How to Price a Self-Published Book (KDP Royalties Explained)
When you self-publish, your income isn't the cover price — it's the royalty left after Amazon's cut. KDP pays either 70% or 35% depending on your price and territory (with a delivery fee on the 70% tier), which creates a clear pricing sweet spot. Price for the royalty and the volume together, and know how many books you must sell to earn back your editing and cover costs.
Understand the royalty tiers
Amazon KDP offers two ebook royalty rates: 70% and 35%. The 70% rate generally applies when you price your ebook in the $2.99–$9.99 range (and meet territory rules), minus a small per-megabyte delivery fee. Outside that band, you typically drop to 35%. That's why a $9.99 book can earn more royalty than one priced higher at 35% — pricing at $12.99 can actually lower your take-home. For print, your royalty is what's left after Amazon's printing cost, so page count and trim size matter.
Find your price sweet spot
The $2.99–$9.99 window is where most self-published ebooks live precisely because it captures the 70% rate. Within it, you're trading price against volume: a lower price can drive more sales and better ranking; a higher price earns more per copy. The right point depends on your genre and audience — but stepping outside the 70% band should be a deliberate choice, not an accident.
Break even on what the book cost you
Writing may be free, but a professional book usually isn't: editing, a cover, and formatting are real upfront costs. Your break-even is those costs divided by your royalty per copy. At a $3.50 royalty, a $700 cover-and-edit bill breaks even at 200 copies — a concrete, motivating target instead of a vague hope.
Self-Published Authors Break-Even Calculator
Enter your price and costs — see your royalty per book after Amazon's cut and how many copies you need to sell to break even and profit.
Open the free calculator →Common mistakes
- Pricing outside the $2.99–$9.99 band and unknowingly dropping to a 35% royalty.
- Ignoring print costs, which eat into paperback royalties.
- Forgetting the upfront editing and cover costs you need to earn back.
The Self-Published Authors Break-Even & Profit Calculator (Excel + Google Sheets, $29) works out your royalty, break-even copies, and profit forecast — with a worked example. Get the toolkit →
Frequently asked questions
How much does Amazon KDP pay?
KDP pays a 70% or 35% ebook royalty depending on your price and territory. The 70% rate generally applies to ebooks priced $2.99–$9.99 (minus a small delivery fee); outside that range you usually earn 35%. Print royalties are what remains after Amazon's printing cost.
What's the best price for a Kindle ebook?
Most self-published ebooks are priced $2.99–$9.99 because that range earns the 70% royalty. Within it, lower prices can boost volume and ranking while higher prices earn more per copy — the best point depends on your genre and goals.
How many books do I need to sell to break even?
Divide your upfront costs (editing, cover, formatting) by your royalty per copy. For example, $700 of costs at a $3.50 royalty breaks even at 200 copies. After that, each sale is profit.
This guide is general information to help you plan pricing — not financial advice. KDP's rates and rules change; confirm current terms with Amazon.