What to know

  • Kindle Translate is an AI-powered tool for self-published authors on Kindle Direct Publishing.
  • It supports translations between English-Spanish and German-English in beta.
  • Authors control language selection, pricing, and can preview their book translations.
  • Translated books carry a "Kindle Translate" label and qualify for KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited programs.

Amazon has introduced Kindle Translate, a new AI translation service for self-published Kindle authors. Currently in beta and available to select authors on the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform, this tool translates ebooks between English and Spanish as well as German to English at no additional cost to the author.

Image: aboutamazon

Currently in beta and available only for select KDP authors, Kindle Translate aims to help authors reach wider audiences by enabling multilingual distribution. Authors can choose target languages, set pricing for translated editions, and preview translations before publishing. Amazon automatically evaluates translation accuracy prior to release to maintain quality standards. Translated editions will display a specific "Kindle Translate" label for readers to identify AI-translated content.

This launch addresses the notable gap on Amazon's platform, where less than 5% of Kindle titles are available in multiple languages. By lowering the cost and effort of translation, Kindle Translate offers indie authors an opportunity to expand their global reach and revenue. Translated works are eligible for KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited programs.

While the tool currently supports only English-Spanish and German-English translation pairs, Amazon plans to add more languages over time. Authors are encouraged to review translations carefully, as AI-generated translations might require oversight for nuance, tone, and cultural context, especially in fiction.