The Best Print-on-Demand for Self-Publishing
Have you ever held your newly printed book in your hands and wondered if it could’ve turned out better—sharper images, thicker pages, more vibrant colors? If you’re deciding between Amazon KDP and IngramSpark for printing your books, especially children’s books or keepsake projects, I hope this makes that decision a little easier for you.
As a homeschooling mom who self-publishes books with my kids, I’ve printed many titles using both platforms. In this post, I’ll walk you through my hands-on comparison of print quality, paper types, color vibrancy, and overall value—with real-life examples from our own books.
📚 Side-by-Side Book Comparisons
🎨 Cover Colors
- IngramSpark prints came out overly red and oversaturated. While vibrant, it didn’t match our original designs.
- Amazon KDP produced more natural, true-to-life covers—especially for watercolor illustrations.
Tip: KDP uses RGB color space; Ingram uses CMYK. This can cause unexpected color shifts.
📖 Interior Color and Detail
- Amazon KDP’s premium color (on the left) was crisp, clear, and rich in detail—perfect for our nature books.
- IngramSpark’s ultra premium (on the right) was harsh and oversaturated; mid-tier looked dull and soft.
📄 Paper Quality and Sheen
Both platforms offer thick, durable paper on their premium options, but:
- Amazon (on the right) had a pleasing sheen that made colors pop.
- Ingram Spark (on the left) sometimes showed page inconsistencies or transparency.
📕 Hardcover Issues with IngramSpark
IngramSpark currently allows hardcovers under 76 pages—something KDP doesn’t offer. But I experienced several problems:
- Visible glue lines
- Paper inconsistencies
- Transparency issues
While useful in a pinch, I wouldn’t recommend Ingram hardcovers unless absolutely necessary.
💰 Cost and Ease of Use
- Amazon KDP is faster, more intuitive, and significantly more affordable.
- We used Amazon’s lower-cost option for our workbook, and while thin, it worked well for everyday use.
- For example, for a 32 page hardcover in ultra premium ink and paper it will cost me $10.66 plus tax to print, plus $7.19 to ship the book to me, that’s $19.51. So if my book is sold for $20.00, I’m only making $0.49. THAT’S RIDICULOUS!
- If you order more copies at a time the shipping goes down. For 10 copies, shipping was $5.79 so that breaks down like this:
- $10.66 x 10 = 106.60 plus tax which equals $117.33 plus $5.79 for shipping.
- Total cost for printing and shipping of 10 books = $123.12
- If selling each book for $20, the total profit is $20 – $12.31 = $7.69….. now I didn’t even figure the tax I would need to take out of that.
- Long story shot, Ingram Spark just isn’t worth my time, effort, and money. I’ll stick with paperbacks at Amazon KDP and hope one day they will allow hardcovers for a 32 page children’s book.
IngramSpark may be more attractive for professional publishers due to its wide distribution network, but for homeschoolers or small creators, the KDP value is unmatched.
📦 So… Which Platform Is Best?
For us, Amazon KDP is the clear winner.
It’s consistent, beautiful, easier to use, and more affordable. Since our books are both educational and sentimental (hello, homeschool portfolios and keepsake books!), we want them to be as close to what we envisioned as possible.
If you’re creating legacy books, storybooks, or homeschool projects, I truly believe KDP is more than enough—and often better.
🎥 Watch the Comparison
Want to see these differences for yourself? Watch my full YouTube video here.
💬 Got Questions?
Have a question about ISBNs, formatting, uploading, or cover design? Leave a comment or contact me—I’d love to help you and your kids bring your books to life.
Related Post: How We Teach Language Arts Through Self-Publishing
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