Glossary
KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited
KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited: KDP Select is an optional 90-day program in which an ebook is exclusive to Amazon. In return it joins Kindle Unlimited, Amazon’s subscription library, where the author is paid per page read from a monthly fund, and gets promotion tools such as free days and Countdown Deals.
What you gain
- Kindle Unlimited readers, who read a lot and pay per page read (see KENP).
- Five free promotion days or a Countdown Deal per 90-day term.
- 70% royalty in some marketplaces (India, Brazil, Japan, Mexico) that otherwise pay 35%.
What you give up
Exclusivity. The ebook cannot be sold or given away on Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, Gumroad or your own site while enrolled, not even as a free lead magnet. Paperbacks are not affected. Enrolment renews automatically unless you untick it.
Who should enrol
Genre fiction and series do well in Kindle Unlimited, where readers binge. Non-fiction used as a lead magnet or sold from your own site usually should not enrol: the exclusivity blocks the very thing the book is for. Many authors test 90 days in Select, then go wide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave KDP Select early?
No. The 90-day term runs to the end; you can turn off auto-renewal at any time.
Does KDP Select affect paperbacks?
No. Exclusivity applies to the ebook edition only.
Can I give the ebook away on my site while in Select?
No. Any digital distribution outside Amazon breaks the terms.