Book royalty calculator
A free calculator for book publishers and authors. Work out royalty earnings using either the list price or net receipts model, apply an advance, and see what each copy sold actually earns.
How this calculator works
Book royalties are calculated as a percentage of either the list (cover) price or the publisher's net receipts. The calculator applies that percentage to your chosen base, multiplies by copies sold, and then recoups any advance you've entered before showing what's actually payable to the rights holder.
List price vs net receipts
A list price royalty is calculated on the book's cover price, regardless of the discount it was sold at. A net receipts royalty is calculated on what the publisher actually received after distributor discounts and fees. In a typical trade discount of 50%, a net receipts base is roughly half the list price base — which is why the headline percentage in a net receipts contract usually needs to be higher to produce a comparable payout.
Typical royalty rates
- Hardcover: 10–15% of list price
- Paperback: 7.5–10% of list price
- Ebook: around 25% of net receipts
- Audiobook: varies widely depending on production funding
For a deeper explanation of each model, see our guide to how book royalties work and the detail on net receipts vs list price.
Want this done automatically?
Royalties HQ is book royalty management software that handles every case this calculator ignores: tiered royalties, mid-period tier crossings, multi-currency reconciliation, reserve against returns, co-author splits, and advance earn-out across reporting periods. Start a free trial or see how it works.
Ready to escape Excel hell?
Join publishers who've transformed their royalty process.