Book Spine Calculator
This book spine calculator gives your spine width for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark and Lulu from the page count and paper, plus the full cover size. Paperback or hardcover, in inches and millimeters.
- Matches KDP's own calculator
- KDP, IngramSpark and Lulu
- Free cover template
- No sign-up
Spine width
0.676 in
17.2 mm
Full cover with bleed (width × height)
12.926 × 9.250 in
328.3 × 234.9 mm · 3,878 × 2,775 px at 300 DPI
- Amazon KDP allows text on this spine.
| Printer | Spine | Full cover |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 0.676 in | 12.926 × 9.250 in |
| IngramSpark | 0.629 in | 12.879 × 9.250 in |
| Lulu | 0.736 in | 12.986 × 9.250 in |
Spine width calculator: the formula
Spine width is simply page count × the thickness of one page. A page is one side of a sheet, so 300 pages are 150 sheets. Count every page the printer will print, blank pages and front matter included.
| Printer | Paper | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | White, standard color | pages × 0.002252 in (0.0572 mm) |
| Amazon KDP | Cream | pages × 0.0025 in (0.0635 mm) |
| Amazon KDP | Groundwood | pages × 0.00235 in (0.0596 mm) |
| Amazon KDP | Premium color | pages × 0.002347 in (0.0596 mm) |
| Lulu | Paperback | pages ÷ 444 + 0.06 in |
| IngramSpark | All papers | No published formula; read from its calculator |
How thick is a 100, 200, 300 or 400-page book?
Paperback spine widths at each printer, on standard white or cream paper:
| Pages | KDP white | KDP cream | IngramSpark white | IngramSpark creme | Lulu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pages | 0.225 in (5.7 mm) | 0.250 in (6.3 mm) | 0.207 in (5.3 mm) | 0.240 in (6.1 mm) | 0.285 in (7.2 mm) |
| 200 pages | 0.450 in (11.4 mm) | 0.500 in (12.7 mm) | 0.424 in (10.8 mm) | 0.458 in (11.6 mm) | 0.510 in (13.0 mm) |
| 300 pages | 0.676 in (17.2 mm) | 0.750 in (19.0 mm) | 0.629 in (16.0 mm) | 0.674 in (17.1 mm) | 0.736 in (18.7 mm) |
| 400 pages | 0.901 in (22.9 mm) | 1.000 in (25.4 mm) | 0.821 in (20.9 mm) | 0.890 in (22.6 mm) | 0.961 in (24.4 mm) |
Why a KDP cover won't fit IngramSpark
The same 300-page book on white paper has a 0.676 in (17.2 mm) spine at KDP but 0.629 in (16.0 mm) at IngramSpark. That is over a millimeter, enough for the spine text to wrap onto the front cover. On cream paper the gap is larger still.
If you publish with both, build two covers from two templates. The comparison under the calculator shows the difference for your own page count. One published calculator we tested gives an IngramSpark spine about 0.08 inches too wide, so check any number against the printer's own template before you upload.
Still deciding where to publish? See how to publish a book for free and the pros and cons of self-publishing on Amazon.
When can a spine have text?
- Amazon KDP: only on books with more than 79 pages, with at least 0.0625 in (1.6 mm) of space on each side of the text.
- IngramSpark: no spine text on perfect-bound books under 48 pages. Keep 0.0625 in clear on each side for spines 0.35 in and wider (File Creation Guide).
- Lulu: no spine text on books of 80 pages or fewer, and keep 0.125 in between the text and the spine edges.
Hardcovers are calculated differently. KDP adds 4.8 mm to the paperback width for the boards. IngramSpark rounds case-laminate spines to 1/16 inch with a quarter-inch minimum, and Lulu uses a table of page-count bands. The calculator handles all three.
Printing a translated edition?
A translation rarely has the same page count as the original. Run the calculator again once the translated interior is formatted; the spine and the full cover will both change. If you haven't translated it yet, our book translator returns your manuscript in the same file format, such as a Word file, ready to lay out.
FAQ
Book spine questions
How do I calculate the spine width of a book?
Multiply the page count by the thickness of one page for your printer's paper. At Amazon KDP that is 0.002252 inches for white paper and 0.0025 for cream, so a 300-page book on white paper has a 0.676-inch spine.
How thick is the spine of a 300 page book?
About 0.676 in (17.2 mm) at KDP on white paper, 0.75 in on cream, 0.629 in at IngramSpark on white and 0.736 in at Lulu.
How thick is the spine of a 200 page book?
About 0.450 in (11.4 mm) at KDP on white paper, 0.5 in on cream, 0.424 in at IngramSpark on white and 0.510 in at Lulu.
Do I count blank pages?
Yes. Printers count every page they print, including blank pages and front matter. KDP and IngramSpark also round the count up to an even number.
Why is my IngramSpark spine different from KDP?
They use different paper. IngramSpark's spines are narrower: 0.629 in against KDP's 0.676 in for 300 white pages. Use a separate cover for each printer.
What is the minimum page count for spine text?
More than 79 pages at KDP, 48 or more at IngramSpark and more than 80 at Lulu.
How do I calculate a hardcover spine?
At KDP, take the paperback spine and add 4.8 mm (0.189 in). IngramSpark and Lulu use their own tables, which the calculator includes; a 300-page white hardcover is 0.865 in at KDP.
Can I use the template in Canva?
Yes. The template downloads as an SVG at the exact cover size, which Canva and most design tools can open. Delete the guide lines before you export the final PDF.
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