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Have you ever wondered who the best-selling authors of all time are? From classic writers like William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie to modern favourites such as J.K. Rowling and Stephen King, some authors have sold an incredible number of books over the years.
We've put together a list of 26 of the best-selling authors in history, based on estimated worldwide book sales. Some of the figures may surprise you, and there are plenty of familiar names along the way.
Please note: The worldwide sales figures in this article are estimates based on publicly available information and may vary between sources. Historical book sales can be particularly difficult to verify, so these figures should not be considered exact or independently audited totals.
The best-selling authors of all time include William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, Barbara Cartland, Danielle Steel and many other hugely successful writers. Between them, the authors on our list have sold billions of books around the world.
Here's a quick look at the 26 authors featured in our list:
| No. | Author | Estimated copies sold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Shakespeare | 2–4 billion |
| 2 | Agatha Christie | 2 billion+ |
| 3 | Barbara Cartland | 500 million–1 billion |
| 4 | Danielle Steel | 500–800 million |
| 5 | Harold Robbins | 750 million |
| 6 | Georges Simenon | 500–700 million |
| 7 | J.K. Rowling | 600 million+ |
| 8 | Enid Blyton | 600 million+ |
| 9 | Eiichiro Oda | 600 million+ |
| 10 | Sidney Sheldon | 300–500 million |
| 11 | Jackie Collins | 400–500 million |
| 12 | Gilbert Patten | 125–500 million |
| 13 | Dr. Seuss | 100–500 million |
| 14 | Akira Toriyama | 298–438 million |
| 15 | Leo Tolstoy | 413 million |
| 16 | Corín Tellado | 400 million |
| 17 | Dean Koontz | 325–500 million |
| 18 | R.L. Stine | 400 million+ |
| 19 | James Patterson | 400 million+ |
| 20 | Horatio Alger | Up to 400 million |
| 21 | Nora Roberts | 400 million+ |
| 22 | Stephen King | 400 million+ |
| 23 | Alexander Pushkin | 357 million |
| 24 | Paulo Coelho | 350 million+ |
| 25 | Jiro Akagawa | 300–330 million |
| 26 | Jeffrey Archer | 330 million+ |
Sales figures are estimates and can vary between sources.
Number of Copies Sold: 2–4 billion
Possibly one of the world’s greatest writers and arguably the forefather of modern English literature, William Shakespeare was an English playwright hailing from Stratford-upon-Avon. As the author of some of the world's most famous pieces of literature like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth; Shakespeare’s work has been enjoyed all over the world and not just as the plays they were written, but as films, novels, music, TV shows, and much more. It’s now estimated that 2–4 billion copies of Shakespeare's works have been sold since their conception.
Number of Copies Sold: 2 billion+
World-renowned novelist Agatha Christie is famous for her extensive collection of detective novels which includes famous titles like Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and The ABC Murders. It’s estimated that Agatha Christie's novels have sold nearly 2 billion+ copies, rivaling the sales figures of William Shakespeare, despite being born over 3 hundred years after him.
Number of Copies Sold: 500 million–1 billion
Known as the queen of romance, Barbara Cartland has produced some of the world’s most beloved romance novels with the likes of The Bored Bridegroom, A Hazard of Hearts, and Love Became Theirs. Born on the 9th of July 1901 in Birmingham, England, Cartland quickly took to writing, completing her first book at the age of only 19. Today, it's estimated that 500 million–1 billion copies of Cartland’s novels have sold around the world.
Number of Copies Sold: 500–800 million
Danielle Steel is one of the best-selling living authors in the world, thanks to her unparalleled talent for writing romance novels. Like Cartland, Steel began writing while she was a student at New York University and completed her first manuscript at the age of 19. Her first novel, Going Home, was published in 1973. She has since gone on to write more than 200 books. That’s an average of more than three books per year, which is no mean feat. As a result of her brilliant writing and her aptitude for pumping books out at an alarming rate, it is believed that 500–800 million copies of Steel’s book have sold worldwide.
Number of Copies Sold: 750 million
Author of no fewer than 25 best-selling novels, Harold Robbins was an American writer born in New York City in 1916. Focusing heavily on action, Robbins’ novels quickly developed a loyal fan base that eagerly awaited his next big book release. Since releasing his first book, Never Love a Stranger, back in 1948, around 750 million copies of his novels have been sold in 32 languages.
Number of Copies Sold: 500–700 million
Georges Simenon was a Belgian author best known for his books featuring the fictional detective, Jules Maigret. Born in 1903, Simenon had a pivotal role during the Second World War when he was appointed Commissioner of Refugees in 1940 and given the responsibility of housing and feeding around 55,000 refugees. To date, it is believed that nearly 700 million copies of Simenon’s books have been sold.
Number of Copies Sold: 600 million+
We all knew that J.K. Rowling was going to appear on this list at some point. Author of one of the world’s most popular fantasy series, [Harry Potter](https://www.webuybooks.co.uk/blog/how-to-identify-a-first-edition-harry-potter-book/) , Rowling has sold around 600 million+ novels and inspired countless films, TV series, and video games since the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone back in 1997.
Number of Copies Sold: 600 million+
Enid Blyton is the children's author responsible for some of the nation's most treasured adventure novels, including The Famous Five, Secret Seven, and Malory Towers. Over her career, Blyton wrote more than 700 books and thousands of short stories. Enid Blyton’s books and short stories focused mainly on groups of children and adolescents embarking on exciting adventures and were very popular with younger readers, which led to around 600 million+ copies of her books being sold around the world.
Number of Copies Sold: 600 million+
Since the early 90s, manga has been gaining popularity across the globe, becoming one of the best-selling styles of books. Eiichiro Oda is the creator of One Piece, one of the best-selling manga series of all time. In 2026, One Piece passed 600 million+ copies in worldwide circulation.
Eiichiro Oda's figure refers to worldwide circulation of the One Piece manga series rather than audited sales of every book written by Oda.
Number of Copies Sold: 300–500 million
Sidney Sheldon got his first taste of stardom in the 1930s when he started his career working on Broadway plays. After making a name for himself on Broadway, Sheldon moved on to film and TV, where he yet again found success in the form of several well-known films and shows. It wasn’t until after he turned 50 that Sheldon started writing his best-selling romantic suspense novels. Since then, he has sold 300-500 million copies of his books in 51 different languages.
Number of Copies Sold: 400–500 million
Jackie Collins was an English novelist and actress famous for her best-selling romance novels that captured the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of fans from all over the world. Throughout her career, Collins wrote a total of 32 novels, all of which were featured on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Her captivating writing style has led to the sale of 400–500 million copies of her work.
Number of Copies Sold: 125–500 million
Gilbert Patten, born in 1866 in Maine, USA, was a prolific writer of dime novels and is perhaps best known for his Frank Merriwell stories. Writing under several pen names, the most famous of which was Burt L. Standish, Patten published over 200 individual books and, to date, sold around 125–500 million copies of them.
Number of Copies Sold: 100–500 million
Theodor Seuss Geisel, more commonly known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss, was an American children’s author and cartoonist responsible for some of the most popular children’s stories ever written. Some of Dr. Seuss’ most famous stories include The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and The Lorax. Altogether, Seuss published over 60 books during his career, and to date, they have sold 100-500 million copies.
Number of Copies Sold: 298–438 million
Akira Toriyama was a highly influential manga artist and character designer responsible for creating best-selling series such as Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball. During his illustrious career, Toriyama helped boost the global popularity of manga in the late 1980s and early 1990s with his smash hit Dragon Ball. Unfortunately, Akira Toriyama passed away in 2024 at the age of 68, but his works remain as popular as ever and, to date, have sold nearly 298–438 million copies worldwide.
Number of Copies Sold: 413 million
Russian author Leo Tolstoy is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most influential authors to have ever lived. Tolstoy started his career as an author in his twenties with his semi-autobiographical trilogy, Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth, as well as Sevastopol Sketches, which he based on his experience of the Crimean War. In later life, Tolstoy went on to write War and Peace and Anna Karenina, two novels often cited among the greatest ever written. To date, it’s believed that up to 413 million copies of Leo Tolstoy’s work have been sold worldwide.
Number of Copies Sold: 400 million
Corín Tellado has been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for selling the largest number of books written in Spanish and was declared by UNESCO to be the most-read Spanish author after Miguel de Cervantes. Famed for her simple yet unique romantic novels, Tellado quickly made a name for herself in Spain and various other Spanish-speaking countries around the world. By the time of her death in 2009, Tellado had published more than 4,000 titles.
Number of Copies Sold: 325–500 million
American author Dean Koontz is known for his diverse collection of suspense thriller novels that have captivated audiences all over the world. Koontz has the unique ability to incorporate a whole host of genres into his writing, including fantasy, horror, science fiction, and even satire, giving his classic suspense thrillers a universal appeal. To date, Koontz has sold around 325–500 million copies of his work, making him one of the best-selling authors alive.
Number of Copies Sold: 400 million+
Author of the popular children’s horror series Goosebumps, R.L. Stine has an impressive track record when it comes to copies sold, selling over 400 million to date. Stine found huge success with both his teenage horror series Fear Street and his children’s horror series Goosebumps, both of which have seen film and TV adaptations over the years.
Number of Copies Sold: 400 million+
Born in 1947, James Patterson graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. and an M.A. in English before embarking on a successful career in advertising. Although Patterson published a few books during his time working in advertising, it wasn't until after he retired that his career as an author really took off. Patterson has since become one of the wealthiest authors alive, topping Forbes’ list of the highest-paid authors three years in a row. By today's estimations, it's believed 400 million+ copies of Patterson’s thriller books have been sold worldwide.
Number of Copies Sold: Up to 400 million
Horatio Alger was an advocate of the rags-to-riches plot line, which he used extensively in his works. Focusing mainly on young boys who came from nothing and worked their way up to respectable social positions, Alger wrote around 135 novels and poems that were published all over the world and inspired millions with their optimistic messaging. Since the publication of his first poem in 1849, it's estimated that around 400 million copies of Alger’s writings have been sold.
Number of Copies Sold: 400 million+
Nora Roberts is a world-renowned romance author with over 225 published novels to her name. As well as her popular romance novels, Roberts also writes police procedurals, a genre of detective novels that focuses heavily on the investigation process and procedure. Nora Roberts is well-deserving of a place on any list of best-selling authors after racking up an impressive 400 million+ sales over the last 45 years.
Number of Copies Sold: 400 million+
Stephen King is one of the most influential horror and thriller writers alive today, producing multiple groundbreaking titles including It, The Shining, and Pet Sematary. In total, Stephen King has written and published 65 novels, as well as over 200 short stories, and his works have been adapted into film and TV on numerous occasions.
Number of Copies Sold: 357 million
Born in Russia in 1799, Alexander Pushkin holds the reputation as one of Russia’s greatest poets. Pushkin spent his life writing about what he believed in, even to the extent of being exiled by the emperor himself. Pushkin died in 1837, aged 37, after being wounded in a duel with Georges-Charles de Heeckeren d'Anthès after a series of rumours and provocations concerning Pushkin's wife, Natalia Goncharova. Although the number of copies sold is not exact, it is believed that 357 million copies of Pushkin’s works have been sold worldwide.
Number of Copies Sold: 350 million+
Well known as the author of The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian novelist who was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro. Coelho had a rather rough childhood, which continued through his teenage years and into adulthood. To escape the life he had found himself in, he left Brazil and embarked on an expedition of discovery. It was on this trip that he found the inspiration for the books that would later become some of the world's best-selling works. It’s estimated that since the publication of his first book, The Pilgrimage, Coelho has sold around 350 million+ copies worldwide.
Number of Copies Sold: 300–330 million
Across a career spanning more than five decades, prolific Japanese novelist Jiro Akagawa has published hundreds of books, making him one of Japan’s most celebrated and best-selling mystery writers. He is perhaps best known for his Mikeneko Holmes series, which follows a detective and his adopted cat. With 300–330 million copies of his books sold worldwide, Akagawa has become one of Japan’s most commercially successful authors.
Number of Copies Sold: 330 million+
Jeffrey Archer is one of the world's most popular thriller and drama writers, perhaps best known for the novel Kane and Abel, which remains one of the best-selling novels ever written. After stepping down as a politician, Archer had a very successful career as an author, publishing multiple best-sellers and racking up a total of nearly 330 million+ sales in more than 30 languages.
There isn't one secret to becoming one of the best-selling authors of all time. Many of the writers on our list have been publishing for decades, giving them plenty of time to build a loyal following and sell books around the world.
Writing in a popular genre can certainly help, but it's not the only factor. Some authors have become famous for a single hugely successful series, while others have written dozens or even hundreds of books throughout their careers.
International popularity can make a big difference too. Having books translated into different languages gives authors the chance to reach readers in countries all over the world.
And, of course, some authors simply have a way of creating stories that people keep coming back to. Whether it's a gripping mystery, a sweeping romance, a children's classic or a fantasy adventure, the most successful books can remain popular for generations.
Determining the world's best-selling authors is not as straightforward as it might seem. There is no single worldwide database that records every book sold by every author throughout history, and reliable sales records are particularly difficult to obtain for authors whose works were first published many decades or centuries ago.
For this reason, the figures in this article should be treated as estimates of worldwide copies sold or circulated, rather than exact audited sales totals.
We have compared figures from publishers, literary organisations, Guinness World Records, established reference sources and other reputable published sources. Where a reliable source provides a range, we have retained that range rather than presenting an uncertain figure as an exact number.
The figures are also not necessarily directly comparable. Some sources report copies sold, while others report copies in print or worldwide circulation. This is particularly relevant for older authors and manga creators, where historical sales records may not exist or where publishers report circulation rather than retail sales.
We have therefore prioritised the most recent and credible figure we could substantiate, while retaining appropriate wording such as "more than", "up to" or a range where the underlying data is uncertain.
This list should be viewed as a guide to some of the world's best-selling authors, rather than a definitive ranking based on independently audited lifetime sales.
William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie are both widely regarded as being among the best-selling authors of all time, with estimates of up to 4 billion copies sold worldwide. Because historical sales figures can be difficult to verify, there isn't a definitive figure that proves which author has sold the most.
Danielle Steel is one of the best-selling living authors, with hundreds of millions of books estimated to have been sold worldwide. Other hugely successful living authors include J.K. Rowling, James Patterson and Stephen King.
William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie are among the authors with the highest estimated worldwide book sales. Both have figures reaching into the billions, although exact totals are difficult to confirm.
There's no straightforward answer to this, as different sources count books, editions and works differently. However, several authors are known for having incredibly large bodies of work, including Enid Blyton, Corín Tellado and Jiro Akagawa.
It's difficult to say with complete certainty because worldwide sales figures aren't available for every book. However, several books have sold hundreds of millions of copies and are considered among the best-selling books ever published.
If you're inspired to pick up a book by one of the authors on our list, you might need to make a little room on your bookshelves first!
If you've got books you're no longer reading, you can sell them to WeBuyBooks. Simply scan the barcodes using our app to see how much your books could be worth. If you're happy with your offer, pack up your books and send them to us.
It's a simple way to clear some space on your shelves and make some money from books you no longer need.
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