The numbers
| Trim | Bindings | Size class | Pages (B&W, white) | Print cost, 200 pp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 × 8 in | Paperback | Regular | 24–828 | $3.40 |
| 5.5 × 8.5 in | Paperback, Hardcover | Regular | 24–828 | $3.40 |
| 6 × 9 in | Paperback, Hardcover | Regular | 24–828 | $3.40 |
| 7 × 10 in | Paperback, Hardcover | Large | 24–828 | $4.40 |
| 8 × 10 in | Paperback | Large | 24–828 | $4.40 |
| 8.5 × 8.5 in | Paperback | Large | 24–590 | $4.40 |
| 8.5 × 11 in | Paperback | Large | 24–590 | $4.40 |
| 8.27 × 11.69 in (A4) | Paperback | Large | 24–780 | $4.40 |
All 16 paperback trims and their limits are on the trim sizes page.
Regular and large trims
KDP calls a trim large when it is wider than 6.12 in or taller than 9 in. Large trims cost more to print: on Amazon.com a 200-page black-and-white paperback costs $3.40 at 6 × 9 in and $4.40 at 7 × 10 in. Being large changes the printing cost only; the royalty rate and the margin rules are the same.
How to choose a trim
Novels usually sit between 5 × 8 and 6 × 9 in; non-fiction often uses 6 × 9 in or larger. Picture books commonly use 8.5 × 8.5 or 8 × 10 in, and coloring, activity and workbook interiors 8.5 × 11 in. These are conventions, not KDP rules. Two things KDP does enforce: wide trims hold fewer pages (black-and-white on white paper tops out at 590 pages at 8.5 in wide, against 828 at 6 × 9 in), and only 5.5 × 8.5 and 6 × 9 in are eligible for Expanded Distribution with every ink and paper.
Hardcovers come in 5 trims only: 5.5 × 8.5, 6 × 9, 6.14 × 9.21, 7 × 10 and 8.25 × 11 in, with no custom sizes.
Example: the same workbook at two trims
A 200-page black-and-white workbook at 8.5 × 11 in costs $4.40 to print on Amazon.com, with a minimum list price of $8.80. The same 200 pages at 6 × 9 in cost $3.40, with a minimum of $6.80.
A smaller page holds less, though, so the same content usually needs more pages at 6 × 9 in. Compare both layouts before you commit: changing the trim later means re-laying out every page and rebuilding the cover.
Common mistakes
- Laying out the interior before choosing the trim. A new trim means re-flowing every page and recalculating the cover.
- Assuming any paperback size works as a hardcover. KDP hardcovers come in 5 sizes only.
- Choosing 8.25 × 6, 8.25 × 8.25 or 8.27 × 11.69 in for a book meant for bookstores and libraries: none of them is eligible for Expanded Distribution, whatever the ink and paper.
- Designing bleed pages at the trim size. With bleed, the PDF page is larger than the trim.
- Picking A4 for a color book with lots of text: standard color isn't offered in A4, so the only color option there is premium color.
In kdpbook: kdpbook offers the standard paperback trims plus custom sizes and the hardcover trims, and sizes every page and the cover from the trim you pick.