# What is a low-content book on KDP? Types and ISBN rules

Source: https://kdpbook.io/glossary/low-content · Updated 2026-10-15

**Low-content book**: KDP's category for books with minimal, repetitive interiors meant to be filled in: notebooks, journals, planners, logbooks. Coloring, puzzle and children's books are not low-content.

Checked against KDP Help on 2026-09-28.

A low-content book is KDP's category for books with minimal, repetitive interiors meant to be filled in: notebooks, planners, journals, logbooks. They don't need an ISBN but can't get a free KDP ISBN, aren't eligible for Expanded Distribution, and are print only. Coloring books, puzzle books and children's books are not low-content.

Also called: no-content book, fill-in book.

## The numbers

Low-content vs other print books on KDP:

|  | Low-content book | Other print books |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Examples | notebooks, planners, diaries and journals, prompt journals, log books, coupon books, crafting templates, blank sheet music | novels, non-fiction, children's books, coloring and puzzle books, manuals, textbooks |
| ISBN | optional; no free KDP ISBN (publish without one or use your own) | free KDP ISBN or your own |
| Look Inside | only with your own ISBN | yes |
| Expanded Distribution | not eligible | eligible if trim, paper and content qualify |
| Series | not eligible | yes |
| Kindle eBook | print only: KDP lists blank journals as unsuited to Kindle | depends on the content |
| Barcode | KDP adds a 2 × 1.2 in box if the cover has none | the same |
| How to mark it | tick the low-content box under Categories | leave it unticked |

## What counts, and what doesn't

KDP defines low-content books as having minimal or no content on the interior pages, generally repetitive and designed to be filled in by the user. Activity books such as puzzle books and coloring books are explicitly not low-content, because their pages aren't repetitive. Neither are children's books, photography books or sheet music.

That distinction has consequences: a coloring book gets a free KDP ISBN and Look Inside, while a lined journal doesn't. Both are print only, though: KDP lists puzzle books, blank journals and coloring books as content not suited to Kindle.

## Other limits that apply

KDP's weekly title limits (its help page states 2 new titles created and 2 submitted for publication per format) apply to low-content books like any other. Expanded Distribution is closed to them whatever ISBN they use.

## Example: a 120-page guided journal

A 120-page, 6 × 9 in prompt journal is low-content: tick the box under Categories, publish without an ISBN or with your own, and expect no Look Inside unless the ISBN is yours. It costs $2.44 to print in black and white on Amazon.com.

A 106-page kids' coloring book is not low-content: leave the box unticked, and it can use a free KDP ISBN and show Look Inside.

## Common mistakes

- Marking coloring, puzzle or activity books as low-content.
- Trying to assign a free KDP ISBN to a low-content book.
- Forgetting to tick the low-content box for a notebook or planner.
- Expecting Look Inside on a low-content book published without your own ISBN.
- Planning a Kindle edition of a journal or planner.

In kdpbook.io: In kdpbook, coloring, puzzle, activity and journal types are print only, because KDP lists them as unsuited to Kindle.