KDP paperback royalty calculator
See what Amazon pays you per copy of a paperback sold on Amazon.com, and how much the price you pick changes it. Everything runs in your browser.
You earn per copy
$3.15
- Printing cost
- −$2.84
- Royalty
- $3.15
Royalty at other prices
Same book, same printing cost. The dashed line is $9.99, where the rate jumps from 50% to 60%.
How the math works
The formula
Royalty = (royalty rate × list price) − printing cost. Amazon keeps the rest. Taxes are not included in the list price.
The $9.99 line
On Amazon.com, books priced at $9.99 or more earn 60%. At $9.98 or less the rate drops to 50%, which often wipes out most of the royalty on a cheap book.
Printing cost
A fixed charge plus a charge per page, which depends on ink, paper and trim. Short black-ink books pay a flat fee instead of a per-page rate. Large trim means wider than 6.12 in or taller than 9 in.
What this leaves out
Sales in other countries, expanded distribution to bookstores, hardcovers and ebooks all use different rates. This calculator covers paperbacks sold on Amazon.com only.
Rates from Amazon's printing cost and paperback royalty help pages, checked October 22, 2026. Amazon changes these, so confirm the final number in KDP's own price screen before you publish.