The formula
For each paperback sold on Amazon, KDP pays:
Royalty = royalty rate × list price − printing cost
The royalty rate is 60% if your list price is at or above a threshold, and 50% below it. The printing cost depends on the marketplace, the page count, the ink and the trim size.
The 60% threshold
| Marketplace | 60% from |
|---|---|
| Amazon.com | $9.99 |
| Amazon.co.uk | £7.99 |
| Amazon EU stores | €9.99 |
| Amazon.ca | C$13.99 |
| Amazon.com.au | A$13.99 |
Because the rate jumps at the threshold, the difference between £7.98 and £7.99, or $9.98 and $9.99, can be large.
Printing costs
On Amazon.com, a black-ink paperback at a regular trim size costs $1.00 plus $0.012 per page. Books of up to 110 pages pay a flat $2.30. Premium colour costs $1.00 plus $0.065 per page. Large trims, wider than 6.12 in or taller than 9 in, cost more per page.
| 6 × 9 in, black ink | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon EU stores |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pages (flat fee) | $2.30 | £1.93 | €2.05 |
| 200 pages | $3.40 | £2.85 | €3.15 |
| 300 pages | $4.60 | £3.85 | €4.35 |
| 400 pages | $5.80 | £4.85 | €5.55 |
Worked examples
A 300-page novel on Amazon.com
Printing cost: $4.60.
- At $9.98 (50%): $4.99 − $4.60 = $0.39 per sale
- At $9.99 (60%): $5.99 − $4.60 = $1.39 per sale
- At $14.99 (60%): $8.99 − $4.60 = $4.39 per sale
A 200-page guide on Amazon.co.uk
Printing cost: £0.85 + 200 × £0.010 = £2.85.
- At £7.49 (50%): £3.75 − £2.85 = £0.90 per sale
- At £7.99 (60%): £4.79 − £2.85 = £1.94 per sale
A full-colour 8.5 × 11 in book
Colour and large trims change everything. A 120-page premium-colour book at 8.5 × 11 in costs $1.00 + 120 × $0.08 = $10.60 to print on Amazon.com, so the lowest price KDP allows is about $17.67.
Minimum list price
KDP won't accept a price where your royalty would be below zero. The minimum is the printing cost divided by the royalty rate: printing cost ÷ 0.5 if that's under the threshold, otherwise printing cost ÷ 0.6. For the 300-page novel above, that's $9.20.
Other things that affect your price
- Each marketplace has its own price. You set them separately in KDP, so you can price £7.99 in the UK and $12.99 in the US rather than a straight conversion.
- VAT is added on top in the UK and EU stores for paperbacks, so the price you set is before VAT.
- Expanded Distribution pays 40% of the list price minus printing, so it needs a higher price to earn anything.
- Your ebook price is linked. To get the 70% ebook royalty, the ebook must be at least 20% cheaper than the paperback on Amazon.
- Paper colour doesn't change the cost. White and cream cost the same; cream just makes the spine wider.
Try your numbers
The royalty calculator works out printing cost, royalty and minimum price for any trim, ink, page count and marketplace.
Rates from KDP's help pages on printing costs and paperback royalties, checked 28 October 2026.