{"id":11542,"date":"2026-03-24T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/?p=11542"},"modified":"2026-05-07T19:28:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T19:28:50","slug":"kdp-formats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-formats\/","title":{"rendered":"What Formats Can You Publish on KDP? eBook, Paperback &#038; Hardcover"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--\nURL: https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-formats\/\n--><\/p>\n<article class=\"vap-art\">\n<div style=\"background: #0c0c0f; border-radius: 16px; padding: 52px; margin-bottom: 48px; position: relative; overflow: hidden;\">\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 24px;\"><span style=\"display: inline-flex; align-items: center; padding: 5px 14px; background: rgba(50,186,211,.12); border: 1px solid rgba(50,186,211,.35); border-radius: 20px; font-size: 10px; font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #32bad3; font-weight: 500; text-transform: uppercase;\">KDP Fundamentals \u00b7 Vappingo<\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: clamp(24px,3.8vw,40px); font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.1; color: #f2f0f5; margin: 0 0 18px; font-family: 'DM Sans',sans-serif;\">What Formats Can You Publish on KDP? <em style=\"font-style: normal; color: #32bad3;\">eBook, Paperback &amp; Hardcover<\/em><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #c8c4d8; line-height: 1.8; max-width: 560px; margin: 0 0 28px; padding: 0;\">The full breakdown of every format available on KDP \u2014 technical requirements, royalty differences, what each suits, and how to decide which to offer.<\/p>\n<div style=\"border-top: 1px solid #32323f; padding-top: 20px;\">\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: auto; background: transparent;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 0 28px 0 0; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; border: none; background: transparent;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 11px; color: #9490a8; letter-spacing: .5px; vertical-align: middle;\">10-minute read<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 0 28px 0 0; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; border: none; background: transparent;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 11px; color: #9490a8; letter-spacing: .5px; vertical-align: middle;\">Beginner<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 0; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; border: none; background: transparent;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 11px; color: #9490a8; letter-spacing: .5px; vertical-align: middle;\">Updated 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav class=\"vap-toc\" aria-label=\"Article contents\">\n<div class=\"vap-toc-label\">In this article<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#format-ebook\">Kindle eBook<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#format-paperback\">Paperback<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#format-hardcover\">Hardcover<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#format-requirements\">File requirements by format<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#format-linking\">Linking formats together<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#format-which\">Which formats should you offer?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>KDP supports three publishing formats: Kindle eBook, paperback, and hardcover. Each has different technical requirements, different royalty structures, different reader audiences, and different strategic considerations. Understanding how each one works helps you decide which to offer and in what order to prioritise them. For the full publishing roadmap, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/self-publishing-amazon-kdp-beginners-guide\/\">complete beginner&#8217;s guide to self-publishing on Amazon KDP<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"format-ebook\">Kindle eBook<\/h2>\n<p>The Kindle eBook is KDP&#8217;s original format and still the most popular for independent authors. eBooks are delivered instantly to any device running the Kindle app \u2014 Kindle e-readers, smartphones, tablets, and computers. There are no printing costs, which means a higher royalty margin and no minimum pricing floor driven by production costs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Royalties:<\/strong> 70% for books priced $2.99\u2013$9.99 (minus delivery fee); 35% outside this range.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What it suits:<\/strong> Fiction of all genres, business and self-help, narrative non-fiction, most category non-fiction. eBooks work less well for books where layout precision matters \u2014 cookbooks, illustrated reference, children&#8217;s picture books \u2014 because the reflowable Kindle format does not guarantee page-level layout control.<\/p>\n<p><strong>File formats accepted:<\/strong> EPUB (recommended), DOCX (Word), and KPF (the file produced by Amazon&#8217;s free Kindle Create application). PDF is also accepted but converts poorly to reflowable Kindle output and is not recommended for eBooks. KDP no longer accepts MOBI files (Amazon retired MOBI for reflowable books in August 2021 and for fixed-layout books in March 2025); HTML, RTF, and TXT remain on Amazon&#8217;s secondary list but produce inconsistent conversion quality. For most authors, uploading a DOCX file and letting KDP&#8217;s converter handle the rest is the simplest approach. For complex layouts, creating an EPUB directly using a tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atticus.io\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Atticus<\/a> gives you more control over the output.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cover requirements:<\/strong> JPEG or TIFF, minimum 1,000 \u00d7 625 pixels (1,000 on the longest side, 625 on the shortest), maximum 10,000 \u00d7 10,000 pixels. Ideal dimensions are 2,560 pixels in height \u00d7 1,600 pixels in width (1.6:1 height-to-width ratio, portrait orientation).<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"format-paperback\">Paperback<\/h2>\n<p>KDP&#8217;s paperback option uses print-on-demand technology. Each copy is printed when an order is placed \u2014 there is no minimum print run, no upfront printing cost, and no inventory to manage. Amazon uses digital printing facilities in the US, UK, and Europe to fulfil orders, which means delivery times are similar to any other Amazon product.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Royalties:<\/strong> 60% of list price minus Amazon&#8217;s printing cost for books priced at $9.99 or above; 50% minus printing cost for books priced at $9.98 or below (per Amazon&#8217;s June 2025 royalty change). Printing cost varies by page count, trim size, and interior colour.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What it suits:<\/strong> Most book categories. Non-fiction readers particularly tend to prefer paperbacks \u2014 many readers of business, self-help, and reference books want to make notes and mark pages. Having a paperback option available significantly broadens your audience for these categories.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Trim sizes available:<\/strong> KDP supports 16 standard paperback trim sizes including 5&#8243; \u00d7 8&#8243;, 5.06&#8243; \u00d7 7.81&#8243;, 5.25&#8243; \u00d7 8&#8243;, 5.5&#8243; \u00d7 8.5&#8243;, 6&#8243; \u00d7 9&#8243;, and several others up to 8.5&#8243; \u00d7 11&#8243;. 5.5&#8243; \u00d7 8.5&#8243; and 6&#8243; \u00d7 9&#8243; are the most common for novels and non-fiction respectively; 5.06&#8243; \u00d7 7.81&#8243; (A5) is the standard for journals and low-content books.<\/p>\n<p><strong>File requirements:<\/strong> A PDF created to KDP&#8217;s print specifications \u2014 correct margins (minimum 0.25&#8243; on outside, top, and bottom edges without bleed; 0.375&#8243; with bleed; inside\/gutter margin scales with page count from 0.375&#8243; to 0.875&#8243;), correct trim size, images at 300 DPI minimum, and either no bleed or full 0.125&#8243; bleed on three outside edges. For the complete specification guide, read our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-print-specifications-bleed-margins-trim\/\">KDP print specifications<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Interior colour:<\/strong> Black-and-white interiors are substantially cheaper to print than colour interiors. Most fiction and text-heavy non-fiction uses black-and-white. Cookbooks, children&#8217;s books, and illustrated titles typically require colour, which significantly increases the printing cost and therefore the minimum viable list price.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"format-hardcover\">Hardcover<\/h2>\n<p>KDP added hardcover publishing in 2021 (initially in invite-only beta, then fully available to all KDP authors through 2022). The process is nearly identical to paperback \u2014 the same print-on-demand model, the same file preparation requirements \u2014 but with a case-laminate cover instead of a glued paperback cover. Hardcovers have higher printing costs than paperbacks and therefore require higher list prices to achieve a positive royalty.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Royalties:<\/strong> Same 50%\/60% tiered structure as paperback ($9.98 or below = 50%; $9.99 or above = 60%), minus Amazon&#8217;s hardcover printing cost. The hardcover printing cost is meaningfully higher than the paperback equivalent \u2014 typically several dollars more per copy \u2014 so authors generally need to set hardcover list prices higher to maintain a viable royalty per sale.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What it suits:<\/strong> Gift books, illustrated titles, memoirs and narrative non-fiction where a premium format feels appropriate, business books targeting a corporate readership, and any title where readers have demonstrated willingness to pay a higher price point for a physical object.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eligibility:<\/strong> Hardcover supports a smaller set of trim sizes than paperback \u2014 only 5 sizes are available: 5.5&#8243; \u00d7 8.5&#8243;, 6&#8243; \u00d7 9&#8243;, 6.14&#8243; \u00d7 9.21&#8243;, 7&#8243; \u00d7 10&#8243;, and 8.25&#8243; \u00d7 11&#8243;. Page counts must fall between 75 and 550 pages, and only white paper is available (no cream option). Hardcover is also not available through KDP&#8217;s Expanded Distribution programme. KDP checks eligibility automatically during your title setup and will inform you if your title does not qualify.<\/p>\n<p>For a detailed comparison of the two print formats, see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-hardcover-vs-paperback\/\">KDP hardcover vs paperback<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"format-requirements\">File Requirements Summary by Format<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>eBook manuscript:<\/strong> EPUB, DOCX, or KPF. Formatted for reflowable reading. No fixed-position layouts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>eBook cover:<\/strong> JPEG or TIFF, 2,560 height \u00d7 1,600 width pixels recommended (portrait, 1.6:1 ratio), under 50 MB.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paperback\/Hardcover manuscript:<\/strong> PDF only. Must match your chosen trim size exactly, with correct margins, bleed (if applicable), and 300 DPI images.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paperback\/Hardcover cover:<\/strong> PDF only. Full-wrap file including front, spine (width calculated from page count and paper type), and back. KDP provides a cover template generator for each trim size.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"format-linking\">Linking Formats Together<\/h2>\n<p>When you publish the same book in multiple formats, Amazon links them together on a single product page so readers see all available options with a format selector. This linking happens automatically once all formats are live, though it can take 24\u201348 hours after the second format goes live to appear.<\/p>\n<p>Each format has its own ASIN (Amazon&#8217;s product identifier) and its own separate KDP entry in your Bookshelf. You manage them independently \u2014 you can update the eBook description without touching the paperback, for instance.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"format-which\">Which Formats Should You Offer?<\/h2>\n<p>The standard recommendation for most authors is: <strong>eBook first, paperback second, hardcover only if it suits your book<\/strong>. eBook setup is simpler and faster; it generates data about your book&#8217;s reception before you invest in print file preparation. Adding paperback broadens your audience and adds a meaningful search result on Amazon. Hardcover is worth considering only when you have evidence that your readership values a premium physical edition.<\/p>\n<p>Getting your metadata right across all formats \u2014 the same accurate keywords, categories, and description \u2014 matters as much as the formats themselves. A single optimised description and keyword set, applied consistently across every version of your book, ensures that all editions are pulling in the right readers from the right searches. <a href=\"https:\/\/rankfuel.vappingo.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KDP Rank Fuel by Vappingo<\/a> handles all of this \u2014 keywords, description, and categories generated together from a single input, so you arrive at the upload screen with everything ready to apply consistently across your eBook, paperback, and hardcover listings.<\/p>\n<p>And before any format goes live, your manuscript needs to be error-free. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/Proofreading-Services\/Manuscript-Proofreading-Services\/\">Fiction manuscript proofreading<\/a> from Vappingo ensures that what readers find inside your book matches the professional presentation of the cover and listing.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #1c1c22; border-radius: 12px; padding: 32px; margin-top: 52px;\">\n<p style=\"font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #32bad3; margin: 0 0 20px 0; padding: 0;\">Continue Reading \u00b7 KDP Fundamentals<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50%; padding: 0 5px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; height: 1px;\"><a style=\"display: block; background: #252530; border: 1px solid #32323f; border-radius: 8px; padding: 15px 17px; text-decoration: none; height: 100%; box-sizing: border-box;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/self-publishing-amazon-kdp-beginners-guide\/\"><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1.5px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #32bad3; margin-bottom: 7px;\">Cornerstone<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-size: 13.5px; font-weight: 600; color: #c8c4d8; line-height: 1.4; font-family: 'DM Sans',sans-serif;\">The Complete Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%; padding: 0 0 10px 5px; vertical-align: top; height: 1px;\"><a style=\"display: block; background: #252530; border: 1px solid #32323f; border-radius: 8px; padding: 15px 17px; text-decoration: none; height: 100%; box-sizing: border-box;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-hardcover-vs-paperback\/\"><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1.5px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #32bad3; margin-bottom: 7px;\">Formats<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-size: 13.5px; font-weight: 600; color: #f2f0f5; line-height: 1.4; font-family: 'DM Sans',sans-serif;\">KDP Hardcover vs Paperback: Which Should You Offer?<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50%; padding: 0 5px 0 0; vertical-align: top; height: 1px;\"><a style=\"display: block; background: #252530; border: 1px solid #32323f; border-radius: 8px; padding: 15px 17px; text-decoration: none; height: 100%; box-sizing: border-box;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/how-to-format-kdp-ebook\/\"><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1.5px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #32bad3; margin-bottom: 7px;\">Formatting<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-size: 13.5px; font-weight: 600; color: #f2f0f5; line-height: 1.4; font-family: 'DM Sans',sans-serif;\">How to Format a KDP eBook: The Complete Guide<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%; padding: 0 0 0 5px; vertical-align: top; height: 1px;\"><a style=\"display: block; background: #252530; border: 1px solid #32323f; border-radius: 8px; padding: 15px 17px; text-decoration: none; height: 100%; box-sizing: border-box;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-print-specifications-bleed-margins-trim\/\"><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-family: 'DM Mono','Courier New',monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1.5px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #32bad3; margin-bottom: 7px;\">Print Specs<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"display: block; font-size: 13.5px; font-weight: 600; color: #f2f0f5; line-height: 1.4; font-family: 'DM Sans',sans-serif;\">KDP Print Specifications: Bleed, Margins and Trim Sizes Explained<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KDP Fundamentals \u00b7 Vappingo What Formats Can You Publish on KDP? eBook, Paperback &amp; Hardcover The full breakdown of every format available on KDP \u2014 technical requirements, royalty differences, what each suits, and how to decide which to offer. 10-minute read Beginner Updated 2026 In this article Kindle eBook Paperback Hardcover File requirements by format &#8230; <a title=\"What Formats Can You Publish on KDP? eBook, Paperback &#038; Hardcover\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/kdp-formats\/\" aria-label=\"More on What Formats Can You Publish on KDP? eBook, Paperback &#038; Hardcover\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kdp-publishing","category-kdp-starting-out"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11542"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13327,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11542\/revisions\/13327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}