If you’re preparing to self-publish your first book, you’ve likely encountered the mysterious acronym “ISBN” and found yourself drowning in questions. What is an Amazon KDP ISBN number? Do you really need one? How do you get one? Does Amazon KDP provide an ISBN for free? If you use Amazon’s free ISBN, does that mean you can’t publish your book anywhere else?
Today I am going to attempt to demystify the ISBN question once and for all. I hope that in the process, I save you hundreds of dollars and weeks of unnecessary delays in your publishing timeline.
Let’s start from the very beginning.
What Is an ISBN?
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It’s a unique identifier for your book that includes the title, author, trim size, and print options. Think of it as a social security number for your book – it distinguishes your specific edition from every other book in the world.
Key Facts About ISBNs
- ISBNs apply only to physical editions of books (paperback and hardcover), not ebooks. Therefore, if you’re publishing both a paperback and hardcover edition, you’ll need two separate ISBNs.
- ISBNs are permanent identifiers that stay with a specific edition of a book forever, even if the book goes out of print.
- The ISBN system is managed internationally but purchased through country-specific agencies. In the United States, the official ISBN agency is Bowker.
The Most Common ISBN Misconception That Costs First-Time Authors Money
Here’s the truth that most new self-publishing authors don’t know: You actually do NOT need to purchase an ISBN to publish your book. You are perfectly fine to use the free ISBN provided by Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble Press.
This misconception is perhaps the most widespread myth in the self-publishing industry, and it causes countless authors to waste money and delay their book launches unnecessarily. The confusion stems from a fundamental misunderstanding about how marketplace-specific ISBNs work.
Understanding Platform-Specific Free ISBNs
Major self-publishing platforms provide free ISBNs to authors. These ISBNs are completely legitimate and functional – they just come with one important limitation: they can only be used within that specific platform’s marketplace.
Amazon KDP’s Free ISBN
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform offers a free ISBN for both paperback and hardcover editions. When you use Amazon’s free ISBN, your book will appear with “Independently Published” as the publisher name. This ISBN is exclusively for selling your book on Amazon’s platform and cannot be transferred to other retailers or distributors. That does NOT mean you can’t publish your book anywhere else– only that you can’t publish your book using THE ISBN AMAZON GAVE YOUR BOOK. The ISBN is exclusive to the marketplace, NOT YOUR BOOK.
IngramSpark’s Free ISBN
IngramSpark, one of the largest book distributors in the world, also provides free ISBNs to authors who use their platform. Like Amazon’s ISBN, IngramSpark’s free ISBN is platform-exclusive. You can use it to distribute through IngramSpark’s extensive network (which includes major retailers, bookstores, and libraries), but you cannot take that same ISBN and use it on another platform like Amazon KDP.
Barnes & Noble Press’ Free ISBN
Barnes & Noble Press (the self-publishing arm of Barnes & Noble) follows the same model. They offer free ISBNs for books published through their platform, and these ISBNs are exclusively for use in the Barnes & Noble marketplace. You cannot transfer a Barnes & Noble Press ISBN to Amazon, IngramSpark, or any other platform.
CRITICAL: What Platform-Specific ISBNs Actually Mean
Using a marketplace’s free ISBN does NOT mean you cannot publish your book anywhere else. Let me repeat that because it’s crucial: using Amazon’s free ISBN does not lock you into publishing exclusively with Amazon. Using IngramSpark’s free ISBN does not prevent you from also publishing with Barnes & Noble Press.
What it means is simply this: you can’t take that specific platform’s ISBN and use it in another marketplace. Each platform’s ISBN stays with that platform.
Here’s How It Works in Practice
Let’s say you want to publish your book in three places: Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble Press. You have two options:
Option 1: Use Free Platform-Specific ISBNs
- Upload your book to Amazon KDP and use their free ISBN (Cost: $0)
- Upload your book to IngramSpark and use their free ISBN (Cost: $0)
- Upload your book to Barnes & Noble Press and use their free ISBN (Cost: $0)
Total cost: $0. Your book now has three different ISBNs, one for each platform, and it’s available for sale in all three marketplaces. In fact, on Amazon it will probably be available twice, because IngramSpark distributes into Amazon and Amazon does not always catch the duplicate listing and suppress it.
Option 2: Purchase Your Own ISBN
- Purchase an ISBN from Bowker ($125 for one, or $295 for ten)
- Use this same ISBN when uploading to Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble Press
Total cost: $125-$295. Your book now has one ISBN that’s used across all platforms.
The Only Drawback of Using Multiple Free ISBNs
There is one legitimate downside to using platform-specific free ISBNs, but it’s important to understand whether it actually affects you.
The potential issue: If you use different ISBNs for the same book on different platforms, and those platforms all distribute to the same retailers, your book may appear multiple times in search results with different ISBNs.
A Concrete Example
Let’s say you publish your book on both Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, using each platform’s free ISBN. Here’s what happens:
- You upload to Amazon KDP with their free ISBN (let’s call it ISBN-A)
- You upload to IngramSpark with their free ISBN (ISBN-B)
- IngramSpark distributes your book to multiple retailers, including Amazon
- Now your book appears on Amazon twice – once with ISBN-A (your direct KDP upload) and once with ISBN-B (coming through IngramSpark’s distribution)
This can create a confusing search experience for readers who are specifically searching for your book by ISBN or who notice two identical listings.
Why This Probably Doesn’t Matter for You
I don’t mean to sound harsh, but here is the probable reality for you: this issue only matters if people are actively searching for your book by name or ISBN. If you’re a first-time author with no existing audience, the chances that readers are searching for your book specifically are minimal. Most readers discover new books through browsing, recommendations, algorithms, or keyword searches – not by searching for a specific title they already know about.
For established authors with a following, having multiple listings could potentially confuse fans who are looking for your latest release. But for 95% of self-published authors, especially those publishing their first book, this is a needless concern that shouldn’t delay your launch or cost you money.
When Should You Actually Buy Your Own ISBN?
While using free platform-specific ISBNs is perfectly acceptable for most authors, there are legitimate reasons why you might choose to purchase your own ISBN from Bowker instead.
1. You Want Your Own Publishing Imprint
If you use Amazon’s free ISBN, your book will be listed with “Independently Published” as the publisher. If you’ve created your own publishing company or want to publish under a specific imprint name, you’ll need to purchase your own ISBN. This allows you to list your own company name as the publisher, which can be important for branding purposes.
For many authors, this alone is a deal-breaker. If you have a vision for building a publishing brand or you simply don’t want “Independently Published” appearing on your book’s listing, purchasing your own ISBN is the way to go.
2. You Want ISBN Consistency Across All Platforms
Some authors prefer the simplicity and professionalism of having one ISBN that’s used consistently across all retailers and distributors. While this isn’t necessary, it can make tracking sales data easier and presents a more unified presence in the marketplace.
3. You’re Planning to Publish Multiple Books
If you know you’re going to publish several books, buying ISBNs in bulk becomes more economical. Bowker sells blocks of 10 ISBNs for $295, which breaks down to about $29.50 per ISBN – significantly cheaper than the $125 cost of a single ISBN. For authors planning a series or multiple titles, this can be a smart investment.
4. You Want Maximum Control and Flexibility
When you use a platform’s free ISBN, you’re subject to that platform’s terms of service. Amazon, for instance, controls your KDP account and could theoretically terminate it (along with access to your free ISBNs) at any time for any reason. While this is rare, some authors prefer the security of owning their ISBNs outright. When you purchase your own ISBN, it’s yours permanently, regardless of what happens with any publishing platform.
How to Purchase Your Own ISBN
If you’ve decided to purchase your own ISBN, here’s what you need to know.
Where to Buy ISBNs in the United States
In the United States, you must purchase ISBNs through Bowker, the official U.S. ISBN agency. You cannot legally obtain ISBNs from any other source in the U.S. (Note: Some countries, like Canada, provide ISBNs for free to their citizens – a policy many American authors envy. However, you must be a resident of that country to take advantage of their free ISBN programs.)
Bowker’s ISBN purchasing portal: https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/isbn/buy-isbn
ISBN Pricing Structure
Like most products, ISBNs are cheaper when bought in bulk. Here’s Bowker’s current pricing (as of January 2025):
- 1 ISBN: $125
- 10 ISBNs: $295 (their most popular option, breaking down to $29.50 per ISBN)
- 100 ISBNs: $575 ($5.75 per ISBN)
- 1,000 ISBNs: $1,500 ($1.50 per ISBN)
In the publishing industry, these blocks of ISBNs are referred to as “ISBN blocks.” Most self-publishing authors who choose to purchase ISBNs opt for the 10-ISBN block, as it provides good value and enough ISBNs for multiple books or editions.
What to Do After Purchasing an ISBN
Once you’ve purchased your ISBN block, the process of using it is straightforward:
- Assign one of your purchased ISBNs to your book project
- Provide the ISBN to your cover designer to add to the book’s back cover (this is typically done via a barcode)
- When uploading to Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or any other platform, select the option to use your own ISBN and enter the number in the ISBN field
That’s it! The only difference between using your own ISBN and using a platform’s free ISBN is that you’ll need to add the ISBN to your cover design before uploading.
The Bottom Line: What Should You Actually Do?
Now that we’ve covered all the facts, let’s get practical. Here’s the honest truth from someone who has worked with hundreds of self-published authors:
The “Industry Best Practice” Answer: Purchase your own ISBN. This gives you maximum control, flexibility, and professionalism. It allows you to publish under your own imprint, use the same ISBN across all platforms, and ensures you’re not dependent on any platform’s terms of service.
The Practical Answer for Most First-Time Authors: Use the free platform-specific ISBNs. Approximately 80% of the authors I’ve worked with take this route, and they’re perfectly happy with the results. If you’re trying to save money and just want to get your book out there, the free ISBNs work beautifully.
The beautiful thing is that this decision isn’t permanent. If you start with free platform-specific ISBNs and later decide you want your own, you can always purchase an ISBN and republish your book with the new identifier. Yes, you’ll technically have a new edition, but for most authors, this is a non-issue.
Use Free Platform-Specific ISBNs If:
- This is your first book and you’re on a tight budget
- You don’t mind having “Independently Published” listed as your publisher
- You want to get your book published as quickly as possible
- You’re not concerned about having different ISBNs on different platforms
- You don’t have an established readership actively searching for your books
Purchase Your Own ISBN If:
- You want to publish under your own publishing imprint or company name
- You’re planning to publish multiple books and want the bulk discount
- You prefer the simplicity of one ISBN used across all platforms
- You want maximum control over your publishing assets
- You have the budget ($295 for 10 ISBNs is the sweet spot)
- You’re building a long-term author brand and want professional presentation from day one
Don’t Let ISBN Confusion Delay Your Launch
One of the saddest things I see as a publishing consultant is authors who have completed their manuscripts, finalized their cover designs, and are completely ready to publish – but they’ve delayed their launch by weeks or even months because they think they need to purchase an ISBN first.
These authors are often operating under the misconception that:
- They can’t publish without buying an ISBN
- Using a platform’s free ISBN means they can only sell on that one platform forever
- They need to make the ISBN decision before they can move forward
All three of these beliefs are false.
If you’re ready to publish and you’re unsure about whether to buy an ISBN, here’s my advice: use the free ISBN and launch your book. You can always purchase your own ISBN later and republish if you decide that’s important to you. But getting your book into readers’ hands should be the priority.
A Note for International Authors
While this guide has focused primarily on the United States market, it’s worth noting that ISBN rules and costs vary significantly by country. Some countries provide free ISBNs to their authors, while others charge fees similar to or different from the U.S.
If you’re publishing from outside the United States:
- Check with your country’s official ISBN agency (search for “ISBN agency [your country]”)
- Determine whether your country offers free or paid ISBNs
- Remember that the same principle applies: you can use platform-specific free ISBNs from Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble Press regardless of where you’re located
Canadian authors, in particular, should know that Library and Archives Canada provides free ISBNs to Canadian publishers, which can be a significant cost savings compared to purchasing them through Bowker.
In Conclusion….
I’m sorry this article went on for so long, but honestly, I am tired of debating this issue every single day on social media. The ISBN question doesn’t need to be complicated, and it certainly shouldn’t prevent you from publishing your book. Whether you choose to use free platform-specific ISBNs or purchase your own, both approaches are legitimate and widely used by successful self-published authors.
The key takeaways are:
- You do NOT need to buy an ISBN to publish your book
- Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble Press all offer free platform-specific ISBNs
- Using a platform’s free ISBN does NOT prevent you from publishing elsewhere – you just can’t use that same ISBN on other platforms
- The only potential downside of multiple ISBNs is possible confusion in search results, which rarely matters for first-time authors
- Purchasing your own ISBN costs $125 for one or $295 for ten through Bowker (in the U.S.)
- The decision between free and purchased ISBNs depends on your budget, branding goals, and long-term publishing plans
Don’t let ISBN confusion be the thing that delays your publishing dreams. Choose the option that makes the most sense for your situation right now, and know that you can always change your approach with future books or editions.
Your book deserves to be published. The ISBN is just an administrative detail – not a barrier to entry.
