# How to price a paperback on KDP

How print cost, royalty rate and the minimum price fit together, with a worked example.

Your paperback royalty is a share of the list price minus the print cost. Two numbers decide the share: the marketplace and the price itself.

## The royalty rate

- On Amazon.com, list prices up to $9.98 earn 50%.
- From $9.99 the rate is 60%.
- Expanded distribution (bookstores and libraries) pays 40%, on some trim sizes only.

## Worked example

A 200-page 6 × 9 in novel, black ink on white paper, priced at $12.99 on Amazon.com:

|  | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Print cost | $3.40 |
| Royalty rate | 60% |
| Your royalty per copy | $4.39 |
| Through expanded distribution | $1.80 |
| Lowest list price KDP accepts | $6.80 |

## The minimum price

KDP will not let the royalty go below zero, so the minimum list price is the print cost divided by the royalty rate. The highest list price on Amazon.com is $250.00.

## Lower the print cost

- Color paper costs much more per page than black ink; use it only when the book needs it.
- Fewer pages cost less, but do not cut content readers paid for.
- Large trim sizes cost more than regular ones.

> kdpbookai shows the print cost, the minimum price and your royalty for the book's actual settings on the export screen, using these same rules.

## Sources

- Source: [KDP · Paperback Royalty](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834330), checked 2026-11-07.
- Source: [KDP · Paperback Printing Cost](https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834340), checked 2026-11-07.
- Source: [KDP · Printing Cost & Royalty Calculator](https://kdp.amazon.com/royalty-calculator), checked 2026-11-07.
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Page: https://kdpbookai.com/guides/price-a-paperback-on-kdp · Checked 2026-11-09

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