How KDP paperback royalties work
KDP takes its printing cost out of your share of the list price:
royalty = royalty rate × list price − printing cost
- 60% for list prices of $9.99 and up on Amazon.com.
- 50% for list prices of $9.98 and below.
- 40% for Expanded Distribution sales, at any price.
Printing cost depends on page count, ink, and whether the trim is “large” (wider than 6.12" or taller than 9"). Most coloring books are 8.5" × 11", which counts as large.
Amazon.com printing costs by page count
| Pages | Black, 6×9 | Black, 8.5×11 | Premium color, 8.5×11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | $2.30 | $2.84 | $4.20 |
| 50 | $2.30 | $2.84 | $5.00 |
| 100 | $2.30 | $2.84 | $9.00 |
| 110 | $2.32 | $2.87 | $9.80 |
| 150 | $2.80 | $3.55 | $13.00 |
| 200 | $3.40 | $4.40 | $17.00 |
| 300 | $4.60 | $6.10 | $25.00 |
KDP lists 110 pages in both its flat and per-page black-ink bands; this calculator uses the per-page price from 110, the slightly higher of the two.
Worked examples
- Coloring book, 100 pages, 8.5" × 11", black ink. Printing costs $2.84. At $7.99 you earn 50%: $1.16 per sale. At $9.99 you earn 60%: $3.15 — more than double for two dollars on the price.
- Picture book, 32 pages, 8.5" × 8.5", premium color. Printing costs $4.20. At $12.99 you earn $3.59 per sale.
Pricing tips for low-content books
- Check the royalty on both sides of $9.99 — the rate change often outweighs a lower price.
- Black-ink books under 110 pages all cost the same to print, so extra pages up to that point are free.
- Paper color does not change the black-ink printing cost, but cream paper makes the spine wider.
- Price for your niche: compare the best-selling books in your category before settling on a number.
KDP royalty FAQ
Sources
Rates and costs checked against KDP's help pages in September 2026. Also see the KDP spine width calculator.