What are ISBN's and do I need them?
- Indie Publishing 101
- May 15
- 2 min read
"Self-publishing platforms removed the barrier of needing to buy ISBNs just to publish a book."
International Standard Book Number or ISBN is still very much used, but for self-publishers it is no longer always required.
The big change is:
Platforms like Amazon KDP made it possible to publish without buying your own ISBN.
So ISBNs matter differently today than they did 20 years ago.
What an ISBN Actually Does
An ISBN is basically a product identifier for a specific book edition.
Different formats usually need different ISBNs:
eBook
paperback
hardcover
audiobook
Each edition gets its own identifier.
When You DO Need an ISBN
You generally need one if you want:
Goal | ISBN Needed? |
Sell in bookstores | Usually yes |
Wide retail distribution | Yes |
Libraries | Yes |
Professional publishing imprint | Yes |
Your own publisher identity | Yes |
Full control of metadata | Yes |
When You DON’T Really Need One
If you’re:
publishing casually
testing a book idea
selling mainly on Amazon
creating a side-income book
publishing short niche books
then Amazon’s free ISBN is often perfectly fine.
Important Tradeoff
Free Amazon ISBN
Pros:
Free
Easy
Instant
Cons:
Amazon is listed as publisher
Limited portability
Less professional branding
Your Own ISBN
Pros:
You are the publisher
Better long-term control
Cleaner distribution
More professional
Cons:
Costs money
In the U.S.:
Bowker sells them
1 ISBN is expensive
10-pack is better value
eBooks Are Different
Amazon Kindle eBooks technically do NOT require ISBNs at all.
Amazon uses:
ASINs (Amazon identifiers)
So many indie Kindle authors never buy ISBNs.
Current Reality for Self-Publishers
Most beginner self-publishers:
use free KDP ISBNs
or no ISBN for Kindle
More serious indie publishers:
buy their own ISBN block
Especially if they:
publish multiple books
build a brand/imprint
sell outside Amazon
Practical Recommendation
If this is your:
First book / experimental project
Use the free ISBN.
Long-term publishing business
Buy your own ISBNs eventually.
Bottom Line
ISBNs are not obsolete at all — bookstores, libraries, distributors, and print publishing still rely heavily on them.
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