PodoLay vs Kindle Create

Short answer: Kindle Create is Amazon's own free desktop app (Windows and Mac) for turning a Word manuscript into a Kindle eBook and a KDP paperback. It is the simplest route if you publish only on Amazon: its KPF file is KDP's preferred format and supports every Kindle formatting feature. But it is built for Kindle only — Amazon lists publishing outside Kindle and cover formatting as unsupported, its themes can't be edited, and tables, lists and footnotes can't be edited inside it. PodoLay is a page layout editor that runs in the browser (Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook) and exports a print PDF you can send to KDP or any other printer, plus a reflowable EPUB 3 for KDP and other ebook stores. Choose Kindle Create for a straightforward Amazon-only book at no cost. Choose PodoLay when you need your own page design, a PDF you can use anywhere, editable footnotes and tables, or a cover with the spine worked out.

At a glance

	PodoLay	Kindle Create
Where it runs	In the browser on Windows, Mac, Linux or Chromebook (a recent Chromium browser is recommended); needs an internet connection	Desktop app for Windows 10 or later and macOS (Intel 10.15+, Apple silicon 11+)
Price	Free plan ($0, up to 30 pages per layout); Starter $8.99/month (120 pages); Pro $24.99/month (600 pages)	Free download from Amazon KDP
Manuscript in	Word .docx with styles, footnotes, endnotes and images; InDesign IDML	DOC or DOCX (reflowable books); PDF for print replica and comics
How you design	Free-form page layout: master pages, paragraph and character styles, threaded frames, images, shapes and tables anywhere	Four themes for reflowable books (not user-editable); elements such as chapter titles, block quotes and separators
Editing inside	Text, tables, footnotes, endnotes, lists and images are all editable in the editor	Tables, lists, footnotes and inline images can't be edited — change the source file and re-import
Ebook	Reflowable EPUB 3, checked with epubcheck, free and unlimited on every plan; usable on KDP and other stores	KPF (KDP's preferred format, all Kindle features); EPUB for reflowable books, without some features
Paperback interior	Vector PDF; Amazon KDP paperback type (PDF/X-1a, transparency flattened) on Starter and Pro; CMYK, spot colors, crop marks and PDF/X-4 for other printers	Same project published as a KDP print book; margins resized for the trim size; page numbers and headers in print settings
Publishing outside Amazon	Yes — the PDF and EPUB are ordinary files	Not supported
Book cover	Cover builder for KDP and other printers with spine width from page count and paper; ebook cover JPEG	Cover formatting not supported (KDP's separate, free Cover Creator runs in your KDP Bookshelf)
Long-book tools	Automatic table of contents with PDF bookmarks, footnotes, endnotes, index, running headers	Table of contents page and Kindle interactive TOC; front and back matter pages

Who Kindle Create suits

Amazon-only authors on a zero budget. It costs nothing, is made by Amazon, and its KPF output is what KDP prefers for Kindle eBooks.
Simple reflowable books. Novels and plain nonfiction where the default themes look fine and readers will set their own font and size.
Comics and image-heavy ebooks. Kindle Create has comic (Guided View) and print replica modes. PodoLay's EPUB is reflowable only.
Working offline. It is a desktop app; PodoLay needs a connection.

Who PodoLay suits

Authors who also sell outside Amazon. PodoLay's print PDF and EPUB are standard files for KDP, IngramSpark-style printers, local print shops and other ebook stores.
Books with designed pages. Cookbooks, workbooks, illustrated nonfiction, poetry with exact placement: master pages, styles and free placement of text, images, shapes and tables.
Books with footnotes, tables or an index. They are editable in PodoLay, and the table of contents and index are generated with page numbers and PDF bookmarks.
Chromebook and Linux users. Kindle Create needs Windows or macOS; PodoLay runs in the browser.
A print PDF you check yourself. Preflight tests KDP's rules (trim, page count, gutter for the page count, margins, bleed, image resolution, small text, thin lines) before you upload. See the KDP paperback guide.
A cover you can keep. The cover builder sizes the spine and wraparound cover with bleed, and the result is your own PDF. The free cover calculator shows the numbers first.

What PodoLay does not do

No Kindle KPF file. PodoLay exports EPUB 3, which KDP accepts for Kindle eBooks, but not Amazon's KPF format.
No fixed-layout, comic or print replica ebook. The EPUB is reflowable; objects outside the text flow are left out unless anchored in the text.
Print PDF is not free. On the Free plan you can design, make proof prints and export EPUB; print-ready PDF needs Starter or Pro (or one-time PDF passes). See pricing.
No offline mode. PodoLay runs in the browser and saves to the server.
No ready-made book themes. You build your own styles or bring them in from Word or IDML.
No publishing or distribution. PodoLay makes the files; you upload them to KDP or your printer yourself. It does not make hardcover covers.

FAQ

What is a good alternative to Kindle Create?

It depends on what you are missing. If you want more design control, files you can use outside Amazon, or editable footnotes and tables, PodoLay is a browser-based layout editor that exports a KDP print PDF and an EPUB 3. If you only need a simple Kindle eBook, Kindle Create is free and made by Amazon.

Does PodoLay export KPF?

No. PodoLay exports reflowable EPUB 3, which KDP accepts for Kindle eBooks, and print PDF for paperbacks.

Can I use PodoLay's files outside Amazon KDP?

Yes. The print PDF (including CMYK, crop marks and PDF/X-4 for print shops on Starter and Pro) and the EPUB are ordinary files you can upload anywhere.

Is PodoLay free like Kindle Create?

Partly. The Free plan ($0, no card, up to 30 pages per layout) includes every editing feature, proof prints and EPUB export. Print-ready PDF export starts with Starter at $8.99 a month.

Does Kindle Create work on a Chromebook?

Amazon lists Windows and macOS only. PodoLay runs in the browser, so it works on a Chromebook.

Sources (checked October 2026)

KDP Help — Getting Started with Kindle Create (system requirements, book types, KPF and EPUB export, themes, unsupported features)
KDP Help — Prepare Reflowable and Print Books with Kindle Create (themes, print settings, items that can't be edited)
KDP Help — Cover Creator
PodoLay: pricing, user guide, FAQ

Amazon, Kindle and Kindle Direct Publishing are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. PodoLay is not affiliated with Amazon.

Updated October 30, 2026