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Paperback Printing Cost
KDP prints your book on demand and subtracts your printing costs from your royalties. That means you don't have to pay any costs upfront or carry any inventory.
To calculate your paperback's printing cost, we use this formula:
Fixed cost + (page count * per page cost) = printing cost
To estimate your printing cost, use KDP’s Printing Cost & Royalty Calculator.
The charts below summarize printing cost calculations by marketplace where the book is sold.
Black ink paperback:
Note: Black-ink paperbacks with 24 - 108 pages only incur the fixed cost.
Color ink paperback:
Example #1: 300-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold in the United States:
Based on the black ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 300-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com is 1.00 USD, and the additional cost per page is 0.012 USD.
1.00 USD fixed cost + (300 page count * 0.012 USD per page cost) = 4.60 USD (printing cost)
Example #2: 55-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold in the United Kingdom:
Fixed cost for a 55-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.co.uk is 1.93 GBP, and the additional cost per page is 0.00 GBP (none).
1.93 GBP fixed cost + (55 page count * 0.00 GBP per page cost ) = 1.93 GBP (printing cost)
Standard color ink, regular trim size
Example #1: 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold in Germany:
Based on the color ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.de is 0.75 EUR, and the additional cost per page is 0.024 EUR.
0.75 EUR fixed cost + (150 page count * 0.024 EUR per page cost) = 4.35 EUR (printing cost)
Example #2: 600-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold in Canada:
Based on the color ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 600-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.ca is 1.26 CAD, and the additional cost per page is 0.037 CAD.
1.26 CAD fixed cost + (600 page count * 0.037 CAD per page cost ) = 23.46 CAD (printing cost)
Premium color ink, large trim size
Example #1: 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold in Australia:
Based on the color ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com.au is 2.42 AUD, and the additional cost per page is 0.10 AUD.
2.42 AUD fixed cost + (50 page count * 0.10 AUD per page cost) = 7.42 AUD (printing cost)
To calculate your minimum list price, we divide your paperback's printing cost by the royalty rate (60%):
Printing cost / (60 / 100) [royalty rate] = minimum list price
Minimum list price calculation examples:
Example #1: 300-page regular trim size paperback printed in black ink sold in the United States:
Following the printing cost formula above, the printing cost for a 300-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com is 4.60 USD, and the royalty rate is 60%.
4.60 USD printing cost / (60 / 100) royalty rate = 7.67 USD minimum list price
Example #2: 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold in Germany:
The printing cost for a 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.de is 4.35 EUR, and the royalty rate is 60%.
4.35 EUR printing cost / (60 / 100) royalty rate = 7.25 EUR minimum list price
Example #3: 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold in Australia:
The printing cost for a 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com.au is 7.42 AUD, and the royalty rate is 60%.
7.42 AUD printing cost / (60 / 100) royalty rate = 12.37 AUD minimum list price
Note: If you manually set your list prices in your non-primary marketplaces, changing your primary marketplace list price will not update the list prices you manually entered in non-primary marketplaces. Use the Printing Cost & Royalty Calculator to see your minimum list price in all currencies.
See our help page for information on timelines, including updates to published books.
Contents
- How we calculate printing cost
- Minimum paperback list price
- Maximum paperback list price
- Set & Update List Prices by Marketplace
How we calculate printing cost
Printing costs vary depending on trim size, page count, and ink type (black ink or color ink). Bleed settings and cover finish don't affect printing cost. Printing cost also depends on which Amazon marketplace (website) a reader ordered your book from. Based on the print options you choose, KDP calculates and displays your printing cost in the Rights & Pricing section of your title setup.To calculate your paperback's printing cost, we use this formula:
Fixed cost + (page count * per page cost) = printing cost
To estimate your printing cost, use KDP’s Printing Cost & Royalty Calculator.
The charts below summarize printing cost calculations by marketplace where the book is sold.
Black ink paperback:
Note: Black-ink paperbacks with 24 - 108 pages only incur the fixed cost.
Marketplace | Regular Trim Sizes | Large Trim Sizes (More than 6.12 inches (155.5 mm) in width or more than 9 inches (228.6 mm) in height) |
||
Fixed Cost | Per-Page Cost | Fixed Cost |
Per-Page Cost |
|
Paperback specification: black ink with 24-108 pages | ||||
Amazon.ca | 2.99 CAD per book | None | 3.53 CAD per book | None |
Amazon.co.jp | 422 YEN per book | None | 530 YEN per book | None |
Amazon.co.uk | 1.93 GBP per book | None | 2.15 GBP per book | None |
Amazon.com | 2.30 USD per book | None | 2.84 USD per book | None |
Amazon.com.au | 4.74 AUD per book | None | 5.28 AUD per book | None |
Amazon.de/es/fr/it/nl | 2.05 EUR per book | None | 2.48 EUR per book | None |
Amazon.pl | 9.58 PLN per book | None | 11.61 PLN per book | None |
Amazon.se | 22.84 SEK per book | None | 27.67 SEK per book | None |
Paperback specification: black ink with 110-828 pages | ||||
Amazon.ca | 1.26 CAD per book | 0.016 CAD per page | 1.26 CAD per book | 0.021 CAD per page |
Amazon.co.jp | 206 YEN per book | 2 YEN per page | 206 YEN per book | 3 YEN per page |
Amazon.co.uk | 0.85 GBP per book | 0.010 GBP per page | 0.85 GBP per book | 0.012 GBP per page |
Amazon.com | 1.00 USD per book | 0.012 USD per page | 1.00 USD per book | 0.017 USD per page |
Amazon.com.au | 2.42 AUD per book | 0.022 AUD per page | 2.42 AUD per book | 0.027 AUD per page |
Amazon.de/es/fr/it/nl | 0.75 EUR per book | 0.012 EUR per page | 0.75 EUR per book | 0.016 EUR per page |
Amazon.pl | 3.51 PLN per book | 0.056 PLN per page | 3.51 PLN per book | 0.075 PLN per page |
Amazon.se | 8.37 SEK per book | 0.134 SEK per page | 8.37 SEK per book | 0.179 SEK per page |
Marketplace | Regular Trim Sizes | Large Trim Sizes (More than 6.12 inches (155.5 mm) in width or more than 9 inches (228.6 mm) in height) |
||
Fixed Cost | Per-Page Cost | Fixed Cost |
Per-Page Cost |
|
Paperback specification: premium color ink with 24-40 pages | ||||
Amazon.ca | 4.66 CAD per book | None | 5.26 CAD per book | None |
Amazon.co.jp | 475 YEN per book | None | 475 YEN per book | None |
Amazon.co.uk | 2.65 GBP per book | None | 3.25 GBP per book | None |
Amazon.com | 3.60 USD per book | None | 4.20 USD per book | None |
Amazon.com.au | 5.82 AUD per book | None | 6.42 AUD per book | None |
Amazon.de/es/fr/it/nl | 3.03 EUR per book | None | 3.63 EUR per book | None |
Amazon.pl | 12.86 PLN per book | None | 15.32 PLN per book | None |
Amazon.se | 30.65 SEK per book | None | 36.51 SEK per book | None |
Paperback specification: premium color ink with 42-828 pages | ||||
Amazon.ca | 1.26 CAD per book | 0.085 CAD per page | 1.26 CAD per book | 0.10 CAD per page |
Amazon.co.jp | 206 YEN per book | 4 YEN per page | 206 YEN per book | 5 YEN per page |
Amazon.co.uk | 0.85 GBP per book | 0.045 GBP per page | 0.85 GBP per book | 0.060 GBP per page |
Amazon.com | 1.00 USD per book | 0.065 USD per page | 1.00 USD per book | 0.08 USD per page |
Amazon.com.au | 2.42 AUD per book | 0.085 AUD per page | 2.42 AUD per book | 0.100 AUD per page |
Amazon.de/es/fr/it/nl | 0.75 EUR per book | 0.057 EUR per page | 0.75 EUR per book | 0.072 EUR per page |
Amazon.pl | 3.51 PLN per book | 0.267 PLN per page | 3.51 PLN per book | 0.337 PLN per page |
Amazon.se | 8.37 SEK per book | 0.636 SEK per page | 8.37 SEK per book | 0.804 SEK per page |
Paperback specification: standard color ink with 72-600 pages | ||||
Amazon.ca | 1.26 CAD per book | 0.037 CAD per page | 1.26 CAD per book | 0.052 CAD per page |
Amazon.co.uk | 0.85 GBP per book | 0.020 GBP per page | 0.85 GBP per book | 0.027 GBP per page |
Amazon.com | 1.00 USD per book | 0.027 USD per page | 1.00 USD per book | 0.042 USD per page |
Amazon.de/es/fr/it/nl | 0.75 EUR per book | 0.024 EUR per page | 0.75 EUR per book | 0.035 EUR per page |
Amazon.pl | 3.51 PLN per book | 0.112 PLN per page | 3.51 PLN per book | 0.164 PLN per page |
Amazon.se | 8.37 SEK per book | 0.268 SEK per page | 8.37 SEK per book | 0.3691 SEK per page |
Printing cost calculation examples
Black ink, regular trim sizeExample #1: 300-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold in the United States:
Based on the black ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 300-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com is 1.00 USD, and the additional cost per page is 0.012 USD.
1.00 USD fixed cost + (300 page count * 0.012 USD per page cost) = 4.60 USD (printing cost)
Example #2: 55-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold in the United Kingdom:
Fixed cost for a 55-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.co.uk is 1.93 GBP, and the additional cost per page is 0.00 GBP (none).
1.93 GBP fixed cost + (55 page count * 0.00 GBP per page cost ) = 1.93 GBP (printing cost)
Standard color ink, regular trim size
Example #1: 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold in Germany:
Based on the color ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.de is 0.75 EUR, and the additional cost per page is 0.024 EUR.
0.75 EUR fixed cost + (150 page count * 0.024 EUR per page cost) = 4.35 EUR (printing cost)
Example #2: 600-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold in Canada:
Based on the color ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 600-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.ca is 1.26 CAD, and the additional cost per page is 0.037 CAD.
1.26 CAD fixed cost + (600 page count * 0.037 CAD per page cost ) = 23.46 CAD (printing cost)
Premium color ink, large trim size
Example #1: 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold in Australia:
Based on the color ink chart above, the fixed cost for a 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com.au is 2.42 AUD, and the additional cost per page is 0.10 AUD.
2.42 AUD fixed cost + (50 page count * 0.10 AUD per page cost) = 7.42 AUD (printing cost)
Minimum paperback list price
The minimum list price is calculated based on your book's printing cost. It ensures that your royalties earned are always enough to cover the cost to print your book. KDP will not allow you to enter a list price lower than the minimum list price.To calculate your minimum list price, we divide your paperback's printing cost by the royalty rate (60%):
Printing cost / (60 / 100) [royalty rate] = minimum list price
Minimum list price calculation examples:
Example #1: 300-page regular trim size paperback printed in black ink sold in the United States:
Following the printing cost formula above, the printing cost for a 300-page black ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com is 4.60 USD, and the royalty rate is 60%.
4.60 USD printing cost / (60 / 100) royalty rate = 7.67 USD minimum list price
Example #2: 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold in Germany:
The printing cost for a 150-page standard color ink regular trim size paperback sold on Amazon.de is 4.35 EUR, and the royalty rate is 60%.
4.35 EUR printing cost / (60 / 100) royalty rate = 7.25 EUR minimum list price
Example #3: 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold in Australia:
The printing cost for a 50-page premium color ink large trim size paperback sold on Amazon.com.au is 7.42 AUD, and the royalty rate is 60%.
7.42 AUD printing cost / (60 / 100) royalty rate = 12.37 AUD minimum list price
Maximum paperback list price
The maximum list price we allow for any paperback is listed below by marketplace:
Marketplace |
Maximum list price for paperback books |
Amazon.ca |
350 CAD |
Amazon.co.jp |
30,000 YEN |
Amazon.com |
250 USD |
Amazon.com.au |
350 AUD |
Amazon.co.uk |
250 GBP |
Amazon.de/es/fr/it/nl |
250 EUR |
Amazon.pl |
1,200 PLN |
Amazon.se |
2,500 SEK |
Set & Update List Prices by Marketplace
You can set list prices by marketplace as long as they’re higher than the minimum list price and lower than the maximum list price. Learn how to update your paperback list price. Alternatively, you can choose to automatically update your non-primary marketplace list prices based off of the list price you set for your primary marketplace.Note: If you manually set your list prices in your non-primary marketplaces, changing your primary marketplace list price will not update the list prices you manually entered in non-primary marketplaces. Use the Printing Cost & Royalty Calculator to see your minimum list price in all currencies.
See our help page for information on timelines, including updates to published books.