How to Choose the Right Book Cover Dimensions in 3 Simple Steps

How to Choose the Right Book Cover Dimensions in 3 Simple Steps How to Choose the Right Book Cover Dimensions When we talk about book cover design, we often talk about the color palette, typography and use of images. What we rarely mention are the dimensions of the cover. After all, it’s usually determined by the book’s trim size. That, or it’s seemingly inconsequential, as most new independent authors rely on ebook sales anyhow, where the cover only really exists on digital retailers.In this post, we'll look at the standard sizes of book covers in publishing and help you decide on the right dimensions when creating or commissioning your own design.Before we jump too far into the conversation, let's start by looking at the most popular ebook cover sizes used today.What are the recommended book cover dimensions?Kindle Direct Publishing recommended size -   2,560 x 1,600 (1.6:1 aspect ratio)Novels and Non-Fiction -   2,560px x 1,600px (1.5:1 aspect ratio)Illustrated Books -   2,800px x 3,920px  (1.4:1 aspect ratio) or  3,000px x 3,600px (1.2:1 aspect ratio)Audiob ooks -   3,200px x 3,200px (1:1 aspect ratio)These numbers might be confusing at first, especially if you're not familiar with pixels and aspect ratios. In this next section, we'll take a closer look at what these terms mean, and how they will affect your cover. Choosing the size and shape of your ebook coverThe cover on the right has half the dots per square inch (DPI) of the version on the left.Both KDP Print and IngramSpark suggest a resolution of 300 dots per square inch (DPI) for your cover design. And in the case of most printers, a CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow) color profile is preferred over an RGB (Red Green Blue) one.To learn more about designing your perfect cover, check out this complete guide to book cover design on the Reedsy blog.Do you have any questions or thoughts on book covers and their recommended dimensions? Drop a message in the comments below.