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Quick answer: Print still leads: U.S. publishers reported about $1 billion in e-book revenue in 2025, flat from 2024, while print unit sales reached 762.4 million, up 0.3%, according to AAP and Circana data. Pew’s October 2025 survey found 64% of adults read a print book in the past year versus 31% an e-book.
Quick facts
AAP: e-book revenue about $1 billion in 2025, down 0.3% from 2024
Circana BookScan: 762.4 million print units sold in 2025, up 0.3%, below the 2021 peak of 839.7 million
Pew (Oct 2025): 64% read print, 31% e-books, 26% audiobooks
AAP: total industry revenue about $14.6 billion in 2025, up 1.1%
Audiobooks: $2.43 billion in 2025 (APA)
The e-book revolution that many predicted in the early 2010s did not replace print. Instead, the market settled into a balance in which print remains the largest category, e-books hold a stable niche and audiobooks grow. This guide gathers 2025 and 2026 figures on e-book and print sales and reading, drawn from the Association of American Publishers (AAP), Circana BookScan as reported by Publishers Weekly and Pew Research Center, and explains what they measure. A caution: revenue and units are different, and sources count different slices of the market, so numbers are not directly comparable. We note each source and what it covers.
Table of Contents
How Many Print Books Were Sold in 2025?
Publishers Weekly, reporting Circana BookScan data, said U.S. print unit sales were 762.4 million in 2025, up 0.3% from 2024 and the second straight year of growth, but still below the 2021 peak of 839.7 million. Adult nonfiction remained the largest segment even as it dipped 1.5%. Romance rose 3.9% to nearly 44 million units, while fantasy fell 8.7% to 24.1 million. Circana covers outlets that report to BookScan, which does not capture every sale, so totals are estimates.
How Big Is E-Book Revenue?
The AAP’s StatShot reported that e-book revenues were about $1 billion in 2025, down 0.3% from 2024, within a total publishing industry of about $14.6 billion, up 1.1%. Through the first eleven months, e-book revenue was flat at $963.7 million. AAP’s data are based on reports from participating publishers and exclude some self-published and Amazon-only sales, so they understate the total e-book market.
What Percentage of Readers Use Each Format?
Pew’s October 2025 survey found 64% of U.S. adults read a print book in the past year, 31% read an e-book and 26% listened to an audiobook. Print has declined from 72% in 2011, while e-books rose from 17% and audiobooks from 11%. Readers often use several formats, so the percentages overlap. Younger adults are more likely to read e-books, with 41% of those under 30 doing so.
Are E-Book Sales Growing or Falling?
E-book revenue peaked in the early 2010s, fell afterward and has been roughly flat in recent years. AAP data show small year-to-year changes, such as a 2.4% rise in the first half of 2025 followed by a flat year. Growth has shifted to audiobooks and, in print, to specific categories such as romance and graphic novels.
Print vs. Digital: Why Do People Choose Print?
Surveys and booksellers report that readers often prefer print for gifts, cookbooks, children’s books and books they want to annotate. Studies on comprehension suggest that readers may have a slight edge in some tasks on paper, though results vary. E-books win on portability, price promotions, adjustable text and library lending. Many readers use both.
What About Libraries?
Library e-book and audiobook lending has grown quickly. The IMLS reports electronic circulation increased 84% from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2023, and visits per person returned to 2.8 in fiscal 2023. Library digital checkouts are not part of publisher sales numbers but add to total reading.
Which Formats Do Which Genres Prefer?
Romance, thrillers and fantasy are strong in both e-book and print, with e-books especially popular for series and self-published authors. Children’s books and nonfiction lean toward print. Audiobooks favor fiction and self-help. Genre patterns shift with trends such as BookTok-driven sales.
How Should You Choose a Format?
If you travel, an e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite holds hundreds of books in a small device. If you like to flip back and mark pages, print may suit you. If you commute, try audio. Libraries offer all three. Choose by situation, not by loyalty to a format.
Sources and Notes
Sources include the Association of American Publishers monthly and annual StatShot reports; Publishers Weekly’s report on 2025 Circana BookScan print sales; Pew Research Center’s April 2026 short read on print, e-book and audiobook reading; and IMLS. Surveys differ in who they ask, how they word questions and what counts as a book, so figures from different sources rarely match exactly. Treat each number as a snapshot from the named survey and year, not as a universal truth. Percentages may have changed since these studies were published, and some sources revise earlier results.
Gear for Print and Digital Readers
Whichever format you choose, a few accessories help. A Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo e-reader is light and glare-free, while a clip-on book light makes late-night print reading kinder to your partner’s sleep. A book stand helps with heavy hardcovers, and a good bookmark keeps your place. If you read in the bath or at the beach, look for a waterproof sleeve. Many readers keep both an e-reader for travel and a few favorite print books at home.
Print vs. Screen: What Studies Say About Comprehension
Researchers have compared reading on paper and on screens. A 2018 meta-analysis by Pablo Delgado and colleagues, covering studies from 2000 to 2017, found that readers tended to understand informational texts better on paper, especially under time pressure, while differences for narrative texts were smaller. The reasons may include screen distractions and less careful reading habits. For most pleasure reading the differences are small, and e-readers with e-ink screens behave more like paper than tablets. The practical advice is to use print for dense, important material and the format you enjoy for everything else.
Cost, Convenience and Environment
E-books are often cheaper per title and take no shelf space, but a device has an environmental and financial cost. Print books can be borrowed, resold and passed on, which extends their life. Libraries lend both formats for free. If you read more than a few dozen books a year, an e-reader tends to pay for itself, particularly if you buy discounted e-books. If you read a few books a year, print and library loans may be cheaper. Many readers choose a mix: print at home, e-books for travel and audiobooks for commuting.
How to Evaluate a Statistic About e-books and print
Before you repeat any number you read about e-books and print, ask five questions. Who ran the survey, and do they have a reason to prefer a particular result? When was it conducted, since habits and markets change quickly? How many people were asked, and were they chosen to represent the whole population? What exactly was measured, such as books read, hours spent or money spent? And how was the question worded? A small change in wording, like ‘read for pleasure’ versus ‘read any book,’ can swing a result by tens of percentage points. Look for the margin of error, which tells you how much a number could move if the survey were repeated. Prefer primary sources, such as the organization that did the research, over blog posts that repeat their figures.
Common Misconceptions About e-books and print
Several myths circulate. One is that a single statistic proves a trend; in reality, trends need several data points over time. Another is that sales equal reading, when many books are bought and never finished, and library borrowing is missing from sales data. A third is that an average describes a typical person, when a few heavy users can lift the mean. A fourth is that survey respondents always report accurately; people tend to overstate socially desirable habits like reading. Finally, correlation is not causation: people who read more may also have more time, more education or more access to books. Keeping these in mind helps you read headlines with a clear head.
A Short Glossary for e-books and print Statistics
A few terms come up often. The mean is the average, found by adding values and dividing by the count. The median is the middle value, which is often a better picture of a typical person when a few people have very high numbers. A sample is the group actually surveyed, and a representative sample is chosen to reflect the larger population. The margin of error is the range within which the true value probably falls. A trend compares the same measure across several years. A fiscal year is an organization’s accounting year, which may not match the calendar year. Knowing these words makes reports easier to follow.
How to Use These Numbers in Your Own Reading Life
Statistics are most useful when they prompt a small action. If you learn that most people read only a few books a year, you can feel good about a modest goal, such as one book a month. If you see that audiobooks and e-books are growing, you might try a format that fits your commute or bedtime. If library use is rebounding, check your local branch for new programs. A {reading journal|reading journal} helps you track what you read and how it feels. The point is not to compete with an average but to build a habit you enjoy and can keep.
Questions to Ask Next Time You See a Reading Statistic
When a headline claims that reading is collapsing or booming, pause and ask what is being compared. Is it this year against last year, or against a peak? Does the figure include audiobooks and library borrowing, or only print sales? Is it about adults, children or both? Which country does it cover? Does the writer give a link to the original report? If the answers are missing, treat the claim with caution. Good reporting names the source, the year and the measure, which is the standard this guide aims to meet.
Related: Audiobook Statistics 2026 · Children’s Reading Statistics 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Are e-books outselling print?
No. Print unit sales were 762.4 million in 2025, while e-book revenue was about $1 billion and flat.
What percentage of adults read e-books?
31% read an e-book in the past year in Pew’s October 2025 survey.
Is print still the most popular format?
Yes, 64% of adults read a print book in the past year.
Why do the sales numbers differ from reading surveys?
Sales measure purchases, while surveys measure reading, and each source covers different slices of the market.
Is e-book revenue declining?
It is roughly flat; AAP reported a 0.3% drop for 2025.
What is growing fastest?
Audiobooks, with 9% growth in 2025 per the APA.