How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book?
Budget $0 to about $8,600 for a 40,000-word ebook. See what editing, covers, ISBNs, printing and ads cost, and how many sales you need to break even.
By Philip GhezelbashA do-it-yourself ebook can cost $0. A typical budget with a paid copyedit and a designed cover is about $1,650 to $2,400, and a fully professional ebook runs about $5,300 to $8,600. Those totals are for a 40,000-word nonfiction ebook at US prices in October 2026, and the sections below show every line so you can swap in your own choices.
Cost at three budget levels
The table prices a 40,000-word nonfiction ebook three ways: doing everything yourself, hiring the usual help, and hiring professionals for every step. Each total adds the lines above it.
| Cost line | DIY | Typical indie | Fully professional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editing | $0 (you self-edit) | $1,200 to $1,600 (copyedit) | $3,600 to $4,800 (developmental edit, copyedit, proofread) |
| Cover | $0 (template or AI tool) | $300 to $500 | $630 to $1,200 |
| Interior formatting | $0 (tool) | $0 (tool) | $475 to $1,275 |
| ISBN | $0 (optional for ebooks) | $0 | $0 |
| Launch marketing | $0 | $150 to $300 | $570 to $1,320 |
| Total | $0 | $1,650 to $2,400 | $5,275 to $8,595 |
How each line was priced:
- Editing. 40,000 words times the Editorial Freelancers Association 2026 nonfiction rates: copyediting 3 to 4 cents a word, developmental editing 4 to 5 cents, proofreading 2 to 3 cents. The professional column adds all three.
- Cover. Reedsy puts novice designers at $300 to $500. For professionals we use the range where more than half of its cover projects fall, $630 to $1,200 (median $930).
- Formatting. Reedsy's average for hiring a formatter is about $800, with about half of projects between $475 and $1,275. A tool can do it for $0.
- Launch marketing. The typical column is our own example: pay-per-click ads at $5 to $10 a day for 30 days. Reedsy says digital ads start from $5 a day and gives $570 to $1,320 as the range for hiring a marketer, which is the professional column.
- ISBN. Ebooks do not need one. More on that below.
These are ranges from published surveys, not quotes, so your real prices will differ. Try your own choices in the self-publishing cost calculator, which lets you change each line and shows how many copies you need to sell to break even. It starts from wider ranges than this table because it draws on more than one survey, so set each line to the quotes you actually get.
Editing is the biggest cost
A paid edit is the largest line for most authors, and it is priced per word, so a shorter ebook costs proportionally less. A 20,000-word ebook costs half of what a 40,000-word one does.
| Type of edit | What it covers | EFA 2026 nonfiction rate | 40,000 words | Reedsy price, 80,000 words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developmental edit | Structure, gaps, order of ideas | 4 to 5 cents a word | $1,600 to $2,000 | $2,880 |
| Copyedit | Grammar, clarity, consistency | 3 to 4 cents a word | $1,200 to $1,600 | $2,160 |
| Proofread | Final typos and layout slips | 2 to 3 cents a word | $800 to $1,200 | $1,600 |
The EFA rate chart is a survey of what its members charge, and the EFA says it does not set rates. The Reedsy figures are averages from its cost guide, which says it draws on over 230,000 quotes from freelancers on its marketplace.
If you can pay for only one edit, make it the copyedit. A developmental edit matters most for a first book or a complex argument. A proofread only helps once the text is final.
If you wrote the draft with AI, plan to read every claim yourself and check facts and figures against their sources before you pay anyone to polish the language. A copyeditor fixes how a sentence reads. They do not verify what it says.
Cover design costs $0 to about $1,200
A professional cover has a median price of $930 on Reedsy, and more than half of its cover projects cost between $630 and $1,200. Designers who are newer to the work charge $300 to $500. Reedsy lists the average for self-help covers at $810, which is a useful guide for nonfiction.
Cheaper routes are real, and for a first ebook they are often enough:
- A cover template or design tool you already pay for costs $0 extra.
- An AI cover tool such as the AI ebook cover generator can produce a first draft in minutes.
- A premade design from a marketplace costs far less than a custom one. The self-publishing cost calculator assumes $70 to $200.
Whatever you choose, make sure it reads at thumbnail size and meets the store's size rules. Our ebook cover size guide lists the dimensions, and how to design an ebook cover covers the basics. Source for the prices: Reedsy.
Formatting, ISBN and copyright
Formatting can cost $0, an ISBN is optional for ebooks, and registering your copyright is a small optional fee.
Interior formatting. Hiring a formatter averages about $800 on Reedsy, with about half of projects between $475 and $1,275. Reedsy also says its free formatting app brings that to $0. For most nonfiction, a tool that exports a clean EPUB does the same job. Our free Word to EPUB converter and EPUB checker cover conversion and testing, and the formatting guide shows what to check.
ISBN. KDP says that "eBooks and low-content books are the only formats where an ISBN is optional." Each print format, paperback or hardcover, needs its own. KDP offers a free ISBN for print, but KDP says it can only be used on KDP and shows your imprint as "Independently published." Buying your own from Bowker in the US costs $125 for one or $295 for ten, according to Reedsy. See whether you need an ISBN for an ebook for store by store rules.
Copyright. Under the US Copyright Office FAQ, copyright exists from the moment you create the work and registration is voluntary. You must register before you can sue over infringement of a US work. Online registration costs $45 for a single author with one work not made for hire, or $65 for a standard application.
Printing a paperback costs a few dollars a copy
Print on demand has no upfront cost. The printer's charge comes out of each sale, so you pay for printing only when a book sells. KDP's print cost formula is a fixed cost plus a cost per page.
On Amazon.com, a black-ink paperback above 110 pages on a regular trim costs $1.00 plus $0.012 a page. Larger trims, more than 6.12 inches wide or 9 inches tall, cost $0.017 a page. Books of 24 to 110 pages pay a flat $2.30 on a regular trim, or $2.84 on a large one. Color is much dearer: premium color on a regular trim is $1.00 plus $0.065 a page from 42 pages.
A 150-page black-ink book on a regular trim costs $1.00 + (150 x $0.012) = $2.80 to print. KDP's own example, a 300-page book, comes to $4.60. Run your own page count in the KDP print cost calculator.
A few costs sit around the print run:
- Royalty rate. KDP pays 50% or 60% of the list price on standard distribution, depending on price, and 40% on Expanded Distribution, then subtracts printing costs.
- Proof copies. Reedsy puts them at $10 to $100, depending on page count, how many you order and shipping.
- IngramSpark. Its help page says title setup is free, revision fees were removed from February 1, 2026, and books enabled for distribution pay a 1.875% market access fee.
- Wholesale printing. A print run from a wholesale printer costs $2 to $5 a copy for a standard paperback, plus shipping, storage and fulfillment, all paid upfront, per Reedsy. Most first-time authors should skip it.
Marketing is the cost you control most
You can spend $0 on marketing or thousands, so decide the amount before you start. These are the usual line items, from Reedsy's cost guide.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Author website and newsletter | $60 to $500 a year (domain $8 to $12, website builder $48 to $300, email platform $0 to $300) |
| Digital ads | From $5 a day |
| Price promotion listings | $15 to $120, usually under $100 |
| Editorial review on Reedsy Discovery | $299 |
| Hired marketing help | $570 to $1,320 overall; single services average $570 to $910 |
Start with what is free: a sign-up page, an email list and honest early reviews. Our guides on how to promote an ebook and how to get book reviews walk through both. Add ads once the book page converts visitors into sales.
If the ebook exists to bring in clients rather than sales, treat the cost as a marketing expense. Our guide to using ebooks for marketing covers that case.
How many copies you need to sell to break even
Divide your total cost by what you earn on each copy. The table assumes $3 a copy, which is a cautious figure: KDP pays 70% of the list price after delivery costs that average $0.06 a copy, so a $4.99 ebook earns about $3.45.
| Budget level | Total cost | Copies to break even at $3 each |
|---|---|---|
| DIY | $0 | 0 |
| Typical indie | $1,650 to $2,400 | 550 to 800 |
| Fully professional | $5,275 to $8,595 | 1,759 to 2,865 |
These counts do not include print proof copies or ads you add later. Reedsy shows the same math at other budgets: $1,000 at a $3 royalty takes 334 copies, and $5,000 at a $5 royalty takes 1,000.
If the ebook exists to win clients, count break even in clients instead. Divide the total by what one new client is worth to you.
For what authors actually earn, see the earnings section of our guide to self-publishing an ebook. Check your own numbers with the KDP royalty calculator.
Seven ways to spend less without hurting the book
- Pay for one edit, not three. Make it the copyedit, which costs $1,200 to $1,600 for 40,000 words.
- Do the structure work before you write. A clear outline shrinks the need for a developmental edit. Try the ebook outline generator or read how to write an ebook.
- Keep it shorter. Editing is priced per word, so every 10,000 words you cut saves $300 to $400 on a copyedit at 3 to 4 cents a word. See how long an ebook should be.
- Format with a tool and test the file. A clean EPUB from a converter costs $0, and an EPUB checker finds errors before a store does.
- Skip the ISBN for the ebook. Use KDP's free ISBN for print if you only sell there.
- Wait on ads. Build a list and collect reviews first, then spend once your page converts.
- Print on demand. You pay the printer only when a copy sells, so there is no stock to buy.
Do not cut the cover or the fact check. A cover that fails at thumbnail size costs you clicks, and a wrong claim in a nonfiction book costs you trust.
FAQ
Can I self-publish a book for free?
Yes. Reedsy lists ebooks and print on demand at no upfront cost. For print, the printing charge comes out of each sale. You still pay with your time, and you may want to pay for an edit and a cover.
How much does it cost to self-publish a book on Amazon?
Amazon KDP has no upfront cost for ebooks or print on demand, per Reedsy. On the 70% ebook royalty, KDP takes a delivery cost that averages $0.06 a copy. For paperbacks, KDP takes a printing cost, for example $2.80 for a 150-page black-ink book. Your editing and cover costs are separate.
How much does it cost to self-publish a 100-page book?
Printing a 100-page black-ink paperback on a regular trim costs a flat $2.30 on KDP. Add editing, which is priced per word, and a cover. A 100-page book is often around 25,000 to 30,000 words, so a copyedit would run roughly $750 to $1,200 at 3 to 4 cents a word.
Do I need an ISBN?
Not for an ebook. KDP says ebooks are one of the only formats where an ISBN is optional. A paperback needs one, and KDP offers a free ISBN that only works on KDP. Buying one from Bowker costs $125, or $295 for ten, according to Reedsy.
Do I have to pay to copyright my book?
No. Copyright exists from the moment you create the work, and registration with the US Copyright Office is voluntary. It costs $45 or $65 online, and you must register before you can sue over infringement of a US work.
How much does it cost to self-publish a children's book?
More than a text-only book, because of the pictures. Reedsy lists illustration for a 24-page children's book at $1,890 to $6,990.
How much do self-published authors make?
Income varies widely and most surveys mix full-time and part-time authors. Our self-publishing guide collects the survey numbers, and the break-even table above shows how many sales you need to cover your costs.
Where Koobe fits
Koobe covers the lines that cost the most time: the first draft, the interior and the cover. You describe your book in a sentence, review the draft, and export an EPUB, a PDF with the cover, a print-ready interior PDF and cover images for the stores. Your first book is free to create and preview.
Koobe does not replace a human editor, and it does not publish for you, so you still upload the files to the stores yourself. Read how to publish an ebook on Amazon KDP for that last step.
Describe your book in a sentence. Koobe plans the chapters, writes them, designs the cover and exports a PDF and EPUB. Your first book is free to create and preview.
“Files were ready for KDP, which is what I actually needed. First book I’ve finished.”