Table of Contents
A paperback has a soft, flexible cover. A hardback (or hardcover) has a rigid cover made of boards. Hardbacks last longer, look more premium and sell for more, but they're heavier and cost more than twice as much to print. Paperbacks are cheaper, lighter, and they're what most readers actually buy.
If you're publishing your own book, the real question is whether a hardback is worth adding next to your paperback. Below is a side-by-side comparison, the actual KDP printing costs, and an example of what you earn on each.
Paperback vs hardback at a glance
Paperback | Hardback | |
|---|---|---|
Cover | Thick, flexible card, glued to the pages | Rigid boards covered in printed paper or cloth |
Durability | Spine creases, corners bend with use | Holds its shape for decades |
Weight | Light, easy to carry | Noticeably heavier |
Typical retail price | $10β$20 | $20β$35 |
KDP print cost, 300 pages, black ink | $4.60 | $9.25 |
KDP page range | 24β828 pages | 75β550 pages |
Best for | Most fiction and nonfiction, everyday readers | Gifts, collectors, libraries, reference, children's books |
How they're made
A paperback (also called softcover) is "perfect bound": the pages are stacked, glued along the spine, and wrapped in a single sheet of heavy card that's usually laminated in gloss or matte. There are two kinds you'll hear about:
Trade paperback: the larger, better-quality paperback, often 5" x 8" to 6" x 9". This is what KDP prints and what most indie authors sell.
Mass-market paperback: the small, cheap pocket format (about 4.25" x 6.87") you see at airports, mostly used by big publishers for genre fiction.
A hardback (or hardcover) is "case bound": the pages are glued or sewn into a stiff case made of board. Between the case and the pages there's a hinge, which is why a hardback opens with that solid feel. There are two common styles:
Case laminate: the cover design is printed directly on the boards. This is what KDP offers.
Cloth or paper boards with a dust jacket: the classic bookstore hardback, with a removable printed jacket. KDP doesn't offer dust jackets, but other printers such as IngramSpark do.
Which lasts longer?
The hardback, by a long way. The boards protect the pages from bending, the spine holds its shape, and the cover doesn't curl in a humid room. That's why libraries prefer hardbacks for books that get borrowed a lot, and why reference books, cookbooks and children's picture books are often hardback.
A paperback is perfectly durable for normal reading. It just shows wear: the spine creases when you open it wide, the corners get soft, and the cover can curl. For a novel someone reads once or twice, that doesn't matter.
Which is easier to read and carry?
The paperback. It's lighter, fits in a bag, and you can hold it open with one hand. A 400-page hardback is heavy enough that most people read it at a table or in bed.
Hardbacks do have one reading advantage: they lie flatter on a table and stay open better, especially in larger sizes. That's useful for cookbooks, workbooks and art books.
How much more does a hardback cost to print?
On Amazon KDP, roughly twice as much. Here are the current US printing costs for black ink on a regular trim size, from KDP's paperback and hardcover pricing pages:
Format | Cost formula | 200 pages | 300 pages |
|---|---|---|---|
Paperback (110β828 pages) | $1.00 + $0.012 per page | $3.40 | $4.60 |
Hardcover (110β550 pages) | $5.65 + $0.012 per page | $8.05 | $9.25 |
Short books have a flat cost: $2.30 for a paperback under 110 pages, $6.80 for a hardcover of 75 to 108 pages. Color printing and large trim sizes cost more.
The per-page cost is the same. The difference is the fixed cost of the case: about $4.65 more per copy, no matter how long the book is. That's why hardbacks of short books are especially expensive relative to their price.
What you earn on each
KDP pays 60% of the list price (50% on paperbacks priced under $9.99), minus the printing cost. The royalty formula is:
Royalty = list price Γ 60% β printing cost
For a 300-page book:
Format | List price | 60% of price | Print cost | Your royalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Paperback | $14.99 | $8.99 | $4.60 | $4.39 |
Paperback | $16.99 | $10.19 | $4.60 | $5.59 |
Hardcover | $24.99 | $14.99 | $9.25 | $5.74 |
Hardcover | $27.99 | $16.79 | $9.25 | $7.54 |
So a hardback earns a bit more per copy, but only if readers accept a price $10 higher. Most won't, which is why paperbacks usually sell many more copies. Through Expanded Distribution (bookstores and libraries), KDP pays only 40% minus printing, so a hardback priced too low can earn almost nothing there.
Why add a hardback anyway?
Even if it sells fewer copies, a hardback can be worth having:
It makes the paperback look like a deal. When readers see $27.99 next to $16.99, the paperback feels affordable.
Gifts. People buy hardbacks as presents, especially around the holidays.
Libraries and collectors often prefer them.
Some genres expect it: children's picture books, cookbooks, coffee-table books, memoirs and premium nonfiction.
It's extra income from the same work. Once the interior is done, the hardback mostly needs a new cover file.
It's usually not worth it for short books (under 75 pages, KDP can't print a hardcover at all), low-priced genre fiction, or books whose readers mostly read on Kindle.
The market backs this up. In AAP's 2026 data, US paperback revenue grew 11.8% from January to August, while hardback grew 3.1%. Paperbacks are still where the volume is.
Publishing both formats
If you publish both, keep these differences in mind:
Separate ISBNs. Each format needs its own. KDP gives you a free one for each, or you can use your own. See what an ISBN is and when you need one.
Separate cover files. A hardback cover wraps around the boards, so it needs extra space (0.51" wrap) and a hinge area. You can't reuse the paperback file. Our spine width and cover size guide has the details.
The interior can usually stay the same if the trim size is the same. Still run it through the KDP previewer for each format.
Link them on Amazon. Use the same title and author name exactly, and Amazon will usually show them on one product page. If not, KDP support can link them.
If you write and format your book in Automateed, you export the interior PDF once and use it for both, then make two cover files from the KDP templates.
See the format decision with actual arithmetic. Our KDP video compares a 300-page black-and-white paperback with a hardcover, including printing costs, example selling prices and royalties. It also explains why the hardcover needs its own cover file. Use your book's specifications in KDP's calculator before setting a price.
Watch on YouTube: Paperback or Hardcover on Amazon KDP? Pick the Right Format (4:53)
Which format should you choose?
First book, fiction or nonfiction: start with ebook and paperback. Add a hardback later if the book sells.
Children's picture book or cookbook: consider hardback from the start. Parents and gift buyers expect it.
Premium nonfiction or memoir: both. The hardback supports a higher perceived value.
Short guide or workbook: paperback only.
Check a physical copy before you publish
Always order a proof of each format. In a hardback, check that the title on the spine is centered, nothing important falls into the hinge area, the wrap around the edges looks clean, and the pages near the spine are easy to read. In a paperback, check the spine text, the cover finish and the inner margins.
FAQ
Is hardback the same as hardcover?
Yes. Hardback is more common in British English, hardcover in American English.
Why are hardbacks more expensive?
They cost more to make. On KDP, a hardcover costs about $4.65 more per copy to print than a paperback of the same length.
Which sells more, paperback or hardback?
Paperback, in most genres. Hardbacks sell well as gifts, to libraries, and in genres like children's books and cookbooks.
Can I publish a hardcover on KDP?
Yes, as a case laminate hardcover between 75 and 550 pages. KDP doesn't offer dust jackets.
What's a trade paperback?
A larger, higher-quality paperback, usually 5" x 8" to 6" x 9". It's the standard paperback format for self-published books.
