Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing vs Barnes & Noble Press:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing had more branded searches than Barnes & Noble Press among self publishing platforms worldwide. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing had about 1.8 million branded searches, while Barnes & Noble Press had 22,200. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing made up 47.5% of all self publishing platform searches we track, and Barnes & Noble Press accounted for 0.58%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing or Barnes & Noble Press more popular in search?
Compare the platforms authors publish books through. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Barnes & Noble Press. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Amazon KDP | Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing | IngramSpark | Draft2Digital | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble Press | Kobo Writing Life | Lulu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46.6% | 46.6% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| Nov 2025 | 45.9% | 45.9% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.83% | 0.45% | 0.37% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.6% | 46.6% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.69% | 0.38% | 0.31% |
| Jan 2026 | 46.4% | 46.4% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.69% | 0.38% | 0.31% |
| Feb 2026 | 46.1% | 46.1% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 0.83% | 0.46% | 0.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 46.6% | 46.6% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.69% | 0.38% | 0.31% |
| Apr 2026 | 46.6% | 46.6% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1% | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| May 2026 | 46.7% | 46.7% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1% | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| Jun 2026 | 46.8% | 46.8% | 2.8% | 1% | 1% | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| Jul 2026 | 46.6% | 46.6% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| Aug 2026 | 46.9% | 46.9% | 2.8% | 1% | 0.85% | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| Sep 2026 | 47.5% | 47.5% | 2.3% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.58% | 0.38% | 0.26% |
How has the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and Barnes & Noble Press comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing was ahead of Barnes & Noble Press in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing’s share of searches among self publishing platforms worldwide moved from 46.6% to 47.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.2M to 1.8M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Barnes & Noble Press’ share of searches among self publishing platforms worldwide moved from 0.69% to 0.58%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 18.1K to 22.2K.
How did search popularity change for self publishing platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing gained share of searches among self publishing platforms worldwide, from 46.9% to 47.5%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Barnes & Noble Press worldwide rose 22.7% over 12 measured months, from 18.1K to 22.2K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing’s and Barnes & Noble Press’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
1 branded search term
- amazon kindle direct publishing
Barnes & Noble Press
1 branded search term
- barnes & noble press
Other head-to-heads among self publishing platforms

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