Most readers meet a self-published book as a small image in a list of other small images. The cover gets a fraction of a second to say "this is your kind of book". It isn't there to summarise the plot or show the author's taste. It is there to be recognised.
What makes a good book cover?
| Principle | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Readable at thumbnail size | The title is legible when the cover is a few hundred pixels tall |
| Says the genre at a glance | It looks like the other books its readers already buy |
| One focal point | One image or one shape, not a collage |
| Two typefaces at most | One for the title, one for the author, or one family for both |
| Contrast | Text and image don't fight for the same tones |
| Consistent across a series | The same layout, type and placement on every book |
The first two decide most of the outcome. A cover can be plain and still work. It can't be unreadable or look like the wrong genre and still work.
Why does the thumbnail test matter most?
Store listings, search results and recommendation rows all show the cover small. Shrink your design until it is about the height of your thumb on screen, then look at it next to ten bestsellers in your category.
- Can you still read the title?
- Can you tell the genre?
- Does anything still stand out?
If the answer to any of these is no, the design isn't finished. Fine detail, thin fonts and long subtitles are the usual casualties. Ebook cover sizes covers the thumbnail test against each store's display.
How do genre conventions shape cover design?
Readers sort books by pattern before they read a word. Thrillers, romance, fantasy, business books and memoir each have colours, type styles and image types that their readers recognise.
Following those conventions isn't copying. It is labelling the shelf correctly. The design can be distinctive inside the convention: a fresh image, a better crop, a sharper type choice. A cover that breaks the convention entirely tends to be skipped by the readers who would have liked the book.
The research is free: open your category's bestseller list and note what the top 20 covers have in common.
How should you choose fonts for a book cover?
- Title first. Make it the largest element, and choose a typeface with weight. Hairline fonts disappear at thumbnail size.
- Match the genre. A heavy sans-serif reads as thriller or business; a refined serif reads as literary or historical.
- Check the licence. A font that is free for personal use may not be licensed for a book you sell.
- Keep the author name readable, especially on a series, where the name sells the next book.
How to choose fonts for a book covers interior type, where the rules are different.
Should you design your own cover or hire a designer?
| Do it yourself | Hire a designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 plus images and fonts | $150–$800 |
| Best when | Lead magnets, internal documents, a first draft | A book you will sell |
| Main risk | Looking self-published | Choosing a designer who doesn't know your genre |
| Print cover with spine | You calculate and lay it out | Usually included |
For a book on sale, a designer who knows the genre is usually the best money in the budget. What it costs to self-publish puts the cover next to the other costs. For a free guide or a lead magnet, a careful template is enough.
What sizes does the cover need?
An ebook cover is a 1,600 × 2,560 pixel image. A print cover is a wrap at the trim size with the spine and 3mm of bleed. Design the front once, then adapt it to both. Book cover size has the chart and the spine formula.
Where does bukpress fit?
bukpress handles the inside of the book: you write in Markdown and get a designed PDF, and an EPUB on the Pro plan, from one file. It doesn't design covers. It places the cover you already have on the first page of the PDF and as the EPUB's cover, as shown in How to add a cover to a Markdown PDF. There is no watermark on any plan, the free plan included.
Common questions
What makes a book cover design good?
It reads at thumbnail size, signals its genre at a glance, and has one clear focal point. Everything else is secondary.
How much does book cover design cost?
A freelance designer typically charges $150 to $800. Premade covers cost less, and a custom illustrated cover can cost more.
Can I design my own book cover?
Yes, and for lead magnets and free guides it is often enough. For a book you are selling, compare it honestly with your category's bestsellers before you publish.
What is the best font for a book cover?
The one that matches your genre and stays readable at thumbnail size. Heavy weights work better than thin ones on a small screen.
Do ebook and print covers need different designs?
The front design can be the same. The files differ: the ebook needs a 1:1.6 pixel image, and the print cover needs the spine, the back and bleed.