Ready to start designing covers for BookCovers.com?
Here, we’ll guide you on how to set the perfect dimensions for your book covers. Getting the right book cover dimensions is essential for a polished, professional look that works across all major publishing platforms. Follow these tips, and you’ll be creating eye-catching book covers in no time.
Aspect Ratio: The Foundation of Book Cover Design
Your book cover’s aspect ratio is critical. It determines the proportional relationship between the height and width of your cover. For print books, which have fixed dimensions, you can control exactly how the cover will look. For example, a print cover measuring 6×9 inches will always be… 6×9 inches.
Ebooks, however, are viewed on various devices with different screen sizes. This variability means some readers will see a resized or cropped version of your cover, depending on their device. Screen aspect ratios typically range between 1.33:1 and 1.6:1. This is why we need to prioritize how the cover looks as a thumbnail in online stores.
We recommend a 1.5:1 aspect ratio, which is common in traditional print and digital formats. This ratio ensures your cover looks balanced and occupies more visual space in online stores like Amazon and Kobo, making it more eye-catching to potential buyers.
There are other options, but our preference is the middle ground — a ratio that will look good even if it gets stretched a bit in either direction.
Comparison of Aspect Ratios
- 1.33:1: Broad and less common.
- 1.5:1: Balanced and visually pleasing, ideal for both print and digital covers.
- 1.6:1: Taller and narrower, common in some digital formats.
Resolution: Clarity and Detail
Understanding resolution is key to creating high-quality book covers. Resolution is the amount of detail an image holds and is measured in pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI).
- 72 PPI: Standard for digital images viewed on screens.
- 300 DPI: Standard for print images, ensuring high detail and clarity.
When designing a cover, it’s crucial to match the resolution to the intended use. A cover designed at 72 PPI for an ebook will not have enough detail for print at 300 DPI, resulting in a low-quality print cover.
Practical Tip
When setting up your canvas, use pixels instead of inches to avoid resolution issues. Pixels provide a consistent measurement that’s suitable for both digital and print formats.
Recommended Book Cover Dimensions
Ebooks
To ensure your cover is large enough for all ebook distributors, use the following dimensions:
- Canvas Size: 4800px x 3200px
- Export Size: 2700px x 1800px
These dimensions are suitable for Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and more. This setup provides a 1.5:1 aspect ratio, which is optimal for visibility and marketing.
For print covers, a common size is 6×9 inches. When setting your canvas at 300 DPI, this translates to:
- Canvas Size: 2700px x 1800px
Spine
For the spine, use template generators from services like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark to ensure accuracy. These tools help calculate the correct dimensions, including spine and bleed.
Playing It Safe: Extra Room for Adjustments
To avoid resizing issues, set your canvas to 4800px x 3200px. This size gives you flexibility for any adjustments and ensures high quality. While a larger canvas (e.g., 5400px x 3600px) provides more space, it’s often unnecessary and can be limited by stock image sizes.
Need More Info?
If you need more guidance or have specific questions, feel free to explore our other resources or contact our support team. At BookCovers.com, we’re dedicated to helping you create stunning book covers that stand out in any marketplace.
By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to mastering book cover design. Happy designing!