Payment Troubleshooting
Fixing payment and royalty issues.
Payment Not Received
Check Your Balance
- Go to Dashboard and check Unpaid Revenue
- Must be $5.00 or more to receive payment
- Balance under $5 rolls over to next month
Payment Timeline
- Processed at end of each month (if balance over $5)
- PayPal payout: instant to your PayPal balance
- Withdraw from PayPal to bank: depends on your bank/country
Missing Payments (balance over $5)
- Verify your PayPal email is saved in Account Settings
- Check your PayPal account for the incoming transfer
- Ensure the email matches an active, verified PayPal account
- Allow up to 10 business days for full processing
- Contact support if missing after 10 business days
PayPal Issues
"PayPal email not on file"
Go to Account Settings and add the email linked to your PayPal account.
"PayPal payout failed"
Common causes: mistyped email, PayPal account closed or limited, or the email isn't associated with a PayPal account. Log into PayPal to check your account status, or update your email in Account Settings.
Sales Not Showing
Each retailer has significant reporting delays:
- Apple Books: 30-45 days
- Google Play: 30-60 days
- Kobo: 45-60 days
- OverDrive: 60-90 days
Learn more about sales reporting timelines
Incorrect Royalty Amount
Your payout is calculated: sale price minus retailer cut (30-48%), minus Shelf Indulgence fee (10% of net). The remaining amount is your royalty.
Currency Conversion
- Sales reported in USD, converted at time of sale by retailer
- Your bank converts to local currency
- Exchange rates affect final amount
- Your bank may charge conversion/wire fees
Tax Withholding
- US authors: No withholding with valid W-9
- International: Submit W-8BEN to avoid 30% withholding
- Update forms in Account Settings
If payment issues persist, contact support with your account email, expected amount, payment method, date expected, and dashboard screenshots.