About the KDP Pricing Calculator
Most pricing tools ask for a price and tell you the royalty. This one does the reverse. Tell it your royalty rate, printing cost, ad cost per sale and the profit you want from each copy, and it calculates the lowest list price that delivers it.
You can also set a target margin, the share of the list price you want to keep as profit. The calculator finds the price for each goal, recommends the higher of the two so both are met, then rounds up to the next .99 price point because that is how most books are priced. It finishes by showing the royalty, profit and margin you would earn at that suggested price.
This is a quick, format-neutral starting point that works for eBooks and print books. Because it uses a single royalty rate you supply, it does not know about KDP's price tiers or minimum prices. For a print book priced from its exact page count, trim size and marketplace, use the Paperback Pricing Calculator or the Hardcover Pricing Calculator.
How It Works
To earn a set profit, each sale must cover printing, ad cost and your profit out of your royalty share. So the price for desired profit is those three amounts added together, divided by your royalty rate.
For a target margin, profit must equal a share of the list price. The price for margin is printing plus ad cost, divided by the royalty rate minus the margin. A margin equal to or above the royalty rate is impossible, and the tool explains why.
The recommended price is the higher of the two. The suggested price rounds it up to the next .99, and the royalty, profit and margin are recalculated at that price.
Formula
- Price for profit
- Price = (Printing cost + Ad cost per sale + Desired profit) ÷ Royalty %
- Price for margin
- Price = (Printing cost + Ad cost per sale) ÷ (Royalty % − Target margin %)
- Profit at price
- Profit = (Royalty % × Price) − Printing cost − Ad cost per sale
Example
A print book at 60% royalty that should clear $3.00 per sale
- Price for desired profit: ($4.00 printing + $1.50 ads + $3.00 profit) ÷ 0.60 = $14.17.
- Price for a 20% margin: ($4.00 + $1.50) ÷ (0.60 − 0.20) = $13.75.
- Recommended price is the higher one, $14.17, which rounds up to $14.99.
- At $14.99: royalty (0.60 × $14.99) − $4.00 = $4.99, profit after ads $3.49, margin 23.3%.
List the book at $14.99 to earn about $3.49 per sale after ads, a 23.3% margin.
Important Notes
- KDP applies tiered print royalty rates, minimum list prices and maximum list prices that vary by marketplace. This tool uses the single rate you enter.
- Ad cost per sale is an average. Divide your ad spend by the number of sales it produced to estimate it.
- Prices round up to .99 in decimal currencies. Yen is not offered here because yen prices are whole numbers.
- Genre price expectations matter as much as costs. Compare the suggestion with similar books before you publish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which royalty rate should I enter?
Use the rate that will apply at your likely price. For Kindle eBooks that is usually 70% inside the allowed price band or 35% outside it. For print books it is the higher rate above the marketplace threshold and the lower rate at or below it, which the [KDP Royalty Calculator](/tools/kdp-royalty-calculator) shows for any price.
Why is my target margin rejected?
Margin is profit as a share of the list price. Your royalty share is the most you can ever keep, so a margin equal to or higher than the royalty rate can never be reached, whatever the price.
Why round to .99?
Prices ending in .99 are the norm on Amazon and readers are used to them. The calculator always rounds up, so the suggested price never earns less than your target.
Can I use this for an eBook?
Yes. Enter 70 or 35 as the royalty rate and put the delivery cost in the printing cost field for 70%, or leave it blank for 35%. Then check the result sits inside the marketplace's 70% price band with the [Kindle Royalty Calculator](/tools/kindle-royalty-calculator).
What if I do not run ads?
Leave ad cost per sale blank. The price for desired profit then only needs to cover printing and your profit.
Is the suggested price the price I should use?
It is the lowest .99 price that meets your goals. You may choose a higher price if comparable books in your genre sell for more. See [how to price a KDP book](/guides/how-to-price-a-kdp-book) for the wider picture.
Related KDP Tools
- Paperback Pricing CalculatorGet minimum, break-even and recommended paperback prices from page count, trim and ink.
- Hardcover Pricing CalculatorEstimate hardcover printing cost, minimum list price and a sensible price range.
- KDP Royalty CalculatorEstimate your royalty and profit from Kindle, paperback and hardcover sales.
- KDP Profit CalculatorTurn royalties, ad spend and other costs into net profit, profit per book and margin.
- Kindle Royalty CalculatorCompare the 35% and 70% eBook royalty options including delivery costs.
- BSR Sales EstimatorTurn an Amazon Best Sellers Rank into an approximate daily and monthly sales range.
Related Guides
- How to Price a KDP Book: Paperback and eBook Pricing ExplainedLearn how to price a KDP paperback or eBook: minimum list price, the 50% and 60% royalty tiers, the 70% eBook band, charm pricing, and a worked example.
- How KDP Royalties WorkA clear guide to KDP royalties: the 35% and 70% eBook options, delivery costs and VAT, the 50% and 60% print tiers, expanded distribution and printing costs.