Work out what you keep from each sale, before you pick a price. All figures are for Amazon.com (USD). Check KDP's own royalty pages before you publish, as Amazon can change its rules.
70% rule: 70% of (list price minus delivery cost). Delivery cost on Amazon.com is $0.15 per MB. 35% rule: 35% of the list price, no delivery cost. Since 7 July 2026 the 70% band on Amazon.com is $2.99 to $12.99 (it was $2.99 to $9.99 before that). For a 70% ebook, the list price must also be at least 20% below any print edition's list price.
Paperback rule: royalty rate times list price, minus printing cost. Rate is 60% at $9.99 or more, 50% at $9.98 or less, 40% for Expanded Distribution. Printing cost used here is for black ink, regular trim (6x9 and smaller) on Amazon.com: $2.30 flat for 24-110 pages, then $1.00 + $0.012 per page. Colour, large trim and other marketplaces cost more.
For Kindle ebooks, Amazon offers two royalty plans. The 70% plan pays 70% of your list price after subtracting a delivery cost based on file size, but it only applies inside a price band, currently $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com, and carries extra conditions such as pricing below any print edition. The 35% plan pays a flat 35% of list price with no delivery cost and no price band, which is why very cheap or very expensive ebooks, and ebooks with large files full of images, sometimes earn more on 35%.
For paperbacks, Amazon first takes the printing cost of your book, which depends on page count, ink and trim size. Your royalty is a percentage of the list price minus that printing cost: 60% for books priced $9.99 and above sold on Amazon, 50% below that price, and 40% through Expanded Distribution. This is why page count matters as much as price: a longer book costs more to print, so it needs a higher price to earn the same royalty.
| Book | You earn per copy |
|---|---|
| $4.99 ebook, 2 MB file, 70% | $3.28 |
| $9.99 ebook, 2 MB file, 70% | $6.78 |
| $12.99 ebook, 2 MB file, 70% | $8.88 |
| 300-page paperback at $14.99 on Amazon | $4.39 |
| 200-page paperback at $12.99 on Amazon | $4.39 |
Why does my ebook earn less than 70% of the price?
Because the delivery cost comes off first. A $4.99 ebook with a 2 MB file loses $0.30 to delivery, so you earn 70% of $4.69, which is $3.28.
Should I always choose 70%?
No. Outside the price band, and for large illustrated files, 35% can pay more. Run both numbers above and compare.
Does this calculator cover other Amazon stores?
The figures are for Amazon.com in USD. Other marketplaces have their own bands and printing costs, so treat the result as a close guide, not an exact figure, outside the US store.
This tool runs entirely in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Cover, formatting and launch matter just as much. Wecrafte publishes books end to end for authors. See wecrafte.com or write to info@wecrafte.com.