BYTETOOLS

Book Royalty Calculator

Work out self-publishing royalties per copy for ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers, with delivery costs, print costs and a break-even copy count.

Ebook settings

$6.69
Royalty per copy
67.0%
Margin of list price
225
Break-even copies
$1,846.50
Profit at target sales

Per-copy breakdown

List price
$9.99
Gross royalty (70%)
$6.99
Delivery cost (2.00 MB x $0.15)
-$0.30
Net royalty per copy
$6.69
Royalties on 500 copies
$3,346.50

You recoup $1,500.00 of upfront costs after 225 copies.

Royalty percentages, delivery charges and print costs differ by retailer, marketplace and date, and the preset figures here are starting points rather than a quote — every rate is editable, so put your own store's current numbers in before you rely on the result. List price is treated as tax-exclusive; VAT and sales tax are deducted before royalty in many territories. The calculation runs entirely in your browser.

What is the Book Royalty Calculator?

The list price is not what you earn. Self-publishing royalties are a percentage of list minus a cost — delivery charges on an ebook, printing charges on a paperback or hardcover — and the printing charge itself depends on the page count.

  • Ebook 70% and 35% bands with per-megabyte delivery costs
  • Print royalties from a fixed charge plus a per-page charge
  • Presets for black and white, standard colour and premium colour printing
  • Every rate editable, because they differ by store, currency and date
  • Break-even copy count against your upfront editing and cover costs
  • Per-copy breakdown from list price down to net royalty, copyable

How to use the Book Royalty Calculator

  1. 1

    Pick the format — ebook, paperback or hardcover — and your currency.

  2. 2

    Enter the list price before tax.

  3. 3

    For an ebook, choose the 70% or 35% option and set the file size and delivery rate.

  4. 4

    For print, set the royalty percentage, page count and printing charges, or use a preset.

  5. 5

    Add upfront costs and expected sales to see break-even and profit at target.

About the Book Royalty Calculator

The list price is not what you earn. Self-publishing royalties are a percentage of list minus a cost — delivery charges on an ebook, printing charges on a paperback or hardcover — and the printing charge itself depends on the page count. This calculator puts all of that in one place so you can see the real per-copy figure.

For ebooks, pick the 70% or the 35% band and set your file size and the per-megabyte delivery rate. For print, set the royalty percentage, the page count and the fixed plus per-page printing charges, starting from a preset if you like. Add your upfront editing and cover costs to get a break-even copy count.

Every rate is editable, because royalty percentages, delivery charges and print costs vary by retailer, marketplace and date — the presets are a starting point, not a quote. The list price is treated as tax-exclusive. All of the arithmetic runs in your browser and nothing you enter is uploaded or stored.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an author earn per book?

On a self-published ebook priced at 9.99 in the 70% band, the royalty is usually around 6.50 to 6.85 once the delivery charge is taken off. A paperback earns 60% of list minus the print cost, which for a 300-page black and white book is often around 4.60 on a 9.99 price.

What is the difference between the 70% and 35% ebook royalty?

The 70% band pays more but normally applies only inside a set price range and in selected territories, and it deducts a delivery charge based on your file size. The 35% band pays less but has no delivery charge and far fewer restrictions.

How is a paperback royalty calculated?

Take the list price, multiply by the royalty rate — typically 60% on the main stores — and subtract the printing cost. The printing cost is a fixed charge per copy plus a charge for every interior page, which is why page count directly affects your earnings.

How many copies do I need to sell to break even?

Divide everything you spent before launch — editing, cover design, formatting — by your net royalty per copy, and round up. Enter those upfront costs and the calculator shows the break-even count and your profit at whatever sales figure you expect.

Are taxes included in the royalty calculation?

No. The list price here is treated as tax-exclusive, because most retailers deduct VAT or sales tax before calculating royalty in the territories where it applies. Withholding tax on the royalty itself is also not modelled.

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