8.5 × 11 in at a glance
| Trim size | 8.5 × 11 in · 215.9 × 279.4 mm · 21.59 × 27.94 cm |
| Traditional name | US Letter (paper size), 215.9 × 279.4 mm |
| Shape | Portrait |
| Size class | Large trim (wider than 6.12 in and taller than 9 in), higher printing cost |
| Interior page with bleed | 8.625 × 11.25 in · 219.1 × 285.8 mm |
| Bindings | Paperback only |
| Expanded Distribution | B&W white, Standard color, Premium color |
Page limits by ink and paper
KDP sets a minimum and a maximum page count for every combination of trim, binding, ink and paper. At 8.5 × 11 in:
| Ink and paper | Paperback pages | Spine per page |
|---|---|---|
| Black & white · white paper | 24–590 | 0.002252 in |
| Black & white · cream paper | 24–550 | 0.0025 in |
| Black & white · groundwood paper | 24–578 | 0.00235 in |
| Standard color · white paper | 72–600* | 0.002252 in |
| Premium color · white paper | 24–590 | 0.002347 in |
* KDP's table gives 72–600 pages for standard color at this size, more than the 590 pages it allows for black and white on white paper; kdpbook stops standard color books at 590 pages to stay on the safe side.
KDP counts every page, blank ones included, and rounds an odd count up to the next even number. The spine factor is the thickness of one page; the spine width calculator multiplies it by your page count.
At 8.5 × 11 in, black and white on white paper, standard color and premium color are eligible for Expanded Distribution (40% royalty through bookstores and libraries); black and white on cream paper and black and white on groundwood paper are not.
Eligibility by size and paper doesn’t guarantee acceptance. KDP’s Expanded Distribution page says its distributors don’t currently accept journals, notebooks, planners, coloring books or interiors that need a high concentration of ink, among other content, and it follows that list with a table of topics that includes activity books, puzzle books, workbooks and cookbooks.
Margins and text area at 8.5 × 11 in
KDP’s minimum inside margin (the gutter) grows with the page count. The top, bottom and outside margins must be at least 0.25 in, or 0.375 in when the interior has bleed. With those minimums, the text block can be this wide at 8.5 × 11 in:
| Pages | Minimum gutter | Max text width | With bleed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24–150 | 0.375 in (9.6 mm) | 7.875 in | 7.75 in |
| 151–300 | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) | 7.75 in | 7.625 in |
| 301–500 | 0.625 in (15.9 mm) | 7.625 in | 7.5 in |
| 501–590 | 0.75 in (19.1 mm) | 7.5 in | 7.375 in |
The text block can be up to 10.5 in tall (10.25 in with bleed). These are KDP’s minimums; most book designers leave more room, especially at the gutter of thick books. See every margin to scale in margins and bleed.
Full-wrap cover size at 8.5 × 11 in
The cover is one PDF: back cover, spine and front cover side by side. Its width depends on the spine, so it changes with the page count and the paper.
Paperback
| Pages | Paper | Spine | Full cover (in) | Full cover (mm) | Spine text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | B&W white | 0.135 in | 17.385 × 11.25 | 441.6 × 285.8 | No |
| 120 | B&W white | 0.27 in | 17.52 × 11.25 | 445 × 285.8 | Yes |
| 200 | B&W white | 0.45 in | 17.7 × 11.25 | 449.6 × 285.8 | Yes |
For 120 pages: 0.125 + 8.5 + 0.27 + 8.5 + 0.125 = 17.52 in wide, and 11 + 2 × 0.125 = 11.25 in tall. The bleed is trimmed off after printing.
KDP allows spine text from 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 white paper takes 100 pages.
Get the exact size for your page count, with a template that marks the bleed, spine, safe area and barcode box, in the cover size calculator.
Printing cost at 8.5 × 11 in on Amazon.com
KDP deducts the printing cost from each sale. Examples on Amazon.com in US dollars, with the lowest list price KDP accepts for each:
| Pages | B&W white | Premium color |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $2.84flat fee · min. list price $5.68 | $9.00min. list price $15.00 |
| 200 | $4.40min. list price $8.80 | $17.00min. list price $28.33 |
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.
8.5 × 11 in is a large trim (wider than 6.12 in and taller than 9 in), so it prints at KDP's large-trim rate: a 300-page black-and-white paperback costs $6.10 to print on Amazon.com, against $4.60 at 6 × 9 in, a regular trim. That is $1.50 more per copy.
Other marketplaces use their own price tables: compare all of them in the printing cost calculator, and see what you earn per copy with the royalty calculator.
How many pages will your manuscript fill?
- A 50,000-word non-fiction guide comes to about 94 pages at 8.5 × 11 in with 11 pt body text (174 at 6 × 9 in), for a 0.212 in spine on white 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 8.5 × 11 in
- The large page gives coloring and puzzle books room for big designs and grids, but caps the page count at 590 pages on white paper (550 on cream).
- It is paperback only. KDP's hardcover equivalent is 8.25 × 11 in, 0.25 in narrower.
kdpbook book types at 8.5 × 11 in
These kdpbook book types start at 8.5 × 11 in by default:
- Kids' fact book: premium color · white paper, 48 pages by default
- Kids' coloring book: black & white · white paper, 106 pages by default
- Adult coloring book: black & white · white paper, 106 pages by default
- Kids' activity book: black & white · white paper, 104 pages by default
- Puzzle book: black & white · white paper, 108 pages by default
- Word search book: black & white · white paper, 108 pages by default
- Sudoku book: black & white · white paper, 108 pages by default
- Maze book for kids: black & white · white paper, 104 pages by default
- Educational workbook: black & white · white paper, 104 pages by default
- Sketchbook: black & white · white paper, 110 pages by default
You can also choose 8.5 × 11 in for picture book, aBC book, illustrated storybook, bedtime story collection, non-fiction guide, cookbook, memoir & family history, guided journal, planner & logbook, lined notebook, password book and comic & graphic novel.
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.