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Book Cover Size Calculator

Enter your trim size and page count — see full cover dimensions with bleed, spine, barcode zone, and pixel sizes at 300 DPI.

Your Book

Paper type
Binding
Bleed

Cover Dimensions

Full cover width
11.310"
Full cover height
8.250"
Pixels (300 DPI)
3393 × 2475
Spine width
0.810"
Front cover
5.25" × 8"
Back cover
5.25" × 8"

Cover Layout

11.310"
8.250"
Bleed
Back Cover 5.25" × 8"
Barcode Zone 2" × 1.2"
Spine 0.810"
Front Cover 5.25" × 8"
Bleed area (trimmed off)
Safe zone (keep text inside)
Barcode zone (keep clear)

Detailed Specifications

Measurement Inches Millimeters Pixels (300 DPI)
Full cover width 11.310" 287.3 mm 3393 px
Full cover height 8.250" 209.6 mm 2475 px
Front cover width 5.250" 133.4 mm 1575 px
Front cover height 8.000" 203.2 mm 2400 px
Spine width 0.810" 20.6 mm 243 px
Bleed per side 0.125" 3.2 mm 38 px
Safe zone margin 0.250" 6.4 mm 75 px
Barcode zone 2" × 1.2" 50.8 × 30.5 mm 600 × 360 px

K KDP Requirements

  • • PDF or JPEG accepted
  • • Minimum 300 DPI
  • • sRGB color space
  • • Will add barcode if no ISBN provided
  • • Cover creator available in KDP dashboard

I IngramSpark Requirements

  • • PDF only (PDF/X-1a:2001)
  • • CMYK color space required
  • • Must include barcode in artwork
  • • Template generator available at IngramSpark

You'll need to do this more than once.

The specs above are for one platform. KDP and IngramSpark require different cover files — different color spaces (sRGB vs CMYK), different barcode rules, and slightly different spine calculations. Publishing wide means maintaining separate cover files per platform.

KDP
  • PDF or JPEG · sRGB
  • Auto-adds barcode
  • Spine: 0.750"
IngramSpark
  • PDF/X-1a only · CMYK
  • Must embed barcode
  • Spine: 0.756"

And when your page count changes — after editing, font adjustments, or a trim size change — every spec on this page shifts. You come back here, recalculate, update your cover templates, email your designer. For each platform. Every time.

In Cambric, cover specs update as you write.

Cambric typesets your manuscript in real time, so your spine width and cover dimensions are always based on your actual formatted page count — not an estimate. Export platform-specific cover templates for KDP or IngramSpark with one click. Change your trim, add a chapter, switch paper — dimensions recalculate instantly. Send the specs to your designer right from the app.

Get Cambric — $199 One-time purchase. Your files stay on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should my book cover be?
Your cover size depends on trim size, page count, and paper type. A typical 5.5" × 8.5" paperback with 300 pages on cream paper needs a full cover of about 11.87" × 8.75" (including bleed). The total width is calculated as: back cover + spine + front cover + bleed on each side. Use the calculator above for exact dimensions tailored to your book.
What is bleed on a book cover?
Bleed is the extra 0.125" of artwork that extends beyond the trim line on all sides. It gets cut off during manufacturing but ensures no white edges appear if the cut is slightly off. Your cover artwork must extend into the bleed area — don't place any important text or elements there, as it will be trimmed away.
What DPI should my book cover be?
Book covers must be at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) at final print size. For a 5.5" × 8.5" cover, the front panel alone needs to be at least 1725 × 2625 pixels. Lower resolution will look blurry in print. Always design at 300 DPI or higher — the calculator above shows you the exact pixel dimensions for your cover.
Where does the barcode go on a book cover?
The barcode (ISBN/EAN) goes on the back cover, typically in the bottom-right corner. KDP requires a barcode zone of at least 2" × 1.2" — keep this area free of important artwork. If you don't provide your own ISBN, KDP will generate and place a barcode for you. IngramSpark requires you to include the barcode in your cover artwork. The barcode must be a valid EAN-13.
What's the safe zone on a book cover?
The safe zone (or live area) is the area inside the trim where critical content like text and logos should stay. Keep all important elements at least 0.25" inside the trim edge and 0.0625" from each side of the spine. Content too close to the edge risks being cut off or appearing misaligned after trimming. Background images and solid colors should always extend past the trim into the bleed area.
Further Reading

Related resources

Spine Width Calculator

Get the exact spine width for your book cover template from page count and paper type.

Open calculator →

KDP Book Calculator

Calculate page count, printing cost, and royalty from your word count and book specs.

Open calculator →

KDP File Requirements

Complete file specifications for Amazon KDP — margins, trim sizes, and formatting rules.

View guide →

IngramSpark Requirements

File specs for IngramSpark printing — how they differ from KDP.

View guide →
Stop Recalculating

You just calculated specs
that change every time you edit.

Cambric calculates cover dimensions from your real manuscript — spine, bleed, safe zone, barcode placement — updated live as you write. Export platform-specific cover templates for your designer with one click.

Get Cambric — $199

One-time purchase · macOS & Windows · Your files never leave your machine