Guide
KDP's new 70% royalty range: $2.99 to $12.99
Short answer
Since July 7, 2026, Kindle ebooks on Amazon.com qualify for KDP's 70% royalty at list prices from $2.99 to $12.99, up from a $9.99 ceiling. You earn 70% of the list price minus VAT and a delivery cost of $0.15 per MB. Outside the band, only the 35% plan is available.
What changed in KDP's 70% royalty range?
KDP pays Kindle ebook royalties on one of two plans: 35% or 70%. The 70% plan is only available when the list price sits inside a price band. On Amazon.com that band used to be $2.99 to $9.99.
Effective July 7, 2026, the band is $2.99 to $12.99. The floor did not move. The ceiling went up by $3.00, so ebooks priced from $10.99 to $12.99 can now earn 70% instead of 35%. KDP's help page says other marketplaces saw equivalent changes.
How is the KDP 70% royalty calculated?
70% royalty = 0.7 x (list price - VAT - delivery cost)
35% royalty = 0.35 x (list price - VAT)
Delivery cost only applies to the 70% plan. On Amazon.com it is $0.15 per MB of the converted file, with a minimum of $0.01 a sale. A 2 MB ebook pays $0.30 a sale.
Worked example
A 2 MB ebook listed at $12.99, with no VAT in the price:
- Delivery: 2 MB x $0.15 = $0.30.
- 70% royalty: 0.7 x ($12.99 - $0.30) = $8.88.
- 35% royalty, the only option at this price before July 7, 2026: 0.35 x $12.99 = $4.55.
Same book, same price: $4.33 more per sale under the new band.
How much do you earn at each price?
Royalty per sale on Amazon.com for a 2 MB file with no VAT. The last two columns show the better plan available at each price before and after July 7, 2026.
| List price | 35% plan | 70% plan | Best before | Best now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.99 | $0.35 | n/a | $0.35 | $0.35 |
| $1.99 | $0.70 | n/a | $0.70 | $0.70 |
| $2.99 | $1.05 | $1.88 | $1.88 | $1.88 |
| $3.99 | $1.40 | $2.58 | $2.58 | $2.58 |
| $4.99 | $1.75 | $3.28 | $3.28 | $3.28 |
| $5.99 | $2.10 | $3.98 | $3.98 | $3.98 |
| $6.99 | $2.45 | $4.68 | $4.68 | $4.68 |
| $7.99 | $2.80 | $5.38 | $5.38 | $5.38 |
| $8.99 | $3.15 | $6.08 | $6.08 | $6.08 |
| $9.99 | $3.50 | $6.78 | $6.78 | $6.78 |
| $10.99 | $3.85 | $7.48 | $3.85 | $7.48 |
| $11.99 | $4.20 | $8.18 | $4.20 | $8.18 |
| $12.99 | $4.55 | $8.88 | $4.55 | $8.88 |
| $13.99 | $4.90 | n/a | $4.90 | $4.90 |
| $14.99 | $5.25 | n/a | $5.25 | $5.25 |
Highlighted rows are the prices the change moved from 35% to 70%.
What does the new band mean for your price?
- Books priced $10.99 to $12.99 earn $3.63 to $4.33 more per sale with no price change. Check that the book is enrolled in the 70% plan in your KDP pricing settings.
- Books held at $9.99 to stay in the old band can now go higher and keep 70%. At $9.99 a 2 MB book earns $6.78; at $12.99 it earns $8.88.
- Books priced above $12.99 still earn 35%. To match the $8.88 a $12.99 book earns, a 35% book needs a list price of about $25.99.
Royalty per sale is only half the picture: a higher price can sell fewer copies. Test price changes one at a time and compare sales over the same length of time.
How much does file size cut a 70% royalty?
Delivery cost scales with the file, so image-heavy ebooks keep less of the 70%. Royalty per sale at $12.99 on Amazon.com:
| File size | Delivery cost | 70% royalty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 MB | $0.15 | $8.99 |
| 2 MB | $0.30 | $8.88 |
| 5 MB | $0.75 | $8.57 |
| 10 MB | $1.50 | $8.04 |
| 20 MB | $3.00 | $6.99 |
What is the 70% price band in other Amazon stores?
Current bands from KDP's eBook List Price Requirements page, in each store's currency.
| Store | 70% band | Delivery per MB | Needs KDP Select |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com | $2.99 to $12.99 | $0.15 | No |
| Amazon.co.uk | £1.77 to £12.99 | £0.10 | No |
| Amazon.de, .fr, .es, .it, .nl | €2.69 to €12.99 | €0.12 | No |
| Amazon.ca | CA$2.99 to CA$12.99 | CA$0.15 | No |
| Amazon.com.au | A$3.99 to A$15.99 | A$0.15 | No |
| Amazon.in | ₹99.00 to ₹599.00 | ₹7.00 | Yes |
| Amazon.co.jp | ¥250 to ¥1,650 | ¥1 | Yes |
| Amazon.com.br | R$5.99 to R$31.99 | R$0.30 | Yes |
| Amazon.com.mx | MX$34.99 to MX$199.99 | MX$1.00 | Yes |
When do you still earn 35%?
- When the list price is below $2.99 or above $12.99 on Amazon.com.
- On sales to customers in Brazil, India, Japan and Mexico, unless the book is in KDP Select.
- On sales to buyers outside KDP's 70% territories, even when you chose the 70% plan.
- When the book is mainly public domain content. Books that are mainly public domain content only qualify for 35%.
Questions authors ask
Is the KDP 70% royalty now available up to $12.99?
Yes. Since July 7, 2026, Kindle ebooks on Amazon.com priced from $2.99 to $12.99 can earn 70%. Before that date the top of the band was $9.99.
What was the old KDP 70% price range?
$2.99 to $9.99 on Amazon.com. Ebooks priced above $9.99 could only earn 35%.
What is the royalty on a $12.99 Kindle ebook?
$8.88 per sale on the 70% plan for a 2 MB file with no VAT: 70% x ($12.99 - $0.30 delivery). Before July 7, 2026 the same price earned $4.55 at 35%.
Do I need KDP Select to earn 70% on Amazon.com?
No. KDP Select is only required for 70% on sales to customers in Brazil, India, Japan and Mexico. On Amazon.com the 70% plan is open to every ebook priced inside the band.
Can I price above $12.99 and still earn 70%?
No. Above $12.99 on Amazon.com only the 35% plan is available, up to a maximum list price of $200.00. To match the $8.88 a $12.99 book earns at 70%, a 35% book would need a list price of about $25.99.
Did the 70% band change in other Amazon stores too?
KDP describes equivalent changes in its other marketplaces. The current band for each store is in the table in this guide, taken from KDP's eBook List Price Requirements page.
Sources
Every number in this guide comes from our spec data, last verified against the official help pages below. Retailers change their terms, so check the source before you rely on a figure.
KDP ebook pricing and royalties
- KDP Help: eBook Royalties kdp.amazon.com
- KDP Help: eBook List Price Requirements kdp.amazon.com
- KDP Help: Digital Book Pricing Page kdp.amazon.com