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KDP Paperback Cover Calculator

Enter the final interior page count, trim, and paper type to estimate KDP cover width, height, spine, and a 300 DPI canvas.

Your Book

Paper type
This calculator is for KDP paperbacks. KDP cover bleed is always 0.125" on the top, bottom, and both outside edges.

Use the page count from your final formatted interior PDF.

Cover Dimensions

Full cover width
11.500"
Full cover height
8.250"
Pixels (300 DPI)
3450 × 2475
Spine width
0.750"
Front cover
5.25" × 8"
Back cover
5.25" × 8"

Cover Layout

11.500"
8.250"
Bleed
Back Cover 5.25" × 8"
Template barcode area Keep clear
Spine 0.750"
Front Cover 5.25" × 8"
Bleed area (trimmed off)
Safe zone (keep text inside)
Illustrative barcode area; follow KDP's template

Detailed Specifications

Measurement Inches Millimeters Pixels (300 DPI)
Full cover width 11.500" 292.1 mm 3450 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 0.750" 19.1 mm 225 px
Bleed per side 0.125" 3.2 mm 38 px
Front/back text inset 0.125" 3.2 mm 38 px
Spine text inset 0.0625" each side 1.6 mm 19 px

K KDP Requirements

  • • Upload one PDF containing back, spine, and front
  • • Minimum 300 DPI
  • • Flatten transparencies and embed fonts
  • • KDP adds a barcode when your cover has none
  • • Use 80+ pages for spine text

✓ Before You Export

  • • Finish the interior before sizing the cover
  • • Generate KDP's template with the same options
  • • Keep text inside the template's safe areas
  • • Upload and inspect every page in Print Previewer

The page count is the fragile input.

Word count cannot give you a production-ready spine. Font, trim, margins, line spacing, chapter starts, images, and front matter all change the final composed page count. If that number changes after the cover is designed, the spine and full canvas width change with it.

Treat this result as a planning calculation. For the final file, enter the same ink, paper, trim, and page count in KDP's official Cover Calculator and Template Generator, then build against the downloaded template.

Cambric replaces the page-count guess.

Cambric turns your manuscript into the composed print interior, so you can use its real PDF page count instead of estimating from words. Finalize the interior, copy that count into this calculator, and confirm the result with KDP's official template before your designer exports the cover.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate a KDP paperback cover size?
Start with the final interior page count. KDP's formula is back cover + spine + front cover + 0.125" on both outside edges. Height is trim height plus 0.125" at the top and bottom. For example, a 5.5" × 8.5", 300-page cream paperback calculates to 12.000" × 8.750". Use KDP's generated template as the final production authority.
What is bleed on a book cover?
KDP paperback covers always include 0.125" of bleed on the top, bottom, and two outside edges. Extend backgrounds and images through the bleed, but keep text inside the trim and safe areas shown on KDP's template.
What DPI should my book cover be?
KDP asks for cover images at a minimum of 300 DPI at final print size. The pixel result above is a convenient 300 DPI canvas calculation, but the deliverable is one PDF containing the back, spine, and front—not a loose JPEG upload.
Where does the barcode go on a book cover?
KDP accepts an uploaded cover with or without a barcode. If your file has none, KDP places one on the back cover. Do not rely on a generic fixed rectangle: keep the barcode margin shown on the official template clear for your exact book configuration.
How many pages does a KDP paperback need for spine text?
KDP’s current help text says it prints spine text on books with more than 79 pages, so use 80 pages as the conservative threshold. Leave at least 0.0625" between the text and each spine edge. Below 80 pages, leave the spine blank.
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 →

Official KDP Cover Template

Generate the production template that should control your final cover file.

View guide →
Finalize the Interior First

A reliable cover starts with
a real formatted page count.

Use Cambric to compose the print interior and get its final PDF page count. Then size the cover from that number and confirm it against KDP's official template.

Format the Interior in Cambric — $199

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