Free Tool
Ebook Royalty Calculator
An ebook royalty is not the list price: the platform takes its share, then a delivery fee comes off. This calculator shows what stays per sale — and per month.
Planning estimate, not financial advice. All figures on this page are estimates or scenarios for planning purposes only, built from the numbers you enter. They are not financial, tax or legal advice, and no earnings are promised. Read the full financial disclaimer.
What this tool does
Enter the list price, the royalty rate your platform pays, the delivery or platform fee per sale and the sales you expect in a month. The calculator shows the royalty per sale after the fee, and the monthly royalty at that volume — with the rate always entered by you, because royalty structures change and differ by platform and price band.
The detail that matters is the tier. Some platforms pay a different royalty rate in different price bands, and a price that crosses a band boundary can pay less per sale than a lower price. Enter the rate for your price, not the headline rate from the platform’s marketing page.
Try it
Waiting. Enter the list price, royalty rate, fee and monthly sales, then press Calculate.
How it works
Royalty before the fee is the list price multiplied by the royalty rate. The royalty per sale is that figure minus the delivery or platform fee. The monthly royalty is the per-sale royalty multiplied by monthly sales.
The royalty rate is the figure for your price band on your platform. Rates are tiered — a common structure pays a higher rate inside a price band and a lower one outside it — so a list price that sits just outside the higher band can pay less per sale than a lower price inside it.
Assumptions and limitations
Royalty structures are set by the platform, and they change. This page quotes none as fact.
- The royalty rate is entered by you, for your price band and platform. Do not use the headline rate from a marketing page — check the royalty terms for your price.
- The delivery fee is entered by you. On some platforms it depends on the file size; on others it is a flat platform fee. Enter the figure that applies to your book.
- The calculator does not model tax withholding, currency conversion or returns. A sale that is refunded pays no royalty.
- Monthly sales are your assumption. A royalty per sale is a fact of the price; a monthly royalty is a scenario built on a sales guess.
Worked example
Example (illustrative inputs, not a real book). A 4.99 list price, 70% royalty rate, 0.15 delivery fee, 100 sales a month:
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Royalty before fee (70% of 4.99) | 3.49 |
| Royalty per sale after 0.15 fee | 3.34 |
| Monthly royalty (100 × 3.34) | 334.30 |
Frequently asked questions
Why is the royalty rate not filled in?
Because it depends on the platform and the price band, and it changes. A rate copied from a roundup is how stale royalty figures spread. Check your platform’s own royalty terms for your price and enter that rate.
What is the delivery fee?
The per-sale fee the platform charges for delivering the file — on some platforms it depends on the file size, on others it is a flat platform fee. Enter the figure that applies to your book.
Can a higher list price pay a lower royalty?
Yes, when the price crosses a band boundary into a lower royalty tier. A book priced just above the top of the higher band can pay less per sale than the same book priced inside the band. Check the tiers before you price.
Does this include tax withholding?
No. Withholding, currency conversion and returns are not modelled. The royalty shown is before any withholding your platform applies.