How and Where To Sell Ebooks Online (2025)

Axel Grubba, March 29, 2025
How and Where To Sell Ebooks Online (2025)
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Selling ebooks online can be simple if you choose the right platform. Whether you’re a new author or an experienced seller, here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

Key Platforms to Sell Ebooks:

  1. Crevio: Full control over your ebook business with no transaction fees. Plans start at $29/month.
  2. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): Free to publish with royalty rates of 35% or 70%. Huge audience reach.
  3. Payhip: Free plan available with a 5% transaction fee. Simple setup for direct sales.
  4. Gumroad: No monthly fees, but charges 10% per transaction. Great for selling multiple formats.
  5. Sellfy: Subscription-based with plans starting at $29/month. No transaction fees, ideal for larger catalogs.

Quick Comparison Table:

Platform Transaction Fees Monthly Cost Key Features
Crevio 0% $29-$89 Custom branding, mobile-ready store
Amazon KDP 35%-70% royalty Free Global reach, promotional tools
Payhip 0-5% Free-$99 PDF stamping, affiliate system
Gumroad 10% + $0.50 per sale Free-$10 Lightweight DRM, email marketing
Sellfy 0% $29-$159 Store customization, email marketing tools

How to Choose the Best Platform:

  • For Full Control: Use Crevio or Sellfy.
  • For Maximum Reach: Amazon KDP.
  • For Low-Cost Entry: Payhip or Gumroad.

Each platform offers unique benefits depending on your goals. Start by identifying your priorities – whether it’s reach, control, or affordability – and pick the platform that aligns with your needs.

7 best places to sell your books online

1. Crevio

Crevio helps authors sell ebooks and earn income while maintaining complete control over their digital publishing business. Check out the plans below to see which one fits your needs.

Basic Plan ($29/month):

  • No platform fees (standard Stripe processing fees still apply)
  • Mobile-ready store with customizable branding
  • Publish up to 5 products
  • Includes 5 team accounts for collaboration

Growth Plan ($89/month):

  • No limits on the number of products you can list
  • Option to use a custom domain
  • Priority creator support
  • Crevio branding completely removed
  • Unlimited team accounts

Crevio works for both one-time purchases and subscription models, giving you flexibility in how you sell your products.

Tools to Grow Your Audience:

  • Share free content to increase your visibility
  • Build and manage an email list
  • Personalize your mobile storefront
  • Stay connected directly with your readers

Beyond selling ebooks, Crevio enables you to manage additional materials, memberships, and other digital products – all from one easy-to-use dashboard.

Founded by Axel Grubba, Crevio focuses on giving creators ownership and control while offering a simple drag-and-drop store builder.

Feature Category Basic Plan ($29/mo) Growth Plan ($89/mo)
Transaction Fees 0% 0%
Product Limits 5 products Unlimited
Admin Seats 5 seats Unlimited
Branding Crevio branding Custom branding
Domain Options Subdomain Custom domain
Support Level Standard Priority

2. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

Amazon Kindle Direct PublishingAmazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a leader in digital publishing, connecting authors to a massive audience of 197 million users worldwide. Here’s a closer look at how KDP works, including its pricing and royalty options.

Publishing and Pricing Structure

Publishing on KDP is completely free, and authors retain full control over their book’s price, which can range from $0.99 to $200.00. KDP offers two royalty options:

Royalty Rate Requirements Perks
70% Books priced between $2.99 and $9.99 Access to promotional tools
35% All other price points No restrictions on pricing

Earnings Potential

KDP’s reach and royalty options create strong earning opportunities for authors. For example:

  • KDP authors earned $55.3 million through Kindle Unlimited in February 2025.
  • U.S. consumers spent $1.1 billion on ebooks in 2021, with Kindle being a major player.
  • Authors can generate additional revenue by offering their books in multiple formats.

"I’ve sold over 2 million copies of my book, The Miracle Morning, since publishing with KDP in 2012. It is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, as it has enabled me to impact millions of lives while providing financial security for my family." – Hal Elrod, USA / Business & Money

Success Strategies

To improve sales and visibility on KDP, consider these tips:

  • Aim to keep your book’s Best Seller Rank below 20,000 for better sales.
  • Use specific keywords to improve your book’s visibility in the Kindle Store.
  • Leverage Amazon Ads to increase exposure for your book.
  • Publish in any of KDP’s supported 45+ languages to reach a global audience.

KDP’s influence is clear, with the number of available titles growing by 264% over the past five years. Authors also have the option to join Kindle Unlimited, earning royalties based on page reads. This platform provides tools and opportunities for authors to expand their reach and boost their earnings.

3. Payhip

Payhip is a platform that enables authors to sell ebooks directly to readers. It supports over 130,000 creators and combines essential tools for selling with a user-friendly interface, making it suitable for authors with varying levels of technical expertise.

Platform Features

Payhip offers a range of tools designed to simplify ebook sales:

  • Store Management: Includes custom domain support, a website builder, and the ability to list unlimited products.
  • Security: Features like PDF stamping, download limits, and automated VAT handling ensure secure transactions.
  • Marketing Tools: Options to create coupons, set up an affiliate system, and offer referral discounts.
  • Payment Processing: Instant payments are available via PayPal or Stripe.

These features provide authors with a straightforward way to manage and grow their ebook sales.

Pricing Structure

Payhip’s pricing model is straightforward and designed with new authors in mind. The free plan charges a 5% fee on each sale, in addition to PayPal or Stripe processing fees.

For example, if you sell an ebook for $15:

  • Payhip fee: $0.75 (5%)
  • Payment processor fee: Approximately $0.77 (5.4%)
  • Author earnings: About $13.48

This clear cost breakdown makes it easier for authors to understand their earnings.

Success Stories

"When I first started selling online, I had no idea where to start. Instead of having to set up multiple platforms, designing a sales page and setting up multiple payment integrations, Payhip has it all for you in one place. I was easily able to set up an ebook for sale in one day and start receiving revenue in my business right away."

This testimonial highlights how Payhip simplifies the process of selling ebooks, especially for those new to online sales.

"I started using Payhip to sell my digital sheet music a few years ago because the previous platform I was using was difficult for customers to use, and I had to spend a lot of time helping customers with their downloads. Since switching to Payhip I haven’t had this problem at all, as the download process is really intuitive."

This example shows how Payhip improves the customer experience while reducing the seller’s workload.

Technical Specifications

Payhip’s technical capabilities make it even more appealing for authors:

  • Maximum ebook file size: 5GB
  • No restrictions on storage or bandwidth
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Automatic tax calculation for EU and UK sales

These technical features ensure that authors can focus on their content without worrying about platform limitations.

4. Gumroad

GumroadGumroad is a straightforward platform that makes it easy for authors to sell ebooks directly to their audience. It gives authors control over pricing and distribution, so you can focus on creating content without unnecessary complications.

Platform Features

Gumroad provides a range of tools to help authors sell and distribute their ebooks:

  • File Management: Offer multiple ebook formats (PDF, ePub, Mobi) in a single purchase, giving readers flexibility.
  • Security Features: Lightweight DRM protection to help secure your content.
  • Marketing Tools: Built-in email marketing and analytics to grow your audience effectively.
  • Customization: Create custom storefronts or embed Gumroad on your own website.
  • Payment Processing: Handles payments and automatically collects VAT for EU sales.

Pricing Structure

Gumroad charges fees on a per-transaction basis, with no monthly subscription costs. Here’s how the fees break down:

Sales Channel Transaction Fee Processing Fee (US)
Direct Links 10% + $0.50 3.49% + $0.49
Discover Platform 30% 3.49% + $0.49

For example, if you sell a $20 ebook through a direct link, you’ll take home about $16.31 after fees.

Real User Experiences

"Gumroad empowers creators. It handles payments, affiliates, discounts, etc., so that you can stick to what you know best."
– Steph Smith

"I love Gumroad because it can’t be any simpler. I upload a file, set a price, and I can start selling on the internet. Sales earnings deposit directly each Friday."
– Daniel Vassallo

Important Considerations

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

  • Traffic Generation: Only about 7% of sales come from Gumroad’s organic reach. This means you’ll need to actively promote your ebook to drive sales.
  • Customer Service: You’ll handle your own customer support, including refunds and addressing technical issues.

5. Sellfy

SellfySellfy offers a solid platform specifically designed for selling ebooks. It’s an all-in-one e-commerce solution that provides secure hosting and automated delivery, making it a convenient choice for creators.

Platform Features

Sellfy comes with a range of tools, including:

  • Store Customization: Create a professional storefront using premade themes or customize it to your liking.
  • Security Features: Protect your ebooks with PDF stamping and control downloads with limited access options.
  • Marketing Tools: Leverage email marketing, discount codes, and cart recovery to boost sales.
  • Analytics: Monitor your sales performance and understand customer behavior.
  • File Support: Upload ebook files as large as 10 GB.

Pricing Structure

Sellfy uses a subscription model with no additional platform fees (standard payment processing fees via PayPal or Stripe apply).

Plan Monthly Cost Annual Cost Payment Processing Fees
Starter $29 $264 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Business $79 $708 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Premium $159 $1,428 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

Real User Experiences

"Sellfy is an excellent and full-featured e-commerce platform. Their customer support is fast, exceptional and always friendly…Sellfy continues to take my business to the next level."

  • Al Riesenbeck

"I think Sellfy does a really great job with making the purchasing process straightforward. The user experience is so effortless that it’s easy to get a high conversion rate."

  • EfikZara, Composer & Content Creator

Important Considerations

  • Marketing and Traffic: The platform provides effective tools, but you’ll need to actively promote your store to drive traffic.
  • Integration Options: Easily embed your store or products on any website with "Buy Now" buttons or product cards.
  • Platform Success: Creators have collectively earned over $142,000,000 on Sellfy.

To get the most out of Sellfy:

  • Set competitive prices for your ebooks.
  • Optimize preview content to grab readers’ attention.
  • Use the built-in SEO settings to improve visibility.

Platform Comparison

When choosing a platform to sell ebooks, several factors come into play. Here’s a breakdown of the most important aspects:

Pricing Models and Revenue

Platform Transaction Fees Monthly Cost Payment Processing
Crevio 0% $29 – $89 Standard Stripe fees
Amazon KDP 35%-70% royalty Free Included
Payhip 0-5% Free – $99 2.9% + $0.30
Gumroad 2.9% + $0.30 Free – $10 Included
Sellfy 0% $29 – $159 2.9% + $0.30

Key Platform Features

Features play a crucial role in helping authors achieve their goals. Here’s what each platform offers:

  • Content Control and Flexibility
    Crevio allows full control over how content is delivered and priced. Amazon KDP offers unmatched reach but comes with strict formatting rules. Other platforms provide varying levels of flexibility in pricing and delivery.
  • Marketing and Promotion Tools
    Crevio includes a mobile-optimized link-in-bio store, perfect for social media campaigns. Amazon KDP offers Kindle Countdown Deals to boost visibility. Other platforms often include sharing tools and email marketing features.
  • Technical Requirements
    Platforms support common file formats like PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.
    • Store Customization: Crevio offers a drag-and-drop store builder and custom domains, while Amazon KDP provides basic options. Other platforms vary in their customization capabilities.
    • Integration Capabilities: Crevio supports Discord and Telegram integration, website embedding, and API access for advanced users.

Data and Analytics

Analytics can make a big difference when evaluating platform performance:

  • Crevio gives you full ownership of customer data.
  • Amazon KDP offers detailed metrics on sales and engagement.
  • Other platforms provide basic sales stats and insights.

Support and Resources

Each platform offers different levels of support:

  • Crevio includes priority support for Growth plan users.
  • Amazon KDP provides an extensive knowledge base.
  • Most platforms offer email support and self-service tools.

When selecting a platform, think about your priorities – pricing, features, or control – and choose the one that aligns with your ebook sales strategy.

Final Recommendations

After a thorough review, Crevio emerges as a strong option for authors who want full control over their ebook business and aim to boost their earnings. With no platform fees and pricing starting at $29 per month, it offers an affordable solution for dedicated authors.

Consider Crevio if:

  • You want to directly connect with your readers via social media while keeping full ownership of your customer data.
  • Flexible content delivery and customizable branding are important to you.
  • You plan to link your ebook sales to community platforms like Discord or Telegram.
  • A mobile-friendly store with link-in-bio features for social media marketing is a priority.

Axel Grubba is the founder of Findstack, a B2B software comparison platform, with his background spanning management consulting and venture capital where he invested in software. Recently, Axel has developed a passion for coding and enjoys traveling when he is not building and improving Findstack.
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