Free KDP tool
KDP print royalty calculator
Know your paperback and hardcover margins before you set a price. This calculator uses Amazon KDP's printing cost tables as of July 2026 and the tiered royalty rates introduced in June 2025 — 60% at $9.99+ (US) and 50% below — to show royalty per sale, minimum viable price and break-even ad spend for the US, UK and German stores.
KDP Print Royalty Calculator
Calculate your paperback & hardcover royalties on Amazon KDP
Enter your book details to see exactly how much you'll earn per sale. Includes printing costs, royalty breakdown, and minimum price calculations.
Minimum: 24 pages
How KDP Print Royalties Work
Your royalty = (List Price × 60% or 50%) - Printing Cost. Since June 2025, KDP pays 60% on print books listed at $9.99+ (US) and 50% below that; printing comes out of your share.
Tips to Maximize Royalties
- Use black & white interior when possible - it's much cheaper to print
- Choose common trim sizes to avoid custom printing fees
- Price at $9.99+ (US) to qualify for the 60% royalty tier — below that you earn 50%
- Consider expanded distribution for additional reach
- Bundle with Kindle version for broader audience
Calculations use Amazon KDP printing costs and royalty tiers as of July 2026. Actual costs may vary.
Ready to create your book? Use AI to write and design in minutes.
Create Your Book with AIMethodology
How the KDP print royalty formula works (July 2026)
Two published formulas drive every result on this page, both taken from Amazon KDP's own help documentation. First the printing cost, then the royalty:
Printing cost = fixed cost + (page count × per-page cost)
Royalty = (list price × rate) − printing cost
Rate: 60% at/above $9.99 (US) · 50% below · 40% Expanded Distribution
Example 1: 300-page paperback
Black ink, regular trim, $16.99 list: printing = 1.00 + 300 × 0.012 = $4.60. Royalty = (16.99 × 0.60) − 4.60 = $5.59 per sale.
Example 2: 80-page journal
Short black-ink books (up to 110 pages) pay a flat $2.30 to print. At $7.99 — below the tier — the rate is 50%: (7.99 × 0.50) − 2.30 = $1.70 per sale.
Example 3: 320-page hardcover
US black ink: printing = 5.65 + 320 × 0.012 = $9.49. At $24.99: (24.99 × 0.60) − 9.49 = $5.50 per sale — similar to the paperback, at a much higher retail price.
KDP printing costs in 2026 (US marketplace)
Printing cost depends on ink type, page count, trim class and marketplace — not on bleed or cover finish. These are the current Amazon.com rates for regular trim sizes, verified against KDP's printing cost pages in July 2026:
| Interior | Page range | Cost per copy |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback, black ink | 24–110 pages | $2.30 flat |
| Paperback, black ink | 110–828 pages | $1.00 + $0.012/page |
| Paperback, standard color | 72–600 pages | $1.00 + $0.0255/page |
| Paperback, premium color | 42–828 pages | $1.00 + $0.065/page |
| Hardcover, black ink | 110–550 pages | $5.65 + $0.012/page |
| Hardcover, premium color | 75–550 pages | $5.65 + $0.065/page |
Large trims (over 6.12″ wide or 9″ tall) raise the per-page cost — $0.017 for black ink. Groundwood paper, where available, prints about 5% cheaper than cream or white.
The 50% vs 60% royalty tiers explained
Since June 2025, the royalty rate depends on where your list price falls: on Amazon.com, $9.98 and below earns 50%, while $9.99 and above earns 60%. The thresholds are £7.99 (UK), €9.99 (euro marketplaces), 13.99 in CAD and AUD, ¥1,000 (Japan), 40 PLN and 110 SEK. The practical consequence: pricing just under the threshold is usually a mistake. An $8.99 book yields $4.50 before printing, while $9.99 yields $5.99 — more royalty and a higher price with only a dollar between them. Low-content and short promotional books priced cheap are the main category the 50% tier actually affects.
Paperback vs hardcover royalties on Amazon
Hardcover's $5.65 fixed cost means each copy starts $4.65 behind the equivalent paperback, so hardcovers only make sense at premium prices — typically $22.99 and up for a full-length black-ink book. Many indie authors publish both editions from the same interior file: the paperback carries volume at $12.99–$17.99, while the hardcover serves libraries, gifts and superfans at $24.99–$29.99. Amazon links the editions on one product page, so the hardcover's higher anchor price can also make the paperback look like the bargain. Whatever you choose, keep the royalty above your expected ad cost per sale, or the ads run at a loss.
FAQ
KDP print royalty questions, answered
How much royalty does Amazon KDP pay on paperbacks?
As of July 2026, KDP pays a tiered royalty on print books sold on Amazon: 60% of list price for books priced at or above $9.99 (US), and 50% for books priced below that, minus the printing cost in both cases. The formula is (royalty rate × list price) − printing cost.
What changed with KDP print royalties in June 2025?
Amazon replaced the flat 60% print royalty with two tiers. Since June 2025, print books listed under $9.99 (US) earn 50% instead of 60%, while books at $9.99 or above kept the 60% rate. Each marketplace has its own threshold — £7.99 in the UK, €9.99 in the euro stores, and CAD/AUD 13.99 in Canada and Australia.
How is the KDP printing cost calculated?
Printing cost = fixed cost + (page count × per-page cost), and it depends on ink type, page count, trim size class and marketplace. In the US, a black-ink paperback on a regular trim costs $1.00 plus $0.012 per page for books of 110–828 pages; books up to 110 pages pay a flat $2.30.
What does a 300-page paperback cost to print on KDP?
On Amazon.com with black ink and a regular trim size: $1.00 + (300 × $0.012) = $4.60 per copy. The same page count in premium color costs $1.00 + (300 × $0.065) = $20.50, which is why color books need substantially higher list prices to stay profitable.
Why is my royalty rate showing 50% instead of 60%?
Your list price is below the marketplace threshold — $9.99 on Amazon.com. Raise the price to the threshold or above and the sale earns 60%. A $8.99 book earns 50% ($4.50 before printing), while $9.99 earns 60% ($5.99 before printing), so crossing the tier often pays for itself immediately.
What is the minimum list price on KDP?
KDP divides your printing cost by the applicable royalty rate to set the lowest price it will accept, which guarantees your royalty never goes negative. For a $4.60 printing cost in the 60% band, the minimum is about $7.67 — though at that price you would earn nearly nothing, so treat the minimum as a floor, not a strategy.
Do paperbacks or hardcovers earn more per sale?
Hardcovers carry much higher fixed printing costs — $5.65 fixed plus $0.012 per page for US black ink (110–550 pages) versus $1.00 fixed for paperback — but support higher list prices. A 320-page hardcover at $24.99 earns about $5.50, while the same book as a $16.99 paperback earns about $5.59. Run both through the calculator before committing.
What is Expanded Distribution and what does it pay?
Expanded Distribution lists your paperback with bookstores, libraries and other retailers outside Amazon. It pays 40% of list price minus printing cost, so per-copy earnings drop sharply — a $15 book with $5.00 printing earns just $1.00. It adds reach, not margin; many authors enable it only after Amazon sales are established.
Do trim size, bleed or cover finish change printing cost?
Trim size matters only as a class: large trims (wider than 6.12 inches or taller than 9 inches) cost more per page — $0.017 instead of $0.012 for US black ink. Bleed settings and matte versus glossy cover finish do not affect printing cost at all, per KDP’s printing cost documentation.
How much do color interiors cost on KDP?
Two options in the US: premium color at $1.00 + $0.065 per page (42–828 pages) and standard color at $1.00 + $0.0255 per page (72–600 pages). Standard color is roughly 60% cheaper but prints on the same paper with lighter ink coverage, so it suits workbooks and charts better than photo-heavy books.
How much do author copies cost?
Amazon charges you the printing cost plus shipping for author and proof copies — no royalty is paid or deducted. A 300-page black-ink paperback costs $4.60 per author copy in the US before shipping, which makes bulk author copies a common way to stock in-person events profitably.
Do Amazon discounts reduce my print royalty?
No. Amazon sometimes discounts print books below list price, but per KDP’s royalty page, your royalty is still calculated on your full list price. Returns are different: if a printed copy is returned, the royalty for that order is reversed in your report.
Keep planning
Related calculators and guides
Kindle ebook royalty calculator
Compare the 35% and 70% ebook options with delivery fees before you bundle formats.
KENP royalty calculator
Estimate Kindle Unlimited page-read income if you enroll the ebook edition in KDP Select.
ACX royalty calculator
Audiobook earnings under Audible’s 2026 model: 50% exclusive, 30% non-exclusive.
Self-publishing cost calculator
Budget editing, cover and formatting before printing costs enter the picture.
Paperback publishing guide
Trim size, margins, bleed, spine width and proofing — the full print package.
Book pricing strategy
Position your list price against the royalty tiers and your genre’s expectations.
Get a print-ready interior without the formatting fight
Automateed's KDP paperback and hardcover wizard generates the interior and wraparound cover from your finished book — trim, margins and spine width handled for you.