By Bookstorez · Updated
Choose the reader and format first. Then compare how each platform delivers the file, charges fees and pays you. A UK business can sell internationally, but payment and tax arrangements differ.
1. Finish an ebook a reader can use
Write a clear promise for the book and deliver it chapter by chapter. Fact-check your sources and obtain rights for images, fonts and quoted material. Ask a reader from the intended audience to test whether the instructions make sense.
2. Choose PDF or EPUB deliberately
PDF preserves page layout and suits illustrated guides, worksheets and books that need printing. EPUB adapts to different screen sizes and suits continuous reading. Test the final file in an appropriate reader, including its contents links and navigation. Browse ebooks and guides for product presentation ideas.
3. Compare marketplaces and your own storefront
Amazon KDP is an option for Kindle distribution; review its royalty rules and KDP Select requirements before enrolling. Select has digital exclusivity conditions. Do not assume a book enrolled there can also be uploaded elsewhere.
Payhip and Gumroad let you sell downloads from a product link. Bookstorez gives eligible products a place in its browsable catalogue. Compare permitted file types, product limits, tax coverage and payout terms as well as transaction fees.
Compare the cost before you choose
For a $10 pre-tax sale by a US seller using a domestic card, Bookstorez Free leaves $8.50, Payhip Free with Stripe $8.91, Gumroad's standard direct tier $7.91, and Etsy $8.60 including one listing fee. Subscriptions, ads, refunds and tax are excluded. These are fee examples, not forecasts of demand. See the dated primary sources and assumptions or calculate your own price and volume.
Bookstorez is our own global digital marketplace. Free includes 3 live products, at 12% + 30¢ per sale with card fees and tax handling included. Buyers can browse the catalogue; no extra cut applies to marketplace sales. A catalogue place is not a promise of sales. Your own storefront and built-in AI ebook generator are included, with featured-product allowances on Creator and Pro. Compare creation tools, featured placements and plan limits.
4. Understand the UK payout and tax arrangement
Bookstorez is the seller of record: it charges and pays transaction tax where due and gives sellers a report. UK sellers receive bank payouts through Stripe. Cleared balances of $50 or more are paid monthly on the 15th; smaller balances carry over and are paid before waiting 90 days. Read clearance, refund and payout terms.
Platform handling of VAT or sales tax is separate from your own income reporting. Keep records of sales, fees, refunds and expenses. Use HMRC guidance on selling goods or services online for your circumstances. This guide does not calculate a UK tax bill or convert the US fee example into a GBP estimate.
5. Publish a useful sample and support the reader
Give the contents, an honest sample and the file requirements. Check the download after publication and make it clear how buyers can report a broken file. Review feedback before writing the next book.
Keep planning
Read how to sell digital products, how to sell a PDF, or where to sell printables. Compare Gumroad alternatives before choosing a platform.
Questions
- Can I sell an ebook as a PDF?
- Yes. PDF is useful when layout matters. For a long text-led book, EPUB can be easier to read on different screen sizes.
- Does platform tax handling replace my own tax records?
- No. Keep your own income and expense records and check the official guidance for your circumstances.
Make room for your work.
3 live products free · 12% + 30¢ a sale · tax and card fees included · paid monthly on the 15th, once $50 has cleared. Smaller balances carry over and are paid before waiting 90 days.
Start selling free