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eBook pricing strategy

eBook pricing strategy: pick the price the royalty rules reward.

The best price is the one inside the 70% band that your category tolerates. This guide walks the sweet spot, the series trick, and the launch math.

Checked:

The $2.99–$9.99 band as the pricing anchorSeries and backlist pricing patternsLaunch pricing without devaluing the book

Start from the band, not from feelings

Amazon.com pays 70% royalties only between $2.99 and $9.99. A $2.99 book earns about $2.09 before delivery fees; a $1.99 book earns $0.70. Pricing below the band nearly always loses money per reader, which only makes sense for a free first book.

Category norms matter too. Romance debuts often sit at $3.99; business books can hold $7.99–$9.99. Look at the top 20 titles in your category and price inside that band.

The series play

Publishing in series changes the math: a free or $0.99 first book earns from read-through, not from the sale. Each later book at $4.99–$5.99 carries the margin.

Keep the pricing consistent across the series. Readers who bought book one at $4.99 expect book four at a similar level.

Launch discounts and honest math

A five-day $0.99 launch can buy visibility, but it also resets reader expectations. Run the royalty calculator on every candidate price so the discount is a decision, not a discovery.

If three sales at $14.99 pay for the release pass, a $4.99 book needs nine. Neither is wrong; one of them matches your goal.

Next release checks

Free KDP royalty calculator

KDP royalty calculator: what one sale actually pays you.

Choose the 35% or 70% option, enter your list price and ebook size, and see the per-sale royalty after Amazon's delivery fee. Built for Amazon.com planning.Open check

KDP royalties, explained

KDP royalties explained: 35% vs 70%, and which one you actually get.

The 70% option has a price band and a delivery fee; the 35% option applies everywhere else. This guide walks the real rules and the print side too.Open check

Write an eBook in a day

How to write an eBook in a day — a plan you can actually finish.

One day works when the scope is right: a tight outline in the morning, a generated draft at noon, human editing in the afternoon, and files exported before midnight.Open check

AI eBook generator · one-time price

An eBook from your topic — preview free, one $39 download.

Lead magnet, how-to guide, or sellable book: type a topic and watch the full eBook and cover come together. The preview costs nothing; downloading this exact eBook costs $39 once.Open check

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the best price for a first ebook?

For most nonfiction and fiction, $3.99–$5.99 on Amazon.com: inside the 70% band and close to category norms. Below $2.99 you leave the band and your per-sale royalty drops sharply.

Should the ebook be cheaper than the print book?

Usually yes. Readers expect the ebook below the paperback, and the ebook avoids printing costs. A common pattern is $4.99 ebook against a $12.99–$15.99 paperback.

How often should I change the price?

Rarely. Change for launches, seasonal promotions, or when category data says the current price is off. Frequent changes confuse readers and reset your price history.

Price the book, then ship the files that match.

Lock the price into metadata and store copy as part of one release.

See the $39 release pass