How Do Self-Publishing Royalties Work? A Complete Guide for Authors
If you’ve written a book and are considering self-publishing — or are already working with a publishing partner — one of the most important things to understand is how you’ll actually get paid. Royalties can feel complicated at first, but once you break them down by format and platform, they’re pretty straightforward. Here’s what you need to know.
What Are Self-Publishing Royalties?
A royalty is the payment an author receives each time their book is sold. In self-publishing, your royalty is calculated differently depending on whether your book is sold as an ebook or a print copy, because the number of parties involved (and the costs) are very different for each format.
How Do Ebook Royalties Work?
Ebooks are the simpler of the two formats. There are only two parties involved in every transaction: the retailer and you, the author. The ebook is set at a fixed price, and your royalty is a percentage of that retail price — no printing costs, no shipping, no middlemen. What you see is what you get.
The exact percentage depends on which retailer sells your book:
- Amazon — Pays either 70% or 35% of the ebook retail price, minus a small delivery fee (usually just a few cents) based on file size. The 70% rate is the default; the 35% rate applies only in countries where the higher rate is restricted.
- Barnes & Noble — Pays 65% of the ebook retail price with no delivery fee deductions.
- Google Play — Pays 45% or 52% depending on how the book is sold. Purchases through a reseller site earn 45%; direct Google purchases earn 52%.
- Apple Books (iTunes) — Pays 70% of the ebook retail price. The retail price is typically set based on the print version, if one is available.
Ebook Royalty Examples
| Retail Price | Amazon (70%) | Barnes & Noble (65%) | Google Play (52%) | Apple Books (70%) |
| $3.99 | ~$2.74* | $2.59 | $2.07 | $2.79 |
| $6.99 | ~$4.44* | $4.54 | $3.63 | $4.89 |
| $9.99 | ~$6.94* | $6.49 | $5.19 | $6.99 |
*Amazon royalties reflect the 70% rate after a small per-MB delivery fee deduction.
A note on price matching: All major retailers offer price matching. If your book goes on sale at one retailer, others may lower their price to match — but this typically won’t affect your royalty rates. Royalty amounts may also vary slightly on international sales due to currency exchange fluctuations.
How Do Print Book Royalties Work?
Print books are more complex because four parties need to be paid from every sale: the printer, the shipper, the retailer, and you, the author. That’s why print royalties are structured differently — and generally lower per unit — than ebook royalties.
Physical copies are distributed through the Ingram Content Network, which connects your book to brick-and-mortar bookstores nationwide. To be stocked in physical stores, publishers must offer a wholesale discount of 55% off the retail price — the industry standard.
The Print Royalty Formula
(Retail Price) − (55% wholesale discount) − (printing cost) = Your Royalty
Example: A book with a $19.95 retail price breaks down like this:
- After the 55% wholesale discount: $8.98 remaining
- Minus a printing cost of $5.90: Author earns $3.08 per copy
- With a slightly higher printing cost of $6.15: Author earns $2.83 per copy
The goal when pricing a print book is to target an author royalty of $3–$4 per copy sold — a realistic and sustainable benchmark given production and distribution costs.
Ebook vs. Print Royalties: Which Earns More?
Ebooks generally offer higher margins per unit because there are no printing or shipping costs involved. Print books require covering a full distribution chain before the author sees a return, which naturally reduces the per-copy royalty.
That said, most successful authors benefit from offering both formats. Books reach digital readers with strong margins; print copies serve bookstore shoppers and readers who prefer physical books. The two formats complement each other — and together, they maximize your earning potential.
