KDP Select
Also called: Kindle Direct Publishing Select
Definition
KDP Select is an opt-in 90-day exclusivity program for Kindle eBook titles. Enrolled eBooks join Kindle Unlimited, earn page-read royalties, and get access to Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Promotions. Low-content books and coloring books are not eligible for KDP Select; only Kindle eBook editions of regular paperbacks qualify.
What is KDP Select?
KDP Select is an opt-in program where Kindle eBook publishers commit to a 90-day Amazon exclusivity window in exchange for promotional tools and Kindle Unlimited revenue. Enrolled titles cannot be sold on other eBook platforms during the period. The program renews automatically every 90 days unless the publisher opts out.
Can a coloring book join KDP Select?
No. Coloring books are paperback (and sometimes hardcover) products. KDP Select applies only to Kindle eBook editions. A coloring book has no eBook edition because the buyer is paying for the physical printed pages. The exception is "color-by-app" or "digital coloring" eBooks, which are rare and a different product.
What does the program get a publisher?
For eligible Kindle titles: Kindle Unlimited inclusion (which pays a per-page-read royalty), 5 free promo days or 1 Kindle Countdown Deal per 90-day enrollment cycle, and a higher 70% royalty band on some markets. None of these apply to physical coloring book sellers.
Why do beginners confuse KDP Select with KDP itself?
The names overlap. KDP is the publishing platform; KDP Select is an opt-in eBook promotion program inside KDP. New coloring book publishers commonly see "Select" in dropdowns and assume it is a required step, but it has zero relevance to paperback or hardcover publishing.
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Related terms
Royalty cliff
The royalty cliff is the discrete drop in royalty rate when a KDP paperback is priced outside the $2.99 to $9.99 standard distribution band. At $9.99 a standard-distribution paperback earns 60% royalty minus print cost. At $10.00+ the rate stays 60% on standard but the publisher loses access to certain promo tools and faces buyer resistance.
Expanded distribution
Expanded distribution is an opt-in KDP setting that pushes a paperback into bookstores, libraries, and online retailers beyond Amazon (Barnes & Noble, Ingram-served chains). Royalty drops from 60% to 40% on expanded sales, and the publisher must list the book at a high enough price to clear print cost at the lower royalty.
Low-content book
A low-content book is a KDP-published book whose interior is mostly empty or templated, such as journals, planners, logs, and coloring books. Pages are not blank but carry minimal author-written content. KDP allows low-content books with a separate dashboard since 2018.