Kindle Royalty Calculator
TL;DR — updated for the 2026 band change
Ebook: 70% of list minus ~$0.15/MB delivery — and as of 2026 the 70% band on Amazon.com runs $2.99–$12.99, up from $9.99. Most calculators still show the old ceiling; if you priced at $9.99 to stay eligible, you can now test up to $12.99 without dropping to 35%. Paperback: 60% of list minus printing. Kindle Unlimited pays ~$0.004/page read on top.
What Amazon actually pays you per sale — ebook, paperback, and KU page reads. Free, no email required.
Ebook royalties
| 70% plan | $3.19 after $0.30 delivery fee |
| 35% plan (no delivery fee) | $1.75 |
Your royalty per sale: $3.19 (choose the 70% plan)
Quick reference — royalty by price point
Assumes a typical 2 MB text-only book ($0.30 delivery fee on the 70% plan).
| List price | 70% plan | 35% plan | Better plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.99 | — | $0.35 | 35% |
| $2.99 | $1.79 | $1.05 | 70% |
| $4.99 | $3.19 | $1.75 | 70% |
| $6.99 | $4.59 | $2.45 | 70% |
| $9.99 | $6.69 | $3.50 | 70% |
| $10.99 | $7.39 | $3.85 | 70% |
| $12.99 | $8.79 | $4.55 | 70% |
The $10.99 and $12.99 rows are the 2026 story: prices that used to force the 35% plan now earn 70%. A $12.99 book went from $4.55 to about $8.79 per sale overnight.
Paperback royalties (6×9, black & white, US)
| Printing cost | $2.29 |
| Your royalty (60% of list − printing) | $5.50 |
Sizing the cover next? The spine width calculator gives the exact wrap dimensions for your final page count, and the margin calculator handles the interior.
Kindle Unlimited (KENP) page reads
Estimated payout: $0.84 at ~$0.0042/page (the fund rate floats monthly around $0.004–$0.0045)
KU pays per page read regardless of your list price — a full read of a 200-page book earns roughly what a $2.99 sale does. If your book is enrolled in KDP Select, page reads are a second income stream this calculator's sale-royalty numbers don't include.
Frequently asked questions
What royalty does Amazon KDP pay on Kindle ebooks?
Two plans. The 70% plan pays 70% of your list price minus a delivery fee of about $0.15 per megabyte, and requires a list price between $2.99 and $12.99 on Amazon.com (widened from $9.99 in 2026). The 35% plan pays a flat 35% of list with no delivery fee and allows prices from $0.99 to $200.
What changed about KDP ebook royalties in 2026?
Amazon widened the 70% royalty price band on Amazon.com from $2.99–$9.99 to $2.99–$12.99. A $12.99 ebook that previously earned $4.55 at 35% can now earn about $8.79 at 70% (after a typical $0.30 delivery fee) — nearly double. Price bands differ by marketplace, so check KDP’s eBook List Price Requirements page for each store.
What is the KDP delivery fee?
On the 70% plan only, Amazon deducts roughly $0.15 per megabyte of your ebook file from each sale. A text-only book is usually 1–3 MB (a $0.15–$0.45 fee); image-heavy books can give up a dollar or more per sale, which is why the 35% plan (no delivery fee) sometimes wins for large files.
Is pricing an ebook at $0.99 ever worth it?
At $0.99 you are locked into the 35% plan and earn about $0.35 per sale, so it is a volume and visibility play, not an income play. It is common for the first book in a series or short-term promotions — but at typical self-published sales volumes, a $2.99–$6.99 price at 70% almost always earns more per month.
How much does Kindle Unlimited (KENP) pay per page read?
Kindle Unlimited pays from a monthly fund, historically around $0.004–$0.0045 per normalized page (KENP) read. A subscriber reading a 200-page book end to end earns you roughly $0.80–$0.90 — independent of your list price, since KU readers borrow rather than buy. For many nonfiction niches, page reads are a meaningful second income stream on top of sales.
Do royalty rates differ on other Amazon marketplaces?
The 70%/35% structure is universal, but the eligible price band is set per marketplace and currency (the 2026 $2.99–$12.99 band applies to Amazon.com). Some marketplaces also require KDP Select enrollment for the 70% rate. Set each marketplace price deliberately rather than letting Amazon auto-convert.
Estimates use Amazon KDP's published US rates (70%/35% ebook plans with the 2026 $2.99–$12.99 band, $0.15/MB delivery fee on the 70% plan, 60% print royalty, b&w printing at $2.30 under 110 pages or $0.85 + $0.012/page). Always confirm on KDP's own pricing pages before publishing.
Don't have the book yet? ebookdone writes it: outline, chapters, cover, and KDP-ready files — $99 per book, no subscription.
Start your book free