Self-publishing · KDP author copies
KDP author copy cost calculator.
Author copies cost the printing cost per book, plus shipping. See your landed cost per copy and what you make reselling them.
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How much do KDP author copies cost?
KDP sells author copies at the author price: the printing cost of your book in the marketplace you order from, times the number of copies. KDP says this is the lowest price it can offer and it cannot give extra discounts. Shipping is added at checkout, and proof and author copies do not qualify for free or Prime shipping. KDP has no shipping formula, so you enter the shipping and tax shown at checkout.
Worked example. 50 copies of a 300-page black-ink US paperback: 50 x $4.60 = $230.00. Add $40.00 shipping and $12.00 tax from checkout and the order is $282.00, or $5.64 per copy. Sold at $15.00 each that is $9.36 profit per copy and $468.00 in total, and the order is repaid after 19 copies.
Frequently asked questions
How much do KDP author copies cost?
The printing cost of your book in that marketplace, per copy, plus shipping and any tax. For a 300-page black-ink US paperback the printing cost is $4.60.
Do KDP author copies get a discount?
KDP says the author price is the lowest price it can offer for your book and that it cannot offer additional discounts.
How is KDP author copy shipping calculated?
KDP says it cannot give a direct shipping formula. Check the total shipping cost at checkout. Proof and author copy orders do not qualify for free or Prime shipping.
Do I earn a royalty on author copies?
KDP describes author copies as bought at the author price, which is the print cost. Its page describes no royalty on them; any profit comes from reselling at your own price.
How many author copies do I need to sell to break even?
Divide the order total (copies, shipping and tax) by your sale price. The calculator rounds up to whole copies.
Sources
Checked
- KDP: How much do proof or author copies cost?
- KDP: What is the cost to ship my proof or author copy?
- KDP: Paperback printing cost
KDP supports the author price definition (printing cost times copies), the no-extra-discount statement and the no-free-shipping rule. Shipping and tax are your own inputs because KDP publishes no formula for them. Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
Scope
Author prices follow KDP printing costs as checked on 15 October 2026. Resale profit ignores your time, payment fees and income tax.