Books vs Ebooks Cost Calculator
Compare the yearly cost of reading printed books versus ebooks. Enter how many books you read a year and the typical price of each format, plus the upfront cost of an e-reader, to see which option is cheaper and when the e-reader pays for itself.
Formula
Print = Books × Print Price; Ebook = Books × Ebook Price + E-reader; Break-even = E-reader ÷ (Print Price − Ebook Price)
- Print cost is simply the number of books times the average printed price.
- Ebook cost adds the one-time e-reader purchase to the first year, then drops to just the per-book price afterwards.
- The break-even point is how many ebooks you must buy before the per-book savings cover the e-reader's cost.
- Beyond the financial side, ebooks avoid paper, printing, and shipping, while shared or library print books reduce their footprint.
24 books/year, $15 print, $9 ebook, $120 e-reader
Inputs
- Books Read per Year: 24 books
- Average Printed Book Price: 15 $
- Average Ebook Price: 9 $
- E-reader Cost (one-time): 120 $
Print costs $360/year. Ebooks cost $216 plus a $120 e-reader = $336 the first year, then $216 after. Each ebook saves $6, so the e-reader pays for itself after 20 books.
Frequently asked questions
When do ebooks become cheaper than print?
Once the per-book savings have covered your e-reader's cost. After that break-even point, every ebook is cheaper than its printed equivalent.
Does this include the e-reader cost?
Yes. The e-reader is added to the first year's ebook cost, then following years only count the per-book ebook price.
Are ebooks better for the environment?
Generally, heavy readers reduce paper, ink, and shipping by going digital, though manufacturing the device has its own footprint that pays off over many books.
What if ebooks cost as much as print?
If there's no per-book saving, the e-reader never pays back financially — the calculator will flag that the break-even is never reached.