Canadian author, read The Complete Guide to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing for Canadian Authors, where we cover everything you’ll need to know about getting started on Amazon KDP for the first time.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below, and we’ll do our best to answer them or point you in the right direction.
