GITNUXREPORT 2026

Ebook Sales Statistics

Global ebook sales are steadily growing and expanding across all genres worldwide.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

62% of US ebook buyers are aged 18-44 according to 2022 surveys.

Statistic 2

Women represent 64% of ebook purchasers in the US market 2022.

Statistic 3

55% of ebook readers prefer fiction genres, per 2023 consumer survey.

Statistic 4

Average time spent reading ebooks daily: 1.2 hours among US adults 2022.

Statistic 5

72% of ebook consumers own smartphones as primary reading device 2022.

Statistic 6

Subscription services like Kindle Unlimited retain 40% of users monthly 2022.

Statistic 7

28% of print book buyers also purchase ebooks of the same title.

Statistic 8

College students: 65% prefer ebooks for textbooks due to portability 2022.

Statistic 9

51% of ebook readers discover titles via social media recommendations 2023.

Statistic 10

Price sensitivity: 60% abandon cart if ebook over $9.99, Amazon data 2022.

Statistic 11

Audiobook cross-buyers: 35% also buy ebooks from same series 2022.

Statistic 12

44% of Gen Z read ebooks weekly, highest among demographics 2022.

Statistic 13

Urban dwellers 2x more likely to read ebooks than rural, 2022 survey.

Statistic 14

67% of ebook readers use apps like Libby for library borrowing 2022.

Statistic 15

Retention rate for series ebooks: 75% read next book within 30 days.

Statistic 16

39% of consumers prefer ebooks for travel reading portability 2023.

Statistic 17

Nighttime reading: 82% of ebook users read before bed on devices 2022.

Statistic 18

53% switch to ebooks for instant access vs waiting for print delivery.

Statistic 19

Multilingual ebook readers: 25% consume content in 2+ languages annually.

Statistic 20

US ebook sales by romance genre: 40 million units in 2021.

Statistic 21

Mystery/thriller ebooks accounted for 25% of US digital sales in 2022, $500 million revenue.

Statistic 22

Sci-fi/fantasy ebooks saw 15% growth in 2022, 12% of total ebook market.

Statistic 23

Non-fiction ebooks comprised 42% of sales volume in 2022 globally.

Statistic 24

Romance ebooks generated $1.44 billion in 2021, 47% of top-selling fiction.

Statistic 25

Children's ebooks dropped to 8% market share in 2022 from 12% in 2019.

Statistic 26

Self-help ebooks surged 28% in sales during 2020-2022 period.

Statistic 27

Business ebooks accounted for 15% of Amazon Kindle non-fiction sales in 2022.

Statistic 28

Horror ebooks grew 20% YoY in 2022, led by indie authors.

Statistic 29

Cookbooks and food ebooks: 5 million units sold in US 2022.

Statistic 30

Literary fiction ebooks: 10% of total fiction sales, $300 million revenue 2022.

Statistic 31

Young adult ebooks held 18% share in YA market, 22 million units 2022.

Statistic 32

Biography/memoir ebooks: 22% growth in 2022, popular on Audible crossovers.

Statistic 33

Historical fiction ebooks: 8% market share, steady 3% growth 2020-2022.

Statistic 34

Religion/spirituality ebooks: 7% of non-fiction, $200 million US 2022.

Statistic 35

Comics/graphic novels ebooks grew 35% in 2022 via Webtoon and Tapas.

Statistic 36

Travel ebooks declined 15% post-pandemic but rebounded 10% in 2022.

Statistic 37

Health/fitness ebooks: 12 million downloads on Apple Books 2022.

Statistic 38

Global ebook sales revenue reached $14.7 billion in 2022, representing a 5.6% year-over-year growth driven by increased digital adoption post-pandemic.

Statistic 39

The ebook market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.78% from 2023 to 2030, reaching $22.76 billion by 2030 according to industry forecasts.

Statistic 40

Ebook unit sales worldwide hit 1.1 billion in 2021, with fiction genres accounting for 58% of total volume.

Statistic 41

Digital book sales, including ebooks, grew by 22% in 2020 to exceed $2.5 billion in the US alone amid COVID-19 lockdowns.

Statistic 42

The global ebook reader market size was valued at $2.1 billion in 2022 and expected to expand at 7.5% CAGR through 2030.

Statistic 43

Ebook penetration in the total book market reached 20.6% globally in 2022, up from 18.2% in 2020.

Statistic 44

Self-published ebooks generated over $300 million in royalties in 2022 via platforms like Amazon KDP.

Statistic 45

The ebook segment captured 16.7% of US trade book sales revenue in 2022, totaling $2.1 billion.

Statistic 46

Global ebook sales volume increased by 8.2% in 2023, driven by mobile reading apps.

Statistic 47

Ebook market share in Europe stood at 12% of total book sales in 2022, with Germany leading at 18%.

Statistic 48

Worldwide ebook downloads on Google Play Books surged 40% in 2021 compared to 2020.

Statistic 49

The indie ebook market grew 15% YoY in 2022, representing 45% of Amazon Kindle store sales.

Statistic 50

Global B2C ebook sales revenue hit €1.2 billion in 2022 across major platforms.

Statistic 51

Ebook sales in the Asia-Pacific region expanded at 6.8% CAGR from 2018-2023.

Statistic 52

Total global digital content sales, with ebooks at 35%, reached $150 billion in 2022.

Statistic 53

Ebook unit sales declined 5% in Q1 2023 globally but revenue rose 2% due to higher pricing.

Statistic 54

The ebook market is forecasted to hit $29.1 billion by 2027 at 11.3% CAGR from 2020.

Statistic 55

In 2022, ebooks accounted for 21% of fiction book sales worldwide.

Statistic 56

Global ebook sales via subscription models grew 25% in 2022 to $1.8 billion.

Statistic 57

Ebook market contraction of 1.7% in units but 4% revenue growth in 2021.

Statistic 58

Amazon Kindle romance ebooks: over 50,000 titles sold 1,000+ copies each in 2022.

Statistic 59

Big Five publishers held 60% of ebook revenue in 2022, down from 70% in 2018.

Statistic 60

Indie authors earned 40% of Amazon ebook royalties in Q4 2022.

Statistic 61

Penguin Random House ebook sales: $800 million globally in 2022.

Statistic 62

HarperCollins US ebook revenue grew 10% to $250 million in FY2022.

Statistic 63

Simon & Schuster ebook sales: 25% of total revenue, $150 million 2022.

Statistic 64

Hachette Book Group ebook unit sales up 8% in 2022.

Statistic 65

Macmillan Publishers ebook revenue: €200 million in 2022 across imprints.

Statistic 66

Self-published authors: 1 million+ new ebook titles on Amazon in 2022.

Statistic 67

Average indie author ebook earnings: $1,200 per year in 2022.

Statistic 68

Top 1% of authors captured 50% of ebook royalties on KDP 2022.

Statistic 69

Scholastic ebook sales for children's books: $50 million in 2022.

Statistic 70

Bloomsbury Publishing ebook revenue up 22% to £45 million in FY2022.

Statistic 71

Average traditional publisher ebook royalty rate: 25% of net receipts.

Statistic 72

KDP Select enrollees: 80% of indie ebook sales on Amazon 2022.

Statistic 73

Hybrid publishers ebook share: 15% growth in 2022 market penetration.

Statistic 74

Wattpad self-pub conversions: 50,000 ebooks launched via Wattpad Paid Stories 2022.

Statistic 75

Average ebook price for traditionally published titles: $9.99 in 2022.

Statistic 76

45% of bestselling ebooks on Apple Books were indie in 2022.

Statistic 77

US ebook sales revenue: $1.83 billion in 2021, up 20% from prior year.

Statistic 78

UK ebook sales volume dropped 9% to 67 million units in 2022.

Statistic 79

In Germany, ebook market share reached 18% of total book sales in 2022, with €450 million revenue.

Statistic 80

Canada ebook sales grew 12% in 2022 to CAD 150 million.

Statistic 81

Australia ebook revenue hit AUD 200 million in 2022, 15% of total book market.

Statistic 82

India ebook sales surged 50% in 2022 to INR 500 crore, led by regional languages.

Statistic 83

Brazil ebook market grew 22% in 2022, reaching BRL 300 million.

Statistic 84

France ebook sales volume: 25 million units in 2022, up 5% YoY.

Statistic 85

Japan ebook revenue exceeded ¥500 billion in 2022, 45% of manga sales digital.

Statistic 86

China ebook market size: CNY 40 billion in 2022, with 60% via apps like Zhangyue.

Statistic 87

South Korea ebook sales hit KRW 1 trillion in 2022, webtoons driving 70% growth.

Statistic 88

Mexico ebook revenue grew 18% to MXN 1.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 89

Spain ebook sales: €120 million in 2022, 10% market share.

Statistic 90

Italy ebook volume: 12 million units in 2022, flat YoY.

Statistic 91

Netherlands ebook sales revenue: €80 million in 2022, 14% of total.

Statistic 92

Russia ebook market declined 10% in 2022 due to sanctions, to RUB 15 billion.

Statistic 93

South Africa ebook sales grew 30% to ZAR 500 million in 2022.

1/93

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The $14.7 billion ebook industry is not just surviving but thriving, with projections showing it's on a steady climb to surpass $22 billion by 2030, fueled by everything from surging indie author royalties to a global shift toward digital reading convenience.

Key Takeaways

Global ebook sales revenue reached $14.7 billion in 2022, representing a 5.6% year-over-year growth driven by increased digital adoption post-pandemic.
The ebook market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.78% from 2023 to 2030, reaching $22.76 billion by 2030 according to industry forecasts.
Ebook unit sales worldwide hit 1.1 billion in 2021, with fiction genres accounting for 58% of total volume.
US ebook sales revenue: $1.83 billion in 2021, up 20% from prior year.
UK ebook sales volume dropped 9% to 67 million units in 2022.
In Germany, ebook market share reached 18% of total book sales in 2022, with €450 million revenue.
US ebook sales by romance genre: 40 million units in 2021.
Mystery/thriller ebooks accounted for 25% of US digital sales in 2022, $500 million revenue.
Sci-fi/fantasy ebooks saw 15% growth in 2022, 12% of total ebook market.
Amazon Kindle romance ebooks: over 50,000 titles sold 1,000+ copies each in 2022.
Big Five publishers held 60% of ebook revenue in 2022, down from 70% in 2018.
Indie authors earned 40% of Amazon ebook royalties in Q4 2022.
62% of US ebook buyers are aged 18-44 according to 2022 surveys.
Women represent 64% of ebook purchasers in the US market 2022.
55% of ebook readers prefer fiction genres, per 2023 consumer survey.

Global ebook sales are steadily growing and expanding across all genres worldwide.

Consumer Behavior and Preferences

62% of US ebook buyers are aged 18-44 according to 2022 surveys.
Women represent 64% of ebook purchasers in the US market 2022.
55% of ebook readers prefer fiction genres, per 2023 consumer survey.
Average time spent reading ebooks daily: 1.2 hours among US adults 2022.
72% of ebook consumers own smartphones as primary reading device 2022.
Subscription services like Kindle Unlimited retain 40% of users monthly 2022.
28% of print book buyers also purchase ebooks of the same title.
College students: 65% prefer ebooks for textbooks due to portability 2022.
51% of ebook readers discover titles via social media recommendations 2023.
Price sensitivity: 60% abandon cart if ebook over $9.99, Amazon data 2022.
Audiobook cross-buyers: 35% also buy ebooks from same series 2022.
44% of Gen Z read ebooks weekly, highest among demographics 2022.
Urban dwellers 2x more likely to read ebooks than rural, 2022 survey.
67% of ebook readers use apps like Libby for library borrowing 2022.
Retention rate for series ebooks: 75% read next book within 30 days.
39% of consumers prefer ebooks for travel reading portability 2023.
Nighttime reading: 82% of ebook users read before bed on devices 2022.
53% switch to ebooks for instant access vs waiting for print delivery.
Multilingual ebook readers: 25% consume content in 2+ languages annually.

Consumer Behavior and Preferences Interpretation

The core ebook audience is a price-sensitive, smartphone-tethered, fiction-loving crowd, predominantly young women, who are voraciously chain-reading series in bed but will absolutely abandon a digital cart over a ten-dollar price tag.

Genre-Specific Sales

US ebook sales by romance genre: 40 million units in 2021.
Mystery/thriller ebooks accounted for 25% of US digital sales in 2022, $500 million revenue.
Sci-fi/fantasy ebooks saw 15% growth in 2022, 12% of total ebook market.
Non-fiction ebooks comprised 42% of sales volume in 2022 globally.
Romance ebooks generated $1.44 billion in 2021, 47% of top-selling fiction.
Children's ebooks dropped to 8% market share in 2022 from 12% in 2019.
Self-help ebooks surged 28% in sales during 2020-2022 period.
Business ebooks accounted for 15% of Amazon Kindle non-fiction sales in 2022.
Horror ebooks grew 20% YoY in 2022, led by indie authors.
Cookbooks and food ebooks: 5 million units sold in US 2022.
Literary fiction ebooks: 10% of total fiction sales, $300 million revenue 2022.
Young adult ebooks held 18% share in YA market, 22 million units 2022.
Biography/memoir ebooks: 22% growth in 2022, popular on Audible crossovers.
Historical fiction ebooks: 8% market share, steady 3% growth 2020-2022.
Religion/spirituality ebooks: 7% of non-fiction, $200 million US 2022.
Comics/graphic novels ebooks grew 35% in 2022 via Webtoon and Tapas.
Travel ebooks declined 15% post-pandemic but rebounded 10% in 2022.
Health/fitness ebooks: 12 million downloads on Apple Books 2022.

Genre-Specific Sales Interpretation

While romance readers are single-handedly keeping the digital lights on with their voracious, billion-dollar habits, the rest of the genre landscape is a thrilling tug-of-war where mystery fans are spending like it's a clue, self-help gurus are cashing in on our collective anxiety, and indie horror authors are quietly (and profitably) scaring the pants off everyone.

Global Market Trends

Global ebook sales revenue reached $14.7 billion in 2022, representing a 5.6% year-over-year growth driven by increased digital adoption post-pandemic.
The ebook market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.78% from 2023 to 2030, reaching $22.76 billion by 2030 according to industry forecasts.
Ebook unit sales worldwide hit 1.1 billion in 2021, with fiction genres accounting for 58% of total volume.
Digital book sales, including ebooks, grew by 22% in 2020 to exceed $2.5 billion in the US alone amid COVID-19 lockdowns.
The global ebook reader market size was valued at $2.1 billion in 2022 and expected to expand at 7.5% CAGR through 2030.
Ebook penetration in the total book market reached 20.6% globally in 2022, up from 18.2% in 2020.
Self-published ebooks generated over $300 million in royalties in 2022 via platforms like Amazon KDP.
The ebook segment captured 16.7% of US trade book sales revenue in 2022, totaling $2.1 billion.
Global ebook sales volume increased by 8.2% in 2023, driven by mobile reading apps.
Ebook market share in Europe stood at 12% of total book sales in 2022, with Germany leading at 18%.
Worldwide ebook downloads on Google Play Books surged 40% in 2021 compared to 2020.
The indie ebook market grew 15% YoY in 2022, representing 45% of Amazon Kindle store sales.
Global B2C ebook sales revenue hit €1.2 billion in 2022 across major platforms.
Ebook sales in the Asia-Pacific region expanded at 6.8% CAGR from 2018-2023.
Total global digital content sales, with ebooks at 35%, reached $150 billion in 2022.
Ebook unit sales declined 5% in Q1 2023 globally but revenue rose 2% due to higher pricing.
The ebook market is forecasted to hit $29.1 billion by 2027 at 11.3% CAGR from 2020.
In 2022, ebooks accounted for 21% of fiction book sales worldwide.
Global ebook sales via subscription models grew 25% in 2022 to $1.8 billion.
Ebook market contraction of 1.7% in units but 4% revenue growth in 2021.

Global Market Trends Interpretation

The ebook market, a post-pandemic phoenix refusing to be ashes, continues its steady, profitable rise as readers increasingly trade paper cuts for tap-and-swipe convenience, proving that while units may occasionally dip, our collective digital appetite for stories—especially fiction—only grows fatter.

Publisher and Author Insights

Amazon Kindle romance ebooks: over 50,000 titles sold 1,000+ copies each in 2022.
Big Five publishers held 60% of ebook revenue in 2022, down from 70% in 2018.
Indie authors earned 40% of Amazon ebook royalties in Q4 2022.
Penguin Random House ebook sales: $800 million globally in 2022.
HarperCollins US ebook revenue grew 10% to $250 million in FY2022.
Simon & Schuster ebook sales: 25% of total revenue, $150 million 2022.
Hachette Book Group ebook unit sales up 8% in 2022.
Macmillan Publishers ebook revenue: €200 million in 2022 across imprints.
Self-published authors: 1 million+ new ebook titles on Amazon in 2022.
Average indie author ebook earnings: $1,200 per year in 2022.
Top 1% of authors captured 50% of ebook royalties on KDP 2022.
Scholastic ebook sales for children's books: $50 million in 2022.
Bloomsbury Publishing ebook revenue up 22% to £45 million in FY2022.
Average traditional publisher ebook royalty rate: 25% of net receipts.
KDP Select enrollees: 80% of indie ebook sales on Amazon 2022.
Hybrid publishers ebook share: 15% growth in 2022 market penetration.
Wattpad self-pub conversions: 50,000 ebooks launched via Wattpad Paid Stories 2022.
Average ebook price for traditionally published titles: $9.99 in 2022.
45% of bestselling ebooks on Apple Books were indie in 2022.

Publisher and Author Insights Interpretation

Amidst the giants' tectonic shift, where indie authors now claim a vibrant 40% of the Amazon royalty pie while the Big Five's share quietly erodes, a stark truth emerges: the digital book kingdom is vast enough for both blockbuster empires and a bustling, though often modestly earning, creative republic.

Regional Sales Data

US ebook sales revenue: $1.83 billion in 2021, up 20% from prior year.
UK ebook sales volume dropped 9% to 67 million units in 2022.
In Germany, ebook market share reached 18% of total book sales in 2022, with €450 million revenue.
Canada ebook sales grew 12% in 2022 to CAD 150 million.
Australia ebook revenue hit AUD 200 million in 2022, 15% of total book market.
India ebook sales surged 50% in 2022 to INR 500 crore, led by regional languages.
Brazil ebook market grew 22% in 2022, reaching BRL 300 million.
France ebook sales volume: 25 million units in 2022, up 5% YoY.
Japan ebook revenue exceeded ¥500 billion in 2022, 45% of manga sales digital.
China ebook market size: CNY 40 billion in 2022, with 60% via apps like Zhangyue.
South Korea ebook sales hit KRW 1 trillion in 2022, webtoons driving 70% growth.
Mexico ebook revenue grew 18% to MXN 1.2 billion in 2022.
Spain ebook sales: €120 million in 2022, 10% market share.
Italy ebook volume: 12 million units in 2022, flat YoY.
Netherlands ebook sales revenue: €80 million in 2022, 14% of total.
Russia ebook market declined 10% in 2022 due to sanctions, to RUB 15 billion.
South Africa ebook sales grew 30% to ZAR 500 million in 2022.

Regional Sales Data Interpretation

The ebook market is a thrilling page-turner of a story, where soaring growth in most nations proves digital reading is here to stay, even if some chapters, like those in the UK and Russia, remind us that local plot twists—be they cultural preferences or geopolitical drama—can still disrupt the narrative.