I (Nearly) Used Amazon's Free ISBN. Here's Why That Was (And Wasn't) A Mistake.

When you publish on Amazon, you have two choices:

Use Amazon's free ISBN, or buy your own for $125.

I went to choose the free option. Why spend $125 when Amazon offers it for nothing? That's a no-brainer, right?!

Especially when self-publishing isn't a free endeavour; between paying for editing, cover art, formatting, and everything else, it's nice to save money somewhere. 

Turns out there are reasons why going free isn't all it's cracked up to be. And why going free isn't all that bad, either. 

Here is what I really wish I knew about ISBNs, especially the free option available on Amazon, before I self-published. 

What an ISBN Actually Is

Before publishing my book, I had to Google this, so excuse me if I insulted your intelligence if you already knew this. Let's make sure we're all on the same page, though. 

ISBN = International Standard Book Number.

It's a unique identifier for your book. It's like a barcode for your book, but it's universal in that it links to your book no matter where in the world you are. Libraries, bookstores, and distributors use it to track and order books.

Every format needs its own ISBN. So if you're publishing your book in multiple formats, this is what you would need: 

• Kindle ebook: one ISBN
• Paperback: different ISBN
• Hardcover: different ISBN
• Audiobook: different ISBN

Amazon will give you a free ISBN for each format, or you can buy your own.

If you decide to buy your own ISBN, here is the basic pricing so you can understand the general cost. 

In the United States, ISBNs are sold through Bowker, the official agency, where one ISBN costs $125, a pack of 10 costs $295, and 100 costs $575. 

In many other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, ISBNs are often free or much cheaper through the national ISBN agency, so it is always worth checking your country's official provider first. 

Buying a single ISBN is usually poor value, as you normally need multiple ISBNs for the various formats of a single book. Purchasing a bundle of ten makes far more financial sense if you plan to publish more than one format or more than one book.

What I Would Have Given Up by Using Amazon's Free ISBN

With free services like this from such a big company, there is always a catch. These companies need to make money, so they aren't offering free ISBNs out of the goodness of their hearts. 

The publisher of record is "Amazon"

When you use Amazon's free ISBN, Amazon is listed as the publisher in industry databases. Your author name appears, but the publisher field says "Amazon" or "Kindle Direct Publishing."

If you buy your own ISBN, you can list yourself or your publishing imprint as the publisher.

Does this matter? For some authors, yes. Would it have mattered to me? Honestly, no. Nobody checked who my publisher was because nobody bought my book. 

I wouldn't have been able to sell my book anywhere else

This is the real cost.

Amazon's free ISBN permanently ties your book to Amazon. If you want to sell that exact edition on another platform, you can't. You'd need a new ISBN (which isn't a lot of money, but it's still a cost). 

If I wanted to distribute my paperback through IngramSpark (which reaches bookstores and libraries), I couldn't use my Amazon edition. I'd have to buy an ISBN and create a separate edition.

For ebooks, this matters less (ebooks don't technically require ISBNs, though Amazon assigns them anyway).

For print books, it's limiting. You're locked into Amazon's print-on-demand only.

My book wouldn't be in certain databases

Some library systems and book databases don't recognise Amazon-issued ISBNs as "real" publications. I'm unable to explain why, but it's a reality we writers have to deal with. 

With our books not being recognised on databases, this will likely affect:

• Library acquisitions
• Academic citations
• Industry awards or recognition
• Legitimacy in professional contexts

For fiction, this probably doesn't matter, especially if you're not trying to become a book used for a school curriculum. For nonfiction or academic work, it could genuinely become a problem. 

I can't change my mind later

Once you publish with Amazon's ISBN, that's permanent. You can't retroactively buy an ISBN and reassign it.

If you decide later that you want to go wide or distribute through other channels, you'd have to create a new edition with a new ISBN.

Then you'd have two editions of your book floating around, splitting reviews and rankings. Yes, those rankings and reviews are connected to the ISBN, just as likes and followers are connected to specific social media accounts and can't be transferred or combined. 

What I Didn't Lose With Amazon's Free ISBN

Sales on Amazon

Using Amazon's free ISBN does not hurt your Amazon sales at all.

The ISBN has zero impact on discoverability, ranking, or algorithm performance. Readers don't care who the publisher is; all they care about is if the book is good and has reviews.

Quality or legitimacy (to readers)

Regular readers don't check the ISBN or publisher field. Half the time, they don't know what an ISBN is.

Only industry professionals (librarians, bookstore buyers) look at publisher information. For direct-to-reader sales, the ISBN choice is invisible.

Distribution within Amazon

Amazon's free ISBN works perfectly fine for selling on Amazon (obviously), for both Kindle and paperback.

I had zero problems with the technical side. The book appeared correctly, looked professional, and sold just as poorly as it would have with my own ISBN.

So, How Do You Pick The Right ISBN For Your Book?

The answer depends less on rules and more on your goals. The "right" ISBN choice comes down to where you plan to distribute, how you want to position yourself, and how much flexibility you want in the future.

Where do you want your book to live?

If you are publishing print and want the option to distribute beyond Amazon, especially to bookstores or libraries through services like IngramSpark, you need your own ISBN. 

Amazon's free ISBN only works within Amazon's ecosystem. The moment you think you might want broader distribution, buying your own ISBN protects that option.

How do you want to present yourself?

If you are building a publishing brand, launching an imprint, or planning to publish multiple books or multiple authors, your own ISBN allows your company name to appear as the publisher. 

That can matter for professional nonfiction, academic work, textbooks, reference materials, or if you care about legitimacy in industry databases, libraries, or awards systems. 

In those spaces, having Amazon listed as the publisher can look amateur. Owning your ISBN gives you control over your imprint and positioning.

Do you want flexibility?

When you buy your own ISBN, you own that number. 

You can switch distributors. You can expand to new platforms. You are not locked into one retailer. If there is any realistic chance you will want to distribute beyond Amazon at some point, purchasing your own ISBN is the safer long-term move.

What is your budget?

If you are choosing between spending money on an ISBN or on editing, cover design, or marketing, invest in quality first. An ISBN will not make or break your book. The writing and presentation will.

A practical way to think about it is format by format. For ebooks, an ISBN often does not matter because many major platforms do not require one. Using Amazon's free option or skipping an ISBN entirely for digital formats is usually fine. For paperback editions, however, buying your own ISBN gives you far more flexibility and professional control.

The hybrid ISBN

Many experienced self-publishers take a hybrid approach. They use the free option for ebooks where ISBN ownership provides little benefit, and they purchase their own ISBN for print editions. 

That keeps costs reasonable while preserving the ability to distribute widely, use IngramSpark, list their own publishing name, and avoid being locked into Amazon.

In short, pick your ISBN strategy based on where you want to distribute, how you want to position yourself, and whether you value flexibility over short-term savings. 

The right choice is the one that aligns with your publishing goals, not simply the cheapest or most convenient option.

The ISBN Bottom Line 

We know that Amazon's free ISBN is not a mistake if:

• You're only selling on Amazon
• You're writing fiction or reader-focused nonfiction
• You're on a tight budget
• You're testing the market with your first book

And we also know that buying your own ISBN makes sense if:

• You want to distribute print books beyond Amazon
• You're building a publishing brand
• You want maximum flexibility
• You're publishing professional/academic work

But regardless of what you choose, you need an ISBN to publish your book. It's a non-negotiable, whether you like it or not. 

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I write about the emotional and practical reality of being a writer - drafting, doubt, discipline, and publishing while still figuring it out.

Mostly for people who write because they have to, need to, want to | https://linktr.ee/ellenfranceswrites