# How Much Does a Book Cover Cost? What Affects the Price > Book cover prices range from low-cost pre-made designs to custom and illustrated covers. See what affects the price and what a good cover package includes. Source: https://theauthorpublishing.com/blog/how-much-does-a-book-cover-cost/ Publisher: The Author Publishing Last updated: 2026-10-31 --- A book cover costs anywhere from a small amount for a template or pre-made design to several hundred dollars or more for a custom cover, and illustrated or series covers cost more again. The price depends on how original the design is, how many formats you need and how much illustration or photography is involved. A cover is the most visible part of your book, so it is one of the few places where spending more usually pays off. This guide explains the main types of cover, what is included in a package, what pushes the price up and how to avoid paying for the wrong thing. If you want a design for your own book, you can [request a free quote for our book cover design](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/book-cover-design/). For the whole budget, see [how much it costs to self-publish a book](https://theauthorpublishing.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-self-publish-a-book/). ## Key takeaways - Pre-made covers are the cheapest option, and custom covers cost more because they are designed for one book - Illustration, photo composites and series designs raise the price - Print covers need a spine and back sized to your page count - Check what is included: formats, revisions, source files and licences - A cover must follow genre conventions to signal the right readers ## What types of book cover are there? - Pre-made covers: ready-made designs, adjusted with your title and name, usually the lowest-priced option - Template covers: a design you edit yourself in a tool, with the lowest cost and the least originality - Custom typographic covers: a designer creates a cover from type and graphic elements for your book - Custom photographic covers: a designer builds a cover from licensed photographs - Custom illustrated covers: an illustrator creates original artwork, which costs the most Most authors choose between pre-made and custom. A custom cover is usually worth it for a genre where readers expect a distinctive look. ## What does a book cover package usually include? A package usually covers the front cover for eBook and print. A full print cover also needs a spine and back cover, sized to your trim and page count, with a barcode area. Many designers also supply an eBook cover sized for retailers, a few rounds of revisions and print-ready files. Check whether you receive editable source files, whether stock images and fonts are licensed for commercial use and whether extra formats, such as a hardcover wrap or an audiobook cover, cost more. Our [hardcover and dust jacket design](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/hardcover-dust-jacket/) covers special formats. ## What makes a cover cost more? The main drivers are originality, illustration and the number of formats. A designer who builds a cover from scratch, creates custom artwork or composites several images spends more time than one who adapts a template. Series covers need a consistent system across several books. Rush timelines, extra revision rounds and special formats also add cost. Licensing premium photographs or fonts adds to the total, so ask who pays for licences. ## Why do covers matter so much for sales? Readers judge a book by its cover in a second, and a cover has to work at thumbnail size on a screen. A cover signals genre, quality and promise. A cover that looks wrong for its genre, with the wrong colours, type or imagery, attracts the wrong readers or none. This is why designers study the covers of bestselling books in your category before they design. Our [series cover design](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/series-cover-design/) keeps a set of books looking like one family. ## What should I watch out for when buying a cover? - Images that are not licensed for commercial use, which can cause takedowns - Covers that ignore the retailer's size and file rules - A cover that does not match your genre - A spine width guessed before the page count is final - A designer who will not say what is included or who owns the final files Wait until your interior is final before you order the print cover, because spine width depends on page count. ## How do we price book covers at The Author Publishing? We do not publish a price list, because the right package depends on your genre, formats and illustration needs. We ask about your book and your readers, show you what is included and give a free quote with a fixed price in writing before design starts. You approve concepts before we refine them. You can add [3D book mockups](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/book-mockups/) and a [cover redesign](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/cover-redesign/) if you already have a book that is not selling. ## How can I brief a designer well? A good brief saves time and money. Share your genre, your blurb, the mood you want, a few covers you admire and any rules, such as colours or imagery to avoid. Give the trim size and page count for print, and say whether you need the eBook, paperback and hardcover. Name the readers you want to attract, because the cover should speak to them. Clear feedback on concepts, in terms of what works and what does not, gets better results than vague comments such as make it pop. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much does a cheap book cover cost? Template and pre-made covers sit at the low end, but they are less original and may look like many other books. They can be a sensible start for a tight budget. ### Is a custom cover worth the money? For most genres, yes. A custom cover is built for your book and your readers, and it usually helps a book stand out and look professional. ### Do I need a separate cover for print and eBook? You need one design, but print needs a wrap with spine and back, and the eBook needs only the front, in the sizes retailers require. ### Can I use AI-generated images on my cover? Rules and licences differ by tool and by retailer, and they change. We check current retailer rules and licensing and tell you how each image was made. ### Who owns the cover design? It should be set out in your agreement. You should receive the right to use the cover for your book in all formats and for promotion. ### How long does a cover take? A custom cover commonly takes a few weeks, depending on revisions. Illustrated covers take longer. ## Services that can help - [Book cover design services](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/book-cover-design/) - [Series cover design](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/series-cover-design/) - [Book cover redesign](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/cover-redesign/) - [Hardcover and dust jacket design](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/hardcover-dust-jacket/) - [3D book mockups](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/book-mockups/)