Book pricing calculator, from the royalty back.
Most royalty calculators start with a price. This one starts with what you want each copy to earn and works out the lowest Amazon.com list price that pays it, for a KDP paperback or ebook. Every step of the math is shown.
Lowest list price
Enter the royalty you want per copy and the details on the left.
Rates, delivery fees and printing costs from Amazon's KDP help pages, checked October 21, 2026: eBook Royalties, eBook List Price Requirements, Paperback Royalty and Paperback Printing Cost. Amazon can change these; your KDP dashboard is the final word. This page is not affiliated with Amazon.
What common prices earn on Amazon.com
The same formulas run forwards. These tables show the royalty per copy at prices authors often choose, so you can see where the rate changes make a difference.
Paperback, 300 pages, black ink, regular trim
Printing costs $1.00 + 300 × $0.012 = $4.60 a copy.
| List price | Rate | Royalty a copy |
|---|---|---|
| $9.98 | 50% | $0.39 |
| $9.99 | 60% | $1.39 |
| $14.99 | 60% | $4.39 |
| $16.99 | 60% | $5.59 |
| $19.99 | 60% | $7.39 |
| $24.99 | 60% | $10.39 |
One cent between $9.98 and $9.99 moves the rate from 50% to 60%, which is worth $1.00 a copy here. At $9.20 the royalty on this book is zero: 50% of $9.20 is exactly the printing cost.
Ebook, 2 MB file
Delivery costs 2 × $0.15 = $0.30 a copy on the 70% option.
| List price | Rate | Royalty a copy |
|---|---|---|
| $0.99 | 35% | $0.35 |
| $2.99 | 70% | $1.88 |
| $4.99 | 70% | $3.28 |
| $7.99 | 70% | $5.38 |
| $9.99 | 70% | $6.78 |
| $12.99 | 70% | $8.88 |
| $13.99 | 35% | $4.90 |
Going one dollar past $12.99 drops the rate to 35%, so $13.99 earns $3.98 less a copy than $12.99. The 70% band on Amazon.com runs from $2.99 to $12.99, a range KDP says took effect on July 7, 2026.
How to price a book: three questions before the number
The calculator answers one question exactly: what is the lowest price that earns a given royalty. Choosing the price you actually set takes two more.
- What does a copy need to earn? If book sales are the business, start from the royalty you need and let the calculator give you the price. If the book exists to bring clients, talks or reputation, the royalty matters less than how many of the right people read it.
- What do readers in your category expect to pay? Look at the books a reader would compare yours with on the same Amazon page, in the same format and at a similar length. A price far outside that range has to be explained by the book.
- Where are the rate lines? On Amazon.com a paperback earns 60% from $9.99 and 50% below it; an ebook earns 70% from $2.99 to $12.99 and 35% outside it. A price just on the wrong side of a line costs more per copy than any other choice you make.
Then check the whole picture. Royalties explained puts the per-copy number in context, and the book value calculator adds clients, talks and fees to the copies, which is where most nonfiction authors find the larger number.
Common questions
How do I work out the price of my paperback?
Add the printing cost to the royalty you want, then divide by the royalty rate. On Amazon.com the rate is 60% at a list price of $9.99 or more and 50% at $9.98 or less. A 300-page black-and-white paperback in a regular trim costs $4.60 to print, so a $5.00 royalty needs ($5.00 + $4.60) ÷ 0.60 = $16.00.
How do I work out the price of my ebook?
On the 70% option, divide the royalty you want by 0.70 and add the delivery cost ($0.15 per megabyte on Amazon.com). A $5.00 royalty on a 2 MB file needs $5.00 ÷ 0.70 + $0.30 = $7.45, rounded up to the cent. The 70% option only applies from $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com; outside that band the rate is 35%.
What is the most an ebook can earn per copy on the 70% option?
The top of the band is $12.99. On a 2 MB file that earns 70% × ($12.99 − $0.30) = $8.88 a copy. To earn more per copy you have to price above $12.99, where the rate drops to 35%, so a $10.00 royalty needs a $28.58 list price.
Is this the price I should charge?
It is the lowest price that earns your target royalty, which is one input. What readers in your category pay, and whether you want the book to earn per copy or to reach as many readers as possible, matter as much. For many business authors the book earns more through clients and talks than through copies, which can argue for a lower price.
Does this cover other stores or countries?
No. It uses Amazon.com rates in US dollars for KDP paperbacks and ebooks. For bookstore sales through IngramSpark, use the IngramSpark royalty calculator.