eBooks vs. Print: What Actually Happened

Back in the early 2010s, a common prediction in publishing circles was that ebooks would rapidly overtake print, driven by falling reading costs, instant delivery, and the rise of self-publishing. More than a decade on, the data tells a more interesting story than a simple takeover.

Print Never Went Away

Depending on the specific market and measurement, print still accounts for roughly half to three-quarters of total book sales revenue, with ebooks generally sitting somewhere in the 10–30% range of trade book revenue depending on the country and how the figures are measured. Rather than a steady decline, print has shown real resilience — even a modest resurgence in some markets, partly credited to social platforms like BookTok driving renewed interest in physical books.

Where eBooks Actually Dominate

The picture changes significantly by genre. Romance and genre fiction are where ebooks and self-publishing have the strongest foothold — indie-published titles make up a large share of bestselling romance ebooks specifically, far more than in literary fiction or general nonfiction, where traditional publishing and print still lead clearly.

Subscription Models Changed the Picture

One thing the older predictions didn’t fully anticipate: subscription reading services (Kindle Unlimited, Scribd, and similar) now account for a majority of ebook revenue industry-wide, rather than one-off ebook purchases. This shifted author economics significantly — for many genre authors, subscription page-reads now matter more than individual sale price.

What This Means for You as an Author

• Print is not a legacy format to skip. Depending on your genre, a print edition may reach a meaningful share of your potential readers who simply prefer physical books.
• Ebooks remain essential, especially in genre fiction. If you write romance, fantasy, mystery, or similar commercial genres, ebook and subscription platforms are where a large share of your audience already reads.
• The safest strategy is usually both. Rather than betting entirely on one format, most successful indie authors publish in both formats and let reader demand — not a market-wide prediction — determine where their specific book performs best.

Once you’ve decided on a format (or both), see our guide to converting your book into an ebook or our print-on-demand sizing guide to get started.