This guide collects the conditions that sit behind the royalty rates, platform by platform, so the number in your report matches the number you expected.
The conditions, platform by platform
| Platform | Headline | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 70% | $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com (from July 7, 2026); 70% territories only; minus delivery costs; on price without VAT; in-copyright works only |
| Kobo Writing Life | 70% | $2.99 USD or more; ebook at least 20% below every print edition; otherwise 45%; public domain 20% |
| Barnes & Noble Press | 70% | Ebooks from $0.99; public-domain content not accepted since May 2026 |
| Apple Books | 70% | At all prices |
| Draft2Digital | About 60% | Keeps about 10% of retail at most stores; $20 activation fee for new accounts; $12 yearly fee unless you earned $100+ |
| Smashwords Store | 75% | At $2.99 and up; 40% below (from January 1, 2026) |
| BooksOasis | 100% | Flat yearly plan; no commission or processing cut on ebooks |
KDP's 70% territories
KDP pays 70% only on sales to customers in its 70% territories, a list of countries on KDP's pricing pages. A sale of the same book to a customer outside those territories earns 35%. If you have many readers in countries outside the list, your average royalty will sit below 70% even when every book is priced inside the band.
Delivery costs
On the 70% option, Amazon deducts a delivery charge for each copy, based on the ebook's file size. On Amazon.com it's $0.15 per megabyte. Amazon says the average is about $0.06 per unit.
| File size | Delivery charge (Amazon.com) | Royalty on a $4.99 ebook |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 MB | $0.08 | $3.42 |
| 1 MB | $0.15 | $3.34 |
| 5 MB | $0.75 | $2.74 |
| 10 MB | $1.50 | $1.99 |
Example calculations: 70% × $4.99 − $0.15 × file size, rounded. Delivery charges differ by marketplace.
Novels are usually small files. Image-heavy books (cookbooks, children's books, photo-rich non-fiction) can lose a large share of the royalty to delivery, and sometimes earn more on the 35% option, which has no delivery charge. Compress images before uploading.
VAT
In marketplaces where VAT applies, KDP pays its percentage on the list price without VAT. So if a reader in a VAT country pays a price that includes VAT, your 70% is calculated on the smaller, pre-tax amount. This is why royalties from those marketplaces look lower than a simple 70% of the displayed price.
Price matching
If Amazon lowers your price to match a lower price elsewhere, including a free or discounted price at another store, your royalty is based on Amazon's sale price, not your list price. A book listed at $4.99 but matched to $0.99 earns 70% of $0.99, minus delivery. If you run a promotion at another store, expect Amazon to follow it, and end promotions everywhere at the same time.
Price bands
| Price | KDP (Amazon.com) | Kobo | Apple | B&N Press |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.99 | 35% | 45% | 70% | 70% |
| $2.99 to $12.99 | 70% | 70%* | 70% | 70% |
| $14.99 | 35% | 70%* | 70% | 70% |
*If the ebook is at least 20% below every print edition.
A $0.99 promotion costs you more on Amazon and Kobo than on Apple or B&N. A $14.99 ebook earns 35% on Amazon but 70% elsewhere. See how to price an ebook.
Kobo's 20% print rule
Kobo's agreement requires an ebook to be priced at least 20% below every print edition to earn 70%. A $12.99 ebook with a $14.99 paperback is only about 13% cheaper and earns 45%. At $11.99, it qualifies. Recheck this whenever you change a print price.
Public-domain works
If you publish classics, annotated editions or translations of public-domain texts, rates change sharply: KDP pays only 35% on public-domain works, Kobo pays 20%, and B&N Press stopped accepting public-domain content in May 2026. Substantial original additions (new translations, annotations, introductions) may be treated differently; read each platform's policy.
Aggregator shares and fees
When you reach stores through an aggregator, the store's percentage applies first and the aggregator takes its share next. Draft2Digital keeps about 10% of the retail price, so a store paying 70% becomes about 60% for you. Since 2026, it also charges new accounts a one-time $20 activation fee and all accounts a $12 yearly fee unless they earned $100 or more in the previous twelve months. See aggregator vs direct publishing.
Payment timing and thresholds
| Platform | When you're paid |
|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | Monthly, about 60 days after the end of the sales month, per marketplace |
| Kobo Writing Life | Monthly, within 45 days after the end of the month |
| B&N Press | Monthly, about 30 days after the end of the sales month |
Most platforms also set minimum payout thresholds, which differ by payment method and currency. A sale in January may not reach your bank until March or later, which matters for cash flow around a launch.
Currency conversion
Royalties are earned in each marketplace's currency and converted when you're paid. Exchange rates and bank charges can shave a little off, especially if you're paid by bank transfer in a different currency. Where a platform offers payment in your own currency, it's usually worth choosing.
Withholding tax
US-based platforms may withhold US tax from royalties paid to authors outside the US unless they complete the platform's tax interview. Where the US has a tax treaty with your country, the withholding rate can be reduced or removed. Complete the tax interview before your first sale, keep a copy, and ask a tax professional about how your royalties are taxed where you live.
Returns
When a reader returns an ebook, the royalty for that sale is reversed. That's why royalty totals can differ slightly from order counts, and why a report can show a small negative line in a slow month.
Subscription reads
Kindle Unlimited pays from a monthly fund per page read, and the per-page rate changes each month. Kobo Plus pays a share of its pool based on minutes read. Neither is a fixed royalty, so subscription income varies month to month even if reading stays steady. See KDP Select vs wide.
Reading your first royalty report
When the numbers look lower than expected, work through the causes in order:
- Which marketplace?Sales in VAT marketplaces are paid on the pre-VAT price.
- Which territory?Customers outside KDP's 70% territories earn 35%.
- What price?A price match or promotion changes the base.
- What file size?Delivery charges come off each 70% sale.
- Any returns?Reversed royalties appear as negative lines.
- Through an aggregator?Its share comes off after the store's.
Usually, the gap between the headline and the report is explained by one of these.
Promotions and the fine print
Promotions interact with every rule above. Dropping a book to $0.99 moves it out of KDP's 70% band and Kobo's 70% threshold, so each sale earns far less than the discount suggests. Discounting at one store invites price matching at another. And a promotion that runs past the month end splits across two reports. Plan promotions with the rules in mind: short, coordinated across stores, and priced where the royalty still makes sense.
What you actually keep: an example
A $4.99 ebook, 2 MB file, sold on Amazon.com to a US reader, earns 70% × $4.99 − $0.30 = $3.19. The same book sold through an aggregator to Apple earns about 60%, or $2.99. Sold directly on Apple, $3.49. Sold on BooksOasis, $4.99, with the plan cost spread across the year's sales.
BooksOasis: fewer conditions
BooksOasis is an independent bookstore for ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers. Its model is simple: a flat yearly plan, and 100% of the ebook price on every sale there, with no commission, no processing cut and no delivery charge. Print editions earn the price minus printing and a 30% handling fee on that cost.
The conditions that do apply
- You pay the plan whether or not you sell: Starter $29.99 a year for 10 books, Growth $179 for 100, Publisher $599 for 500.
- If a plan lapses, books keep selling and royalties are held until you renew.
- Listings go through a moderation review, and publishers must be 18 or over.
- It's one more store; it doesn't distribute to other retailers.
A checklist before you publish
- Price inside each platform's 70% band.
- Keep the ebook at least 20% below print for Kobo.
- Compress images to limit KDP delivery charges.
- Complete tax interviews on every platform.
- Choose payment in your own currency where possible.
- Coordinate promotions across stores to avoid price matching.
- Keep a record of each store's rates at your current prices.
Sources
Checked September 2026: KDP ebook royalties; KDP list price requirements; Kobo Writing Life agreement; B&N Press May 2026 updates; Smashwords Store 2026 rates.
In short
A 70% royalty is 70% of a specific price, in specific countries, under specific conditions: inside the band, in-copyright, before VAT, minus delivery, and on the matched price if a store matches you. Know the rules for each store, price and format accordingly, and your reports will hold no surprises.
Questions
Does KDP really pay 70%?
On eligible sales. KDP pays 70% of the list price without VAT, minus delivery costs, on in-copyright ebooks priced within the band and sold to customers in its 70% territories. Other sales earn 35%.
What are KDP's 70% territories?
A list of countries on KDP's pricing pages. Sales to customers outside those territories earn 35%, even if your book qualifies for 70% elsewhere.
Is the royalty calculated before or after VAT?
After. KDP pays on the list price without VAT in marketplaces where VAT applies, so your royalty is a percentage of a smaller number than the price the reader sees.
What happens when Amazon price-matches my book?
If Amazon lowers your price to match another store, your royalty is based on Amazon's lower sale price, not your list price.
Do public-domain books earn 70%?
Not on KDP: public-domain works are only eligible for the 35% option. Kobo pays 20% on public-domain ebooks, and B&N Press no longer accepts public-domain content.
What is Kobo's 20% rule?
To earn 70% on Kobo, your ebook must be priced at least 20% below every print edition. Otherwise it earns 45%.
How long until I'm paid?
KDP pays about 60 days after the end of the sales month; Kobo within 45 days; B&N Press about 30 days. Aggregators have their own schedules and thresholds.
Is tax withheld from my royalties?
US platforms may withhold US tax from authors outside the US unless they complete the platform's tax interview. A tax treaty between the US and your country can reduce or remove withholding.
Do returns reduce my royalties?
Yes. When a reader returns an ebook, the royalty for that sale is reversed.
Is there fine print on BooksOasis royalties?
The main condition is the plan: you keep 100% of the ebook price on sales there, with no processing cut, for a flat yearly fee. If a plan lapses, books keep selling and royalties are held until it's renewed.
How much does KDP charge for delivery?
On Amazon.com, $0.15 per megabyte of file size on each 70% sale. Amazon says the average is about $0.06 per unit. The 35% option has no delivery charge.
Why are my royalties lower than 70% of my price?
Usually one of these: VAT (royalties are paid on the pre-VAT price), sales outside KDP's 70% territories, delivery costs, a price match, returns, or an aggregator's share.
A royalty with no fine print
Keep 100% of your ebook price on BooksOasis, for a flat yearly plan.