Pricing isn't guessing
Most indie authors copy competitor prices and hope for the best. A smarter approach: decide how much you want to earn per book, then back-solve the list price. This calculator inverts Amazon's royalty formula for every format so you can hit a precise dollar target per sale.
Psychological pricing on Amazon
Prices ending in .99 outperform round-dollar prices by 5–15% in most categories. Kindle sweet spots are $2.99, $3.99, $4.99 and $6.99. Paperback sweet spots are $9.99, $12.99, $14.99 and $17.99. Hardcover starts at $19.99 and climbs in $5 increments. Avoid ugly numbers like $11.43 — they signal an inexperienced author.
Match price to genre
Romance and thrillers typically sit at $2.99–$4.99 in Kindle and $11.99–$13.99 in paperback. Business and self-help can comfortably sit at $9.99 Kindle and $19.99 paperback. Children's picture books often need $9.99+ in print to clear premium-color print costs. Check your top-10 competitors before locking in.
Don't forget Amazon Ads breakeven
Your list price has to absorb both the printing cost and any Amazon Ads spend. A rule of thumb: keep ad spend below 30% of royalty to maintain healthy margins. This calculator helps you set a price that survives a real ad campaign — not just the math on paper.
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest Kindle book can be priced?
$0.99 on the 35% plan. On the 70% plan, the minimum is $2.99.
Should I price my paperback higher than my Kindle?
Yes — almost always 2–3× higher, because paperback buyers expect to pay a premium for the physical book.
Can I price differently in each marketplace?
Yes. KDP lets you set custom prices per marketplace; this calculator gives you a baseline you can localize.
How often should I change my price?
Test major changes ($2 or more) every 14–21 days, otherwise Amazon's algorithm can't establish a baseline conversion rate.