In May 2026, B&N Press announced three policy changes: a $14.99 minimum price for print books, a 100-title limit per account, and an end to public-domain content. For many authors nothing changed. For others, especially those with short books, low-priced paperbacks or big back catalogues, it forced a rethink.
This guide explains exactly what changed, who is affected, and which alternatives fit each situation, with worked numbers.
What changed at B&N Press in 2026
| Change | Detail | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| $14.99 print minimum | New listings below $14.99 blocked from April 22, 2026; existing ones removed from sale by May 14 unless repriced | Short books, poetry, children's books, low-priced paperbacks |
| 100-title cap | Print and ebook editions of one book count as one title; titles over the cap may be removed | Prolific authors and small publishers |
| No public domain | Public-domain content no longer supported; violations can lead to account closure | Classics republishers |
| Unchanged | Royalty rates, exclusivity, in-store programs, ebook terms | Everyone |
What B&N Press still pays
| Format | Royalty |
|---|---|
| Ebook, $0.99 and up | 70% of list price |
| Paperback or hardcover | 55% of list price, minus printing cost |
Payments arrive monthly, about 30 days after the sales month ends. The ebook terms remain among the most generous anywhere, with 70% even at $0.99, where Amazon and Kobo pay far less.
Who should look for an alternative
| You publish... | Impact | Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Novels priced $14.99+ in print | None | Stay; add other stores for reach |
| Short books, poetry, novellas at $7.99 to $12.99 | Must reprice to $14.99 or leave B&N print | KDP Print, IngramSpark, BooksOasis |
| Over 100 titles | Titles above the cap at risk | An aggregator for part of the list, plus direct stores |
| Public-domain editions | No longer allowed | Check other platforms' policies |
| Ebooks only | None | Stay; B&N's 70% from $0.99 is excellent |
The $14.99 problem, in numbers
For a slim paperback, $14.99 can be too high for readers. Here is what a 120-page paperback with an assumed $3.50 printing cost earns at different prices and platforms.
| Platform | List price | Calculation | You earn |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&N Press | $14.99 (minimum) | 55% of $14.99 minus $3.50 | $4.74 |
| KDP Print (Amazon.com) | $9.99 | 60% of $9.99 minus $3.50 | $2.49 |
| KDP Print (Amazon.com) | $8.99 | 50% of $8.99 minus $3.50 | $1.00 |
| BooksOasis | $9.99 | $9.99 minus $3.50 printing minus $1.05 handling | $5.44 |
Example calculations with an assumed printing cost; actual costs depend on page count, trim and format. KDP pays 60% at $9.99 and above and 50% below on Amazon.com.
The per-copy figure at $14.99 looks good, but only if readers will pay it. For a short book, a lower price that readers accept usually earns more in total. Watch your conversion rate for a month after any price change before deciding what works.
Barnes & Noble Press alternatives compared
| Platform | Ebook royalty | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 70% from $2.99 to $12.99 (Amazon.com), else 35% | 60% at $9.99+, 50% below, minus printing | The largest market |
| IngramSpark | Ebook distribution available | Wholesale model; 1.875% market access fee | Bookstores and libraries |
| Kobo Writing Life | 70% from $2.99, no upper cap, if 20% below print | No | International ebook readers |
| Apple Books | 70% at all prices | No | iPhone and iPad readers |
| Draft2Digital | About 60% at most stores | Print available | Many stores from one dashboard |
| BooksOasis | 100% of the ebook price | Price minus printing and a 30% handling fee on that cost | Direct sales, no commission |
KDP: the first companion
If B&N was your main print outlet, KDP Print is the obvious addition. It has no minimum price beyond covering printing, pays 60% of list price minus printing at $9.99 and above on Amazon.com and 50% below, and Expanded Distribution pays 40%. For ebooks, KDP pays 70% from $2.99 to $12.99. Stay out of KDP Select if you want to keep selling ebooks at B&N and elsewhere. See KDP Select vs wide.
IngramSpark: wide print distribution
IngramSpark distributes print books to bookstores and libraries through Ingram's catalogue, including Barnes & Noble. It removed title setup fees and, from February 2026, its revision fee, but charges a market access fee of 1.875% of list price. It suits authors who want bookstores to be able to order their books. More in IngramSpark alternatives and KDP vs IngramSpark.
Kobo, Apple and Google Play for ebooks
If you want to widen ebook reach beyond B&N, Kobo pays 70% from $2.99 with no upper cap (if the ebook is 20% below print), Apple pays 70% at every price, and Google Play pays 70% in most countries. Together with B&N, they give you broad reach outside Amazon.
Draft2Digital: many stores, one upload
For authors with large catalogues affected by the 100-title cap, an aggregator can take over distribution for part of the list. Draft2Digital keeps about 10% of the retail price in exchange for delivering to many stores and libraries. See Draft2Digital alternatives.
BooksOasis: print and ebook with no commission
BooksOasis is an independent bookstore for ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers. Publishers pay a flat yearly plan instead of a percentage, and keep 100% of the ebook price with no processing cut. Print books are printed on demand: you earn the list price minus printing and a 30% handling fee on the printing cost, and the reader pays shipping.
- No platform minimum print price. Set a price readers will pay for a short book.
- Five trim sizes: 5x8, 5.5x8.5, 6x9, 7x10 and 8.5x11 inches; paperbacks 32 to 800 pages, hardcovers 24 to 800.
- Unlimited pen names and imprints.
- Plans: Starter $29.99 a year for 10 books, Growth $179 for 100, Publisher $599 for 500, with extra slots available.
What BooksOasis does not do
- It doesn't distribute your books to Barnes & Noble, Amazon or bookstores; it's one more store.
- It doesn't accept every book: listings go through a moderation review.
- The plan is a flat fee whether you sell or not.
If you have more than 100 titles
- Rank your titles by B&N sales.Keep your best 100 on B&N Press.
- Move the rest through an aggregator.Check how the aggregator delivers to B&N before doing so, so you don't duplicate listings.
- Group series editions sensibly.Print and ebook of one book count as one title.
- List your whole catalogue on a direct store.BooksOasis's Growth and Publisher plans cover 100 and 500 books.
If your print books are short
Poetry collections, novellas, devotionals and children's books often belong below $14.99. Options:
- Reprice to $14.99 on B&N and keep the lower price on other platforms, accepting fewer B&N print sales.
- Combine short books into a collection that justifies $14.99.
- Sell print elsewhere (KDP Print, IngramSpark, BooksOasis) and keep the ebook on B&N.
- Offer a hardcover at $14.99 or more on B&N, with the paperback elsewhere.
If you published public-domain editions
Annotated classics, collected hymns and public-domain translations are no longer accepted on B&N Press, and violations can lead to account closure. If you have such editions there, remove them yourself rather than wait. Other platforms treat public domain differently: some accept it with conditions or lower royalties, and some require substantial original material such as new translations, annotations or introductions. Read each platform's content policy before uploading, and keep a record of what you added that is original.
Three authors, three responses
A poet with four slim collections at $9.99 kept the ebooks on B&N Press, moved the paperbacks to KDP Print and BooksOasis at $9.99, and published a combined hardcover at $19.99 on B&N.
A small press with 140 titles kept its 100 best sellers direct on B&N, moved the rest through an aggregator, and listed the full catalogue on a direct store under the Publisher plan.
A romance author pricing paperbacks at $15.99 changed nothing on B&N, but added IngramSpark so bookstores could order her books, and started sending newsletter readers to a direct store for launch-week sales.
Checklist before you move anything
- List every B&N title with its print price, format and last twelve months of sales.
- Flag print editions under $14.99 and decide: reprice, combine or move.
- Count your titles against the 100 cap, remembering print and ebook of one book count once.
- Check ISBNs, so each edition keeps its identity on its new platform.
- Update links on your website, newsletter and back matter, so readers always land on a live page.
A sensible setup after the changes
| Format | Where |
|---|---|
| Ebooks | B&N Press, KDP, Kobo, Apple, Google Play (direct or via aggregator), plus BooksOasis |
| Print at $14.99+ | B&N Press, KDP Print, IngramSpark, BooksOasis |
| Print below $14.99 | KDP Print, IngramSpark, BooksOasis |
| Newsletter and social sales | A direct store where you keep the most |
Sources
Checked September 2026: B&N Press May 2026 policy updates; B&N Press: getting paid; KDP ebook royalties; Kobo Writing Life agreement.
In short
B&N Press's 2026 changes leave its excellent ebook terms untouched but push low-priced print, big catalogues and public-domain books elsewhere. Keep ebooks there, move affected print books to KDP Print, IngramSpark or BooksOasis, spread large catalogues across an aggregator, and add a direct store where every ebook sale is 100% yours.
Questions
What changed at Barnes & Noble Press in 2026?
In its May 2026 update, B&N Press set a minimum retail price of $14.99 for print books, limited accounts to 100 titles (print and ebook editions of a book count as one), and stopped accepting public-domain content. Royalty rates didn't change.
What royalty does B&N Press pay?
70% of the list price on ebooks priced at $0.99 or more, and 55% of the list price minus printing cost on paperbacks and hardcovers.
When does B&N Press pay?
Monthly, about 30 days after the end of the sales month, on the last Wednesday of the following month.
Why did B&N set a $14.99 print minimum?
Barnes & Noble cited increased shipping and printing costs. Titles priced below $14.99 were removed from sale by May 14, 2026 unless repriced.
What is the best alternative to B&N Press for print?
KDP Print for Amazon, IngramSpark for wide bookstore and library distribution, and a store that prints on demand with no minimum price, such as BooksOasis, for direct sales.
Can I keep my ebooks on B&N Press and print elsewhere?
Yes. Many authors keep ebooks on B&N Press, where the 70% rate from $0.99 is generous, and publish print through KDP or IngramSpark.
Do I need to leave B&N Press if I have more than 100 titles?
Titles beyond the cap may be removed at B&N's discretion. Authors with large catalogues often move part of their list to an aggregator or other platforms.
Can I still publish public-domain books anywhere?
Some platforms accept them with restrictions and lower royalties. Check each platform's content policy before uploading.
Does BooksOasis have a minimum print price?
BooksOasis sets no platform minimum. You set your price above the printing cost plus the 30% handling fee on that cost, and keep the rest.
Is B&N Press exclusive?
No. B&N Press doesn't require exclusivity, and the May 2026 update made no change to that.
Does the $14.99 minimum apply to ebooks?
No. The minimum applies to print books only. B&N Press ebooks can still be priced from $0.99 and earn 70%.
Do print and ebook editions count as two titles toward the 100 cap?
No. According to B&N Press, the print and digital formats of a book count as a single title toward the 100-title limit.
Print and ebook, no commission
List on BooksOasis from $29.99 a year and keep 100% of your ebook price.