- Book cover makers at a glance
- Ten book cover makers to try
- Which book cover maker fits your book
- Design at the Kindle size from the start
- Do it yourself, buy premade or hire a designer?
- Six checks before you upload a cover
- Signs your cover needs another pass
- My plain advice on covers that sell the book
- Frequently asked questions
A book cover maker helps you design a front cover for a print book or ebook from a template, a photo or your own artwork, then export it at the right size. Some are free design tools, some sell premade covers or design services, and some make mockups to promote the finished book. Ten options follow in no particular order.
Readers do judge a book by its cover, usually as a thumbnail the size of a postage stamp. A cover that works at that size sells books, and one that doesn't gets scrolled past however good the writing inside.
The ten tools below cover doing it yourself, buying a ready-made cover and hiring help. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're still writing, my guide to signs your writing sounds like AI is worth a read before you publish.
Book cover makers at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Express | Online design tool | A cover from a template in a browser | Yes |
| Book Brush | Design tool for authors | 3D mockups for a cover reveal | Not stated |
| BookCoverZone | Premade book cover shop | Buying a ready-made cover | Not stated |
| Canva | Online design tool | Covers from stunning layouts | Yes |
| DIY Book Covers | Book cover templates and mockups | Templates made for self-publishers | Yes |
| Fotor | Online photo editor with a cover maker | Covers built around a photo | Yes |
| Kittl | Design platform with a cover maker | Illustrated and type-led covers | Yes |
| MIBLART | Book cover design service | Hiring a designer for the cover | Not stated |
| Placeit | Template-based design tool | Covers plus mockups and promo images | Not stated |
| Reedsy | Writing app and designer network | Writing the book and finding a designer | Yes |
Ten book cover makers to try
Adobe Express
Best for: First-time authors who want to design a book cover online for free from a template, without design software.
Book Brush
Best for: Authors who want 3D book mockups, scene images and cover reveal graphics to promote a book they've finished.
BookCoverZone
Best for: Self-publishers who'd rather buy a premade cover and have it reformatted for paperback, hardcover or audiobook.
Canva
Best for: Writers who want a free book cover maker with layouts, stock photos and graphics in a drag and drop editor.
DIY Book Covers
Best for: Indie authors who want free book cover design templates and 3D mockups built around the self-publishing process.
Fotor
Best for: Novelists whose cover is built around a strong photograph and who want to design it online for free.
Kittl
Best for: Designers and authors who want a free book cover maker with bold typography and AI design tools.
MIBLART
Best for: Anyone who'd rather hire a professional designer to create the cover, starting from a free cover design idea.
Placeit
Best for: Creators who want book cover templates in the same place as mockups, social images and merch designs.
Reedsy
Best for: Authors who want a free online writing app and a place to find and hire professional cover designers.
Which book cover maker fits your book
- Designing from a template in a browser: Adobe Express or Canva.
- 3D mockups for a cover reveal: Book Brush.
- Buying a premade cover: BookCoverZone.
- Templates made for self-publishers: DIY Book Covers.
- Covers built around a photograph: Fotor.
- Bold type and illustrated covers: Kittl.
- Hiring a professional designer: MIBLART or Reedsy.
- Covers plus promo images: Placeit.
Design at the Kindle size from the start
Amazon KDP's cover image guidelines for Kindle eBooks recommend 2,560 pixels high by 1,600 pixels wide for best quality, at a resolution of at least 300 DPI. They also say covers below 500 pixels on the longest side are not displayed on the website.
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Many authors design on a social post or poster canvas and resize at the end, which blurs the title and crops the artwork. Set the canvas to the recommended size before you add anything, then shrink a copy to thumbnail size and check the title is still readable. A printed paperback needs a separate full wrap cover with a spine, sized to your page count.
Do it yourself, buy premade or hire a designer?
Doing it yourself with a template is the quickest start, and it's fine for a first ebook or a lead magnet. Stick closely to the genre's look.
A premade cover is designed in advance and sold once, then your title and name are added. It gives a professional look without a long brief.
Hiring a designer makes sense for a series or a launch you're investing in, because the covers need to work together over several books.
Six checks before you upload a cover
- Can you read the title at thumbnail size?
- Does the cover look like other books in your genre?
- Is the canvas the size your platform recommends?
- Do you have the rights to every image and font?
- Is your author name spelled the same as on the listing?
- Will a print edition need a spine and back cover?
Signs your cover needs another pass
- The title vanishes as a thumbnail. Make it bigger.
- It looks like a different genre. Study the category again.
- There are four fonts. Use two.
- The image is blurry on a phone. Start at the full size.
Do you make a book cover maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on covers that sell the book
Look at the top twenty books in your exact category before you design anything. Note the colours, fonts and imagery they share, because readers use those signals to recognise a genre in a split second. Your cover should fit in with them at a glance and differ only in the details that make it yours.
If you write for clients too, my guide to freelance author jobs covers where that work comes from.
Frequently asked questions
What is a book cover maker?
It's a tool that helps you design a book cover from a template, photo or your own artwork and export it at the right size.
Can I make a book cover for free?
Yes. Several design tools have a free version or free templates. Premade covers and designers are charged separately. Check the free plan column above.
What size should a Kindle cover be?
Amazon KDP recommends 2,560 pixels high by 1,600 pixels wide, at 300 DPI or more.
Is a print cover the same as an ebook cover?
No. A print book needs a full wrap cover with a back and a spine sized to the page count.
What is a premade book cover?
It's a cover designed in advance and sold to one author, with their title and name added.
Can I use any photo on my book cover?
Only if you have the rights. Use your own photos, licensed images or images that clearly allow commercial use.
