How to Break Up With the Kindle Ecosystem

While it isn’t easy, I humbly believe it’s worth doing for yourself and your values (and the entire book industry! including indie authors!) anyway.

Jul 09, 2025

Hi, friends.

If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know that I’ll take any chance I can get to advocate for independent bookstores and against Amazon. So I’m sure you aren’t surprised to see me in your inbox for (Anti) Prime Day.

But in truth, I’ve wanted to write this post since Bookshop started selling ebooks back in January. With them in our corner and Jeff Bezos having fully embraced his role in the oligarchy (and have we already forgotten those 100 private jets at his wedding?), the time to distance ourselves from the Kindle ecosystem is now. Below, I’m going to do my best to provide the info and resources folks need in order to do that.

I’m not going to lie to you: Breaking free isn’t going to be easy, and that’s absolutely by design. Amazon has systematically and predatorily inserted itself as the default for nearly all readers. Plus, the idea of discarding a working device feels wasteful and creates unnecessary electronic waste. And historically, there have been few true alternatives — for both readers and indie authors.

But that’s changing. And the more we add momentum to the movement toward other options, the less power Amazon will have.

(PS, don’t worry: I am NOT about to argue that we should abandon indie authors who publish on Amazon. Instead, I’m sharing ideas for how we can help shift momentum toward other options for indie authors over time — options that will actually be better for them in the long run.)

Your Kindle is not your friend

I know — I know that people love their Kindles. I know that Kindle is the easiest, most affordable option for ebooks and e-ink screens. Obviously, that’s on purpose, but Amazon isn’t doing it that way for you; they’re doing it that way for themselves. The Kindle ecosystem is designed to be incredibly affordable and convenient — right up until the moment you want out. They price their devices below cost to get you in the door (note the Prime Day sales on Kindle devices TODAY, which also include three months of Kindle Unlimited (KU)), then once you’re in, they make it nearly impossible to leave.

Here’s a fun fact that might surprise you: You don’t actually own your Kindle books. When you purchase ebooks through Amazon’s Kindle Store, you’re buying a license to access the content, not ownership of the digital file itself. Amazon retains the right to revoke your access — if they lose distribution rights, if they change their terms of service, or frankly, if they just feel like it. That also means you can’t (legally, without jailbreaking them) download them or transfer them to any other kind of device if you want to move your digital library elsewhere.

The Kindle ecosystem is just one way Amazon has built its predatory dominance. They also sell print books at or below cost — literally losing money on every sale — for two strategic reasons: to push competitors out of the market, and to train readers to believe that $15 is a fair price for a hardcover when it’s actually unsustainable for anyone but them. They can afford to take these losses because they offset them with profits from everything else they sell. (The Raven Book Store in Kansas shared in a tweet several years ago that if they sold books at Amazon prices, they would only be able to afford to stay open for six days. Six days!)

And it’s working: Amazon now controls more than 50% of all new book sales in the U.S. and handles about 80% of all book distribution. They also control more than 80% of the ebook market. Not to mention the fact that Amazon pays almost no taxes, while the stores they’re running out of business are the ones that actually contribute to and strengthen our local economies.

Amazon also has the self-publishing industry in a chokehold, which is deeply problematic for indie authors. Yes, Amazon makes it easy for indie authors to publish their books and reach readers, which is important! But they’ve once again structured the system so that Amazon is the only long-term beneficiary. Authors who self-publish through KDP Select (Amazon’s program that also includes promotional tools, which are critical when you’re fighting for attention amongst bazillions of self-published books) are required to make their books exclusive to Amazon, which means once those authors in, Amazon can exploit them however they want, and they do — like undercutting authors on royalties and even charging authors for returned books (!!).

Okay, that’s as brief as I’m physically capable of being on the topic of why. Let’s talk about the how.

Kindle alternatives

For readers

The two best alternatives are Bookshop and Kobo — ignoring Barnes & Noble’s Nook, because TBH, their ecosystem isn’t that much better than Kindle’s. But both Bookshop and Kobo are both excellent. Bookshop sells the ebooks only, while Kobo is a more one-for-one competitor, offering e-ink ereader devices, ebooks, and even a subscription to compete with KU.

Bookshop is my personal gold standard because all purchases directly financially support independent bookstores. Every time you buy a book, you’re putting money directly into the bank accounts of the bookstores we’re trying to protect. The catch (right now) is that you need an Apple or Android device — think (non-Nook) Android ereader, iPad or tablet, or even your phone — to read Bookshop ebooks on their app. (There are some books the publishers have decided to offer DRM-free aka “unlocked,” but most are restricted.)

But exciting news! Bookshop is working with Kobo to support Kobo devices later this year. When that integration launches, it’s going to be an even bigger game-changer for the industry, because Kobo has a huge market share. As for what’s available right now, the leading brand of e-ink Android tablets is Boox. They’re on the pricey side but come in any size with any features you could imagine. I’ve heard from owners of both Kobo and Boox ereaders that they love their devices!

Personally, I’m not bothered by reading on a traditional screen and use an iPad Mini (5th generation — it’s old but works!). I’ve simply deleted social media and other distracting apps from it, and it’s become my dedicated reading device. (I also use it for recipes, KnitCompanion, and Peloton yoga classes.)

The biggest benefit of reading on an actual tablet rather than a dedicated ereader is access to multiple book apps all in one place. You can use Bookshop for new ebook purchases, but also read directly from Libby, Hoopla, Everand, NetGalley, and any libraries of ebooks you already own (Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Kobo) — all on one device. I have an entire folder of book apps on my iPad!

As for Kobo, they’re also a fantastic company with industry-first values, and I genuinely love what they’re doing. While you can’t buy ebooks directly from indie bookstores (yet!!), they’re way better than Kindle. Most importantly (aside from not being Amazon), you actually own your books. You can download them, and no worrying about books disappearing from your library because Amazon decided to take them back.

A Kobo’s home screen is more streamlined and less cluttered than a Kindle’s, focusing on books you already have rather than constantly advertising new ones to buy. They offer Google Drive and Dropbox integrations for sending PDFs (which is great for students), and some Kobo models include page-turn buttons, and some even let you write directly on the page, which is pretty cool. You can also send books directly from Libby and NetGalley to Kobo devices, which makes library borrowing seamless.

Kobo has a huge purchasing library and their own subscription service, Kobo Plus. It’s actually cheaper than KU ($7.99/month vs $11.99/month), even if you upgrade to also add audiobooks (!!) (9.99/month).

Once the integration with Bookshop is live, I’ll probably recommend the Kobo device plus Bookshop marketplace pairing as my new gold star!

For indie authors

The alternatives for indie authors are actually not as limited as most people think — and getting better all the time. The challenge is a chicken/egg situation: authors are publishing on Amazon because KU’s market position is so dominant (making it tough for them to earn a living selling anywhere else), and readers stay on KU to support indie authors. The more we readers create demand outside of the Kindle ecosystem, the more viable these alternatives will become for authors.

IngramSpark is probably the biggest non-Amazon option for self-publishing. It’s owned by Ingram, which is the world’s largest book distributor. When indie authors publish through IngramSpark, their books can be purchased widely and also be ordered in print by bookstores and libraries through their normal ordering systems. So it offers broader distribution (in terms of retailers, if not customers) and also happens to pay equal or better royalty rates.

Bookshop has stated that both IngramSpark and another popular service, Draft2Digital, will work with their platform soon, which means indie authors who publish through these services will soon have access to Bookshop’s indie-supporting customer base, too. (And there are a lot of us!)

Then there’s Kobo. Kobo Writing Life allows authors to publish directly to Kobo’s platform. They offer competitive royalty rates and, as I mentioned, have Kobo Plus where indie authors can offer their books for borrowing without — and this is critical — any exclusivity requirements. This is huge because it means authors don’t have to choose between subscription income and publishing widely — they can have both.

These alternatives are getting stronger and stronger as more authors use them (fueled by more readers choosing non-Amazon purchasing options — which is where we come in!).

How to break up with the Kindle ecosystem, step by step

Step 1: Stop buying new Kindle books. Like, immediately

Obviously the first thing we can do is stop giving the Kindle ecosystem (and thus Amazon) our money. You don’t need to throw away a device that works — I’m not advocating for unnecessary waste — just start using it exclusively for library books via Libby (the library needs you!!), your existing Kindle library, and NetGalley books (if you’re a reviewer).

This isn’t an ideal long-term level of divestment, because even using your Kindle for this kind of “free” reading sustains demand for Kindle-format ebooks (ie, Overdrive still has to buy them from Amazon) and sends Amazon data about you that they can profit from.

Here’s the exception to step 1: If you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, I’m not going to say you should immediately cancel, because we don’t want to harm indie authors who depend on that income. But consider reaching out to your favorite KU authors to encourage them to explore alternative publishing methods. Use yourself as a data point — let them know that there would be demand for their books elsewhere.

Step 2: Give your money to a different ebook marketplace

If/when you do decide to purchase ebooks instead of borrow, move your buying to Bookshop, Kobo, or another alternative. Yes, that means you will be building a second, separate library. But is that really the end of the world?

Maybe you have the means to purchase a second device (Kobo, Boox, iPad, etc) to read your newly purchased ebooks while keeping your old Kindle handy for previously purchased books. (If you have access to the library from that new device, you could also put your Kindle on permanent airplane mode to prevent Amazon from removing books against your will.) If so, I say go for it!

Or maybe you don’t have the budget for a new device right now — and that’s completely okay too. Saving up for purchases that better align our spending with our values is a powerful choice.

Or maybe you actually purchase ebooks rarely (like me) and are content to read them on your phone if you do.

And finally, if you’re a Kindle Unlimited user, think about also subscribing to Kobo Plus if you can afford it, and borrow books there as often as you can. You don’t need a Kobo device to subscribe — they also have an iOS and Android app. This is how start to shift the market demand for indie authors to other platforms!

Step 3: Phase out your old Kindle device

The more you use your Kindle, the more data Amazon collects about you to profit from, and the more demand you create for their ecosystem even without making purchases. So eventually, the goal is to retire that device for good.

(For old Kindle book purchases, if your new e-reader doesn’t provide access, use your phone rather than your Kindle device. And you’re supporting KU authors, consider using your phone or a tablet to read those books too.)

Do it for the bookstores. Do it for you.

The future of reading depends on having a diverse, competitive marketplace. Every step we take toward that goal — whether it’s buying from Bookshop, using Kobo, or encouraging indie authors to publish wide — helps create the world we want to read in.

This transition isn’t easy, and that’s by Amazon’s design — it’s not your fault for getting caught in a system that was built to keep you there. While there’s no perfect solution, I humbly believe it’s worth doing for yourself and your values anyway.

Of course, there’s no such thing as ethical consumption under capitalism anyway. But even if you’re not convinced that your individual choices will make a difference, remember that sometimes, it’s more about support than protest. While Amazon may not notice if you leave, independent bookstores will absolutely notice if you come.

As always, thanks for sharing your corner of the internet with me! This post was a labor of love, and it would mean a lot if you were to share it far and wide.

Special thanks to

Nicole Brinkley

Misshelved

(an indie bookseller),

Laura Yamin