Amazon KDP Trim Sizes Comparison: 6x9 vs 8.5x11 (Which Should You Pick?)

Choosing the right trim size for your book affects customer perception, page layout flexibility, and printing costs. Picking an awkward trim size can lead to higher printing fees and negative customer reviews. Here is a comparison of Amazon's most popular trim sizes.

1. The 6" × 9" (Standard Novel & Journal)

• **Best For**: Fiction novels, non-fiction guides, memoirs, pocket puzzle books, and standard personal diaries.
• **Why Pick It**: It feels natural in adult hands, fits easily into backpacks, and represents the universal industry standard for trade paperbacks.

2. The 8.5" × 11" (Large Activity & Workbook)

• **Best For**: Children's coloring books, classroom workbooks, large-print word searches, sheet music, and complex planners.
• **Why Pick It**: Provides maximum surface area for drawing, solving puzzles, and taking extensive notes.

3. The 7" × 10" (The Executive Sweet Spot)

• **Best For**: Bullet journals, gratitude diaries, prayer journals, and recipe books.
• **Why Pick It**: Offers more writing area than a 6" × 9" without feeling as bulky as an 8.5" × 11".

Printing Cost Implications

Amazon charges printing costs primarily based on **page count**, not trim size (up to standard thresholds). That means a 100-page 6" × 9" book costs roughly the same to print as a 100-page 8.5" × 11" book! However, because you can fit more content onto an 8.5" × 11" page, you can often publish a 100-page 8.5" × 11" book that would have required 180 pages in 6" × 9", saving printing fees and increasing net royalties.

Check Specs in KDPage

Explore all official trim dimensions and calculate exact page margins using KDPage's free layout tools.