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KDP Profit Goal Calculator

Most authors start with a dollar goal — "I want to make $1,000 a month" — but the real question is how many books that takes. This calculator works backward from your goal to the number of sales you need, per month and per day. Tip: your royalty per book varies a lot by format and price, so grab your real number from the KDP Royalty Calculator first.

Last Updated: June 2026

Reviewed for current platform fees and pricing rules.

Enter a number of titles.

Books per month

400

Books per week

93

Books per day

13.3

Avg sales per title / month

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KDP Profit Goal Quick Tips

  • Use your real royalty per book, not your list price — Amazon's cut and printing costs make them very different.
  • Most KDP income comes from a catalog of titles, not one breakout book. Spreading sales across more books makes each title's target smaller.
  • Kindle Unlimited page-read income adds to royalties if you're enrolled — factor it in separately for a fuller picture.

Estimates assume consistent sales. Actual results vary by niche, quality, pricing, and promotion.

All calculations are estimates based on average platform fees. Real profits may vary depending on category, ads, and shipping.

Free worksheet for your next step

Use this checklist to plan royalties, sales goals, and launch math.

  • ChecklistKDP

    KDP Launch Checklist

    A launch-day checklist for KDP authors covering metadata, categories, keywords, and pre-publish QA.

    Open the checklist →
  • WorksheetKDP

    KDP Royalty Worksheet

    Estimate royalties, track earnings, and plan book income with confidence.

    Open the worksheet →

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your numbers in each field above — the calculator updates instantly as you type, so there's nothing to submit.
  2. Use your real figures when you have them, or sensible estimates while you're planning. If a field doesn't apply, leave it at zero.
  3. Compare the results, then change one input at a time to see how each lever (price, cost, fees, volume) moves the outcome.

Formula

Books needed per month = monthly income goal ÷ royalty per book · Books per day = books per month ÷ 30 · Books per week = books per month ÷ 4.3

Worked example

Goal: $1,000/month. Royalty per book: $2.50.

  1. Books per month = $1,000 ÷ $2.50 = 400
  2. Books per day ≈ 400 ÷ 30 = 13.3
  3. With a catalog of 10 titles, that's about 40 sales per title per month.

Answer: 400 books per month · ~13 per day · ~40 per title

How it works

Divide your monthly income goal by what you earn per book to get the number of sales you need. A higher royalty per book (from better pricing or format) lowers the number of sales required. Spreading the goal across more titles makes each title's target smaller and more achievable.

Seeing it per day is the reality check — 400 sales a month is real momentum, and it's why most authors grow a catalog rather than rely on one book.

How to interpret your results

  • Dollar values are shown per sale, per order, or per item unless a result is explicitly labelled monthly, weekly, or daily.
  • Percentages (margin, ROI, conversion rate) are easier to compare across products and price points than raw dollars — use them when you benchmark.
  • A positive result means you're ahead after the costs and fees you entered. A negative result means the current numbers don't work — change a lever (raise price, cut a cost, lower ad spend) and recalculate.
  • Treat the output as a planning estimate, not a guarantee. Fees, taxes, and conversion rates shift over time — re-run the numbers whenever a key input changes.

Common mistakes

  • Using your list price instead of your actual royalty per book — they're very different after Amazon's cut and printing costs.
  • Assuming one book can carry the whole goal; KDP income usually comes from a catalog.
  • Forgetting Kindle Unlimited page-read income, which adds to royalties if you're enrolled.

Related Guides

Go deeper with plain-English guides on the same topic.

FAQ

How many books do I need to sell to make $1,000 a month?
It depends entirely on your royalty per book. At $2.50 per book it's 400 sales a month; at $5 per book it's 200. Enter your numbers above to see yours.
What royalty per book should I use?
Your actual earnings per sale after Amazon's cut. Ebooks at the 70% rate earn the most per sale; print earns 50–60% of list price minus printing cost. Use the KDP Royalty Calculator to find it.
Does this include Kindle Unlimited?
Not directly. KU pays per page read (about $0.004–$0.005), so add your estimated KU income to your goal math separately.
Is this how much I WILL sell?
No. It shows what you'd need to sell to hit your goal — not a prediction. Most books sell modestly, especially early on.

Why trust this calculator?

This tool uses standard mathematical formulas and commonly accepted calculation methods, shown openly in the Formula section above so you can verify the math yourself. Results are estimates based on the information you enter and do not account for every individual circumstance. For important financial, tax, legal, medical, or business decisions, please double-check with a qualified professional before acting on the numbers.

Keep going

One calculator rarely tells the full story. Pair this one with a related tool below to pressure-test your numbers from a different angle, or browse Work & Money Calculators for more in the same category.

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