KDP royalties depend on the format, the price and the plan, and the numbers are easy to get wrong. An ebook can earn 35 percent of the list price or, in an eligible price range and territory, 70 percent minus a delivery charge based on file size, and a price just outside the range can halve the royalty. A paperback or hardcover earns a percentage of the list price minus the cost of printing, and the cost depends on the page count, the trim size and the type of ink and paper. A price that looks fine can leave a small or even a negative royalty.
Free tool · KDP Royalty Calculator
KDP Royalty Calculator that shows what KDP pays you on every copy
The kdp royalty calculator estimates your royalty per copy and per month for a Kindle ebook, a paperback or a hardcover on KDP, applying the 35 percent and 70 percent ebook plans with the delivery charge, and for print the royalty rate, the print cost built from a fixed part and a cost per page, and the lowest price that covers printing. It runs in your browser, uses editable cost fields and is free for self-published authors.
Use the free tool
The kdp royalty calculator is free to use, with no account and nothing uploaded.
- Ebook, paperback and hardcover
- Print cost included
- 35% and 70% ebook plans
Key facts
- FreeNo cost, no account and no usage limit on the kdp royalty calculator
- In your browserNothing that you type or paste into the kdp royalty calculator is uploaded
- SecondsTypical time from opening the kdp royalty calculator to a result
Free tool
KDP royalty calculator
Estimate your royalty per copy and per month for a Kindle ebook, a paperback or a hardcover on KDP, including the print cost and the ebook delivery charge.
The kdp royalty calculator needs JavaScript, and it works in your browser without sending anything that you enter to a server.
Overview
What the kdp royalty calculator does and why it helps
The calculator keeps the logic separate for each format. For an ebook it shows the royalty at 35 percent and, if the price falls in the eligible band, at 70 percent after the delivery charge, and it picks the better of the two, then multiplies by your monthly copies for a monthly and yearly figure. For print it builds the cost from a fixed amount per copy plus a cost per page times the page count, both editable, applies the royalty rate, which is 60 percent for the main store and 40 percent for expanded distribution, subtracts the print cost and shows the royalty, the monthly royalty and the lowest price at which the royalty is zero.
The rates, the price bands and the delivery charges are set by KDP and can change, so check the current terms before you set a price. The print cost fields are editable because they depend on your trim size, paper and ink, and KDP's own print cost calculator gives the exact figures for your book. Use the tool to explore scenarios, such as what a 0.99 dollar launch price costs in royalty, or how much a longer book needs to raise its price, and treat the result as a well-informed estimate.
The KDP royalty calculator estimates your earnings for ebooks and paperbacks on Amazon KDP, including printing cost. You will not pay for this free kdp royalty calculator; it exists to save you a spreadsheet and some guesswork. Open the kdp royalty calculator online and it is ready at once, with no download. We built it as a kdp royalty calculator for authors, with book-specific defaults. Indie writers can rely on it as a kdp royalty calculator for self-published books.
Whether you call it a KDP book royalty calculator, a royalty calculator for KDP or a KDP printing cost & royalty calculator, the job is the same: show what you keep from each sale. Ebook authors can use it as a KDP royalty calculator ebook writers trust, and a KDP royalty calculator for ebooks covers both the 35 and 70 percent plans. Paperback authors get a KDP royalty calculator paperback result that subtracts printing cost, which matters most for long books. If you publish for Kindle readers worldwide, the KDP royalty calculator Kindle and KDP royalty calculator Amazon searches lead to the same maths. Authors in India who look for a KDP royalty calculator India can enter local prices and compare. It stays a KDP royalty calculator free tool for authors, with no account needed.
How to use it
How to use the kdp royalty calculator, step by step
Choose the format
Select Kindle ebook, paperback or hardcover. Each format has its own royalty rules, so the choice changes every figure that follows. The kdp royalty calculator updates as you type, so you can correct a value and see the result straight away.
Enter the list price
Type the price you plan to charge. For ebooks the 70 percent plan applies only inside a price range, and the tool shows which plan your price qualifies for.
For ebooks, enter the file size
The 70 percent plan deducts a delivery charge based on file size, so type the size in megabytes. Illustrated books are affected most.
For print, enter the page count and the print cost fields
The print cost is a fixed part plus a cost per page. The tool builds it from your page count, and you can edit each field to match KDP's current figures.
Read the royalty per copy and per month
The tool shows what you earn on each sale and, with your expected sales, what you earn each month. Compare formats side by side.
Check the lowest price
For print, the tool shows the lowest price that covers printing. Pricing below it means the book earns nothing. If a value looks wrong, change it and read the result again; the kdp royalty calculator never stores or uploads what you enter.
How the kdp royalty calculator works
The right formula for each format
Choose a format and enter the list price, the copies per month and the details that matter for that format. For an ebook, the tool shows the royalty at 35 percent and, if the price is in the eligible band, at 70 percent after the delivery charge, and picks the better one.
For a paperback or hardcover, it calculates the print cost from a fixed amount plus a cost per page, which you can edit, applies the royalty rate of 60 percent, or 40 percent for expanded distribution, and subtracts the print cost. It also shows the lowest price that covers the print cost.
The rates, price bands and delivery charges are those that KDP has published, and KDP can change them, so check the current terms before you set a price. The print cost fields are editable because they depend on trim size, paper and ink, and KDP's own print cost calculator gives the exact figures.
- Separate logic for ebooks and print
- Print cost from fixed and per-page parts
- The lowest price that covers print
Method
How the kdp royalty calculator works out its answer
Ebook at 35 percent
The royalty is the list price times 0.35, available at any price in the allowed range.
Ebook at 70 percent
Where the price is in the eligible band, the royalty is the list price times 0.70 minus a delivery charge of 0.15 dollars per megabyte. The tool picks the better of the two plans.
Print cost and royalty
The print cost is the fixed part plus the per-page cost times the pages. The royalty is the list price times the rate, 60 percent normally or 40 percent for expanded distribution, minus the print cost.
The floor
The lowest price that covers printing is the print cost divided by the royalty rate. Below it, each sale loses money.
Tips
Getting the most from the kdp royalty calculator
Edit the fields to match KDP's current terms
The tool lets you change every figure. The kdp royalty calculator is free and instant, so it is worth running again whenever your book changes.
Test prices at the edge of a band
A small change can move you into a better plan. Make the kdp royalty calculator a routine step on every project, so that results stay consistent from book to book.
Check each marketplace
Rates and costs differ by country. A few minutes with the kdp royalty calculator now saves time across the whole manuscript.
Need it done for you?
When the kdp royalty calculator is not enough
The calculator shows what KDP pays you. These services prepare the files and the setup that put the book on sale.
Amazon KDP Book Formatting
KDP formatting prepares your ebook, paperback and hardcover files to KDP's rules, so that the book you priced can be published without errors.
See the service →Amazon KDP Upload Assistance
Upload assistance sets up your account, files, prices and rights on KDP and checks every field before you publish.
See the service →KDP Paperback Formatting
A KDP paperback interior built to the right trim size and page count controls the print cost that your royalty depends on.
See the service →Before and after
Before and after using the kdp royalty calculator
The same book, first priced by looking at competitors and then priced with its royalty on each format in view.
123Before
- 1An ebook priced just outside the 70 percent band
- 2A paperback priced below its floor
- 3A large file with a delivery charge nobody counted
123After
- 1A price inside the 70 percent band
- 2A print price with a positive royalty
- 3A file size with a known delivery charge
- 3problems found in the first review
- 3fixes checked in the final review
- 1named specialist owning every fix
- Fixedprice confirmed in the calculator before you order
A higher rate
The price fits the royalty band, so each ebook sale pays much more than before.
A profit on print
The paperback price covers printing and leaves a margin on every copy.
A planned charge
The delivery cost is counted in advance, so no sale is a surprise.
Client reviews
What authors say about our KDP royalty review service
Verified reviews from authors who asked a specialist to handle the KDP royalty review after using the kdp royalty calculator.
Good publishing support overall. The KDP metadata setup was thorough. One category selection needed updating after initial launch but it was corrected promptly. The book is performing well in its target categories.
The formatting error fix service saved my launch. My original formatter had made margin errors causing repeated rejection. Book Formatting Experts identified and fixed every issue within 48 hours. My launch was back on schedule.
As a first-time author, the technical side of self-publishing was genuinely daunting. The consultation covered every decision — platform choice, pricing strategy, metadata, and distribution. I launched with genuine confidence.
My YA novel needed to reach both English-language and Japanese readers. The multi-region distribution setup was handled correctly across all required platforms. International sales have exceeded my expectations.
Navigating IngramSpark's requirements for the first time felt overwhelming. The upload assistance handled everything — metadata, pricing setup, distribution channels. My children's book reached bookstores within two weeks.
The publishing readiness review identified four issues in my manuscript that would have caused rejection. Each was clearly explained and quickly resolved. My book launched without any technical complications.
My cookbook needed to be set up across multiple platforms simultaneously. The publishing support team handled every submission — KDP, IngramSpark, and Apple Books — with different requirements for each. Flawlessly executed.
My KDP file was rejected with a technical error message I could not understand. Book Formatting Experts diagnosed the problem immediately — a bleed issue on three pages — and corrected it the same day. Approved first time.
Getting historical fiction placed in the right categories on Amazon and IngramSpark required strategic metadata. The team understood the genre classification and the book reached the right readers from the first week.
Good support throughout the KDP upload process. The metadata setup and category selection were explained clearly. One pricing setting needed adjustment after initial setup but it was corrected quickly.
The citation formatting, chapter opening pages, and bibliography were all handled precisely. For a scholarly publication, these details matter enormously. The finished book looks authoritative and professional.
My thriller needed a cover that was unsettling without being gratuitous. The designer found exactly the right tone. The typography treatment adds to the unease in a subtle, effective way.
Tight, clean, and exactly on brief. The chapter openers had the tension-driven feel the genre demands without being overdone. Upload to KDP was approved without a single correction requested.
Good formatting work overall. The chapter headers felt slightly generic at first but after one revision round they had exactly the right tone for my YA readership. File passed KDP without any issues.
The newsletter integration and reader magnet landing page were set up exactly right from day one. My opt-in rate from organic website visitors is consistently above 15%. The design and the copy flow work together seamlessly.
My memoir had photographs on almost every other page alongside the text. The image placement, captions, and page flow all look natural and professional. The print proof was exactly what I hoped for.
Fantasy covers need to evoke a world without showing too much. The balance between atmosphere and intrigue is exactly right. My advance readers commented on the cover before I even asked for their feedback.
The atmospheric chapter openings matched the tone of my books without being overdone. The specialist clearly understood what dark fantasy readers expect from a professionally formatted interior.
More free tools
More free tools to use with the kdp royalty calculator
Each of these tools is free, runs in your browser and works well alongside the kdp royalty calculator.
IngramSpark Royalty Calculator
With your KDP royalty review, free ingramspark royalty calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you IngramSpark royalty review service.
Open the tool →Book Pricing Calculator
For a KDP royalty review, free book pricing calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you pricing strategy review service.
Open the tool →Book Margin Calculator
For a KDP royalty review, free book margin calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you print margin review service.
Open the tool →KENP Calculator
Free kenp calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you KENP payout check service with your KDP royalty review.
Open the tool →Book Break Even Calculator
On this KDP royalty review job, free book break even calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you break-even plan service.
Open the tool →Print Cost Comparison Calculator
With your KDP royalty review, free print cost comparison calculator that works in your browser, plus a done-for-you printer quote comparison service.
Open the tool →FAQ
KDP Royalty Calculator: questions answered
These are the questions authors ask most about the kdp royalty calculator, including accuracy, privacy and what to do next. If your question about the KDP royalty review is missing, request a quote and a specialist will reply.
What is a KDP royalty calculator?
It is a tool that estimates the royalty on Amazon KDP for an ebook, a paperback or a hardcover, using the rates, the print cost and the ebook delivery charge.
What royalty does KDP pay on ebooks?
At the time of writing, KDP offers 35 percent, and 70 percent for list prices in a set band with a delivery charge. Check KDP's current terms.
How is the paperback royalty calculated?
It is the list price times the royalty rate, 60 percent for the main store, minus the print cost. Expanded distribution uses a lower rate.
What is the KDP delivery charge?
A fee on the 70 percent ebook plan, based on the file size in megabytes, which is deducted from the royalty.
What price range qualifies for the 70 percent royalty?
At the time of writing, list prices from 2.99 to 9.99 dollars in eligible territories. Confirm the current band on KDP.
Why is my paperback royalty so low?
Print cost takes a large share of the price, especially for a long book, so a low price can leave little.
What is the lowest price I can set for a paperback?
The price at which the royalty is zero is the print cost divided by the rate. The calculator shows it.
What is expanded distribution?
A KDP option that makes a print book available to other retailers and libraries, at a lower royalty rate of 40 percent.
Does the calculator work for hardcovers?
Yes. Enter the hardcover page count and the print cost figures from KDP, and the same calculation applies.
Where do I find KDP's print cost?
In KDP's print cost calculator, which asks for the trim size, paper and ink type, and the page count.
Does the kdp royalty calculator keep anything that I enter?
No. The kdp royalty calculator works in your browser, so what you enter stays on your device and is never saved.
Is the kdp royalty calculator free?
Yes, the KDP calculator costs nothing, needs no account and puts no limit on the scenarios you test.
How does a kdp royalty calculator work?
It applies the 35 or 70 percent royalty rate to ebooks and subtracts printing cost from paperbacks.
Work with a specialist
Turn what you learn from the kdp royalty calculator into a finished book
The kdp royalty calculator costs nothing, and so does asking what a specialist would do with your book. When the kdp royalty calculator has done its part and you want finished files, a fixed price and one named person who owns the job, we are ready to start.