Market Price Recommendation Tool
This tool recommends a list price based on genre, format, and market comps -- not royalties or take-home earnings. Other factors like paper type, page count, trim size, and interior color also affect your actual printing costs and should factor into your final decision.
The form your book is sold in. Ebook = digital file (Kindle, EPUB). Paperback/Hardcover = printed physical copies. Audiobook = narrated audio version.
The category your book is shelved under. Pricing norms vary a lot by genre -- romance readers expect lower prices than business or reference readers, for example.
New = this is your first book, no existing readers. Established = you have prior readers/fans. Series Book 2+ = a sequel in a series readers are already following. Bestseller = you have award recognition or bestseller status to lean on.
Wide = selling on multiple stores at once (Amazon, Apple, Kobo, etc). Kindle Unlimited = Amazon-exclusive, you earn from page reads instead of per-sale royalties. Direct to reader = selling through your own website or mailing list, no retailer cut.
—Recommended Price
—Market Position
Select your book's details above to see a tailored recommendation.
2026 Average Prices by Genre
| Genre | Market Low | Market High | Sweet Spot | KU / Free Book 1? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romance | $0.99 | $6.99 | $3.99 | Yes — very common |
| Fantasy / Sci-Fi | $2.99 | $9.99 | $5.99 | Yes — KU popular |
| Thriller / Mystery | $2.99 | $9.99 | $4.99 | Common for series book 1 |
| Literary Fiction | $3.99 | $12.99 | $7.99 | Less common |
| Non-Fiction: Self-Help | $4.99 | $14.99 | $9.99 | Rarely |
| Non-Fiction: Business | $6.99 | $19.99 | $9.99 | No |
| How-To / Reference | $4.99 | $14.99 | $7.99 | No |
| Memoir / Biography | $3.99 | $9.99 | $6.99 | Rarely |
| Young Adult | $2.99 | $9.99 | $4.99 | Common |
| Children's | $2.99 | $8.99 | $3.99 | No |
Pricing recommendations are based on 2026 market data from Author Earnings Reports and published indie author research. Individual book performance depends on cover, description, reviews, advertising, and many other factors. Prices can and should be tested — A/B pricing experiments are the most reliable way to find your optimal price point.
Market Context
Starting Point
Most indie ebooks perform best at $3.99-$6.99 — that range hits the 70% royalty tier on Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play Books alike, while staying within impulse-purchase range. Print books typically price at 2-3x the ebook price for margin sustainability, and print royalties vary more by platform (KDP vs. IngramSpark) than ebook royalties do.
Pricing FAQ
Short-term, yes — some readers associate very low prices with low quality. Long-term, the strategy that drives read-through and series revenue matters more than individual sale price perception. $0.99 for Book 1 of a series works because the goal is acquiring readers, not maximizing per-unit revenue. Perma-free (Book 1 free permanently) is the most aggressive version of this strategy. For standalones, pricing below $2.99 rarely makes financial sense as it drops KDP royalties to 35%.
No. Print books should be priced 2.5-3.5x the ebook price to account for printing costs and maintain appropriate margin. Example: $4.99 ebook → $12.99-$14.99 paperback → $19.99-$24.99 hardcover. If your print book is priced too close to your ebook, readers may choose the ebook (higher margin for you) or feel the print version is overpriced (lower conversion). The print price should feel like a fair premium for the physical object.
Yes, as often as you like on KDP and most platforms. Price changes on KDP take effect within hours on Amazon US and within 48-72 hours internationally. Strategies: run promotional pricing ($0.99 for 5 days) to spike rankings and reviews, then return to full price. Use Kindle Countdown Deals (if enrolled in KDP Select) for time-limited discounts that still earn 70% royalties. Many successful authors adjust prices seasonally, during promotions, or when launching new books in the same series.
For ebooks: $2.99-$9.99 to qualify for KDP 70% royalty. The $2.99-$4.99 range maximizes impulse purchases; $6.99-$9.99 signals premium positioning. Pricing below $2.99 drops you to 35% royalty which usually nets LESS per sale despite higher volume. For paperbacks: $9.99-$17.99 is typical for most genres, with printing costs of $2.50-$6 depending on page count. Price above printing cost plus desired margin; check comparable titles in your category for positioning.
A free or $0.99 launch period can drive downloads and initial reviews, but reviews do not automatically follow downloads -- readers who pay nothing often do not finish or review. A better review strategy: identify engaged readers through ARC (advance review copy) programs, reach out to book bloggers in your genre, and use Kindle Countdown Deals (available in KDP Select) for temporary discounts with promotional marketing behind them.
Common strategy: price book one lower (or free/permafree) to reduce barrier to entry, then price subsequent books at full rate. Readers who love book one at $2.99 will happily pay $5.99 for books 2-5. Box sets of a completed series can be priced at a discount to the individual book total (buy 3 for the price of 2) while generating higher revenue per transaction. This pricing architecture works best when the series is at least 3 books deep.