KDP Hardcover Royalty Calculator

Work out what a KDP case laminate hardcover costs to print, what you earn per copy at your list price, and the lowest price KDP will accept.

How KDP calculates hardcover cost and royalty

printing cost = fixed cost + page count × per-page costroyalty = list price × royalty rate − printing cost

The royalty rate is 60% at or above $9.99 (£7.99, €9.99) and 50% below, the same thresholds as paperbacks. Black-ink hardcovers with 75 to 108 pages pay one flat fee ($6.80 on Amazon.com for regular trims). From 110 pages the cost is $5.65 plus $0.012 a page. Premium color pays the fixed cost plus a per-page cost from the first page. Large trims (wider than 6.12" or taller than 9") pay a higher per-page cost. The minimum list price is the printing cost divided by the royalty rate.

Worked example: KDP's 300-page hardcover

KDP's own example is a 300-page, 6" x 9" black-ink hardcover on Amazon.com: $5.65 + 300 × $0.012 = $9.25. At $24.99 it earns 60% × $24.99 − $9.25 = $5.74 a copy, and KDP won't accept a list price below $15.42.

The same book as a paperback costs $4.60 to print, and at $16.99 earns $5.59. The case and board add $4.65 to the printing cost, so at 60% the hardcover has to be priced $7.75 higher just to earn the same per copy.

Worked example: a color picture book

A 100-page, 8.25" x 11" premium color hardcover costs $13.65 to print on Amazon.com. At $29.99 it earns $4.34, and the minimum list price is $22.75. Color has no flat band, so every page counts. A black-ink book of the same length at 6" x 9" pays only the flat $6.80.

Should you publish a hardcover?

A hardcover costs nothing to add if you already have the interior file, and it changes how your paperback looks on the product page: next to a $24.99 hardcover, a $16.99 paperback looks like the sensible choice. Many authors earn little from the hardcover itself and still keep it for that reason, and for readers who buy hardcovers as gifts.

Gift books, children's books, cookbooks, poetry and memoirs sell more hardcovers than genre fiction, where readers mostly buy ebooks. The interior can often be reused, but the cover can't: a hardcover needs its own wrap with extra margin that folds around the board, so download KDP's hardcover cover template rather than reusing the paperback cover. For the paperback edition, use the paperback royalty calculator and the cover size calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What hardcover formats does KDP offer?

KDP's Hardcover Print Elements page describes case laminate: the printed cover is wrapped around 2 mm case board and finished with glossy or matte lamination. KDP's cover calculator also lists a dust jacket cover type, so check the hardcover options in your KDP account. Books need 75 to 550 pages, in black ink on white or cream paper or premium color on white paper.

Which trim sizes can a KDP hardcover be?

Five: 5.5" x 8.5" and 6" x 9" (regular trims), and 6.14" x 9.21", 7" x 10" and 8.25" x 11" (large trims, which cost more per page). Custom trim sizes are only available for paperbacks.

Can I use my paperback ISBN for the hardcover?

No. A hardcover is a separate edition and needs its own ISBN, either a free KDP ISBN or one you own. If your interior file prints the ISBN on the copyright page, update it for the hardcover file.

Do hardcovers get Expanded Distribution?

No. KDP hardcovers sell on Amazon's own stores only. KDP's hardcover royalty page lists the 60% thresholds for Amazon.com, .ca, .co.uk, .com.au, the EU stores, .pl and .se, and the hardcover printing cost page has no Japanese table.

Sources

Rates last checked against KDP's help pages on 2026-10-16.

Guides that use this calculator

KDP Hardcover vs Paperback: Is the Hardcover Worth Adding?