An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is the 13-digit code that identifies your book to retailers, libraries, and distributors. Whether you need one — and what it costs — depends heavily on where you live and how you're publishing.
Do You Actually Need an ISBN?
If you're publishing an eBook exclusively through Amazon KDP, technically no — KDP will assign a free ASIN (Amazon's internal identifier) and can issue a free ISBN for print editions. But that free KDP ISBN lists Amazon as the publisher of record, which can prevent you from distributing that exact edition through other retailers or libraries later. If you plan to sell anywhere beyond Amazon, or want your own publishing imprint listed, you'll want your own ISBN.
Getting an ISBN in the United States
In the US, Bowker is the exclusive official ISBN agency. Pricing (as of recent years) runs roughly:
- 1 ISBN — around $125
- 10 ISBNs — around $295 (significantly cheaper per unit)
- 100 ISBNs — around $575
Buying in a block of 10 is almost always the better value if you plan to publish an eBook, paperback, and hardcover edition of even a single title — each format requires its own ISBN.
Getting an ISBN in Canada
Canadian authors and publishers can get ISBNs completely free through Library and Archives Canada (LAC). You register as a publisher through LAC's online system, and there's no per-ISBN charge — a significant cost advantage over the US system for Canadian residents.
What About Barcodes?
An ISBN and a barcode are related but different — print books also need a scannable barcode (which encodes the ISBN plus, often, the price) on the back cover. Most formatting and cover design services, including ours, generate this automatically once your ISBN is registered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use one ISBN for both my eBook and paperback?
No — each distinct format (eBook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook) requires its own unique ISBN, even though they're the same book.
Do I need a new ISBN for a second edition?
Generally yes, if there are substantial content changes. Minor corrections (typo fixes) usually don't require a new ISBN, but a revised edition with new content typically does.
Is a free KDP ISBN a bad idea?
Not necessarily — if you only ever plan to sell through Amazon, it's a reasonable free option. It becomes a limitation only if you later want to distribute that same edition through IngramSpark, bookstores, or libraries under your own publisher name.
Nova Publisher handles ISBN registration — US or Canadian — as part of our publishing services, so your book is set up correctly from the first edition.