35% royalty option Defined.
Definition
The 35% royalty option is the lower of KDP's two ebook royalty plans: it pays 35% of the list price, less VAT, with no delivery cost deducted. It accepts prices the 70% option doesn't, from $0.99 for small files up to $200.00 on Amazon.com, and it is the only option for public-domain books.
Sources checked 20 October 2026. Figures: KDP's Amazon.com ebook royalty, list-price and delivery figures, as of 11 October 2026.
How it works
Under 35%, the royalty is simply the rate times the list price without VAT. Its Amazon.com minimum depends on the file size: $0.99 under 3 MB, $1.99 up to 10 MB and $2.99 beyond. Even a book on the 70% option is paid at 35% on sales to customers outside the 70% territories, so the option matters to every Kindle author whichever one they choose.
An example
A 1 MB ebook listed at $14.99 is above the 70% band, so it is paid $5.25 per Amazon.com sale at 35%. Dropping the price to $12.99 brings it back into the band, where it pays $8.99: a lower price, and a higher royalty. A short guide at $0.99 can only use 35% and pays $0.35.
Common mistakes
Pricing just above $12.99 without noticing that the rate falls to 35%. Leaving a book on 35% out of caution when its price and file size would pay more under 70%. And assuming $0.99 is always allowed: a file of 3 MB or more must be priced higher.
