Pricing Your Book
the money part!
Strategies for pricing ebooks across different channels.
Three-Tier Pricing Model
- Base Price — Standard retail price for ebook stores (Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo)
- Library Price — Special pricing for OverDrive and library networks (recommended: 2x base price)
- Direct to Reader — Price for direct sales from your website (82% royalties on these sales)
Common Ebook Price Points
| Price | Best For | Pros |
|---|---|---|
| $0.99 | Loss leaders, first in series | Low barrier, high volume |
| $2.99-$3.99 | Most indie ebooks | Sweet spot for sales volume |
| $4.99-$5.99 | Established authors, longer books | Higher profit per sale |
| $6.99+ | Non-fiction, premium content | Maximum profit per sale |
Pricing by Genre
- Romance: $2.99-$4.99
- Mystery/Thriller: $3.99-$5.99
- Fantasy/Sci-Fi: $4.99-$6.99
- How-To/Business: $4.99-$14.99
- Short Stories: $0.99-$2.99
Pricing Strategies
Series Pricing
- Book 1: $0.99-$2.99 (loss leader to hook readers)
- Books 2-4: $4.99 (full price once invested)
- Box Sets: $9.99-$14.99 (bundle discount)
Launch Pricing
- Pre-order: Lower price to build momentum
- Launch week: Promotional price ($0.99-$1.99)
- Week 2+: Increase to full price
Library Pricing
Libraries pay differently — one purchase serves hundreds of readers. Recommended: Library Price = 2x Base Price. Example: $3.99 base price = $7.98 library price.
Pricing Mistakes to Avoid
- Setting $0.99 as permanent price (signals low quality)
- Pricing debut novel at $9.99 without track record
- Ignoring genre norms
- Frequent price changes (confuses readers)
Pricing is not set in stone — you can change prices anytime (24-48 hours to propagate).
Understand our 10% of net profits model | Library distribution guide | Updating published books