Complete Guide to KDP Royalty Calculation in 2026
Key Takeaways
- KDP Royalty = (List Price × Royalty Rate) - Printing Costs
- Ebook 70% royalty requires price between $2.99 - $9.99
- Paperback printing costs start at $2.56 (US) for up to 108 pages
- Color printing costs significantly more: $0.07 (Std) to $0.12 (Prem) per page
Understanding how Amazon calculates your royalties is essential for pricing your books profitably. This guide breaks down every formula with real examples.
Quick Answer: The Formulas
Before we dive deep, here are the three formulas you need:
- Paperback: (List Price × 0.60) - Printing Cost = Royalty
- eBook (70%): (List Price × 0.70) - Delivery Fee = Royalty
- eBook (35%): List Price × 0.35 = Royalty
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Amazon takes 40% of your paperback list price, then subtracts printing costs. What's left is your royalty.
Printing Cost Breakdown
Printing cost = Base cost + (Page count × Per-page cost)
| Paper/Ink Type | Base Cost | Per Page |
|---|---|---|
| Black ink, white paper | $2.56 | $0.012 |
| Black ink, cream paper | $2.56 | $0.012 |
| Standard color | $2.56 | $0.07 |
| Premium color | $2.56 | $0.12 |
Example: 200-Page Paperback at $14.99
- Amazon's 60% share: $14.99 × 0.60 = $8.99
- Printing cost: $2.56 + (200 × $0.012) = $4.96
- Your royalty: $8.99 - $4.96 = $4.03
eBook Royalty Calculation
eBooks have two royalty options: 35% and 70%. The 70% option sounds better, but it comes with conditions and delivery fees.
70% Royalty Requirements
- Price must be $2.99 - $9.99
- Available in select territories only
- Delivery fee: $0.15 per MB of file size
Example: $4.99 eBook with 2MB file
- 70% of price: $4.99 × 0.70 = $3.49
- Delivery fee: 2MB × $0.15 = $0.30
- Your royalty: $3.49 - $0.30 = $3.19
When to Use 35% Royalty
The 35% option makes sense when:
- Your book is priced below $2.99 or above $9.99
- Your file size exceeds 10MB (rare for text-only books)
- You're selling in territories without 70% option
Kindle Unlimited Page Reads
If you enroll in KDP Select, readers can borrow your book through Kindle Unlimited. You earn based on pages read, not borrows.
Current KENP Rates (January 2026)
- December 2025: $0.00478 per page
- November 2025: $0.00462 per page
- 2025 average: ~$0.0046 per page
A 300-page book read completely earns approximately $1.43 per borrow.
⚠️ KENP ≠ Your Page Count
Amazon normalizes pages to a standard format. Your 300-page Word doc might be 280 or 350 KENP. Check your actual count in KDP after publishing.
Maximizing Your Royalties
Here are data-backed strategies to increase your earnings:
- Price paperbacks for margin: Aim for $3-5 profit per book to support advertising
- Use 70% royalty: Keep ebooks in the $2.99-$9.99 range unless you have specific reasons not to
- Optimize file size: Compress images to reduce delivery fees
- Consider page count: Fewer pages = lower printing costs = higher margins
- Test prices: $14.99 often outsells $9.99 in non-fiction—higher price doesn't always mean fewer sales
Use Our Free Tools
Don't do this math manually. Our calculators give you instant, accurate results:
Royalty Calculator
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KENP Estimator
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Print Profit Analyzer
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Break-Even Calculator
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Self-publishing author and tool builder. Created KDP Sentinel after losing a 47-book account to policy violations.
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