How to Sell an Ebook Online Without Amazon KDP (2026 Guide)
Sell your ebook online without Amazon KDP. Gate a PDF or EPUB download link behind Stripe, keep ~86%, and own your customer list. Step-by-step 2026 guide.
- ebooks
- sell-digital-products
- creator-monetization
- how-to
TL;DR: You don't need Amazon KDP to sell an ebook. Finish your book as a PDF or EPUB, host it on Google Drive or Dropbox, then wrap the download link with LinkGate: set a price from $0.50 to $999, connect Stripe, and share the paid link on your site, newsletter, or social. Buyers pay, then get the file instantly. You keep about 86% (LinkGate's 10% commission + Stripe's ~2.9% + $0.30) — versus KDP's 70% royalty, which only applies to books priced $2.99–$9.99. And unlike Amazon, you keep the customer's email.
Amazon KDP gives you reach, but it also takes control: it caps your best royalty to a narrow price band, sets discovery rules, and never hands you your reader's contact details. If you already have an audience — even a small one — selling the ebook directly from your own link is faster to set up and pays out more per sale.
What "selling an ebook directly" actually means
Selling direct means the file never leaves your storage and no marketplace sits between you and the buyer. Your ebook is just a file — a .pdf or .epub — sitting in Google Drive or Dropbox. Instead of uploading it to a store, you put a payment in front of the share link.
The buyer clicks your link, pays through Stripe, and is redirected to the download. You didn't build a website, upload to a catalog, or wait for approval. This is the same model covered in how to sell a PDF online — an ebook is simply a longer, more polished PDF.
How to sell an ebook online in 5 steps
1. Finish your ebook as a PDF or EPUB
Export your manuscript to PDF (best for fixed layouts, design-heavy books, and worksheets) or EPUB (best for reflowable text that adapts to e-readers). Many sellers offer both in a single Zip so readers can choose. Add a cover, a title page, and your contact/newsletter link inside the file.
2. Host the file on Google Drive or Dropbox
Upload the finished file to Google Drive or Dropbox and generate a shareable link. Set the sharing permission to "anyone with the link can view/download." You now have a working download URL — the thing you're going to charge for.
3. Gate the link and connect Stripe
Paste that download URL into LinkGate and connect your Stripe account (this is where your money lands directly). LinkGate puts a Stripe checkout in front of the link, so the raw file URL is never exposed until someone pays. No subscription, free to start.
4. Set your price
Type in a price — typical indie ebooks sell for $5–$29. Because you're not locked to Amazon's $2.99–$9.99 royalty band, you can price a premium guide at $19 or $29 and still keep ~86% of it. Test a price, change it anytime.
5. Share the link and deliver instantly
Put the paid link in your newsletter, on your website, in your social bio, or in a launch post. Every buyer who pays is redirected straight to the download — delivery is automatic and instant, 24/7, with no fulfillment work from you. See charge for a download link for placement ideas.
Where to sell: your cut compared
| Option | How you sell | Your cut per sale | Own the customer? |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkGate | Gate your own Drive/Dropbox link | ~86% (10% + Stripe ~2.9% + $0.30) | Yes — you keep the email |
| Amazon KDP | List in Kindle store | 70% (only $2.99–$9.99), else 35% | No — Amazon owns the buyer |
| Gumroad | Hosted product page | ~90% minus fees (10% + $0.50; merchant of record) | Partly — data shared |
| Payhip | Hosted store | 95% on free plan (5% fee) | Partly |
Amazon's reach is real, but the trade-off is control: the 70% royalty is contingent on pricing between $2.99 and $9.99. Price outside that band — say $1.99 or $14.99 — and your royalty drops to 35%. You also never receive the reader's email, which makes selling your next book much harder.
Fee math on a $12 ebook
Say you sell a $12 ebook. Here's what actually lands in your account:
- LinkGate: $12 − 10% commission ($1.20) − Stripe (~$0.35 + $0.30) ≈ $10.15 take-home (~85%).
- Amazon KDP at 70%: $12 is inside the $2.99–$9.99 band? No — $12 is above it. So a $12 book earns the 35% royalty = $4.20 (before Amazon's delivery-cost deductions).
- To even qualify for KDP's 70% tier, you'd have to drop the price to $9.99, which yields $6.99 (again, minus delivery fees) — and Amazon still keeps the customer relationship.
So on a $12 ebook, selling direct returns roughly $10.15 vs $4.20 on KDP — more than double — and you walk away with the buyer's email too. Even matched at $9.99, direct ($8.44 take-home) beats KDP's $6.99.
When to use each
- Use Amazon KDP for reach. If you have no audience and want to be discovered by Kindle browsers, KDP's marketplace can surface your book to strangers. That distribution is the product you're paying for with the lower royalty.
- Use direct (LinkGate) for margin and ownership. If you have any audience — a newsletter, a following, a course, a community — selling direct keeps far more per sale, lets you price freely, and builds a customer list you actually own. Many authors do both: KDP for discovery, a direct link for their true fans and premium editions.
FAQ
Q: Can I sell an ebook without Amazon? A: Yes. You can sell an ebook entirely off Amazon by hosting the file on Google Drive or Dropbox and gating the download link behind a Stripe payment with a tool like LinkGate. No KDP account, no marketplace approval needed.
Q: How do buyers receive the ebook? A: Instantly. After paying through Stripe, the buyer is redirected straight to your download link, so they get the PDF or EPUB immediately — no manual emailing, and it works around the clock.
Q: What format should my ebook be? A: PDF is ideal for design-heavy or fixed-layout books and worksheets; EPUB is better for reflowable text on e-readers. Offering both (often bundled in a Zip) covers every reader.
Q: How much can I earn selling ebooks directly? A: You keep roughly 86% of each sale after LinkGate's 10% commission and Stripe's ~2.9% + $0.30. On a $12 ebook that's about $10.15 per copy — versus $4.20 at Amazon's 35% royalty for books priced above $9.99.
Q: Do I need a website to sell my ebook? A: No. A single paid link is enough. You can share it in a newsletter, a social bio, or a launch post — no store, hosting, or checkout page to build.
Related reading
- How to sell a PDF online — the sibling guide, since every ebook is a PDF.
- How to sell digital downloads — the broad pillar covering files, templates, and more.
- Gumroad alternative — how gating your own link compares to a hosted store.
- How to sell digital products online — the complete guide covering every format, pricing strategy, and platform option.
Ready to sell your ebook? Gate your download link, check the pricing, or sign up free and share your first paid link in minutes.
LinkGate = pay-to-access links. Charge $0.50–$999 to unlock any URL, paid via Stripe. 10% commission, no subscription.