Authors often assume flat fees are only for big sellers. The maths says otherwise. For most books with any steady readership, a low-cost flat plan pays for itself within weeks. This guide shows the numbers for different prices, plans and catalog sizes, so you can find your own break-even.
The break-even formula
Break-even sales per year = yearly plan cost ÷ (price × commission rate)
For example, on a $29.99 plan versus a 30% commission, with a $4.99 ebook: $29.99 ÷ ($4.99 × 0.30) = $29.99 ÷ $1.50 = about 20, so 21 sales a year.
After that, each additional sale earns $1.50 more on the flat plan than on the 30% platform.
Break-even by price and plan
These tables compare BooksOasis plans with a 30% commission, the share most retailers keep on the 70% rate.
| Ebook price | Commission per sale (30%) | Starter $29.99/yr | Growth $179/yr | Publisher $599/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.99 | $0.90 | 34 sales | 200 sales | 668 sales |
| $3.99 | $1.20 | 26 sales | 150 sales | 501 sales |
| $4.99 | $1.50 | 21 sales | 120 sales | 401 sales |
| $6.99 | $2.10 | 15 sales | 86 sales | 286 sales |
| $9.99 | $3.00 | 11 sales | 60 sales | 200 sales |
Sales per year across all books on the plan, rounded up. Compared against a 30% commission with no other fees.
Break-even against higher-fee platforms
Some platforms take more than 30% per sale, especially on low prices. The break-even comes even sooner against them.
| Compared with | Cost per $4.99 sale | Break-even on Starter ($29.99/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon at 35% (outside the 70% band) | $3.24 | 10 sales |
| An aggregator reaching retailers (about 40% in total) | $2.00 | 16 sales |
| Gumroad (10% + $0.50 plus processing) | $1.44 | 21 sales |
| A 70% retailer (30%) | $1.50 | 21 sales |
| Payhip free (5% plus processing) | $0.69 | 44 sales |
Example calculations. Processing modelled at 2.9% + $0.30.
Why a backlist makes flat plans stronger
A flat plan's cost is shared across every book you list. Each extra book adds sales toward the break-even without adding cost, up to the plan's limit.
| Books on Starter | Sales needed per book per year at $4.99 |
|---|---|
| 1 | 21 |
| 3 | 7 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 10 | 3 |
Rounded up. Compared with a 30% commission.
With ten books on a Starter plan, each book needs only about three sales a year at $4.99 to cover the plan.
Monthly or yearly?
Yearly plans cost much less. BooksOasis Starter is $9.99 a month or $29.99 a year, which saves about 75% over twelve months. That changes the break-even dramatically:
| Starter billing | Cost over 12 months | Break-even at $4.99 (vs 30%) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly ($9.99) | $119.88 | 81 sales a year |
| Yearly ($29.99) | $29.99 | 21 sales a year |
Monthly billing suits a short trial; yearly suits anyone planning to keep books listed.
Promotions and the break-even
Discounts reduce what a commission takes per sale, but they also reduce what you earn per sale. On a flat-fee store, a discounted sale still keeps its full, discounted price.
For example, during a promotion at $2.99, a 30% commission takes $0.90 of each sale. Selling 100 copies in a launch week means $90 kept by a commission platform, or $0 on a flat plan. Promotions push you past the break-even quickly.
Print and the break-even
Print adds a printing cost to every sale, whatever the platform. On BooksOasis, the printing cost and a handling fee of 30% of that cost come out of each print sale, and the rest is yours. Print sales therefore don't count toward an ebook-style break-even in the same way, but a direct print sale usually earns far more than the same sale through a retailer or trade distribution.
| $16.99 paperback, $5.00 printing | You earn |
|---|---|
| BooksOasis | $10.49 |
| KDP on Amazon.com (60%) | $5.19 |
| KDP Expanded Distribution (40%) | $1.80 |
Illustrative, using the same printing cost for comparison.
The break-even over several years
A flat plan's advantage grows over time, because the savings on each sale accumulate while the plan cost stays fixed. At 300 direct sales a year of a $4.99 ebook, the difference versus a 30% commission is about $419 in year one, and about $2,096 over five years. For a steadily selling backlist, that is real money kept, year after year.
What the break-even doesn't capture
The break-even compares costs on the same sales. It doesn't tell you where the sales come from. Retailers bring shoppers you might never reach on your own, so the fair way to use this maths is:
- For sales you drive yourself (newsletter, website, social media, events), a flat plan almost always wins past a small number of sales.
- For discovery by strangers, compare the audiences, not just the fees.
That is why most authors keep their retail listings and add a flat-fee store for the readers they bring.
Choosing the right tier
| Your catalog | Suggested plan | Yearly cost per book when full |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 books | Starter, $29.99/yr | About $3.00 |
| 11 to 100 books | Growth, $179/yr | About $1.79 |
| 101 to 500 books | Publisher, $599/yr | About $1.20 |
If you are just over a tier's limit, pay-as-you-go may be cheaper than moving up.
Pay-as-you-go listings
BooksOasis lets you add listing slots beyond your plan at any time, with no minimum. The yearly price per extra book falls as your plan grows:
| Your plan | Extra book, yearly | Extra book, monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5.99 | $2.19 |
| Growth | $4.99 | $1.79 |
| Publisher | $3.99 | $1.49 |
From the BooksOasis pricing page, September 2026.
An extra book at $5.99 a year covers itself, compared with a 30% commission, after five sales at $4.99.
If you don't reach the break-even
If a year's sales on the flat plan fall short of the break-even, a commission platform would have cost you less for those particular sales. That is the honest trade-off of any flat fee. Two things soften it: entry plans are priced low precisely so the risk is small, and books you list stay available to readers who discover you later.
What happens if your plan lapses
On BooksOasis, if you don't renew, your published books stay live and keep selling. Royalties from sales made while the plan has lapsed are held, not lost, and are paid once you renew. You can also delist any of your books yourself at any time.
How to reach the break-even faster
- Link to your flat-fee store in your newsletter, website and social profiles.
- Put a store link at the end of every book, where finished readers look for the next one.
- Run your launch promotions there, so launch-week sales keep their full price.
- List your whole series so readers can buy book two, three and four in the same place.
- Offer print editions on the same listing for readers who prefer paper.
Work out your own number
- Pick your typical ebook price.Use your most common price across your books.
- Pick the commission you are comparing with.30% for most retailers, more for aggregators or small-price sales.
- Divide the yearly plan cost by the commission per sale.That is your break-even.
- Compare with the sales you can direct.How many readers do you send to a store each year through your own channels?
- Check the calculator.Try the numbers in the ebook royalty calculator.
Three example authors
The first-time author
One book at $3.99, around 30 direct sales a year from friends, family and a small newsletter. Break-even on Starter is 26 sales, so the plan roughly pays for itself, with a little extra.
The series author
Five books at $4.99, around 300 direct sales a year. Break-even on Starter is 21 sales; the flat plan keeps about $420 more than a 30% commission would on those sales.
The small press
Sixty books at an average of $6.99, around 2,000 direct sales a year. Break-even on Growth is 86 sales; the flat plan keeps about $4,000 more than a 30% commission on those sales.
Illustrative figures, compared with a 30% commission.
Comparing flat plans with each other
Not all flat plans cost the same, and not all include the same things. For ebooks:
| Plan | Yearly cost | Ebooks included | Per-sale deductions on ebooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| BooksOasis Starter | $29.99 | Yes (up to 10 books) | None |
| Books.by Core | $99 | No, paperback only | Not applicable |
| Books.by Pro | $299 | Yes | 2.9% + $0.30 processing |
| Payhip Pro | $1,188 ($99/month) | Yes (files) | Processing |
Checked September 2026 on each platform's pricing page.
A cheaper plan with no per-sale deductions reaches its break-even much sooner.
Where BooksOasis fits
BooksOasis plans
- Starter $29.99/yr (10 books), Growth $179/yr (100), Publisher $599/yr (500), or monthly.
- 100% of every ebook sale, no processing cut; print at printing cost plus a 30% handling fee on that cost.
- Extra listings any time with pay-as-you-go, cheaper per book on bigger plans.
What it doesn't do: BooksOasis doesn't distribute to other retailers. Use it for the sales you can direct, alongside your retail listings.
See plans and pricingIn short
The break-even for a low-cost flat plan is usually a few dozen sales a year, and less for a backlist or higher prices. Past it, every sale keeps its full price. Use flat plans for the readers you bring, keep retailers for the readers they bring, and let the maths, not assumptions, decide your mix.
Questions
What is the break-even point for a flat publishing plan?
The number of sales at which the plan's cost equals what a percentage-based platform would have kept. On a $29.99 yearly plan, versus a 30% commission, it is about 21 sales a year at $4.99.
Does the break-even count sales per book or in total?
In total. A flat plan covers every book on it, so sales of all your books count toward the break-even.
Is a flat plan worth it for one book?
It can be. On BooksOasis Starter, one book selling around two copies a month at $4.99 covers the yearly plan compared with a 30% commission.
What if I sell less than the break-even?
Then a percentage platform would have cost you less for those sales. That is the trade-off of a flat fee, which is why entry plans are priced low.
Should I compare flat plans with retailers or with other direct stores?
Both, but remember retailers bring their own readers. The fairest comparison is for sales you drive yourself, such as to your newsletter readers.
Do BooksOasis plans limit how many copies I can sell?
No. A plan limits only how many books you can list at once. Sales and earnings are unlimited, and the plan price stays the same.
Can I start on Starter and upgrade later?
Yes. You can subscribe to a bigger tier at any time from your dashboard, and pay-as-you-go slots can be added to any plan.
Is the break-even different for print books?
Print sales include a printing cost on every platform, so the comparison is per copy rather than a simple break-even. Direct print sales usually earn much more per copy than retail or trade distribution.
Which is cheaper, monthly or yearly billing?
Yearly. On BooksOasis, each yearly plan saves about 75% compared with paying monthly for a full year, which also lowers your break-even.
Does BooksOasis take anything from ebook sales?
No. You keep 100% of the ebook price, with no commission and no processing cut. The flat plan is the only cost.
What counts as a sale toward the break-even?
Every ebook sold on the flat-fee store, of any book on your plan. Print sales earn you the sale price minus printing and handling, and are best compared per copy.
See where your break-even lands
BooksOasis plans from $29.99 a year, 100% of ebook sales.