Sell Direct, Keep 85%: Understanding Readfeed Ebook Royalties
Before you price your ebook, understand the math. Readfeed's 15% fee means you keep roughly 85% of every direct sale — and you own the buyer.
The Real Math of Indie Ebook Sales
Before you choose where to sell, run the numbers. Royalty percentages sound abstract until you calculate what a hundred sales actually puts in your pocket.
Here is how Readfeed's fee structure works and how it compares to the alternatives.
Readfeed Fee Breakdown
| Product | Platform Fee | Author Keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Ebooks | 15% | ~85% |
| Signed copies | 5% | ~95% |
| Reader gifts | 10% | ~90% |
| Author platform (clubs, live, Q&A) | Free | — |
No monthly subscription. No listing fee. No charge for using communities, live video, or messaging tools.
Example: $4.99 Ebook, 100 Sales
| Channel | Royalty Rate | Per Sale | 100 Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KDP (35% band) | 35% | $1.75 | $175 |
| KDP (70% band) | 70% | $3.49 | $349 |
| Readfeed (~85%) | ~85% | $4.24 | $424 |
At 100 sales, Readfeed's direct channel earns you $75 to $249 more than KDP, depending on your KDP royalty band. And you own every buyer.
The Ownership Premium
Raw royalty comparison understates Readfeed's value. Consider what ownership adds:
- Repeat sales: Owned readers buy your next book at a 3–5x higher rate than anonymous Amazon buyers
- Gift orders: Fans buy copies for friends (tracked in your analytics)
- Club bulk buys: 10 copies in one transaction at a 10% club discount
- No algorithm risk: Your income does not depend on Amazon's recommendation engine
A reader you own is worth more than a single transaction. Over a three-book series, an owned reader might generate $30–50 in total revenue. An anonymous KDP buyer generates one sale and disappears.
Pricing Your Ebook on Readfeed
With ~85% margins, you have pricing flexibility:
- Match your KDP price for consistency across channels
- Price slightly lower on Readfeed to incentivize direct purchases and community joining
- Price higher if your community and engagement justify a premium
Use your sample-to-purchase analytics to test price points. If your conversion rate is high, you may be underpriced.
Stripe Processing
Stripe charges standard payment processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) on top of the platform fee. These are industry-standard and apply to any direct sales platform. Payouts go directly to your bank account via Stripe Connect.
Start Earning More Per Sale
Create your free author account and price your first ebook. See the full indie sales overview on the Readfeed indie author sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage do indie authors keep on Readfeed?
Indie authors keep roughly 85% of each ebook sale on Readfeed after the 15% platform fee. Stripe processing fees are additional and handled by Stripe. There is no monthly subscription or listing fee for the author platform.
How does Readfeed's 85% compare to Amazon KDP?
KDP royalties range from 35% to 70% depending on price point and KDP Select enrollment. Readfeed's ~85% is higher than most KDP bands. The additional value is that Readfeed authors also own the buyer relationship, which KDP does not provide at any royalty rate.
Are there other fees on Readfeed besides the 15% ebook fee?
Signed copies carry a 5% platform fee. Reader gifts carry a 10% platform fee. The author platform itself, including clubs, live video, Q&A, and messaging, is completely free. Stripe processing fees apply to all transactions.