5.25 × 8 in (5.25x8) book size on KDP: specs, page limits and cover size
5.25 × 8 in (often written 5.25x8; 133.4 × 203.2 mm) is a paperback size between 5 × 8 in and 5.5 × 8.5 in, used for novels, memoirs and chapter books. It is a regular trim on KDP, offered as a paperback only (24–828 pages). With bleed, each interior page is 5.375 × 8.25 in.
By kdpbook.io editorialUpdated ✓ Checked against KDP Help on
5.25 × 8 in at a glance
| Trim size | 5.25 × 8 in · 133.4 × 203.2 mm · 13.34 × 20.32 cm |
| Shape | Portrait |
| Size class | Regular trim, lower printing cost |
| Interior page with bleed | 5.375 × 8.25 in · 136.5 × 209.5 mm |
| Bindings | Paperback only |
| Expanded Distribution | B&W white, B&W cream, B&W groundwood, Standard color |
Page limits by ink and paper
Page counts KDP accepts at 5.25 × 8 in, by binding, ink and paper:
| Ink and paper | Paperback pages | Spine per page |
|---|---|---|
| Black & white · white paper | 24–828 | 0.002252 in |
| Black & white · cream paper | 24–776 | 0.0025 in |
| Black & white · groundwood paper | 24–812 | 0.00235 in |
| Standard color · white paper | 72–600 | 0.002252 in |
| Premium color · white paper | 24–828 | 0.002347 in |
Spine width at 5.25 × 8 in for your page count: spine width calculator.
At 5.25 × 8 in, black and white on white paper, black and white on cream paper, black and white on groundwood paper and standard color are eligible for Expanded Distribution (40% royalty through bookstores and libraries); premium color is not.
Eligible doesn’t mean accepted: the books KDP’s distributors don’t take.
Margins and text area at 5.25 × 8 in
Widest text block at 5.25 × 8 in with KDP’s minimum margins (0.25 in outside, 0.375 in with bleed, and the gutter for the page count):
| Pages | Minimum gutter | Max text width | With bleed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24–150 | 0.375 in (9.6 mm) | 4.625 in | 4.5 in |
| 151–300 | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) | 4.5 in | 4.375 in |
| 301–500 | 0.625 in (15.9 mm) | 4.375 in | 4.25 in |
| 501–700 | 0.75 in (19.1 mm) | 4.25 in | 4.125 in |
| 701–828 | 0.875 in (22.3 mm) | 4.125 in | 4 in |
The text block can be up to 7.5 in tall at 5.25 × 8 in (7.25 in with bleed). Every margin to scale: margins and bleed calculator.
Full-wrap cover size at 5.25 × 8 in
Full-wrap cover sizes at 5.25 × 8 in: the spine, and so the width, grows with the page count and the paper.
Paperback
| Pages | Paper | Spine | Full cover (in) | Full cover (mm) | Spine text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | B&W cream | 0.3 in | 11.05 × 8.25 | 280.7 × 209.5 | Yes |
| 240 | B&W cream | 0.6 in | 11.35 × 8.25 | 288.3 × 209.5 | Yes |
| 360 | B&W cream | 0.9 in | 11.65 × 8.25 | 295.9 × 209.5 | Yes |
For 240 pages: 0.125 + 5.25 + 0.6 + 5.25 + 0.125 = 11.35 in wide, and 8 + 2 × 0.125 = 8.25 in tall. The bleed is trimmed off after printing.
KDP prints spine text only on books with more than 79 pages. kdpbook also checks that the spine is wide enough for 7 pt text inside KDP's 0.0625 in spine margins, which in black and white on cream paper takes 90 pages.
Exact size and a PNG or SVG template for your page count: cover size calculator.
Printing cost at 5.25 × 8 in on Amazon.com
Amazon.com printing cost at 5.25 × 8 in in US dollars, with the lowest list price KDP accepts:
| Pages | B&W white | Premium color |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $2.30 flat fee · min. list price $4.60 | $7.50 min. list price $12.50 |
| 300 | $4.60 min. list price $9.20 | $20.50 min. list price $34.17 |
On Amazon.com, black-and-white paperbacks up to 108 pages (the limit in KDP's own calculator; the KDP Help page says 110) and premium color up to 40 pages pay a flat printing fee; above that, the cost is a fixed fee plus a price per page. Standard color is always fixed fee plus per page.
5.25 × 8 in is a regular trim, so it prints at the same rate as every regular paperback size (5 × 8, 5.06 × 7.81, 5.25 × 8, 5.5 × 8.5, 6 × 9 in): a 300-page black-and-white paperback costs $4.60 to print on Amazon.com. At 6.14 × 9.21 in, a large trim, the same book costs $6.10.
Every marketplace: printing cost calculator. What a copy earns: royalty calculator.
How many pages will your manuscript fill?
- An 80,000-word novel comes to about 328 pages at 5.25 × 8 in with 11 pt body text (242 at 6 × 9 in), for a 0.82 in spine on cream paper.
These are kdpbook’s own layout estimates, front and back matter included. Try your word count and font size in the word count to page count calculator.
When to choose 5.25 × 8 in
- It is 0.25 in wider than 5 × 8 in at the same height: a few more characters per line and slightly fewer pages, while the book still feels small in the hand.
- Every KDP ink and paper option prints at this size, from groundwood paper to premium color.
kdpbook book types at 5.25 × 8 in
No kdpbook book type starts at 5.25 × 8 in by default, but you can choose it when you set up a book.
You can also choose 5.25 × 8 in for early chapter book, middle-grade novel, young adult novel, novel, novella & short stories, self-help book, devotional and manga.
Whatever the size, kdpbook lays out the pages, margins, images and full-wrap cover for it, and reflows the book if you change the trim later. kdpbook is independent and not affiliated with Amazon.
5.25 × 8 in questions
How many pages can a 5.25 × 8 in book have on KDP?
As a paperback: 24–828 pages in black and white on white paper, 24–776 pages in black and white on cream paper, 24–812 pages in black and white on groundwood paper, 72–600 pages in standard color and 24–828 pages in premium color. KDP counts every page, blank ones included, and rounds an odd count up to the next even number.
What cover size does a 5.25 × 8 in book need on KDP?
It depends on the page count and the paper, because the spine grows with every page. A 240-page 5.25 × 8 in paperback in black and white on cream paper needs a full-wrap cover of 11.35 × 8.25 in (288.3 × 209.5 mm): back and front at 5.25 in each, a 0.6 in spine and 0.125 in of bleed on the outside edges.
Can a 5.25 × 8 in book be a hardcover on KDP?
No. KDP prints hardcovers only in 5.5 × 8.5, 6 × 9, 6.14 × 9.21, 7 × 10, 8.25 × 11 in. The closest hardcover size to 5.25 × 8 in is 5.5 × 8.5 in; a book that needs a paperback and a hardcover at the same trim has to use one of the hardcover sizes.