You have an incredible book with an outstanding, binge-worthy story that’s sure to hook readers…but no one will know that if your eBook cover isn’t strong enough to entice them to open it.
The idea that “you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” is well-intentioned, but your cover is a vital part of eBook marketing and sales.
The reality is that people do judge books by their covers all the time. Luckily, it’s possible to DIY your own eye-catching book cover so you can get your story out in the world.
In this post, we’re going to look at the best eBook cover sizes and best practices. Let’s dive right in.
The Best eBook Cover Size
Wondering what the best eBook cover size is?
The best eBook cover size recommendations vary depending on what platform you’re using to publish. As a general rule, an aspect ratio of 1.6:1 works best for eBook covers across all platforms. This means that for every 1600 pixels in height, your eBook cover image should have 1000 pixels in width.
Even if your eBook cover size varies slightly from this recommendation, you want to be sure to stick to that 1.6:1 aspect ratio. For example, Snappa’s default eBook cover size is 1410 x 2250 pixels.
Kindlepreneur’s Dave Chesson provides an excellent chart of eBook cover requirements sorted by platform. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Apple Books: 1400 x 1873 pixels, or 1600 x 2400 pixels with a minimum width of 1400 pixels (JPG/PNG).
- Barnes and Noble: Rectangular image with a recommended width of 1400 pixels, with a minimum of 750 pixels for the height and width. (JPG/PNG).
- Draft2Digital: Tall, rectangular image at 1600 x 2400 pixels (JPEG).
- Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): 1600 x 2560 pixels with minimum dimensions of 625 x 1000 pixels, and a maximum limit of 10,000 x 10,000 pixels (JPEG/TIFF).
- Kobo: 1600 x 2400 pixels with a minimum width of 1400 pixels (JPG/PNG).
- Smashwords: 1600 x 2400 pixels with a minimum width of 1400 pixels (JPG/PNG).
In some cases, individual platforms provide additional details to help you further optimize your cover. For example, ensure your cover has a resolution of at least 72 dpi, KDP’s recommended resolution.
Should I Design My Own eBook Cover?
You can absolutely design your own eBook cover. If you want to create your book cover yourself, you can save money and keep full creative control over the aesthetic that you’re looking for.
Snappa offers stunning, fully customizable eBook cover templates that serve as a strong starting point for your cover design. They’re incredibly simple to set up, and no design experience is needed.
Here’s an easy video tutorial we made to break it down for you:
To get started, log into your Snappa account, navigate to the Blogging and Infographics section on your dashboard, and click on eBook Cover.
There are plenty of templates in Snappa’s library that make eBook cover design simple. You have the option of choosing a premade template or creating your own from scratch. Either way, there’s plenty of design inspiration to get you started.
No matter what genre you’re publishing in, there are many options to choose from. Once you’ve selected a template you like, you’ll be able to tweak it in Snappa’s design editor.
From there, you can edit the title, change fonts and colors, and select a new background image. Additionally, you can add effects, graphics, or shapes as needed.
The 4 Best eBook Design Tips
Let’s look at a few eBook cover design tips to help your cover get readers’ attention and ultimately, sell more books.
Make Sure Your Title Stands Out
When designing your eBook cover, make sure your title stands out. Use Snappa’s standard font sizes as a general guide.
For example, your title should be large enough to read even in thumbnail form. Use a clear font and vary your text sizes, using smaller type for subheadings and the author name.
Take a look at the example below from Snappa’s eBook cover template library. The cover is simple, with plenty of contrast between the background image and the text.
Choose Color Palettes That Match Your Book’s Mood
Your eBook cover’s color palette conveys so much about the kind of experience your reader can expect. Stick to a cohesive color palette that matches the mood of your book.
For example, bright, bold colors might work well for a lighthearted recipe book, but not so much for a critical analysis of climate change.
Keep your personal brand as an author, plus the book’s topic, in mind when selecting background images, font colors, and any additional graphic elements. You want the aesthetic to be consistent across the board.
Keep It Simple
A simple eBook cover can be a powerful marketing tool. You want simple designs that contrast against the book’s main background so they stand out quickly. Potential readers are more likely to move on if they can’t read your title (or know what the book is about) at a glance.
The following book cover for this health guide leaves no question as to the subject matter or mood of its contents. Take a look:
Do Something Different From Your Competition
When it comes to designing an eBook cover, it pays to consider how you can be different from your competition. Simple can be highly effective, but so can the unexpected.
For example, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight is one heck of an example of a powerful, unique cover. When it was released in 2009, its largely black cover with small amounts of white and red jumped out at readers.
Even though the design was a simple one that anyone could have created, it helped to capture attention on bookshelves around the world. It’s now iconic.
Final Thoughts
A great eBook cover design could make the difference between poor sales and stellar performance. If you want to create your own book cover, then it’s simple and straightforward to do so–and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Want to try your hand at eBook cover design? It’s free to get started with Snappa. With the right combination of customizable images, bold fonts, and colorful design elements, you’ll be well on your way to creating an eye-catching cover.
