How Amazon KDP royalties actually work
Amazon KDP pays authors a percentage of the list price every time a reader buys their book. For Kindle eBooks you can choose between two royalty plans — 35% or 70%. The 70% plan requires your eBook to be priced between $2.99 and $9.99 in the US store and includes a per-megabyte delivery fee that is deducted before your royalty is calculated. The 35% plan has no price restrictions and no delivery fee, which can actually pay more on very large files or premium-priced titles. For paperback and hardcover, KDP pays a flat 60% of the list price minus the printing cost, which depends on page count, trim size and interior ink.
How to use this calculator
Select your book format, pick the Amazon marketplace where your book is listed and enter your planned list price. For print books, add your page count so the calculator can estimate the printing cost; for eBooks, enter your final file size so we can subtract the delivery fee on the 70% plan. Multiply your per-book royalty by the number of monthly sales you expect to project monthly and annual income. Run several scenarios side by side to find the sweet spot between price and royalty that maximizes total earnings.
Tips to boost your per-book royalty
Compress images and use reflowable text to keep eBook files under 1 MB, which makes the 70% delivery fee almost negligible. Choose black-and-white interior over premium color whenever possible — the per-page cost drops from about 6.5¢ to 1.2¢. Price competitively within the 70% band ($2.99–$9.99) to maximize royalty rate, and always check the equivalent local price in every marketplace, not just the US store. Bundling chapters into a larger book often produces a higher absolute royalty than splitting them into short reads.
Why marketplace selection matters
Every Amazon marketplace has its own royalty rules, delivery fees and currency. A book priced at $9.99 in the US converts to roughly €9.20 in Germany and ₹830 in India — but KDP sets minimum list prices per region. Pricing too high abroad cuts visibility, while pricing too low can fall outside the 70% band. This calculator lets you switch marketplaces instantly so you can compare apples to apples in local currency before clicking publish.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Amazon KDP royalty calculator accurate?
It uses Amazon's official 35%/70%/60% formulas and current US printing costs. Real payouts can vary by ±5–10% due to live delivery fees, daily exchange rates and country-specific VAT.
Which royalty plan is better — 35% or 70%?
70% almost always pays more when your file is small and your price is between $2.99 and $9.99. Above $9.99 or with very large files, the 35% plan can sometimes win.
Do I pay tax on KDP royalties?
Yes. Amazon withholds tax based on your country and the tax interview you complete in your KDP account. This calculator shows gross royalties before tax.
Why is my paperback royalty negative?
Your list price is below the printing cost. Increase the price or reduce page count, image complexity, or switch from premium color to black-and-white.