Are Paperbacks Lower Quality Than Hardcover Books?

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Are paperbacks lower quality than hardcover books? To most readers, yes: a hardcover feels sturdier and costs more, so people treat it as the better edition. For you as an author, the better question is whether to offer one or both, and I say both.

Do readers see hardcovers as higher quality?

Most do. A hardback has a stiffer cover and a bound spine, and what it is made of and how well it is put together sets the printing cost. You choose the options when you set the book up. If you want a premium hardcover for a photo or art book, read the Blurb self-publishing review.

When I started, I wondered whether the quality gap would decide if people bought my books. It does not decide it as much as I expected. Some readers only buy hardbacks, some only buy paperbacks, and some only listen to audio or read an ebook. Quality matters less than whether your book is in the format they want.

How much does a hardcover cost to print?

More than a paperback, and that comes out of your royalty. On KDP the printing cost is a fixed cost plus a cost per page. For a US black-ink hardcover with 110 to 550 pages, KDP lists $5.65 plus $0.012 per page for regular trim and $5.65 plus $0.017 per page for large trim (KDP hardcover printing cost). A 300-page regular-trim book is about $9.25 to print. KDP pays 50% or 60% royalty on the list price, depending on the list price and marketplace, minus that printing cost. Use KDP’s own calculator before you set a price, because these figures change.

I pick the cheapest hardback option. I want the highest royalty, and I want readers to have a hardback without paying far more than they would for a paperback.

What kind of hardcover does KDP print?

A case laminate hardcover. KDP’s hardcover help says the cover art is printed directly on the cover, so there is no dust jacket, and cloth binding is not offered. It lists five trim sizes and says KDP offers retail, proof and author copies of hardcovers. So if a reader pictures a hardback with a loose jacket, that is not what KDP sends. Order a proof copy of your cover and hold it before you decide the book deserves a hardcover.

Where can I print a hardcover?

KDP prints hardcovers of 75 to 550 pages. They sell on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and most European Amazon stores, but not on Amazon.co.jp or through Expanded Distribution (KDP hardcover help). IngramSpark is the other main option for hardcovers and paperbacks. To distribute there you need an ISBN for each format: you can use your own, and US authors can also take a free one, which IngramSpark then owns (IngramSpark FAQ). Check each platform’s current terms, because fees and rules change.

I tried Lulu once for a hardback. It was easy and cheap to start and they would send me a proof copy. Today I recommend KDP and IngramSpark, and you can add Lulu if you want another outlet. There is more in other good self-publishing platforms apart from Lulu.com.

Each format also needs its own ISBN. KDP says a paperback and a hardcover cannot share one (KDP ISBN help). If you want an ISBN under my imprint, Urgesta AS, for the hardcover, I can do that for each format, and you keep your rights and royalties: publish under my imprint.

Should I publish a paperback or a hardcover?

Both. I have no wish to lose a sale because a reader wanted a format I did not offer, and the only way to reach a large audience is to be in every format that suits your readers.

A hardcover can mean an ISBN and a proof copy to buy, so do it in order. I began with Kindle books, then paperbacks, then audiobooks, and hardbacks last. Sell the book first as an ebook and a paperback and see which ones sell. Those are the books that deserve a hardcover. Paying for a hardback of a book that does not sell is a waste, and some of my earlier books, from before I learned the strategies that work, would not have earned it back.

To pick the right books to extend, read what type of books help an author make the most royalties. And if you use one cover across formats, see whether you can use the same cover for print and ebook.

What have you found? Do your readers prefer the paperback or the hardback? Let me know in the comments.

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