Most Profitable KDP Genres in 2026: I Published 350 Books, Here's What Actually Makes Money
I made €18,000 in 10 months publishing 350 AI-generated books on Amazon KDP. Here's the brutal truth about which genres make money (with real sales data and revenue breakdowns).
About this data: All numbers are from my actual Amazon KDP dashboard (June-December 2024). 350 books published across 8 genres. €18,000 total revenue. This is real data, not theory.
In This Guide:
The Lie You've Been Told About KDP Publishing
Everyone tells you to "write what you love" or "pick a genre you're passionate about."
That's great advice if you're an artist.
But if you're here to make money? It's terrible advice.
In 2025, I've published 350 books in 10 months. Made €18,000 from over 8,000 sold copies.
Here's what actually makes money on KDP (with real numbers).
💡 Important distinction: This guide is for publishers who want passive income, not writers who want creative fulfillment. If you're writing for artistic expression, this data won't matter to you (and that's fine).
My Revenue by Genre (Real KDP Dashboard Data)
I tested every major fiction genre. Here's what I earned per book over 90 days back in 2024:
| Genre | Avg Revenue/Book (90 days) | Effort Level | Books Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Romance | €156 | Low | 52 |
| Spicy Romance | €127 | Low | 42 |
| Romantasy | €94 | Low | 27 |
| Young Adult | €39 | Medium | 13 |
| Romance | €32 | Medium | 11 |
| Thriller | €17 | Medium | 6 |
| Horror | €14 | Medium | 5 |
| Sci-Fi | €6 | High | 3 |
| Fantasy | €2 | Very High | 1 |
Revenue per Book (90-day average)
Data from books published in 2024 on test pens (fresh authors). Revenue measured over first 90 days post-publication.
Key insight: Notice a pattern? Romance subgenres dominate.
But here's the thing: not all romance is equal.
Why Romance Dominates KDP (And Always Will)
Reason 1: Voracious Readers
Romance readers consume 10-20 books per month. Sci-fi readers? 2-3.
More books read = more discoverability = more sales.
Reason 2: Series Potential
Romance readers binge series. Write Book 1 in a series → Books 2-5 sell themselves.
My dark romance series: Book 1 made €240. Books 2-5 made €2,960. 12x multiplier.
Reason 3: Kindle Unlimited
Romance readers love KU. My romance books average 242k pages read/month.
My sci-fi books? Negligible.
KU pays ~€0.0045 per page. 242,000 pages = €1,089/month passive income from pages alone (not including sales).
Reason 4: Lower Competition (in the right sub-niches)
Everyone writes "clean romance" or "sci-fi."
But certain romance sub-niches have HIGH demand, LOW competition.
Which ones? Keep reading.
The Romance Niches That Actually Make Money
Not all romance is profitable. Here's the hierarchy:
Tier 1: Spicy Spicy Romance (€5-50/book/month)
• Billionaire Romance
CEO/mogul falls for employee, assistant, or rival
• Mafia Romance
Dangerous man, forbidden love, high stakes
• Reverse Harem
One woman, multiple love interests
• Age Gap Romance
Older man/younger woman (both adults)
Why it works: High reader demand, easy to write with AI, KU gold mine
📊 My top earner:
€3,200 in 4 months from ONE dark romance series (5 books)
Cost to produce: €20 in credits (5 × €4)
ROI: 160x
Tier 2: Romantasy (€1-50/book/month)
• Shifter Romance
Werewolf, bear, dragon shifters with fated mates
• Vampire Romance
Immortal vampires, forbidden love, danger
• Fated Mates
Destined lovers across supernatural worlds
Why it works: Dedicated fanbase, series potential, less saturated than contemporary
Tier 3: Sweet Romance (€1-20/book/month)
• Small-Town Romance
Clean, cozy, wholesome love stories
• Holiday Romance
Christmas, Valentine's Day themed
Why it struggles: Oversaturated market, readers prefer spicy content, lower KU engagement
📈 The pattern?
The spicier the content, the higher the earnings.
I know, I know. You might be thinking "I don't want to write that."
Here's the thing: You're not writing it. AI is.
You're just editing for quality and publishing.
If you want passive income from KDP, you publish what sells. Not what you personally enjoy.
Why Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fail on KDP
I see new publishers make this mistake constantly:
"I'll publish sci-fi because I love sci-fi."
Then they're shocked when it makes €12 total.
The problems with sci-fi/literary:
Tiny audience
Sci-fi readers are niche. Romance readers are mainstream (50%+ of fiction market).
High expectations
They expect complex worldbuilding, hard science, consistent tech rules. AI can't deliver this reliably.
Slow readers
They read 2-3 books/month max vs. romance readers consuming 10-20 books/month.
Low KU adoption
They prefer to buy and own books, not borrow via Kindle Unlimited.
AI struggles
Sci-fi requires technical consistency AI can't maintain across 300 pages.
Bottom line:
Sci-fi is for authors building long-term brands. Not for KDP volume publishers.
If you want €3k/month passive income, you need high-volume, high-demand genres.
That means romance. Specifically, spicy romance.
"But I Don't Want to Write Adult Content"
I get it. You have reservations.
Here's what changed my mind:
1. You're not the author. AI is.
You're a publisher, not a writer. Your name isn't on the cover (use a pen name). You're editing AI output and running a business.
2. You're providing a service.
Millions of women read romance novels. You're giving them what they want. It's a legitimate market with massive demand.
3. It's significantly easier to edit.
Spicy romance AI output requires LESS editing than complex sci-fi.
Romance: Fix dialogue, remove repetitive phrases (60 min)
Sci-fi: Fix plot holes, tech inconsistencies, worldbuilding (3+ hours)
4. The money is undeniable.
My sci-fi books: €6 total revenue in 2024
My romance books: €448 in 90 days
That's a 75x difference.
5. You can test it anonymously.
Use a pen name. Publish 5 books. See the results.
If it doesn't work, you've lost €20 in credits.
If it DOES work? You've found a €3k/month income stream.
My advice:
Separate your artistic preferences from your business strategy.
Want creative fulfillment? Write sci-fi under your real name on weekends.
Want passive income? Publish spicy romance under a pen name on weekdays.
You can do both.
How to Start Publishing Profitable Romance on KDP
Pick your sub-niche
- • Billionaire romance (easy, high demand)
- • Mafia romance (trending, loyal readers)
- • Shifter romance (paranormal, series potential)
- • Dark romance (highest earnings, mature readers)
Generate your first book with WriteAIBook
• Use the "Romance" or "Dark Romance" genre setting
• Add heat level in description: "Include steamy romance scenes between main characters"
• Generate 20 chapters (full novel, ~30,000 words)
• Download as DOCX
Generate Your First Romance Novel →Edit for quality (60-90 minutes)
- • Remove repetitive phrases ("lips biting," "Not X. But Y.")
- • Enhance dialogue (make characters distinct)
- • Check character consistency (names, traits, backstory)
- • Add heat to romantic scenes (or tone down if too explicit)
- • Fix pacing (cut boring parts, add tension)
Publish on Amazon KDP
- • Use pen name (not your real name)
- • Price at €2.99 (70% royalty)
- • Enroll in Kindle Unlimited (rewards pages read)
- • Pick a cover, preferably one that's not explicit (dungeon risk)
- • Check "explicit content" box only if cover image is explicit or if book contains explicit images
- • Check "AI-generated content" box (required by Amazon)
Publish 5 books in the same series
Book 1 often loses money (ads/promotions). Bundles are where profit happens.
Readers binge series = passive income as they buy/read all 5 books.
Sample timeline:
Week 1: Book 1 (€4 cost, €0-5 revenue)
Week 2: Book 2 (€4 cost, €5-10 revenue)
Week 3: Book 3 (€4 cost, €5-20 revenue)
Week 4: Book 4 (€4 cost, €10-20 revenue)
Week 5: Book 5 (€4 cost, €10-40 revenue)
Total: €20 invested → €20-90 revenue (first 35 days)
Ready to Start?
Generate your first 3 chapters free. See the quality for yourself.
Try WriteAIBook Free →30 free credits • No credit card required • Download as DOCX
FAQ: Making Money with Romance on KDP
Q: Is it legal to publish AI-generated books on Amazon?
Yes, as long as you check the "AI-generated content" box during upload. Amazon explicitly allows AI-generated content with proper disclosure. I've published 350 books this way with zero issues.
Q: Will readers know it's AI?
Not if you edit properly. Readers care about entertainment value, not whether AI helped write it. Think of AI as a co-author or ghostwriter, not a replacement for editing.
Q: Do I need to write explicit content?
No. "Spicy" romance can be fade-to-black (implying intimacy without explicit detail).
But statistically, explicit content does sell better. My explicit dark romance: €56/book average. My fade-to-black romance: €8/book average.
Q: What if I'm uncomfortable with adult content?
Then publish sweet romance or romantasy. You'll make less, but it's still profitable. Or try LitRPG/Cozy Crime. Not every genre needs to be spicy.
Q: How long until I make money?
Realistic timeline:
- Book 1: Often loses money (€4 cost, unknown author)
- Books 2-5: Break even zone (€5-15/book)
- Months 2-3: First €100 revenue possible
- Month 4+: €1,000/month possible (if you publish consistently)
Q: Can I use a pen name?
Yes. Most profitable KDP publishers use 5-10 pen names for different niches / languages. This lets you test multiple genres without damaging your author brand if one doesn't work.
Q: What about book covers?
You need good covers. Readers judge books by covers.
Options:
- Canva templates: Free (DIY, takes 30 min)
- Fiverr designers: €5-15 per cover
- Pre-made covers: €30-50 (GetCovers, BookCoverZone)
I use Canva for most books (free). All my images are AI-generated (use Seedream or Flux Schnell on Replicate).
Q: Do I need to market my books?
Not if your books read like candy. Romance readers have a ravenous appetite.
Focus on publishing 5-10 books in the same series first. Then consider Amazon Ads or Promotions once you have a catalog. Series sell themselves through "also bought" recommendations.
Start Your First Profitable Romance Series Today
Generate 3 chapters free. Test the quality. See if this is for you.
Try WriteAIBook Free →No credit card required • 30 free credits • Romance genre available