How to Publish a Book on Amazon in 2026

ByGulfam Haidar

To publish a book on Amazon, make a free Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account. Upload your book file and cover, set your price, then click Publish. It costs nothing to publish. From 7 July 2026, eBooks priced $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com can earn the 70% royalty. Once your book is live, it can take up to 72 hours to show in search.

Key facts

  • Publishing on KDP costs $0. You pay only for printing, taken out of each print sale.
  • eBook royalty: 70% for list prices of $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com since 7 July 2026, otherwise 35%.
  • Paperback and hardcover royalty: 60% at $9.99 or more, 50% at $9.98 or less, minus printing cost.
  • KDP pays about 60 days after the end of the month in which you made the sale.
  • Each account can publish up to 3 new titles per day.

This guide shows how to publish a book on Amazon from a blank KDP account to your first royalty payment. It covers every screen, the real math per copy, and the mistakes that get books blocked. Anyone can self publish on Amazon without an agent or a publisher. We have run Amazon accounts since 2019, and KDP catalogs are part of that work.

What changed on KDP in 2026?

The biggest change is the eBook royalty band. Since 7 July 2026, eBooks priced from $2.99 to $12.99 on Amazon.com qualify for 70%. The old ceiling was $9.99, and most guides still quote it.

Your old books do not move up on their own. Third-party author sites report that you must reprice and resubmit each title to use the new band.

Four other changes matter to a first-time author:

  • Paperback 50% tier. Print books at $9.98 or less earn 50% instead of 60%. Author trade sites date this to June 2025.
  • Kindle Translate. Amazon’s free AI translation for KDP authors covers English to and from Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese, per Amazon. Translated titles carry a label in the store.
  • DRM-free downloads. Author trade sites report that readers can download DRM-free Kindle books as EPUB or PDF files. This applies to titles published after 9 December 2025. DRM is copy protection, and you choose it per book.
  • Kindle Vella is gone. Amazon closed its serial story app in February 2025, so KDP now means eBooks, paperbacks and hardcovers.

How to publish a book on Amazon: what you need first

Gather seven things before you open KDP, because missing any one of them stalls the upload halfway through.

  • A finished, edited manuscript (Word, EPUB or KPF for eBooks; a print-ready PDF for paperbacks).
  • A cover: a JPG for the eBook and a full wrap PDF for print.
  • A book description of a few short paragraphs.
  • Up to 7 keywords or short phrases readers type into Amazon.
  • Your main categories.
  • A bank account for direct deposit.
  • Your tax ID: a Social Security number or EIN in the US, or your foreign tax number.

Step 1: Create your KDP account and finish the tax interview

Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with an Amazon account, or create a new one. Then open “Your Account” and fill in your name, address, bank details and tax information.

The tax interview is a short online form, and US authors complete a W-9. Most non-US authors complete a W-8BEN, which sets how much US tax Amazon withholds. Without a treaty claim, that withholding can reach 30%. Finish this step first, because KDP will not pay you until it is done.

Step 2: Enter your book details

On the Bookshelf, click “Create” and pick Kindle eBook, Paperback or Hardcover. Start with the eBook, because it is the fastest to approve and fix. The first tab asks for your book details.

  • Title and subtitle. They must match the cover, so keep keyword stuffing out of the subtitle.
  • Author name. Use the name on the cover, and a pen name is fine.
  • Description. This is your sales page text, so lead with the problem or hook, not your bio.
  • Keywords. KDP gives you 7 boxes. Use phrases buyers type, not single words you already have in the title. Our guide to Amazon keyword research shows how to find them.
  • Categories. Pick up to three that match the book. A wrong category buries a book and can trigger a review.
  • AI content question. Answer it honestly (more on this below).

Step 3: Upload your manuscript and cover

The second tab takes your files. For an eBook, upload a Word file, EPUB or KPF (the file Kindle Create makes). Then upload a JPG cover or build one in Cover Creator.

Open the online Previewer before you move on. Check the table of contents, chapter breaks, images and the first page on phone and tablet views. In the catalogs we manage, most rejections at this stage come from three causes:

  • The title or author name on the cover does not match the Details tab.
  • The file has blank pages, broken links or text cut off at the margins.
  • The book is mostly public domain text with nothing new added.

AI disclosure. KDP asks whether the book contains AI content. Its rules split this into two kinds. “AI-generated” means an AI tool created the text, images or translation, even if you edited it heavily. You must disclose that. “AI-assisted” means you wrote it and used AI to edit or brainstorm. That needs no disclosure.

Step 4: Choose an ISBN

An ISBN is the 13-digit number that identifies one edition of a book. KDP says you do not need one for an eBook, since Amazon assigns its own ASIN (Amazon’s product ID). Print books do need one, and each format needs its own.

You enter it on the paperback or hardcover Content tab, where you can take a free KDP ISBN or enter one you bought.

Question Free KDP ISBN Your own ISBN (Bowker in the US)
Cost $0 About $125 for one or $295 for ten (Bowker list price, check before buying)
Imprint shown on Amazon “Independently published” Your publisher name
Where you can use it KDP only Any printer or store
Needed for eBooks? No No
One per format? Yes Yes
Main risk Cannot move the edition to another printer Imprint must match your Bowker record exactly

If you only plan to sell on Amazon, the free ISBN is fine, but if you want bookstores or a second printer, buy your own. Enter the imprint exactly as Bowker lists it, or KDP will flag the mismatch.

Step 5: Set your price and royalty

The third tab is Pricing. Here you pick your royalty plan and list price, and you see your royalty per sale update as you type. The rules below apply on Amazon.com.

Format Price range Royalty Costs taken out
eBook, 70% plan $2.99 to $12.99 70% Delivery fee, $0.15 per MB
eBook, 35% plan $0.99 to $200 35% None
Paperback $9.99 and up 60% Printing cost
Paperback Up to $9.98 50% Printing cost
Hardcover $9.99 and up 60% Printing cost
Print via Expanded Distribution Any 40% Printing cost

The 70% plan also has limits. It pays 70% only in certain stores, and public domain books cannot use it. The eBook delivery fee is $0.15 per MB on Amazon.com.

Worked example 1: a $12.99 eBook. Say your file is 1 MB, so delivery costs $0.15.

  • 70% plan: 0.70 x ($12.99 minus $0.15) = 0.70 x $12.84 = $8.99 per sale.
  • 35% plan: 0.35 x $12.99 = $4.55 per sale.

Before 7 July 2026, this price sat outside the 70% band. The same book now earns $4.44 more per copy. Pricing higher does not always help: a $14.99 eBook falls back to 35% and earns $5.25.

Worked example 2: the one-cent paperback trap. Take a 200-page black ink paperback. Printing costs $1.00 + 200 x $0.012 = $3.40.

  • At $9.98: 0.50 x $9.98 = $4.99, minus $3.40 = $1.59.
  • At $9.99: 0.60 x $9.99 = $5.99, minus $3.40 = $2.59.

One extra cent on the price adds $1.00 to every sale.

Worked example 3: a 300-page paperback at $14.99. Printing costs $1.00 + 300 x $0.012 = $4.60. Your royalty is 0.60 x $14.99 = $8.99, minus $4.60 = $4.39 on Amazon. The same copy sold through Expanded Distribution earns 0.40 x $14.99 minus $4.60 = $1.40.

Should you enroll in KDP Select or sell everywhere?

The KDP Select checkbox sits at the top of the same Pricing tab. KDP Select is a free 90-day deal: your eBook is sold only on Amazon, and in return it joins Kindle Unlimited. That is Amazon’s reading subscription, which pays authors per page read (called KENP) from a shared monthly fund.

Question KDP Select Publishing wide
Where the eBook sells Amazon only Amazon plus Apple, Kobo, Google Play and others
Kindle Unlimited page reads Yes No
Promotions Free Book Promotions or Kindle Countdown Deals Only your own price changes
Term 90 days, renews unless you uncheck it No term
Print books affected? No, eBook only No
Best fit Fiction series, romance, fantasy, fast readers Authors with readers on other stores or library plans

In the author catalogs we see, genre fiction with heavy readers tends to earn more in Select. Nonfiction and literary titles often do fine wide. Treat that as a pattern, not a rule, and test one 90-day term first.

Step 6: Add a paperback and a hardcover

Once your eBook is live, go back to the Bookshelf and add a paperback, then a hardcover. KDP copies your details, so you only redo the content and pricing tabs. You upload a print-ready interior PDF and a full wrap cover, and you order a proof copy to check the print. KDP links the formats on one Amazon page.

Printing cost is taken out of every print sale. These are the US paperback printing costs and the hardcover costs:

Format and ink Page range Printing cost per copy
Paperback, black ink 24 to 108 pages $2.30 flat
Paperback, black ink 110 to 828 pages $1.00 + $0.012 per page
Paperback, standard color 72 to 600 pages $1.00 + $0.0255 per page
Paperback, premium color 24 to 40 pages $3.60 flat
Paperback, premium color 42 to 828 pages $1.00 + $0.065 per page
Hardcover, black ink 110 to 550 pages $5.65 + $0.012 per page

A 300-page hardcover costs $5.65 + $3.60 = $9.25 to print. At $24.99 it earns 0.60 x $24.99 = $14.99, minus $9.25 = $5.74. Color is where authors lose money. A 150-page premium color paperback costs $10.75 to print, so it needs a high price to earn anything.

How long does it take to publish a book on Amazon?

Plan on 3 to 5 days from clicking Publish to a live, searchable book, and about two more months to get paid. Here is the typical path for a first title:

Stage Typical time Source
Account and tax interview Under 1 hour Our experience
Review after you click Publish Up to 72 hours, often faster Widely reported by authors; KDP says times vary
Live but not yet in search Up to 72 hours KDP Help
Proof copy for print Printing plus shipping time Varies by address
First payment About 60 days after the month ends KDP Help

So a book you publish on 5 October earns royalties that month, and KDP pays them near the end of December. Direct deposit has no minimum, while wire and check payments need $100. Expanded Distribution sales pay after about 90 days.

How much does it really cost to publish a book on Amazon?

KDP itself charges nothing, so you can publish a book on Amazon for free. When you self publish, the real costs come from the work around the book. Reedsy’s marketplace data (August 2026) shows these market prices:

  • Copy editing an 80,000-word book: about $2,160.
  • Cover design: a median of $930.
  • A full professional package: about $2,940 to $5,660.

Add your own ISBNs if you want them, a few proof copies, and an ad budget. Three budget levels we see:

Budget level What you pay for Rough total
Free Your own editing and a Cover Creator cover $0 plus proof copies
Lean A pro cover, a proofread, free KDP ISBN Around $1,000 to $2,000 (market range)
Professional Full editing, custom cover, own ISBNs, launch ads $3,000 to $6,000 or more (market range)

Keep in mind that a cheap cover often costs more in lost sales than it saves.

After you publish: how do you get your book seen?

A live book gets few sales on its own, so the next job is traffic. Four tools do most of the work:

  • Author Central. Claim your author page, add a photo and a bio, then link all your books.
  • A+ Content for books. KDP lets you add images and comparison modules below the description. Our A+ Content examples show layouts that read well on phones.
  • Amazon Ads. Sponsored Products ads put your book on search results and on other book pages. Start small, with a few exact keywords, and read our Amazon PPC strategy guide for budgets and bids.
  • Reviews, the compliant way. Send advance copies and ask for honest reviews. Never pay for reviews or trade them with other authors, because Amazon removes them.

If you also sell other products, our guide on how to sell books on Amazon covers used books and Seller Central.

Mistakes that get books blocked or buried

Most blocks come from a short list of errors, and first-time authors who self publish hit the same ones. Each one is easy to avoid if you know it before you upload.

  • Skipping the AI disclosure. If AI wrote the text or made the cover, say so. A false answer puts the book and your account at risk.
  • Imprint mismatch. With your own ISBN, the imprint must match the Bowker record letter for letter.
  • Keyword stuffing. Long lists of phrases in the title or subtitle get flagged. Keep them in the 7 keyword boxes.
  • Brand names and author names in keywords. Using trademarks or other authors’ names breaks KDP rules.
  • Wrong category. A cookbook placed in thrillers annoys readers and hurts your ranking.
  • Too many uploads at once. KDP caps new titles at 3 per day, per the Authors Guild. Mass uploading low-content books draws reviews.
  • Old royalty math. Many authors still price at $9.99 out of habit. Test $10.99 to $12.99 now that 70% covers it.

Where this advice could be wrong

Every number above is for Amazon.com in US dollars. Royalty bands, delivery fees and printing costs differ in the UK, Europe, Japan and other stores, so check the KDP Help page for your market.

KDP also changes its rules often. The 70% band moved in July 2026, and print royalties changed in 2025. Recheck prices on the pricing tab before you publish. Treat our Select versus wide view as a pattern from the catalogs we see, not a law.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to publish a book on Amazon?

Yes. KDP charges no fee to create an account, upload a book or list it for sale. Amazon earns its share from each sale instead. Print books have printing costs, but KDP takes those out of each sale, not upfront. Your real costs are optional extras like editing, a cover and ads.

How much does Amazon pay authors per book?

It depends on format and price. A $12.99 eBook with a 1 MB file earns about $8.99 on the 70% plan. A 300-page black ink paperback at $14.99 earns $4.39 after printing. The same eBook on the 35% plan earns only $4.55.

How long does it take to publish a book on Amazon?

Authors widely report that most books go live within 72 hours of clicking Publish. KDP then says a live book can take up to 72 more hours to show in search. Setting up the account takes under an hour. Your first payment arrives about 60 days after the end of the month of sale.

Do I need an ISBN to publish on Amazon?

Not for an eBook, because Amazon gives it an ASIN. Paperbacks and hardcovers need an ISBN, one per format. KDP offers a free one that works only on KDP and shows “Independently published”. Buy your own from Bowker if you want your imprint name or other printers.

Should I choose the 35% or 70% royalty?

Choose 70% if your eBook price sits between $2.99 and $12.99 on Amazon.com. It pays twice as much per sale, minus a small delivery fee. Use 35% only for prices outside that band, very large files or public domain books, which cannot use the 70% plan.

Should I enroll in KDP Select?

Enroll if your readers live on Kindle Unlimited, as they often do in romance, fantasy and thrillers. Select locks your eBook to Amazon for 90 days. Stay wide if you have readers on Apple Books, Kobo or library apps. Print formats are never affected.

Can I publish an AI-written book on Amazon?

Yes, but you must tell KDP. Text, images or translations made by an AI tool count as AI-generated, even after heavy editing. If you wrote the book and used AI only to edit or brainstorm, KDP calls that AI-assisted, and no disclosure is needed. A false answer risks removal.

How many books can I publish per day?

KDP limits each account to 3 new titles per day. Amazon added the cap in September 2023 to slow mass uploads of low-quality books. It confirmed the limit to the Authors Guild. Most authors never reach it, but publishing houses and low-content sellers should plan uploads around it.

When does KDP pay authors?

KDP pays about 60 days after the end of each month. October sales arrive near the end of December. Direct deposit has no minimum, so small balances still pay out. Wire transfers and checks wait until you reach $100. Expanded Distribution sales pay after roughly 90 days.

Can I publish a hardcover on KDP?

Yes. KDP prints hardcovers from 110 to 550 pages in black ink. Printing costs $5.65 plus $0.012 per page, so a 300-page book costs $9.25. Hardcovers sell on Amazon.com and several European stores, and they share one product page with your eBook and paperback.

Does Amazon own the rights to my book?

No. You keep the copyright and all rights to your book. KDP only gets a license to sell it, and you can unpublish at any time. The one limit is KDP Select, which stops you selling the eBook elsewhere for each 90-day term you enroll.

Can I make money publishing books on Amazon?

Yes, but when you learn how to publish a book on Amazon and make money, most income comes from a series, not one book. Each sale pays a few dollars, so you need steady traffic from ads, reviews and good keywords. Price inside the 70% band, keep paperbacks at $9.99 or above, and track ad spend against royalties monthly.

Your next step

Publishing is the easy part. Keywords, pricing tests, A+ Content, ads and monthly reports decide whether the book sells. If you want someone to run that work for you, see our KDP virtual assistant and account manager service. We have delivered 100+ projects since 2019.

Sources

Similar Posts