Print Cost and Royalty Calculator
Work out the printing cost of a paperback, what you earn per copy at a list price, the price for a target royalty and the copies needed to earn back your costs.
1. Printing cost and royalty rule
Read in October 2026 from a third-party calculator, not from KDP. KDP also lists a flat charge for books under 110 pages. Confirm the current figure on KDP's printing cost page.
2. Your price
Printing cost per copy
$4.60
You earn per copy
$4.39
Break-even list price
$7.67
Price for $3.00 per copy
$12.67
| List price | You earn | Share of price |
|---|---|---|
| $10.99 | $1.99 | 18.1% |
| $11.99 | $2.59 | 21.6% |
| $12.99 | $3.19 | 24.6% |
| $13.99 | $3.79 | 27.1% |
| $14.99 | $4.39 | 29.3% |
| $15.99 | $4.99 | 31.2% |
| $16.99 | $5.59 | 32.9% |
| $17.99 | $6.19 | 34.4% |
| $18.99 | $6.79 | 35.8% |
About Print Cost and Royalty Calculator
Works out what one printed copy of your book costs to make, what you earn on each sale at a list price, the list price you need for a target royalty, and how many copies it takes to earn back what you spent on editing and the cover.
Pick a starting example or type your own figures: the printing cost as a fixed amount plus an amount per page, and the royalty rule (a royalty rate on the list price, or a wholesale discount). Enter the page count and your list price. The results and the table of nearby prices update as you type.
Platforms change their printing charges and royalty rules, so copy the figures from your platform's own calculator before you decide a price. Check the royalty at a few prices in the table: a book that earns little at one price may earn well a dollar higher.
- How is the royalty worked out?
- There are two ways to choose from. With a royalty rate, the royalty is the rate times the list price, minus the printing cost. With a wholesale discount, it is the list price less the discount, minus the printing cost. Pick the one your platform uses and type its figures.
- Where do I get the printing cost?
- From your platform's own calculator or pricing page, for your trim size, page count and ink. The tool asks for a fixed charge per copy and a charge per page. The built-in Amazon KDP black and white example is only a starting point, so confirm it before you rely on it.
- Why can the royalty be negative?
- If the list price is too low, the share you keep does not cover the printing cost. The tool shows that in red and gives you the break-even price, which is the lowest list price that earns nothing.
- Does it include tax, shipping or currency conversion?
- No. It does the arithmetic on the figures you type. Taxes, shipping, currency conversion, expanded distribution and minimum or maximum prices are not included.
- What does the upfront cost box do?
- Enter what you spent on editing, the cover and the ISBN, and the tool tells you how many copies you must sell at this price to earn that back, rounding up. If the royalty is zero or negative it says you never will at this price.
- Is anything I type uploaded?
- No. The sums are done in your browser tab, nothing is sent to a server, and the figures are cleared when you close the page.
How to use Print Cost and Royalty Calculator
Choose a starting example or type your own figures. Enter the printing cost as a fixed charge per copy plus a charge per page, the page count, and the royalty rule your platform uses: a royalty rate applied to the list price, or a wholesale discount. Then enter your list price. You see the printing cost per copy, what you earn per copy, the break-even price, the price needed for the royalty you want, and a table of nearby prices. Add your upfront costs to see how many copies earn them back.
When to use it
Use it when you are choosing a list price, comparing page counts or trim sizes by their effect on earnings, or checking whether a cheaper price still leaves a royalty. It is also useful before ordering author copies, since the printing cost is what you pay for each one before shipping and tax.
When not to use it
Do not use it as a statement of what a platform will pay. It does the arithmetic on the figures you give it. Taxes, currency conversion, shipping, expanded distribution rules and minimum or maximum prices are not included, so check the platform's own calculator before you publish.
Tips for best results
Change the page count and watch the cost: the per-page charge makes a long book dearer to print, so tight typesetting can pay for itself. Look at the table to see how much each extra dollar of list price adds to your royalty. Add the cost of editing and the cover as upfront costs to see a realistic break-even number of copies.
Limitations
The one built-in example (Amazon KDP, black and white, US store) is a starting figure read from a third-party page in October 2026, not from KDP, and it does not include the flat charge KDP lists for very short books. Printing charges for color, other trim sizes, other stores and other platforms differ, so type your own. The royalty is shown to the cent and can be negative when the price does not cover the printing cost.
Privacy
The sums are done in your browser tab. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored, and it is cleared when you close the tab.
More from Converters & Calculators: