The two options
KDP offers a 35% royalty and a 70% royalty. The 70% option only applies if your list price sits inside a set band and the sale is in an eligible country. On Amazon.com the band is $2.99 to $12.99. Prices outside it earn the 35% rate.
Key takeaway: Price inside the 70% band unless you have a clear reason not to.
How delivery cost works
With the 70% option, KDP charges a delivery cost based on file size. On Amazon.com it is $0.15 per megabyte. The cost is taken off the list price first, then the 70% rate is applied to what is left.
The formula is: 70% x (list price - delivery cost) = your royalty.
Worked examples
| Setup | Calculation | Royalty |
|---|---|---|
| $4.99, 2 MB, 70% | 0.70 x (4.99 - 0.30) | about $3.28 |
| $2.99, 1 MB, 70% | 0.70 x (2.99 - 0.15) | about $1.99 |
| $0.99, 35% | 0.35 x 0.99 | about $0.35 |
A text novel is usually under 2 MB, so delivery cost is small. A photo-heavy ebook of 30 MB would pay $4.50 in delivery cost on every sale, which can erase the royalty entirely at a low price.
Keep your file small
- Compress images before you place them in the ebook.
- Skip decorative images that do not help the reader.
- Check the final file size in KDP's previewer before you set the price.
Royalty at common prices
Here is the 70% option on Amazon.com for a 1 MB file, where delivery cost is $0.15:
| List price | Calculation | Royalty |
|---|---|---|
| $2.99 | 0.70 x (2.99 - 0.15) | about $1.99 |
| $3.99 | 0.70 x (3.99 - 0.15) | about $2.69 |
| $4.99 | 0.70 x (4.99 - 0.15) | about $3.39 |
| $9.99 | 0.70 x (9.99 - 0.15) | about $6.89 |
When file size changes the answer
For a small file the 70% option wins easily. For a heavy file the picture changes. Take a book priced at $4.99:
- At 10 MB, delivery cost is $1.50. The 70% option pays 0.70 x 3.49, about $2.44. The 35% option pays about $1.75.
- At 30 MB, delivery cost is $4.50. The 70% option pays 0.70 x 0.49, about $0.34. The 35% option pays about $1.75.
At 30 MB the lower rate pays far more, because delivery cost eats the 70% royalty. If KDP lets you choose the 35% option for that price, compare both before you decide. The best fix is usually a smaller file.
Other stores have other bands
The $2.99 to $12.99 band is for Amazon.com. KDP lists other limits for other stores, for example 1.77 to 12.99 GBP on Amazon.co.uk and 2.69 to 12.99 EUR in the EU stores. Delivery rates also differ by store, so confirm them in KDP.
How to keep delivery cost low
- Resize images to the largest size they appear on a screen.
- Save photos as JPEG at a sensible quality.
- Use text in place of images where an image adds nothing.
- Check the file size in KDP's previewer before setting the price.
What this means for pricing
Choose a price inside the band, check the delivery cost for your file, and compare the royalty at two or three prices. The royalty calculator handles ebook pricing and shows the working. For paperbacks see how to price a paperback.
Check before you publish
KDP changes ebook terms from time to time, and other marketplaces have their own bands and delivery rates. Confirm everything on KDP's ebook pricing page and in your title setup. The band above was read from KDP's help page on 15 October 2026.
