Get the exact KDP paperback cover size
A paperback cover is one image that wraps around the book: back cover + spine + front cover, plus 0.125 in (3.2 mm) bleed on every outside edge. The spine width depends on your page count and paper, so every book needs its own size. This book cover size calculator works it out for all KDP trim sizes and papers and gives you a template with all the guides.
The formula
- Width = bleed + back cover width + spine + front cover width + bleed
- Height = bleed + trim height + bleed
- Spine = page count × paper thickness (white 0.002252 in, cream 0.0025 in, premium colour 0.002347 in per page)
Example: a 6 × 9 in book with 300 cream pages has a 0.75 in spine, so the cover is 0.125 + 6 + 0.75 + 6 + 0.125 = 13 × 9.25 in.
How to use it
- Choose trim size, page count and paper type.
- Pick inches, millimetres or pixels at 300 DPI.
- Check the live preview with your title on the spine.
- Download the template (PDF, PNG or SVG) and design on top of it in Canva, Photoshop or Affinity.
Safe zones and barcode
Keep text and logos at least 0.125 in inside the trim line — the template shows this safe zone. KDP adds a barcode on the back cover (bottom right, about 2 × 1.2 in) unless you include your own, so keep that area clear. Spine text is only allowed on books with 79 or more pages.
Related: KDP spine width calculator, ebook cover size checker, book bleed calculator for the interior.
How a paperback cover is measured
A print cover is one flat image that wraps around the book:
Width = bleed + back cover + spine + front cover + bleed
Height = bleed + trim height + bleed
On KDP the bleed is 0.125 in on every outside edge.
Example: 6 × 9 in novel, 300 pages, white paper
- Spine: 300 × 0.002252 = 0.676 in
- Width: 0.125 + 6 + 0.676 + 6 + 0.125 = 12.926 in
- Height: 0.125 + 9 + 0.125 = 9.25 in
- At 300 DPI: about 3,878 × 2,775 pixels
Download a template
Get the cover as a PDF template, a PNG at 300 DPI or an SVG with guides for bleed, safe area, spine and barcode box. Open it in Canva, Photoshop, Affinity or Illustrator as a background layer, design on top, then hide the guide layer before exporting. Add your front cover image to preview the full wrap.
Paperback vs hardcover
Hardcover case-laminate covers need extra wrap around the boards, so their size is different. Switch to Hardcover to get the right dimensions — don’t reuse the paperback file.
Checklist before you upload
- Important text and faces at least 0.25 in inside the trim line.
- Leave the barcode area on the back cover clear.
- Export as PDF at 300 DPI with fonts embedded.
- Update the cover if the page count changes — the spine changes with it.