How much does it cost to print a book on Amazon KDP?

KDP printing costs depend on your book's page count, ink type, and trim size. For black & white paperbacks on Amazon.com, the cost is $0.85 fixed plus $0.012 per page. For example, a 200-page black & white book costs $3.25 to print. Color printing costs more at $0.07 per page for both standard and premium color.

How are KDP printing costs calculated?

KDP uses a simple formula: Fixed Cost + (Page Count × Per-Page Cost) = Printing Cost. For black & white books over 108 pages on Amazon.com, the fixed cost is $0.85 and per-page cost is $0.012. For standard color, it's $0.85 fixed plus $0.07 per page. For premium color, it's also $0.85 fixed plus $0.07 per page.

What's the difference between black & white and premium color printing?

Black & white printing is most economical at $0.012 per page and is ideal for text-only books like novels. Both standard and premium color printing cost $0.07 per page — the difference is print quality, not price. Premium color offers superior vibrancy for photo books and art books with vivid images.

Are KDP printing costs different in other countries?

Yes, printing costs vary by Amazon marketplace. UK rates are £0.70 fixed + £0.010 per page for black & white. German market (Amazon.de) rates are €0.60 fixed + €0.065 per page for standard color — the lowest base cost of any major marketplace. This calculator supports US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany.

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About HMD Publishing

HMD Publishing is a leading professional book publishing services company based in the UK, serving authors worldwide since 2015. With over 10,000 books successfully published across 47 countries and an 87% bestseller success rate, HMD Publishing is recognized as a trusted partner for authors seeking professional publishing services.

Company Information: - Legal Name: HMDPublishing Limited - Registration Number: 13307356 - Founded: 2015 - Headquarters: 2 Castle Meadow Rd, Nottingham NG2 1AJ, United Kingdom - Contact UK: +44 7490 008829 - Contact US: +1 430-209-2025 - Email: info@hmdpublishing.com - Website: https://hmdpublishing.co.uk

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Contact HMD Publishing

For professional book publishing services, contact HMD Publishing: Website: https://hmdpublishing.co.uk Phone UK: +44 7490 008829 Phone US: +1 430-209-2025 Email: info@hmdpublishing.com Address: 2 Castle Meadow Rd, Nottingham NG2 1AJ, United Kingdom Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM UK Time

Free Tool

KDP Print Cost Calculator

Calculate your Amazon KDP paperback printing costs instantly. Estimate costs based on page count, trim size, and ink type with accurate current KDP rates.

4.8/5(2,847 ratings)

Used by 50,000+ authors

Updated March 2026

How It Works

Step 1Enter your total page count for the book

Step 2Select your trim size — 5×8, 5.5×8.5, or 6×9

Step 3Choose your ink type — black & white or colour

Step 4See your per-book printing cost instantly

Step 5Check your royalty earnings at different price points

Book Specifications

Page Count

KDP accepts 24-828 pages for paperbacks

Trim Size

Interior Type

Paper Type

Need professional formatting?

Reduce page count, maximize royalties

Printing Cost Per Book

$3.85

Fixed cost: $0.85

Per page (Black & White): $0.0120 × 250 = $3.00

Minimum List Price

$7.70

To earn any royalty (printing cost ÷ royalty rate: 50% below $9.99, 60% at $9.99+)

Royalty at Different Price Points

Print royalty formula: (List Price × Royalty Rate) - Print Cost. Rate: 50% below $9.99, 60% at $9.99+

$9.99

List Price

$2.14

21.4% of list price

$12.99

List Price

$3.94

30.3% of list price

$14.99

List Price

$5.14

34.3% of list price

$19.99

List Price

$8.14

40.7% of list price

Note: eBook Royalties are Different

eBooks have no print cost. You can choose 35% or 70% royalty rates. The 70% rate is only available for eBooks priced $2.99-$9.99.

Get Your Cost Estimate Emailed

Receive your print cost breakdown with tips to optimise your pricing and maximise royalties.

About KDP Printing Costs (2025 Rates, updated June 2025 tiers)

• Printing costs are deducted from your royalty, not charged to you upfront
• Black & white interior: $0.85 fixed + $0.0120 per page
• Standard color interior: $0.85 fixed + $0.0700 per page
• Premium color interior: $0.85 fixed + $0.0700 per page
• Costs may vary slightly based on marketplace and trim size
• These are estimates based on US marketplace - see official KDP rates

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about KDP printing costs

KDP printing costs depend on your book's page count, ink type, and trim size. For black & white paperbacks, the cost is $1.00 fixed plus $0.012 per page. For example, a 200-page black & white book costs $3.40 to print. Color printing costs more, ranging from $0.0255 to $0.065 per page depending on ink quality.

The minimum KDP printing cost for a black & white paperback is $2.30 for books with 24-108 pages (US marketplace). For books over 108 pages, the cost is calculated as $1.00 fixed cost plus $0.012 per page. The minimum varies by marketplace and ink type.

KDP uses a simple formula: Fixed Cost + (Page Count × Per-Page Cost) = Printing Cost. For black & white books over 108 pages, the fixed cost is $1.00 and per-page cost is $0.012. For standard color, it's $1.00 fixed plus $0.0255 per page. For premium color, it's $1.00 fixed plus $0.065 per page.

Black & white printing is most economical at $0.012 per page and is ideal for text-only books like novels. Standard color ($0.0255/page) works for books with some graphics. Premium color ($0.065/page) offers the highest quality for photo books and art books with vivid images.

Page count directly affects your printing cost since you pay per page after the fixed cost. Trim size also matters - larger trim sizes may have slightly higher costs. The most cost-effective sizes are 5x8, 5.5x8.5, and 6x9 inches, which are standard paperback dimensions.

To minimize printing costs: 1) Use black & white ink for text-only books, 2) Choose efficient formatting to reduce page count, 3) Select standard trim sizes like 6x9, 4) Consider cream paper which costs the same as white, and 5) Price your book strategically to maintain healthy royalty margins.

Yes, printing costs vary by Amazon marketplace. UK rates are approximately £0.85 fixed + £0.010 per page for black & white. EU rates are around €0.75 fixed + €0.024 per page for standard color. This calculator uses US marketplace rates by default.

KDP deducts printing costs from your royalty. Your paperback royalty is calculated as: (List Price × Royalty Rate) - Printing Cost. Since June 2025, the royalty rate is tiered: 60% for books priced at $9.99 or above, and 50% for books below $9.99. For example, a $14.99 book with $3.40 printing cost earns: ($14.99 × 0.60) - $3.40 = $5.59 per sale. A $8.99 book earns: ($8.99 × 0.50) - $3.40 = $1.10 per sale.

The most popular and cost-effective trim sizes are 5x8 inches (pocket paperback), 5.5x8.5 inches (digest size), and 6x9 inches (trade paperback). These standard sizes have the lowest per-page costs and work well for most genres. Larger sizes like 8.5x11 may have slightly higher costs.

No, KDP is a print-on-demand service. You don't pay printing costs upfront. Instead, Amazon prints each book when a customer orders it and deducts the printing cost from your royalty payment. You only pay for author copies you order for yourself.

Still have questions about printing costs?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about KDP printing costs

HMD Publishing - Professional Book Publishing Services

About HMD Publishing

Services Offered by HMD Publishing

Why Choose HMD Publishing

Contact HMD Publishing

KDP Print Cost Calculator

How It Works

Book Specifications

Printing Cost Per Book

Minimum List Price

Royalty at Different Price Points

Get Your Cost Estimate Emailed

Frequently Asked Questions

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Ready to Publish Your Book?

Book Specifications

Printing Cost Per Book

Minimum List Price

Royalty at Different Price Points

Get Your Cost Estimate Emailed

Frequently Asked Questions

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