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Free tool · Amazon KDP

KDP Paperback Royalty Calculator

Enter a list price and page count to see the printing cost and royalty per sale for a paperback sold on Amazon.com, using KDP's published table.

Calculator

The price shown on Amazon.com, before tax.

Only Amazon.com (USD) is supported so far.

Total interior pages, blank pages included. KDP rounds odd counts up to even.

Standard colour needs at least 72 pages.

KDP calls a book "large" if it is wider than 6.12 in or taller than 9 in. 8.5 x 11 in is large; 6 x 9 in is regular.

Your own guess. Used only for the projection.

Result

Royalty per sale: $3.15 (60% rate). Printing cost: $2.84

Royalty per sale
$3.15 (60% rate)
Printing cost
$2.84
Lowest list price KDP accepts
about $5.68
Per month, from your estimate
$31.54
Per year, from your estimate
$378.48
  • Printing cost is KDP's flat $2.84 for black ink, large trim, up to the flat-rate page limit.
  • At a list price of $9.99 KDP pays 60%: 60% x $9.99 - $2.84 = $3.15 per sale.

Sources and assumptions

Assumptions

  • Sales through Amazon.com only (USD). Expanded Distribution pays a different rate (KDP lists 40%) and is not modelled.
  • Royalty is calculated on the list price before tax, as KDP describes.
  • KDP rounds an odd page count up to an even number; we do the same.
  • KDP lists 110 pages in both the flat-cost and the per-page black-ink rows; we use the flat cost at 110.
  • The minimum list price is our derivation from KDP's rule "printing cost divided by the royalty rate", taking the royalty tier into account.

How this works

KDP's royalty for an Amazon.com paperback is the royalty rate times the list price, minus the printing cost. The rate depends on the list price, and the printing cost depends on ink, page count and whether the trim size counts as regular or large.

The calculator looks up the printing cost in KDP's table, applies the rate for your price, and works out the lowest list price KDP would accept for the book. The monthly and yearly figures simply multiply by your own estimate of copies sold.

Read KDP royalties and printing cost, explained for a longer walk-through.

Worked example

A 52-page black-ink coloring book, 8.5 x 11 in (large trim), listed at $9.99, with a guess of 10 copies a month.

Royalty per sale
$3.15 (60% rate)
Printing cost
$2.84
Lowest list price KDP accepts
about $5.68
Per month, from your estimate
$31.54
Per year, from your estimate
$378.48
  • Printing cost is KDP's flat $2.84 for black ink, large trim, up to the flat-rate page limit.
  • At a list price of $9.99 KDP pays 60%: 60% x $9.99 - $2.84 = $3.15 per sale.

Related tools

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Does this include Expanded Distribution?

No. It covers Amazon.com sales only. Expanded Distribution pays a different rate.

Is the monthly figure a forecast?

No. It multiplies your own guess of copies sold. We do not predict sales.

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KDP paperback royalty calculator | Kids Books Maker