How Much Does Amazon Pay for a Book?

Amazon has made it easier than ever for authors to self-publish their books, and many of them are able to make a decent living off of their work. But how much does Amazon actually pay for a book?

The answer depends on the type of book being sold, as well as the format in which it is being sold. Amazon pays different royalty rates for physical books and eBooks, and there are also different rates depending on the country in which the book is being sold.

For physical books, Amazon pays royalties based on the list price of the book. For example, if a book has a list price of $20 and is sold through Amazon, then the author will receive a royalty of around $3-$4 per book sold. This rate increases if the list price is higher.

For eBooks, Amazon pays royalties based on either a percentage of list price or a per-page rate. The percentage rate varies by country, but it typically ranges from 35-70%. So if an eBook has a list price of $10, then the author would receive around $3.50-$7 per copy sold.

Additionally, Amazon offers authors an option to enroll in its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Select program. If an author enrolls in KDP Select, they will receive 70% royalties on all eBooks sold in certain countries (including the US). However, they must agree to make their book exclusive to Amazon for 90 days out of every year in order to qualify for this program.

Overall, how much an author makes from selling their books on Amazon depends largely on what type of book they are selling and in what format they are selling it in. Physical books tend to earn authors more money than eBooks do due to higher list prices and higher royalty rates.

However, authors who enroll in KDP Select can earn more money from their eBook sales by taking advantage of higher royalties and exclusivity agreements with Amazon.

Conclusion: How much does Amazon pay for a book? The answer depends on what type of book it is and what format it’s being sold in – physical books generally have higher list prices and higher royalty rates than eBooks do – but authors can maximize their earnings by enrolling in Kindle Direct Publishing Select.