Understanding Amazon KDP’s New Printing Costs: A Guide for Authors

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform is a popular choice for self-published authors, offering a simple and affordable way to get your book into the hands of readers. However, Amazon’s printing costs have been increasing in recent years, and this can have a significant impact on your bottom line.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at Amazon KDP’s new printing costs, and we’ll provide some tips for authors on how to minimize their costs.

Amazon KDP’s New Printing Costs

In January 2023, Amazon increased its printing costs for paperback books by an average of 6%. This increase was the first in several years, and it has caused some consternation among self-published authors.

The new printing costs for paperback books on Amazon KDP are as follows:

Books with a trim size of 5.5 x 8.5 inches cost $3.99 to print.
Books with a trim size of 6 x 9 inches cost $4.99 to print.
Books with a trim size of 7.5 x 10 inches cost $5.99 to print.

In addition to the base printing cost, Amazon also charges a variable fee for each book sold. This fee is based on the book’s price and the number of pages it contains.

For example, a paperback book that sells for $10 and has 200 pages will incur a variable fee of $1.99.

The total cost of printing and distributing a paperback book on Amazon KDP can vary depending on the book’s size, price, and number of pages. However, the average cost is around $6.99.

Tips for Minimizing Your Printing Costs

There are a few things you can do to minimize your printing costs on Amazon KDP.

Choose a smaller trim size. The smaller the trim size, the less paper your book will use, and the lower your printing costs will be.
Keep your book’s page count to a minimum. The more pages your book has, the higher your printing costs will be.
Use a high-quality paper. A high-quality paper will produce a better-looking book, but it will also cost more.
Consider using a print-on-demand service other than Amazon KDP. There are a number of other print-on-demand services available, and some of them offer lower printing costs than Amazon KDP.

By following these tips, you can minimize your printing costs on Amazon KDP and keep your book’s price competitive.

Conclusion

Amazon KDP’s new printing costs can be a challenge for self-published authors, but there are a number of things you can do to minimize your costs. By choosing a smaller trim size, keeping your book’s page count to a minimum, using a high-quality paper, and considering using a print-on-demand service other than Amazon KDP, you can keep your book’s price competitive and make sure that your readers are getting the best possible value.

Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful: