Publish Setup · Topic 7 of 17
Choosing an ISBN
You do not have to buy your own ISBN
You will hear strong opinions on both sides of this decision. A free platform-issued ISBN and an ISBN you obtain through your national agency can each suit different publishing plans. Buying one does not automatically make a book better or an author more professional.
Choose based on your plans: for an eligible print edition published only through KDP, its free ISBN may be enough. Your own ISBN gives you control over the imprint and lets you use that ISBN for the same edition through other publishing services. A free KDP ISBN stays with KDP.
You do not have to decide while drafting your manuscript. Make the choice before completing the relevant edition’s publishing setup. Check the rules first—changing an ISBN after publication is not simply editing a number.
Buying an ISBN is optional; needing an ISBN depends on the format and platform. KDP ebooks do not require one, and eligibility for free print ISBNs has exceptions, including low-content books.
Our job is to explain the tradeoffs. The decision is yours.
Compare KDP’s current ISBN options ↗ · Visit Bowker’s MyIdentifiers (U.S.) ↗
What to do
Decide whether to use a free ISBN that KDP (or IngramSpark) assigns to you, or buy your own from Bowker, then enter that choice during setup.
Why it matters
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique 13-digit number that identifies one specific edition of a book, retailers, libraries, and distributors use it to look up and order the exact right version. Every separate format (paperback, hardcover) needs its own distinct ISBN; a free platform-assigned one lists that platform as "publisher of record," while an ISBN you buy yourself lists your own name or imprint instead.
Step-by-step
- A free platform ISBN (KDP or IngramSpark) costs nothing and is assigned automatically, but it lists that platform ("Independently published" for KDP, IngramSpark's "Indy Pub" imprint for IngramSpark) as publisher of record, and it can't be reused on any other platform.
- An ISBN you buy yourself, in the US from Bowker's MyIdentifiers, lets you list your own name or imprint as publisher, and can be reused for the same edition across KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and anywhere else.
- Ebooks don't need an ISBN at all on KDP, this whole choice only applies to paperback and hardcover.
- Expand the information section below for the actual Bowker purchase steps and the exact free-ISBN menu paths inside KDP and IngramSpark.
More information
Click a heading to expand more information.
Buying your own ISBN from Bowker (myidentifiers.com)
- Go to myidentifiers.com, the official US ISBN agency (a division of Bowker). This is the only legitimate source for a US-owned ISBN, not a third-party reseller site.
- Create a free MyIdentifiers account with your name/business name and a mailing address, this becomes the identity tied to your ISBN records.
- Choose a quantity. Bowker sells a single ISBN (priced around $125 as of this writing) or a 10-pack (priced per-ISBN much lower, roughly $30 each, around $295 total) — check Bowker's own current pricing page before buying, prices do change. If you plan to publish more than one book or more than one format, the 10-pack is almost always the better value since each format needs its own ISBN.
- Complete checkout and payment on Bowker's site.
- Once purchased, go to "Assign ISBN" (or similar) in your MyIdentifiers dashboard and enter the title, contributor names, and format (paperback vs. hardcover vs. ebook) for the specific edition you're assigning this ISBN to. Each format gets its own ISBN from your pool.
- Bowker will show you the finished 13-digit ISBN for that title/format, copy it exactly as shown.
- Enter that ISBN into KDP, IngramSpark, or Draft2Digital during their title setup instead of accepting the platform's free one.
Last verified: August 2026
Using KDP's free ISBN instead
- In KDP, on the Paperback (or Hardcover) Details step, find the ISBN field.
- Select "Get a free KDP ISBN" (KDP's exact wording may vary slightly, but it's presented as an option right next to "I have my own ISBN").
- KDP assigns the ISBN automatically once you save that step, you won't see it in advance, it's generated for you.
- The book's publisher will show as "Independently published" and cannot be changed while using this free ISBN.
Last verified: August 2026
Using IngramSpark's free ISBN instead
- In IngramSpark's title setup, on the ISBN step, choose the option for IngramSpark to assign a free ISBN rather than entering your own.
- IngramSpark assigns the ISBN and lists its own "Indy Pub" imprint as publisher of record for that edition, this is IngramSpark's standard free-ISBN policy.
- If you'd rather buy your own ISBN directly through IngramSpark instead of Bowker, the same title-setup screen also offers ISBNs for sale at a bundled rate, that option keeps your own name/imprint as publisher, same as a Bowker-purchased ISBN.
Last verified: August 2026
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a free ISBN from KDP (or IngramSpark) can be carried over to another platform later. It can't, that edition would need its own separately owned ISBN wherever else you publish it.
- Buying an ISBN but not actually entering it during setup, and ending up with a free one assigned automatically anyway.
- Using the same ISBN for two different formats (say, paperback and hardcover). Each format needs its own separate ISBN, even though it's the same book.
Completion checklist
0 of 1 checked
Your selections save automatically on this device. They are not synced or backed up and may be erased if browser data is cleared.
Troubleshooting
Do I need a different ISBN for my paperback and my hardcover?
Yes. Each distinct format (paperback, hardcover) needs its own unique ISBN, whether that's a free one a platform assigns per format or ones you purchase yourself.
Is one option "better" than the other?
Neither is objectively better, it depends on your plans. If you're staying on one platform only and don't care what shows as publisher, the free ISBN is simpler. If you want your own name or imprint listed, or plan to use the same edition on more than one platform, owning your ISBN is worth the small upfront cost.
Do I need an ISBN for my ebook?
Not on KDP, Kindle ebooks don't require one at all. Some other ebook distributors do require an ISBN for ebooks, check the specific platform.