The cost items at a glance
| Cost item | Publisher (Orbita Media) | Self-publishing (e.g. KDP) | ShelfPublisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publishing | $0 | no feeAmazon keeps a share of every sale | €35 per bookVAT included, packages down to €20 |
| ISBN | included | free platform ISBN or your own from $125 | includedthe publisher's ISBN |
| Editing and proofreading | included | hire and pay yourself | your ownfinished interior PDF |
| Cover and interior design | included | hire and pay yourself | your ownfinished cover |
| Printing and storage | includedprinted in runs | printing cost is deducted from your royalty | no printing costs, no stock |
| Bookstore distribution | ✓wholesale contracts | limited | ✓wholesale catalogs |
| Marketing | includedpermanently paid campaigns | pay yourself | your own |
| Your share | from copy 1above the industry average | e-book 35 or 70%, paperback 50 or 60% minus printing | 30% of net revenue |
Sources: KDP help pages on e-book and paperback royalties, myidentifiers.com (Bowker) and the shelfpublisher.com pricing page, all accessed in November 2026.
What does self-publishing really cost?
Uploading is free, but a book that has to hold its own next to traditionally published titles needs the same craft: editing, proofreading, cover design, typesetting. Prices depend on length and provider and are usually quoted per word, per page or as a flat fee. Then there is advertising, because without ads or an audience a new book stays invisible. So don't plan with "free"; plan with an investment you have to earn back through sales.
What Amazon KDP pays out
- E-book: 35% of the list price (excluding VAT), or 70% if the price is between $2.99 and $12.99. The upper limit was raised from $9.99 on July 7, 2026. At 70%, Amazon also deducts a delivery cost based on file size.
- Paperback: 60% of the list price at $9.99 or more, 50% below that. Printing costs, which depend on page count and ink, are deducted from that share.
What an ISBN costs
In the US, Bowker sells one ISBN for $125, ten for $295, 100 for $575 and 1,000 for $1,500 (myidentifiers.com, November 2026). Every edition needs its own number, so a book in hardcover, paperback and e-book already uses three. KDP offers a free ISBN for books sold through Amazon; with a publisher or a publishing platform, the ISBN is included.
What does a traditional publisher cost?
With a legitimate publisher, nothing. The publisher invests in editing, design, printing and marketing because it earns money when the book sells, and it pays you royalties. At Orbita Media you earn royalties from the very first copy sold, on every edition (print, e-book and audiobook) and well above the industry average. How royalties work is explained in How much do authors make per book?
The most expensive trap: vanity presses
Some companies call themselves publishers but charge the author for printing, editing or marketing, often in the thousands. Their business is not selling books to readers but selling services to authors. Remember one simple rule: a publisher pays you, not the other way around. Hybrid publishers sit in between: the author shares the costs, in return for a higher royalty. The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) publishes criteria a reputable hybrid publisher should meet; check any offer against them. More in How to find a book publisher.
Which costs are worth paying?
If you self-publish, don't save on the cover and the editing. Both decide clicks, sales and reviews. If, on the other hand, you bring an audience or expertise and have no time to manage a production, a publisher is usually the better deal: no upfront risk, and a professional team for every step.