8.5 × 8.5 in at a glance
| Trim size | 8.5 × 8.5 in · 215.9 × 215.9 mm · 21.59 × 21.59 cm |
| Shape | Square |
| Size class | Large trim (wider than 6.12 in), higher printing cost |
| Interior page with bleed | 8.625 × 8.75 in · 219.1 × 222.3 mm |
| Bindings | Paperback only |
| Expanded Distribution | 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 × 8.5 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 × 8.5 in, standard color and premium color are eligible for Expanded Distribution (40% royalty through bookstores and libraries); black and white on white paper, 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 × 8.5 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 × 8.5 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 8 in tall (7.75 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 × 8.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Premium color | 0.056 in | 17.306 × 8.75 | 439.6 × 222.3 | No |
| 32 | Premium color | 0.075 in | 17.325 × 8.75 | 440.1 × 222.3 | No |
| 48 | Premium color | 0.113 in | 17.363 × 8.75 | 441 × 222.3 | No |
For 32 pages: 0.125 + 8.5 + 0.075 + 8.5 + 0.125 = 17.325 in wide, and 8.5 + 2 × 0.125 = 8.75 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 premium color takes 96 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 × 8.5 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 | Premium color | Standard color |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | $4.20flat fee · min. list price $8.40 | From 72 pages |
| 100 | $9.00min. list price $15.00 | $5.02min. list price $9.99 |
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 × 8.5 in is a large trim (wider than 6.12 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.
When to choose 8.5 × 8.5 in
- Open, a double-page spread measures 17 × 8.5 in, room for a full-bleed scene with text above or below it.
- As an 8.5 in wide trim it has lower page limits than the smaller sizes (590 pages on white paper), still far more than a picture book needs.
kdpbook book types at 8.5 × 8.5 in
These kdpbook book types start at 8.5 × 8.5 in by default:
- Baby & toddler book: premium color · white paper, 24 pages by default
- Picture book: premium color · white paper, 32 pages by default
- ABC book: premium color · white paper, 32 pages by default
- Counting book: premium color · white paper, 24 pages by default
You can also choose 8.5 × 8.5 in for illustrated storybook, early reader, bedtime story collection, kids' fact book, poetry collection, kids' coloring book, adult coloring book, kids' activity book, maze book for kids and sketchbook.
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.