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KDP Profit Calculator

See what your book actually earns after printing, advertising and other costs, with net profit, profit per copy and profit margin in one place.

Your Inputs

Book format

Changing the format fills in a typical royalty rate. You can edit it.

$
$

Shown on your KDP pricing page.

%

60% above the low-price threshold, 50% at or below it.

Copies sold in the period you are measuring.

$

Total ad spend for the same period.

$

Editing, cover, tools, promotions.

Your Results

Net profit
$548.80
Total royalty minus ads and other costs
Profit per book
$2.74
Net profit ÷ units sold
Gross revenue
$2,998.00
List price × units (what readers paid)
Royalty per book
$4.99
Total royalty
$998.80
200 units
Profit margin
18.3%
Net profit as a share of gross revenue
Advertising cost
$300.00
Other costs
$150.00

About the KDP Profit Calculator

A royalty statement tells you what Amazon paid, not what you kept. Once you subtract ad spend, editing, cover design, promo sites and software, the picture can look very different. This calculator starts from your list price and royalty rate, works out the royalty on every copy, then takes away your advertising and other costs to show your real net profit.

It works for eBooks, paperbacks and hardcovers. Pick a format and it fills in a typical royalty rate (you can change it), then enter the printing or delivery cost per copy from your KDP pricing page. Results include gross revenue, royalty per book, total royalty, net profit, profit per book and profit margin, so you can judge a month, a launch or a whole series at a glance.

Use it to check whether an ad campaign is paying for itself, to compare a price change, or to set expectations before you spend on a launch. If the result is negative, the tool says so clearly and the net profit turns red with a text note, so a losing scenario is never hidden.

How It Works

Royalty per book is your royalty rate multiplied by the list price, minus the printing or delivery cost per copy. Total royalty is that figure multiplied by units sold.

Net profit is total royalty minus advertising spend and other costs for the same period. Profit per book divides net profit by units sold, and profit margin compares net profit with gross revenue (list price × units), which is the total readers paid.

Choose the currency you report in. The calculator does not convert currencies, so enter every amount in the same one.

Formula

Royalty per book
Royalty per book = (Royalty % × List price) − Printing cost
Net profit
Net profit = (Royalty per book × Units) − Ad spend − Other costs
Profit margin
Profit margin = Net profit ÷ (List price × Units)

Example

200 paperbacks at $14.99 with $300 of ads

  1. Royalty per book: (60% × $14.99) − $4.00 printing = $4.994, shown as $4.99.
  2. Total royalty: $4.994 × 200 = $998.80.
  3. Net profit: $998.80 − $300 ads − $150 other costs = $548.80.
  4. Profit per book: $548.80 ÷ 200 = $2.74. Gross revenue is $14.99 × 200 = $2,998, so the margin is 18.3%.

You keep about $548.80, or $2.74 per copy, which is an 18.3% profit margin on what readers paid.

Important Notes

  • The royalty rate is whatever you enter. For print books KDP pays a lower rate at or below a price threshold, so check your rate with the KDP Royalty Calculator if you are unsure.
  • Royalty per book is shown rounded to the cent, but totals use the unrounded value, which is why 200 × $4.99 can differ slightly from the total shown.
  • Kindle Unlimited page-read income, taxes, currency conversion and bank fees are not included.
  • Advertising and other costs are treated as totals for the period, not per copy.
  • Results are estimates. Your KDP reports are the final record of what you earned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between royalty and profit?

Royalty is what Amazon pays you per sale after its share and the printing or delivery cost. Profit is what remains after you also pay for ads, editing, covers and anything else. A book can earn healthy royalties and still lose money if ad spend is too high.

Why does the profit margin look low compared with my royalty rate?

Margin here is measured against gross revenue, the full list price readers paid. Amazon's share and printing come out before you see a royalty, so even a profitable book usually shows a margin well below its royalty rate.

What should I put in other costs?

Anything you spent for the same period that ads do not cover: editing, cover design, formatting, ISBNs, promo newsletters, software subscriptions or review copies. For one-off launch costs spread over a book's life, the [KDP Break-Even Calculator](/tools/kdp-break-even-calculator) is often more useful.

Can I use it for eBooks?

Yes. Choose eBook and the royalty rate switches to 70%. Enter the delivery cost per copy from your KDP pricing page in the cost field, or leave it blank if you use the 35% option, which has no delivery cost.

Does changing the format change the calculation?

Only the suggested royalty rate. Every other number comes from your inputs, so you can model any rate or cost you like.

How do I check if my ads are profitable?

Enter the units and ad spend for the same date range. If net profit is negative, ads cost more than the royalties they helped earn. For per-campaign numbers, try the [KDP Ad Profit Calculator](/tools/kdp-ad-profit-calculator).

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