ISBN Cost Calculator
Enter how many books you publish and in which formats to see how many ISBNs you need and the cheapest way to buy them from the published US or UK prices.
How to use the ISBN Cost Calculator
- Under “Where you buy the ISBNs”, choose United States, United Kingdom or Canada.
- Enter “Number of books (titles)”. The default is 1.
- Tick the formats you will publish: “Paperback edition”, “Hardcover edition”, “eBook edition” or “Audiobook edition”. The default ticks paperback, hardcover and eBook, which gives 3 ISBNs for one book.
- If you plan to use KDP’s free ISBN for print, tick “Use the free KDP ISBN for the paperback and hardcover”. This removes the print formats from the number you need to buy. The box is hidden for Canada.
- Open “More options” and enter “Extra ISBNs (new editions, other languages)” if you need any.
- Read “Cost of the ISBNs”, “ISBNs your books need”, “ISBNs to buy”, “Cost per ISBN you need”, “Cheapest way to buy them”, “Spare ISBNs left over” and “If you bought one at a time instead”. The last two show only when they apply.
- Compare the price list for your country with the “Cheapest cost for a few quantities” table. Prices change, so confirm them at checkout.
The presets “One paperback”, “One book, 3 formats”, “5 books, 3 formats” and “UK, 2 books” load a starting point, and you can change any value afterwards. For Canada the tool shows “Free (eligible publishers only)” instead of a price.
How much does an ISBN cost?
The price depends on the country and the pack size you buy. The tool lists these prices for each country, and the cheapest result uses the lowest-cost mix of packs of 1, 10, 100 and 1,000.
For the United States, Bowker (myidentifiers.com) lists 1 ISBN at $125, 10 at $295, 100 at $575 and 1,000 at $1,500. The live page refused automated access on 15 Oct 2026, so these prices come from the Internet Archive copy dated 17 Dec 2025. A web search of the live page on 15 Oct 2026 returned the same four prices. For the United Kingdom, the Nielsen ISBN Store lists 1 ISBN at £93, a block of 10 at £174, 100 at £387 and 1,000 at £994, all including UK VAT, as read on 15 Oct 2026. Because £174 for 10 is less than 2 × £93 (£186), two ISBNs cost £174 there.
In Canada, ISBN Canada from Library and Archives Canada provides free ISBNs to eligible publishers. A self-publisher must be physically located in Canada. A company needs its main place of business in Canada and at least 75% of its employees physically in Canada.
Why does one book need more than one ISBN?
Each edition and each format usually needs its own ISBN. The ISBN Users’ Manual says a separate ISBN goes to each separate edition or format, and each e-book file format made separately available gets its own. Formats that are always sold together as one bundle need only one ISBN.
KDP’s help page (read 15 Oct 2026) says an eBook does not need an ISBN. The ISBN Users’ Manual says each separately available format should have one, so the tool counts eBooks by default. Untick eBook if you do not need one. The free KDP ISBN covers paperback and hardcover only, can only be used on KDP, and the imprint shows as “Independently published”.
For example, 5 books in 3 formats make 15 ISBNs. In the United States, one block of 100 at $575 is cheaper than two blocks of 10 ($590). That works out to $38.33 per ISBN needed, with 85 spare. Buying 15 singles would cost $1,875.
Sources (checked 15 October 2026): myidentifiers.com · web.archive.org · nielsenisbnstore.com · canada.ca · kdp.amazon.com · isbn-international.org · canada.ca · isbn-international.org
Worked examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 3 ISBNs needed, United States (Bowker, USD) | Cheapest cost $295.00 |
| 1 ISBNs needed, United States (Bowker, USD) | Cheapest cost $125.00 |
| 15 ISBNs needed, United States (Bowker, USD) | Cheapest cost $575.00 |
| 6 ISBNs needed, United Kingdom (Nielsen, GBP, VAT included) | Cheapest cost £174.00 |
| 3 ISBNs needed, Canada (free for eligible publishers) | Cheapest cost Free (eligible publishers only) |
Calculated by the tool above; open it with the same values to see each step.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an ISBN cost in the United States?
Bowker lists 1 ISBN at $125, 10 at $295, 100 at $575 and 1,000 at $1,500. These figures come from an Internet Archive copy dated 17 Dec 2025, confirmed by a web search on 15 Oct 2026.
How much does an ISBN cost in the United Kingdom?
The Nielsen ISBN Store, read on 15 Oct 2026, lists 1 ISBN at £93 and a block of 10 at £174. All prices include UK VAT.
Is an ISBN free in Canada?
ISBN Canada provides free ISBNs to eligible publishers. The tool shows “Free (eligible publishers only)” for Canada and no price.
Do I need an ISBN for an eBook?
KDP does not require one. The ISBN Users’ Manual says each separately available format should have its own, so the tool counts eBooks unless you untick them.
Can I use the free KDP ISBN for all my formats?
No. The free KDP ISBN is available for paperback and hardcover only, and it can only be used on KDP. Ticking it removes the print formats from the number you need to buy.
Why can a bigger pack cost less?
Pack prices are not in direct proportion to their size. In the United States, 10 ISBNs cost $295, while 10 singles would cost $1,250. Even for 3 ISBNs, one block of 10 at $295 beats 3 singles at $375. The tool finds the cheapest mix that covers your number.
Does the tool include shipping or barcodes?
No. The tool does not model barcodes, bundles, sales, shipping, other currencies or other countries such as Australia. Prices change, so confirm them at checkout.
Related tools
ISBN-13 Check Digit Calculator: Use it to work out the check digit for an ISBN-13 number.
ISBN Converter: Use it when you need to convert between ISBN formats.
KDP Cover Calculator: Use it to work out cover dimensions for a KDP print book.
KDP Print Cost Calculator: Use it to estimate the print cost of a KDP book.
Self-Publishing Cost Calculator: Use it to add up the wider costs of publishing your own book.
Book Costs, KDP Covers and ISBNs: The other cost and ISBN pages on this site.