Best Platforms for Indie Authors in 2026 (Honest Comparison)

Meta Description: Amazon KDP, Patreon, Gumroad, or Shocraft? Here's an honest breakdown of every major platform for indie authors, with real numbers and no BS.

You wrote a book.

Now what?

Amazon KDP is the default. But is it the best choice? Or are you leaving money on the table?

Let's compare every major platform indie authors use in 2026. No affiliate links. No BS. Just real data on fees, features, and what actually works.

The Contenders

1. Amazon KDP — The 800-pound gorilla
2. Gumroad — Simple digital sales
3. Patreon — Subscription memberships
4. Substack — Newsletter-first
5. Lulu / IngramSpark — Print distribution
6. Shocraft — All-in-one creator platform
7. Self-hosted — Full control
8. Amazon KDP

What it is: Publish ebooks and paperbacks, sell through Amazon marketplace.

Fees:
eBook (35% royalty): You keep 35%, Amazon keeps 65%
eBook (70% royalty): You keep 70%, but only if priced $2.99-$9.99, minus "delivery fees"
Paperback: ~40% to Amazon + printing costs

Pros:
✅ Massive built-in audience (millions of readers)
✅ Easy to publish (upload, hit go)
✅ Print-on-demand included
✅ Kindle Unlimited exposure

Cons:
❌ You NEVER get customer emails
❌ Amazon owns the relationship
❌ 65% fees on most books
❌ Algorithm determines your visibility
❌ Pricing restrictions (can't go above $9.99 on 70% royalty)
❌ Amazon can change terms anytime

Real Talk:
Amazon is great for discovery. Terrible for ownership.

Most successful authors use Amazon as a funnel to their owned platform. Book 1 at $0.99 on Amazon → readers migrate to your site for Book 2+.

Best for: Brand new authors testing the waters.
Not best for: Authors serious about building a sustainable business.

1. Gumroad

What it is: Simple store for digital products (ebooks, PDFs, audiobooks, courses).

Fees:
Free plan: 10% per transaction
Premium ($10/mo): 0% fees + payment processing (2.9% + $0.30)

Pros:
✅ Dead simple setup
✅ You own customer emails
✅ Clean checkout experience
✅ Can bundle products
✅ No exclusivity requirements

Cons:
❌ Zero built-in audience (you drive all traffic)
❌ Not built for subscriptions
❌ Limited customization
❌ Gumroad branding (gumroad.com/yourname)
❌ Clunky UI

Real Talk:
Gumroad is the "good enough" option. If you want to sell books directly and don't care about polish, it works.

But you're still renting (gumroad.com/yourname), and it's not optimized for authors — it's built for all digital products.

Best for: Authors who want simple direct sales, no frills.
Not best for: Authors building a brand, or wanting community features.

1. Patreon

What it is: Subscription platform for ongoing support from fans.

Fees:
Lite: 5% + payment processing (~8% total)
Pro: 8% + payment processing (~11% total)
Premium: 12% + payment processing (~15% total)

Pros:
✅ Recurring revenue model
✅ Community features (tiers, exclusives)
✅ Built-in audience discovery
✅ Subscribers expect to support creators

Cons:
❌ High fees (8-15%)
❌ You don't really "own" your list
❌ Subscription-only (hard to sell one-time books)
❌ Patreon branding everywhere
❌ High churn rates

Real Talk:
Patreon works for ongoing content creators (podcasters, YouTubers). Less ideal for authors unless you're releasing serialized content monthly.

You CAN use it for books, but it's clunky. And the fees hurt at scale.

Best for: Authors releasing monthly chapters, bonus content, or building a paid community.
Not best for: Authors selling finished books.

1. Substack

What it is: Newsletter platform with paid subscriptions.

Fees:
Free tier: $0 (free newsletters only)
Paid tier: 10% of paid subscriptions

Pros:
✅ Newsletter + paid subs in one
✅ Clean, simple interface
✅ You own the email list
✅ Built-in discovery (Substack network)
✅ Great for serialized writing

Cons:
❌ 10% fees on paid subs
❌ Not built for selling finished books
❌ Limited customization
❌ Substack branding (yourname.substack.com)
❌ No one-time purchases (subscriptions only)

Real Talk:
Substack is amazing for writers building an audience through newsletters. Less ideal if you want to sell books directly.

Some authors use it to build audience, then sell books elsewhere. That works.

Best for: Writers who want newsletter + paid subscriptions.
Not best for: Selling standalone books or audiobooks.

1. Lulu / IngramSpark

What they are: Print-on-demand distributors (get your book into bookstores, libraries).

Fees:
Lulu: Free to publish, ~30-40% to retailers + printing
IngramSpark: $49 setup fee, ~40-55% to retailers + printing

Pros:
✅ Wide distribution (bookstores, libraries, Amazon)
✅ Print-on-demand (no inventory)
✅ ISBN included
✅ Professional distribution channels

Cons:
❌ Lower margins than selling direct
❌ No ebook distribution
❌ You don't get customer emails
❌ Still middlemen taking cuts

Real Talk:
These are distribution tools, not platforms. Use them to get your book into physical retail, but don't rely on them as your primary sales channel.

Best for: Authors who want bookstore/library distribution.
Not best for: Primary revenue source.

1. Shocraft

What it is: All-in-one platform for creators to sell everything — books, audiobooks, courses, memberships, events — on one page they own.

Fees:
Starter: Free, 30% commission
Growth: $25/mo, 20% commission
Professional: $70/mo, 12% commission (most popular)
Business: $140/mo, 6% commission
Enterprise: $270/mo, 3% commission

Pros:
✅ You own the customer relationship (emails captured automatically)
✅ Sell EVERYTHING in one place (ebooks, audiobooks, courses, community)
✅ Upsells built-in (someone buys Book 1, offer Book 2 + audiobook bundle)
✅ Your brand, your domain (yourname.shocraft.com or custom domain)
✅ No exclusivity (sell on Amazon too if you want)
✅ Lower fees than Amazon at scale

Cons:
❌ Zero built-in audience (you drive all traffic)
❌ Newer platform (less proven than Amazon/Gumroad)
❌ Monthly fee (but pays for itself quickly)

Real Talk:
Shocraft is built specifically for creators who want to own their business, not rent it.

If you have 100+ readers willing to buy direct, you'll make more on Shocraft than Amazon. If you're brand new with zero audience, start on Amazon, then migrate.

Example: SSgt JKH went from $450/mo on Amazon to $2,200/mo on Shocraft by owning the relationship.

Best for: Authors ready to own their platform and maximize revenue.
Not best for: Brand new authors with zero audience.

1. Self-Hosted (WordPress + WooCommerce)

What it is: Build your own store on your own website.

Fees:
Domain: ~$15/year
Hosting: ~$10-50/month
Payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe)

Pros:
✅ Full control (design, features, data)
✅ No platform fees
✅ Your domain, your brand
✅ No platform risk

Cons:
❌ Technical setup required
❌ Maintenance (updates, security, hosting)
❌ No built-in features (you build everything)
❌ Time-intensive

Real Talk:
Self-hosting is the ultimate control, but most authors don't want to become web developers.

If you're tech-savvy and want zero platform dependency, go for it. Otherwise, use a platform that handles the infrastructure for you.

Best for: Tech-savvy authors who want 100% control.
Not best for: Most authors (too much overhead).

The Decision Matrix

The Smart Strategy (What Successful Authors Do)

Phase 1: Discovery (Months 0-6)
Publish Book 1 on Amazon KDP
Price at $0.99 or free
Use Amazon's audience to get discovered
Back matter: "Get Book 2 at your site]"

Phase 2: Ownership (Months 6-12)
Set up owned platform (Shocraft, Gumroad, or self-hosted)
Migrate readers to your site with exclusive content
Offer bundles, audiobooks, bonuses
Capture emails, build your list

Phase 3: Scale (Year 2+)
Amazon becomes a funnel (Book 1 free/cheap)
Real revenue comes from your owned platform
Higher margins, better control, sustainable business

Result: You get Amazon's discovery + owned platform's economics.

Bottom Line

If you're brand new: Start with Amazon KDP. Get discovered. Prove people will pay.

If you have 50-100 readers: Move to Gumroad or Shocraft. Own the relationship. Keep more money.

If you're making $1k+/month: You should 100% own your platform. Amazon's fees are killing your profit.

If you're serious about this as a career: Treat it like a business. Own your customers, own your brand, own your economics.

Ready to Own Your Platform?

Stop renting your author business. Start your Shocraft page →

Or explore: How to migrate from Amazon without losing readers]

Your books. Your readers. Your revenue.