Print on demand made paperbacks possible for every self-published author: no print runs, no boxes in the garage, no upfront cost. The trade-off is a higher cost per copy than offset printing, taken out of every sale. Knowing how that cost is calculated helps you choose a trim size, set a sensible price and avoid books that earn almost nothing per copy.
KDP's printing cost formula (Amazon.com)
| Ink and trim | Page range | Cost per book |
|---|---|---|
| Black, regular trim | 24 to 110 | $2.30 flat |
| Black, regular trim | 110 to 828 | $1.00 + $0.012 per page |
| Black, large trim | 24 to 110 | $2.84 flat |
| Black, large trim | 110 to 828 | $1.00 + $0.017 per page |
| Standard color, regular trim | 72 to 600 | $1.00 + $0.0255 per page |
| Standard color, large trim | 72 to 600 | $1.00 + $0.0402 per page |
| Premium color, regular trim | 24 to 40 | $3.60 flat |
| Premium color, regular trim | 42 to 828 | $1.00 + $0.065 per page |
| Premium color, large trim | 24 to 40 | $4.20 flat |
| Premium color, large trim | 42 to 828 | $1.00 + $0.08 per page |
Paperback costs from KDP's printing cost help page, Amazon.com marketplace. Large trim means wider than 6.12 inches or taller than 9 inches. Hardcovers have their own, higher costs.
Worked examples
| Pages | Black, regular | Black, large | Standard color | Premium color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $2.30 | $2.84 | $3.55 | $7.50 |
| 200 | $3.40 | $4.40 | $6.10 | $14.00 |
| 300 | $4.60 | $6.10 | $8.65 | $20.50 |
| 400 | $5.80 | $7.80 | $11.20 | $27.00 |
| 600 | $8.20 | $11.20 | $16.30 | $40.00 |
Two lessons jump out. Color is expensive: a 200-page premium color book costs about as much to print as many paperbacks sell for. And a large trim adds about a third to the cost of a long black-ink book.
What you earn on KDP
On Amazon.com, KDP pays 60% of the list price minus printing for paperbacks priced at $9.99 or more, 50% below $9.99, and 40% through Expanded Distribution.
| 300-page black-ink paperback ($4.60 to print) | List price | You earn |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com, 60% | $9.99 | $1.39 |
| Amazon.com, 60% | $14.99 | $4.39 |
| Expanded Distribution, 40% | $14.99 | $1.40 |
Example calculations: royalty rate × list price − printing cost.
Minimum list prices
Every platform sets a floor so your royalty can't go below zero. On KDP, the minimum is roughly the printing cost divided by the royalty rate. For the 300-page example at $4.60:
- At the 50% rate (below $9.99), the minimum is about $9.20.
- At the 60% rate, the break-even is about $7.67, but prices below $9.99 fall into the 50% rate, so $9.20 is the practical floor.
At the minimum you earn nothing, so real prices sit well above it. Check the floor again whenever you change page count or trim, since both move the printing cost and the minimum with it.
How other platforms charge
| Platform | How your print earnings are calculated | Minimum price |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 60% (at $9.99+) or 50% of list, minus printing; 40% via Expanded Distribution | About printing ÷ royalty rate |
| Barnes & Noble Press | 55% of list, minus printing | $14.99 since May 2026 |
| IngramSpark | List minus your chosen wholesale discount, minus printing, minus 1.875% of list | Must cover discount, printing and fee |
| BooksOasis | List minus printing, minus a 30% handling fee on the printing cost | Printing cost plus 30%, shown in your dashboard |
The same book on four platforms
To compare fairly, here's the 300-page paperback assuming a $4.60 printing cost everywhere. Real costs differ a little by printer, so treat this as an illustration of how each model works.
| Platform | List price | Calculation | You earn |
|---|---|---|---|
| KDP (Amazon.com) | $14.99 | 60% of $14.99 − $4.60 | $4.39 |
| B&N Press | $14.99 | 55% of $14.99 − $4.60 | $3.64 |
| IngramSpark, 55% discount | $16.99 | $16.99 × 45% − $4.60 − 1.875% of $16.99 | $2.73 |
| IngramSpark, 40% discount | $16.99 | $16.99 × 60% − $4.60 − 1.875% of $16.99 | $5.28 |
| BooksOasis | $14.99 | $14.99 − $4.60 − $1.38 handling | $9.01 |
Example calculations with an assumed printing cost. On BooksOasis, the reader pays shipping; the publisher's plan is a flat yearly fee.
The difference comes from the model. Retailers keep a percentage of the list price on top of printing; a flat-fee store takes a fixed handling fee on the printing cost and leaves the rest of the price to you.
What drives your page count
Because black-ink costs rise per page, small layout choices change your cost on every copy for the life of the book.
| Choice | Effect on pages |
|---|---|
| Trim size | A 6x9 page holds much more text than 5x8 |
| Font size | 11pt versus 12pt can change length noticeably |
| Line spacing | Generous spacing adds pages |
| Margins | Wide margins add pages, but too narrow hurts reading |
| Chapter starts | Starting every chapter on a right-hand page adds blank pages |
| Front and back matter | Every extra page counts |
Don't squeeze a book until it's unpleasant to read; readers notice. But a well-set 6x9 page can save many pages over a loosely set 5x8, and every page saved is $0.012 back on each KDP copy. See book trim sizes and book print margins.
Color: when it's worth it
- Children's picture books are short, so color costs stay manageable at 24 to 40 pages.
- Cookbooks and art books often need color, and readers expect higher prices.
- Non-fiction with a few charts usually works better in black ink with clear grayscale graphics.
- Standard color on KDP costs well under half of premium color per page, if its quality suits your book.
Hardcovers
Hardcovers cost noticeably more to print than paperbacks of the same length, because of the case binding and board. On KDP they have their own cost table and royalty rules. They make sense when readers expect a premium edition, such as gift books, flagship non-fiction or collector editions of a series, and priced accordingly. See paperback vs hardcover profit for the numbers.
Pricing print against your ebook
Your print price also affects your ebook royalties elsewhere. Kobo pays 70% on ebooks only if the ebook is at least 20% cheaper than every print edition, and Amazon also has its own list-price requirements for the 70% option. So when printing costs push your paperback up, check that the gap to your ebook price still works:
| Paperback price | Ebook must be at most (for Kobo's 70%) |
|---|---|
| $12.99 | $10.39 |
| $14.99 | $11.99 |
| $17.99 | $14.39 |
Readers expect a clear step between formats anyway: ebook cheapest, paperback in the middle, hardcover at the top.
Three authors, three decisions
A fantasy author with a 620-page epic moved from 5.5x8.5 to 6x9 and tightened the layout, cutting the book to about 480 pages and saving about $1.68 on every KDP copy.
A cookbook author tested standard color against premium color, found standard color acceptable for her photos, and cut her printing cost by more than half.
A poet with a 90-page collection accepted the $2.30 flat cost on KDP and priced at $9.99 there, while pricing the same book at $10.99 on BooksOasis, where the handling fee on a small printing cost is modest and most of the price is hers.
Author copies and proofs
Most platforms let you order your own copies at printing cost plus shipping, which is useful for events, reviewers and signed copies. A printed proof before publishing is worth the small cost: it catches cover alignment, margin and image problems no screen preview shows, and lets you judge paper, font size and spine text in your own hands.
Print on BooksOasis
BooksOasis is an independent bookstore for ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers. For print, you add a page count and trim size to an edition and the dashboard quotes the printing cost and your minimum price (that cost plus 30%). Everything above the minimum is yours, and the reader pays shipping.
- Five trim sizes: 5x8, 5.5x8.5, 6x9, 7x10 and 8.5x11 inches.
- Page counts: paperbacks 32 to 800 pages, hardcovers 24 to 800.
- Print promotions can't go below the minimum that covers printing.
What BooksOasis does not do
- It doesn't distribute print books to other retailers or bookstores.
- It doesn't do offset print runs; every copy is printed on demand.
- The plan costs a flat fee whether or not you sell.
Sources
Checked September 2026: KDP printing cost; KDP paperback royalty; B&N Press May 2026 updates; B&N Press payments.
In short
Print-on-demand cost is page count × ink × trim. On KDP, a 300-page black-ink paperback costs about $4.60, color costs several times more, and large trims add about a third. Keep books black-ink and regular trim where you can, set layouts that don't waste pages, price well above the minimum, and compare how each platform takes its share, because the model matters more than the printing cost itself.
Questions
How much does print on demand cost per book?
It depends on page count, ink and trim size. On KDP (Amazon.com), a black-ink paperback in a regular trim costs $2.30 for up to 110 pages, and $1.00 plus $0.012 per page from 110 to 828 pages. A 300-page novel costs about $4.60 to print.
Why does color cost so much more?
Color printing uses more ink and slower processes. On KDP, premium color in a regular trim costs $1.00 plus $0.065 per page from 42 pages, so a 200-page color book costs about $14 to print.
What counts as a large trim size on KDP?
Books wider than 6.12 inches or taller than 9 inches. Large trims cost more per page: $0.017 per page for black ink versus $0.012 for regular trims.
What is the minimum list price on KDP?
Roughly the printing cost divided by your royalty rate, so your royalty never goes below zero. A 300-page black-ink paperback costing $4.60 needs a list price of about $9.20 at the 50% rate.
How much do I earn on a KDP paperback?
On Amazon.com, 60% of the list price minus printing at $9.99 and above, 50% below $9.99, and 40% through Expanded Distribution. A 300-page paperback at $14.99 earns about $4.39.
Does B&N Press have a minimum price for print?
Yes. Since May 2026, B&N Press print books must be priced at $14.99 or more. Royalty is 55% of list price minus printing.
How does IngramSpark calculate print earnings?
You set a wholesale discount for retailers; your compensation is the list price minus that discount, minus printing, minus a market access fee of 1.875% of list price.
How do print costs work on BooksOasis?
The publisher dashboard quotes the printing cost for each print edition from its page count, trim and format. You earn the list price minus that cost and a 30% handling fee on the cost, and the reader pays shipping.
Do I pay anything upfront for print on demand?
Not on KDP, B&N Press or BooksOasis: printing is deducted from each sale. You may choose to buy author copies or proofs, which you pay for.
How can I lower my printing cost?
Reduce page count sensibly (trim size, font size, margins and line spacing all affect it), use black ink where color isn't essential, and choose a regular trim size.
Is a 6x9 book cheaper to print than 5x8?
Per page, both are regular trims on KDP at $0.012 per page. But a 6x9 page holds more text, so the same book usually has fewer pages and costs less to print.
Does print on demand cost more than offset printing?
Per copy, yes. Offset printing is cheaper per book in large runs but needs money upfront and storage. Print on demand costs more per copy but has no upfront cost, no stock and no waste.
Sell print without a commission
On BooksOasis you earn the price minus printing and a 30% handling fee on that cost.