How should I price my book?
The right book price is high enough to earn a good royalty and low enough for readers in your genre. This book pricing calculator shows all three formats — paperback, hardcover and Kindle ebook — side by side for your page count and marketplace: the printing cost, the minimum list price, your royalty at any price and a ladder of “.99” prices so you can see how each step changes your earnings.
How to use it
- Choose your genre, marketplace, page count and paper.
- Type a price for each format — or click Suggest price.
- Click any price in the ladder to compare royalties.
- Enter a target royalty to get the price you need.
- Add expected monthly sales to see your monthly and yearly earnings.
Typical indie prices by genre (Amazon.com)
| Genre | Ebook | Paperback |
|---|---|---|
| Romance | $2.99–$4.99 | $12.99–$15.99 |
| Mystery / thriller | $3.99–$5.99 | $14.99–$17.99 |
| Fantasy / sci-fi | $3.99–$6.99 | $15.99–$19.99 |
| Nonfiction / self-help | $4.99–$9.99 | $14.99–$22.99 |
| Children’s picture book | $2.99–$4.99 | $9.99–$14.99 |
These are common ranges, not rules — check the bestsellers in your own category.
Pricing rules that change your royalty
- Paperback $9.99 line: at or above it KDP pays 60%, below it 50%.
- Ebook 70% band: $2.99–$12.99; outside it you get 35%.
- Expanded Distribution pays only 40%, so it often needs a higher price.
- Prices ending in .99 are standard on Amazon.
Details per format: KDP royalty calculator and KDP print cost calculator. Don’t know your page count? Use the page count estimator.
Find a price readers accept and that pays you
Choose your genre, marketplace, page count and ink. The calculator shows the typical price range for that genre, your royalty at each price, the minimum list price and the price where the higher royalty starts.
Example: 300-page romance paperback
Romance paperbacks usually sell for about $12.99–$15.99. At $12.99 you earn $3.19 per copy; at $14.99, $4.39. Two dollars more on the price adds $1.20 per copy — about 38% more royalty.
✨ Suggest price
Press Suggest price for each format to get a balanced price inside the typical genre range. Or enter a target royalty per copy and the calculator finds the price that gives it.
Ebook pricing
Most genre ebooks sell between $2.99 and $4.99. The 70% royalty band on Amazon.com is $2.99–$12.99; below $2.99 you earn 35%. A $0.99 promotion earns very little per copy but can bring new readers to a series.
Pricing tips
- Price within the genre range — far above looks expensive, far below can look low quality.
- Keep paperback and ebook prices clearly apart so the ebook looks like good value.
- Try a price for a few weeks before changing it again.