Dreaming of seeing your book on Amazon's virtual shelves? The good news is you can publish on Amazon easily as Amazon offers a cost-effective and flexible way to share your work with your global audience, but to publish on Amazon you need to know Amazon publishing cost.
While the exact Amazon book publishing cost depends on many factors like editing, cover design, and marketing which we'll discuss in detail later, you can expect to invest a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.
To know Amazon publishing services cost, you need to understand the process of self-publishing on Amazon, how the Amazon ebook publishing cost is different from its paperback cost, and how publishing a book on Amazon cost can be affected by book genre. So let's learn the cost of publishing a book on Amazon.
How much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon Kindle: Paperback vs Ebook
The best part about self-publishing your book on Amazon KDP is that it's totally free to list your book. You only pay a royalty fee when your book is sold. This makes Amazon Kindle direct publishing cost a relief for authors of all levels.
There are other factors attached to your Amazon direct publishing cost, but to know how much does it cost to publish a book first let's look at the printing cost of Amazon paperback because even though Amazon KDP publishing cost may be minimal, its printing cost is subtracted from your royalty impacting your total profit rate.
Printing cost of Amazon for paperback or hardcover:
- To calculate your paperback's printing cost, Amazon uses this formula:
- Printing cost depends on the marketplace that your book was ordered from.
- Amazon has a print cost calculator that you can use to get an estimate.
- Cost also depends on the
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Delivery cost of Amazon for digital books:
- For digital books, the cost of publishing depends on the royalty option you select on Amazon.
- If you choose a 35% royalty option on Amazon, your delivery cost will be free.
- If you choose a 70% royalty option, your delivery cost will be calculated on the basis of the megabytes your book contains multiplied by a fixed delivery cost rate.
- The following list is your fixed delivery cost rate:
Amazon.com: US $0.15/MB
Amazon.ca: CAD $0.15/MB
Amazon.com.br: R$0.30/MB
Amazon.co.uk: UK £0.10/MB
Amazon.de: €0,12/MB
Amazon.fr: €0,12/MB
Amazon.es: €0,12/MB
Amazon.in: INR ₹7/MB
Amazon.it: €0,12/MB
Amazon.nl: €0,12/MB
Amazon.co.jp: ¥1/MB
Amazon.com.mx: MXN $1/MB
Amazon.com.au: AUD $0.15/MB
- You can check the KDPs delivery cost calculation round-off method here.
How much does it cost to self publish on Amazon: Factors to consider.
- We have talked about minimal Amazon self-publishing cost, but the whole process of self-publishing a book isn't so easy or cheap. It requires considerable investment and time. The following are the factors you need to consider for calculating the cost of self-publishing a book on Amazon.
Hiring a professional ghostwriter:
- If you are a seasoned writer and have just written a book yourself then you won't need to incur this cost, but if you have a great book idea but lack expertise in writing a book, you'll have to hire a professional ghostwriter to achieve this goal.
- We recommend using Ace Book Publishers to hire an expert ghostwriter at an affordable price.
Writing software cost:
- A writer needs professional software to write and edit his manuscript and all the best writing tools have costs attached to them.
- Even though you can use free writing tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Word, if you want more tools try using Scrivener.
Editing and Proofreading:
- Professional editing is very important to sell your book as it enhances the overall quality of your book.
- Your cost of self publishing on Amazon will be affected by editing and proofreading costs.
- If you are unwilling to invest in a professional editor, you can try using Grammarly (monthly $15) or Pro Writing Aid (yearly $60) to help you with editing.
- But remember editing done by a professional editor cannot be replaced by such tools.
Illustration Cost:
- If you want your book to stand out, hiring an illustrator is an obvious choice.
- Illustration is very important for your book as it will put life into your book's story with strong visuals.
- The cost of hiring an illustrator will affect your overall self publishing Amazon cost.
Cover Design of your book:
- A professional and attractive book cover can easily catch a reader's attention.
- The cover of your book determines the fate of your book as it is the first thing a reader looks at.
- Consider hiring an expert to design the cover of your book but it will increase your total self publishing on Amazon cost.
Formatting:
- Your book will not be accepted on KDP if your formatting doesn't match its requirements for Kindle or print.
- So Amazon self publishing cost will increase with your book formatting.
Marketing and Promotion:
- Last but not least, marketing and promotional costs will affect your total self publishing on Amazon cost.
- Investing in effective marketing techniques and promotional strategies is very important for your book, so this is another cost you'll have to bear for self-publishing a book.
Keep the factors mentioned above in your mind when you think about how to self publish a book on Amazon.
How much does it cost to publish a children's book on Amazon
The cost of publishing a children's book on Amazon is no different than the Amazon book publishing cost of any other book. However, the cost incurred during the whole process of self-publishing a book on any platform is different according to the book's genre, length, and the services required for that book.
The cost of publishing a 23-page children's book will be different than publishing a 200-page mystery novel. You'll have to hire professional children's book publishers to publish a children's book. Because they'll have the necessary talent and proficiency to attract the right target audience for children's books.
Consider hiring an expert book publishing company like Ace Book Publishers to provide you with the best book publishing services for your book. Whether you want editing and proofreading done for your book or want to hire the best illustrator for your book, you can count on our skilled Amazon book publishers.
Benefits of using Amazon Publishing Services
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) offers many benefits for aspiring authors like you. By using KDP, you can bring your writer's vision to life without the traditional hurdles of running after a traditional book publishing industry.
No initial cost
- Unlike other self-publishing platforms, KDP eliminates the need for significant upfront investments in printing or distribution.
- This makes it a highly accessible platform for authors of all budgets.
- Since Amazon's costs are dependent on your royalty rate, you can decide which option you want to go for.
Accessibility
- One of the best things about Amazon is that you can publish your book from literally anywhere in the world.
- All you need is an internet connection and a book you want to publish.
Global reach
- Amazon Kindle Publishing allows you to distribute your book to readers worldwide which can result in attracting worldwide potential readers.
- Since Amazon is a trusted platform for many readers to buy books from, it's easier for you to sell your books globally.
- This global reach can significantly boost your book's visibility and sales.
Attractive royalty rates
- KDP offers competitive royalty rates on every sale, both digital and print.
- This means you can earn a substantial income from your writing, especially if your book gains popularity.
- There are 2 royalty options each to choose from for digital books as well as the paperback or hardcover formats.
- Usually, traditional firms don't offer high royalty rates to authors but you can earn up to 70% of royalty using Amazon's platform.
- You can also enroll in KDP Select to gain more visibility for your book.
User-Friendly platform
- KDP's platform has simplified the entire publishing process for many authors.
- From formatting your manuscript to setting your book's price and distribution options, Amazon has provided a guide for everything.
- This user-friendly platform empowers authors to take control of their work and bring it to the world.
Creative control
- Creative control and ownership is something that all authors crave and thankfully Amazon provides full ownership rights to all authors.
- You can also edit and update your book at any time from anywhere to better cater to your worldwide audience.
Summing-up
Amazon is one of the best platforms to self-publish a book providing a very cost-effective solution for selling your book. With its attractive royalty structure and minimal cost deductions, it's very useful for all authors but just remember that the total cost of self-publishing a book includes many factors and the best way to save your money is to hire one affordable publishing company like Ace Book Publishers to help you publish your book on Amazon easily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your total earnings are dependent on the following factors on Amazon:
- Book Category and Genre: Popular genres like romance, fantasy, and mystery often have higher sales potential.
- Book Quality and Marketing: A well-written book with a strong marketing strategy can significantly boost sales.
- Pricing Strategy: Setting the right price can impact your book's visibility and sales.
- Amazon's Royalty Programs: Amazon offers different royalty payout rates. You can choose the program that best suits your book's pricing and sales goals.
No, thankfully there are no hidden fees or costs associated with self-publishing on Amazon. However, it's important to remember the potential costs of editing, proofreading, book cover design, and marketing and promotion, as these can heavily impact your overall book publishing budget.
No, there are no additional fees for distributing your book on Amazon. Amazon has provided a fixed formula for calculating its distribution costs for both digital files and paperback or hardcover copies.
Yes, you can use Amazon's tools to format your book. Amazon KDP offers free tools to help you format your book for both Kindle and print formats. However, if you prefer professional formatting for your book, you can hire a formatter to ensure your book looks its best.