Royalty cliff
Also called: $9.99 royalty cliff, KDP royalty tier
Definition
The royalty cliff is the jump in KDP paperback royalty at $9.99 on Amazon.com. Standard distribution pays 50% of the list price below $9.99 and 60% at $9.99 or above, minus print cost either way, so one cent from $9.98 to $9.99 adds about $1.00 per sale.
What is the KDP royalty cliff?
Since June 10, 2025, KDP pays paperback royalties on Amazon.com in two bands: 50% of the list price below $9.99, and 60% at $9.99 or above, with the print cost subtracted after. For an 8.5 x 11 coloring book with a $2.84 print cost, $9.98 earns $2.15 per copy and $9.99 earns $3.15.
Is this the same as the Kindle 35% and 70% split?
No. Kindle eBooks have their own 35% and 70% bands. Paperbacks use 50% and 60% in standard distribution and a flat 40% in expanded distribution.
Where exactly does the cliff bite for coloring books?
Anywhere from $9.50 to $9.98: every price in that band earns less per copy than $9.99. Further down, $8.99 at 50% pays $1.66 on an 8.5 x 11 book, about half of what $9.99 pays.
How do publishers price around the cliff?
Most price the main edition at $9.99 or higher so it lands in the 60% band, and keep the interior inside the flat print tier (up to 110 pages) so the extra royalty is not spent on printing. A lower price is a deliberate choice, such as the first book in a series or a children's activity book where parents expect $5.99 to $7.99.
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Related terms
Expanded distribution
Expanded distribution is an opt-in KDP setting that pushes a paperback into bookstores, libraries, and online retailers beyond Amazon (Barnes & Noble, Ingram-served chains). Royalty drops to 40% on expanded sales (from 50% or 60% on Amazon.com), and the publisher must list the book at a high enough price to clear print cost at the lower royalty.
KDP Select
KDP Select is an opt-in 90-day exclusivity program for Kindle eBook titles. Enrolled eBooks join Kindle Unlimited, earn page-read royalties, and get access to Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Promotions. No printed book is eligible, coloring books included: the program covers Kindle eBook editions only, so this is a format rule rather than a low-content rule.
Low-content book
A low-content book is a KDP title whose interior has minimal or no content and is, in Amazon's words, "generally repetitive, and designed to be filled in by the user". Journals, notebooks, planners, and logs qualify. Amazon's definition explicitly excludes coloring books and puzzle books, because they do not repeat the same page.