In this article
KDP rules and thresholds change. Always confirm the current terms in the KDP Help pages before you schedule anything. This article explains the principles and the trade-offs.
If you publish on Amazon, you have probably seen the two promotion tools inside KDP Select: the Kindle Countdown Deal and the Free Book Promotion. Both let you change the price of your ebook temporarily, both come with a cost in exclusivity, and both are often discussed as if they were the same thing. They are not. They answer different questions, and choosing the wrong one wastes your promotional window.
Let us compare them clearly, then give you a simple way to decide.
The basic requirement: KDP Select
Both tools are only available to books enrolled in KDP Select. Enrolling means your ebook is exclusive to Amazon for the enrollment period (currently 90 days at a time, renewable) and is included in Kindle Unlimited. If you sell your ebook on other stores, you cannot use either promotion. Our article on Kindle Unlimited for authors explains the exclusivity trade-off in more detail.
What is a Kindle Countdown Deal?
A Countdown Deal lets you discount your ebook for a limited period, usually a few days, while displaying a countdown timer and the original price on the product page. The price typically rises in steps, for example from 0.99 to 1.99 to 2.99, which creates urgency. Under the conditions that apply at the time of writing, authors can keep a higher royalty rate during the deal on eligible price ranges, which is one of its main attractions. Countdown Deals are available on selected stores, and eligibility depends on your list price and the dates of your enrollment, so check KDP Help.
Pros
- You still earn something on each sale or borrow.
- The countdown timer adds urgency on the product page.
- It works well with newsletter promotions and ad sites that list discounted books.
- Readers who buy at a discount may be more likely to continue with the series.
Cons
- Needs a price high enough to discount meaningfully. Cheap books have little room.
- Marketing is needed; a discount alone rarely moves a book without promotion.
- Limited to certain Amazon stores.
What is a Free Book Promotion?
A Free Book Promotion makes your ebook free for a limited number of days per enrollment period (at the time of writing, up to five days within each 90-day period). Readers download it at no cost, and you earn no royalties for those downloads. The goal is exposure, not income.
Pros
- Many readers are willing to try a free book, so downloads can be high.
- Works well for the first book of a series when later books are paid.
- Can raise your visibility in free lists and increase later sales or borrows, though results vary and nothing is guaranteed.
Cons
- No royalties during the promotion.
- Free readers are not always your ideal readers; many download and never open the book.
- It can attract readers who are less likely to leave feedback and more likely to give a harsh opinion if the book is not their genre.
- Amazon has changed how free downloads affect rankings over the years, so past advice may be out of date.
Side-by-side comparison
| Countdown Deal | Free Book Promotion | |
|---|---|---|
| Price during promotion | Discounted, rises in steps | Free |
| Royalties | Yes, on each sale | None on free downloads |
| Best for | Visibility with some income; a book with a mid-range price | Maximum reach; first in series |
| Typical goal | Sales and conversions | Downloads and readership |
| Requires KDP Select | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing needed | Yes | Yes |
Which should you choose?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I have more books to sell? If this is the first book in a series and the next one is already available, a free promotion can feed readers into the rest of the series. If it is a standalone, a Countdown Deal may make more financial sense.
- Is my price high enough to discount? If your book is already at the lowest price, a Countdown Deal has little to offer.
- What is my goal: readers, sales or visibility? Free promotions optimise for readers. Countdown Deals optimise for readers who pay something.
- Do I have a promotion plan? Neither tool works well in silence. Plan newsletters, social posts and listing sites in advance.
- Am I willing to stay exclusive? If you want to be available on other stores, neither tool is open to you, and you should plan other promotion methods.
Three example scenarios
Scenario 1: The first book in a five-book series
All five books are published and readers can move straight from book one to book two. A free promotion on book one costs you nothing in royalties on that title and may feed the rest of the series. Make sure the back of the book links to book two and invites readers to join your newsletter.
Scenario 2: A standalone thriller priced at 4.99
There is no next book to sell, so free downloads would earn nothing. A Countdown Deal gives you a temporary lower price, keeps royalties flowing and lets you pitch the deal to newsletter and listing sites that feature discounted books.
Scenario 3: A brand-new release
You have no reviews and a small audience. Neither tool is a quick fix. Spend the first weeks building reader interest through your list and advance readers, and revisit promotions once the book has settled and you have data on how readers react.
Timing tips
- Do not launch and discount on day one. Let the first sales and reviews arrive at the regular price first, then run the promotion a few weeks later if you want a second wave.
- Prepare the book page first. A strong cover, a clear blurb and well-chosen categories turn visitors into readers. See our guides to blurb examples and KDP keywords and categories.
- Schedule the promotion for a weekday with a plan. Align it with your newsletter and any paid or free listing sites you use.
- Do not stack too many promotions. Spread them across the enrollment period and note the results.
A word about reviews
Promotions bring readers, and readers may leave reviews, but you cannot ask for a particular rating, require a review, or offer anything in return. A discount does not change that. Amazon's rules prohibit compensation for reviews, and a discount that is conditional on leaving a review would be exactly that. Read our review policy guide to stay on the safe side.
How to measure results
Before the promotion, note your baseline: daily sales, page reads, newsletter sign-ups. During and after the promotion, compare. For a free promotion, look at downloads and later sales or borrows of the next book. For a Countdown Deal, look at units sold, royalties and rank changes. Compare against what you spent on advertising. If the numbers do not justify the effort, change one variable next time rather than repeating the same plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a Countdown Deal and a Free Promotion at the same time?
No. A single book cannot be on two promotions at the same moment, and KDP has rules about combining them within one enrollment period. Check KDP Help for the current limits.
Do Kindle Countdown Deals still work?
They can, especially when combined with real marketing such as newsletters and listing sites. A deal with no promotion tends to produce little.
Do free promotions hurt my book?
They can bring readers who are not a good fit, which may lead to lower ratings. Choosing the right categories and a clear blurb helps attract the right readers.
Can I use these promotions if my book is on other stores?
No. Both require KDP Select exclusivity for the ebook.
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