What are the minimum margins for a KDP paperback?

Inside margin is 0.375 in for 24 to 150 pages, 0.5 in for 151 to 300, 0.625 in for 301 to 500, 0.75 in for 501 to 700 and 0.875 in for 701 to 828. Outside margins are at least 0.25 in, or 0.375 in with bleed.

How wide is the spine of a KDP paperback?

Spine width is page count times the per-page thickness: 0.002252 in for black and white on white paper, 0.0025 in for cream, 0.002347 in for premium color and 0.002252 in for standard color. KDP's cover calculator gives the final figure.

What resolution does KDP require?

KDP's minimum is 300 DPI for covers and manuscript images. It recommends not exceeding 600 DPI, because higher resolutions may cause processing timeouts or delays.

How big is a KDP cover with bleed?

Width is bleed plus back cover plus spine plus front cover plus bleed, and height is bleed plus trim height plus bleed, with bleed at 0.125 in. For an 8.5 × 11 book with 80 white pages that is 17.430 × 11.25 in.

Can I add text to the spine of a coloring book?

Only if the book has more than 79 pages; KDP's Cover Creator requires 80. Keep spine text at least 0.0625 in clear on each side. With fewer pages, leave the spine blank.

KDP Coloring Book Specs: Trim, Margins, Spine

The numbers you need to build a KDP paperback coloring book, taken from KDP's own help pages on 2026-10-11, with worked examples for 8.5 × 11 interiors and covers.

By Shri and Sarath · 6 min read · Updated 11 October 2026 · Facts checked 11 October 2026

This is the numbers page. KDP's help pages are undated and KDP revises them, so if a figure here differs from the KDP page on the day you upload, KDP's page wins. For the process (niche, page plan, art, pricing) see how to make a coloring book for KDP.

Trim size and page count

KDP allows custom paperback trims from 4 to 8.5 inches wide and 6 to 11.69 inches tall. A trim is classed as large if it is wider than 6.12 in or taller than 9 in, and large trims cost more to print. That makes 8.5 × 11, 8.5 × 8.5 and 8 × 10 all large trims, and 6 × 9 a regular one.

Black ink, white paper
Pages
24 to 828
Black ink, cream paper
Pages
24 to 776 (listed for 5 × 8 trim)
Standard color, white paper
Pages
72 to 600
Premium color, white paper
Pages
24 to 828

Page counts for paperbacks on Amazon.com (KDP submission guidelines)
Ink and paper	Pages
Black ink, white paper	24 to 828
Black ink, cream paper	24 to 776 (listed for 5 × 8 trim)
Standard color, white paper	72 to 600
Premium color, white paper	24 to 828

The page count you enter in KDP is the total pages in the PDF, blank backs included. It sets your margins and your spine width. Maximums can vary by trim, so check KDP's current table for your size.

Margins by page count

Thicker books need a wider inside margin (the gutter). These are KDP's minimums.

24 to 150
Inside (gutter)
0.375 in
Outside, no bleed
0.25 in
Outside, with bleed
0.375 in
151 to 300
Inside (gutter)
0.5 in
Outside, no bleed
0.25 in
Outside, with bleed
0.375 in
301 to 500
Inside (gutter)
0.625 in
Outside, no bleed
0.25 in
Outside, with bleed
0.375 in
501 to 700
Inside (gutter)
0.75 in
Outside, no bleed
0.25 in
Outside, with bleed
0.375 in
701 to 828
Inside (gutter)
0.875 in
Outside, no bleed
0.25 in
Outside, with bleed
0.375 in

Minimum margins (KDP formatting help page)
Page count	Inside (gutter)	Outside, no bleed	Outside, with bleed
24 to 150	0.375 in	0.25 in	0.375 in
151 to 300	0.5 in	0.25 in	0.375 in
301 to 500	0.625 in	0.25 in	0.375 in
501 to 700	0.75 in	0.25 in	0.375 in
701 to 828	0.875 in	0.25 in	0.375 in

These are minimums. Giving artwork more room than the minimum is a sensible habit for a coloring book, so the binding does not swallow the design, but that is advice, not a KDP rule.

Bleed

Bleed is artwork that runs past the trim edge so no white sliver shows after cutting. For the interior, KDP says to extend images 0.125 in beyond the trim on the top, bottom and outer edges. A manuscript with bleed must be a PDF.

Bleed page width = trim width + 0.125 in.
Bleed page height = trim height + 0.25 in.
For 8.5 × 11 that is 8.625 × 11.25 in, or about 2,588 × 3,375 pixels at 300 DPI.
Without bleed, KDP accepts a PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, HTML or TXT manuscript.

Most coloring books need no bleed. A design framed inside a margin avoids it. Use bleed only for full-page patterns or backgrounds.

Resolution and fonts

Resolution. At least 300 DPI for covers and manuscript images. KDP recommends staying at or below 600 DPI, as higher resolutions can cause processing delays.
Pixels. At 300 DPI, an 8.5 × 11 page is 2,550 × 3,300 pixels.
Fonts. Embed all fonts, in the interior and in the cover. KDP's minimum font size is 7 points.
Transparency. Flatten transparent objects and layers before publishing.
Lines and fills. Minimum line width is 0.75 point (0.01 in). For black ink, the minimum grayscale fill is 10%.
File size. The maximum is 650 MB.

Spine width

Spine width = page count × the per-page thickness of your paper. KDP gives these thicknesses.

Black and white, white paper
Inches per page
0.002252
Black and white, cream paper
Inches per page
0.0025
Premium color
Inches per page
0.002347
Standard color
Inches per page
0.002252

Per-page thickness (KDP cover calculator help page)
Paper	Inches per page
Black and white, white paper	0.002252
Black and white, cream paper	0.0025
Premium color	0.002347
Standard color	0.002252

Spine text needs a book of more than 79 pages. KDP's page says both at least 79 and more than 79, and its Cover Creator requires 80, so use 80 or more pages if you want spine text. Keep spine text at least 0.0625 in clear on each side so it does not wrap onto the covers. Below that, leave the spine blank.

Full cover dimensions

The cover is one PDF holding the back cover, spine and front cover as a single flattened image, at least 300 DPI. KDP's bleed on the cover is 0.125 in on all sides.

Cover width = bleed + back cover width + spine width + front cover width + bleed.
Cover height = bleed + trim height + bleed.
Keep front and back cover text at least 0.125 in inside the trim lines.
Barcode: you can upload with or without one. Without your own ISBN, KDP places a barcode in a 2 × 1.2 in white box at the lower right of the back cover, so keep that area clear.
KDP recommends cover files of 40 MB or less.

Printing cost and royalty

Printing cost is a fixed cost plus the page count times a per-page cost, and a book of 24 to 110 pages pays only the fixed cost. Trim size matters (large trims cost more), while bleed settings and cover finish do not. These are KDP's Amazon.com figures for black ink on white or cream paper; other marketplaces differ (on Amazon.com.au the flat band is 24 to 108 pages) and the rates change, so use KDP's own calculator for your book.

Regular
24 to 110 pages
$2.30 fixed
Over 110 pages, up to 828
$1.00 plus $0.012 per page
Large
24 to 110 pages
$2.84 fixed
Over 110 pages, up to 828
$1.00 plus $0.017 per page

Amazon.com paperback printing cost, black ink (KDP's Paperback Printing Cost page, checked 2026-10-12)
Trim	24 to 110 pages	Over 110 pages, up to 828
Regular	$2.30 fixed	$1.00 plus $0.012 per page
Large	$2.84 fixed	$1.00 plus $0.017 per page

Royalty is the royalty rate times the list price, minus printing cost. On Amazon.com the rate is 60% at a list price of $9.99 and above and 50% at $9.98 and below. Expanded Distribution pays 40%. KDP also sets a minimum list price from your printing cost.

Worked examples

These use KDP's formulas with an 8.5 × 11 trim and white paper. Always confirm against KDP's cover calculator with your final page count.

40
Spine
40 × 0.002252 = 0.090 in
Cover width
0.125 + 8.5 + 0.090 + 8.5 + 0.125 = 17.340 in
Cover height
0.125 + 11 + 0.125 = 11.25 in
Spine text?
No, too few pages
80
Spine
80 × 0.002252 = 0.180 in
Cover width
17.430 in
Cover height
11.25 in
Spine text?
Yes, 80 or more
100
Spine
100 × 0.002252 = 0.225 in
Cover width
17.475 in
Cover height
11.25 in
Spine text?
Yes

Spine and cover size, 8.5 × 11, black ink on white paper
Pages	Spine	Cover width	Cover height	Spine text?
40	40 × 0.002252 = 0.090 in	0.125 + 8.5 + 0.090 + 8.5 + 0.125 = 17.340 in	0.125 + 11 + 0.125 = 11.25 in	No, too few pages
80	80 × 0.002252 = 0.180 in	17.430 in	11.25 in	Yes, 80 or more
100	100 × 0.002252 = 0.225 in	17.475 in	11.25 in	Yes

For the 40-page book, margins fall in the 24 to 150 band: 0.375 in gutter and 0.25 in outside, top and bottom at minimum, or 0.375 in outside if you use bleed. A 100-page book on cream paper has a spine of 100 × 0.0025 = 0.25 in, which would make its cover width 17.5 in.

SuperEbook exports a KDP interior PDF and a cover wrap sized to your page count, and you can start with 50 free credits. Check its numbers against KDP's own calculator before you upload.