Increased from 10% to 15% of total ebook salesEvolution of Ebook Sales in 2024
Total Market Growth
The ebook market grew by 10,4% in revenue in 2024
- Last year's increase exceeds the 2023 figure by 1.8 percentage points, which was recorded at 8,6%.
Growth Distribution by Region
America
States
Spain and United States* both led the growth of the Spanish ebook market, with an increase of 13% compared to the previous year.
Just one percentage point behind is Mexico, where the ebook sector grew by 12% in revenue.
The most static market during 2024 was Latin America, where growth reached only 5%.
* The demand for cultural content in Spanish in the United States has skyrocketed compared to 2023, when this market only grew by 2%. Both readers using library platforms and those using unit sales platforms are increasingly demanding content in Spanish, and some publishers are already adapting certain titles for the Spanish-speaking community in this country.
Specific Analysis of Ebook Sales in Spanish Markets
Readers prefer to buy ebooks
Unit sales continue to be the main source of income for publishers and strengthen their leadership by increasing their share by 4,82 percentage points.
- The DTO (Download to own) model is established as the safe value: readers like to own the electronic books they read.
The subscription decline reflects the 'momentum' of some platforms
Users of these channels have opted to temporarily migrate to unit sales.
- Everand has not recovered from the setback it suffered in 2023 after its rebranding (formerly Scribd). Publishers who have suffered most from this decline are those of technical books and general non-fiction, particularly those based in Mexico and Latin America.
- Nextory's'deceleration began to be compensated for at the end of the year thanks to the launch of Kobo Plus,in those territories where Kobo implemented its subscription service.
In 2024, libraries operated based on licenses acquired the previous year
In 2023, eBiblio‘s investment in license purchases for its library network represented a 39,68% increase, a growth that exclusively benefited Spanish publishers.
- However, this level of investment has not been maintained in subsequent years, leading to a 2,82 percentage point decline in revenues generated through this business model.
Identified Trends
Library aggregators operating in the United States are increasingly demanding Spanish-language content, particularly in the following genres:
entrepreneurship
literature
Independent publishers continue to lead the subscription space, largely due to the limited presence of major publishing groups on these platforms.
The commitment to subscription models by global players—such as Kobo, with the launch of Kobo Plus—highlights the growing interest of large platforms in strengthening reader loyalty through these types of plans.
Breakdown of Ebook Sales by Latin American Publishers by Region
America
States
In 2024 83,1% of ebook sales by Latin American publishers took place within the American Continent, an increase of 1,1% compared to 2023.
Ebook Sales by Price Ranges of Spanish Publishers
| Price Range | Sales in 2024 | Sales in 2023 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0,00 - 2,99 EUR | 3,18% | 2,67% | -0,51% |
| 003 - 4,99 EUR | 5,98% | 5,87% | -0,11% |
| 005 - 7,99 EUR | 21,89% | 27,97% | 6,08% |
| 008 - 9,99 EUR | 20,47% | 21,64% | 1,17% |
| 010 - 12,99 EUR | 21,30% | 21,36% | 0,06% |
| 013 - 14,99 EUR | 7,48% | 8,22% | 0,74% |
| 015 - 20,99 EUR | 14,04% | 6,45% | -7,59% |
| > 20 EUR | 5,66% | 5,83% | -0,17% |
The ebooks that sold the most in 2024 had a retail price between 5 and 12.99 euros.
63,66% of the titles purchased last year were priced in this range.
This segment retreated 7,64% compared to 2023, when it represented 70,97% of total titles sold.
Revenue increased by 6,08% for ebooks priced between 5 adn 7,99 euros.
Revenue decreased by 7,59% for ebooks priced between 15 and 20,99 euros.
The rest of the segments barely register fluctuations.
Ebook Sales by Price Ranges of Latin American Publishers
| Price Range | Sales in 2024 | Sales in 2023 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0,00 - 2,99 EUR | 5,11% | 4,27% | -0,84% |
| 003 - 4,99 EUR | 7,00% | 7,10% | 0,10% |
| 005 - 7,99 EUR | 24,25% | 22,67% | -1,58% |
| 008 - 9,99 EUR | 20,26% | 19,55% | -0,71% |
| 010 - 12,99 EUR | 18,30% | 18,41% | 0,11% |
| 013 - 14,99 EUR | 7,46% | 6,93% | -0,53% |
| 015 - 20,99 EUR | 12,40% | 15,72% | 3,32% |
| > 20 EUR | 5,22% | 5,35% | 0,13% |
The ebooks that sold the most in 2024 were priced between 5 and 12,99 euros.
62,81% of the titles purchased last year were priced in this range, 2,18 percentage points above the previous year.
Prices from Latin American publishers continue to rise: the price ranges that have increased the most are those starting at 15 euros retail price, which is also the segment that grew the most in 2023.
Evolution of Average Ebook Price
The average price of ebooks in 2024 was 7,61 euros.
- 5 cents below the average price of 2023: 7,66 euros
- Ebooks shows a much lower price barrier than print books: GfK has determined that the average price of paper books in 2024 was 15,69 euros, 60 cents above 2023, an increase prompted by the higher cost of paper and printing expenses, which has not been reflected in the price of ebooks.
Average Ebook Price and Regional Trends Over Time
America
States
The average price of ebooks has fallen in all territories.
This decrease is led by the United States, with an average price 34 cents of a euro lower than in 2023, followed by Latin America with 32 cents and Mexico with 26. In Spain, the average price of ebooks drops only three cents.
Best-Selling Genres by Territory
The Impact of Pre-sales on the Ebook Market
One of the biggest differences between major groups and the independent publishers is the use of pre-sales as a tool to reach more readers yand ensure their digital catalogs achieve maximum possible profitability.
When Do Publishers Release Their New Titles?
On average, publishers working with Bookwire make their titles available for sale according to the following lead times.
America
States
What Are the Effects of Pre-Sales?
Publishers—particularly large publishing groups—that register new releases in advance benefit from several key advantages:
Digital platforms tend to favor titles whose metadata is available prior to the publication date. The earlier the information is submitted, the greater the likelihood that the title will be discovered.
Offering readers the option to pre-order or reserve an ebook generates early interest and visibility for the title.
At Bookwire, we notify major channels in advance about upcoming titles from our publishers. For this reason, we recommend that new releases be registered in Bookwire OS approximately 45 days before their launch date. This process can be done with just the cover image and metadata—the epub file can be uploaded later.