Forget about using Microsoft Word to create your free ebook cover for Kindle. The results are always low contrast, flat, and dull.
There is a much better way to make a DIY book cover stand out. And it will save you time because you can do it in just a few minutes.
You don’t need any design skills to create a fantastic free ebook cover for your new ebook. Here’s how to make a book cover on Canva and for free.
Designing it is as easy as choosing a Kindle ebook cover template. Then, you only need a few clicks to modify it for your title and author name.
What are ebook covers?
An ebook cover displays the ebook title, the author and publisher, and a summary of the ebook if needed.
Here’s an example of an ebook cover for a Brand Style Guidelines document:
Now, this is important: a good ebook cover is more than just an introduction to your book.
Remember that saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?”
Well, I’m proud to say that I’ve never judged a book (read: a person) by its cover (read: their appearance). But when it comes to actual (e)books with solid surfaces…
Guilty as charged.
The ebook industry is lucrative but also incredibly competitive. With about 50,000 Kindle ebooks published on Amazon monthly (or nearly 70 per hour), you must make your ebook stand out to profit. Having a good ebook cover design is one way to do so.
Where Can I Make eBook Covers?
If you are looking to create an eBook cover, there are lots of online platforms out there that make it easy. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Canva: It is a popular graphic design platform. It has a bunch of templates specifically designed for eBook covers, an impressive interface, and a vast library of fonts, images, and other design elements.
Adobe Express: This tool lets you make amazing graphics, like eBook covers, for free, forever. You can customize templates, texts, and images with it and use generative AI features primarily powered by Adobe Firefly.
Snappa is another prominent online design tool that makes it easy to create book covers and has a pretty sleek and user-friendly interface. It offers pre-made templates and graphics, and you can customize design elements.
BookBrush: It is a significant tool for authors who want to create professional eBook covers. It is also great for creating promotional materials like graphics and banners for social media. You can choose fonts, design a background, and make your 3D book cover!
DesignWizard: It is ideal for beginners and those with some design experience. It’s user-friendly and offers personalized features such as cover resizing, custom palette creation, font uploading, and more.
Use the online editor to design your book cover for free.
The three tools above are excellent free Photoshop or Adobe InDesign alternatives: They will take care of effective typography and font choice and let you instantly create attractive, professionally-looking book cover artwork.
To design custom covers using any of the three free online image editors, follow the steps:
Choose an “eBook cover” from available sizes
Choose your free eBook cover template
Customize it with your image, book title (and a subtitle), author name, etc
Once you are satisfied with your artwork, download the final image in both JPG and PNG formats (You may need both down the road)
Optionally, but it’s a nice feature to have (This feature is accessible on Adobe Spark and Snappa but is a premium addon on Canva. There’s a free trial on all of them): Turn your book design into more images that can be shared on social media and your site (as a Facebook page cover or an update, Twitter update, Instagram update, on-site banners, etc.
How to Make a Book Cover?
With Fotor’s free online book cover maker, anyone can design a professional-looking book cover in just minutes. Firstly, go to fotor.com, click the “Create a design” button on the homepage, and choose the “Book Cover” template layout.
Browse or search by genres or keywords to find a suitable book cover template.
Insert your book name and any other text you want to include. Select book cover backgrounds and fonts, then play around with colors, layouts, typesets, and more to enhance your book cover design.
When satisfied with your book cover, click the “Download” button to export it as a high-resolution JPG, PNG, or PDF. Alternatively, click the “Share” button to share it online instantly.
Create an eBook for your lead generation, thought leadership, or sales campaign.
Do you have an excellent idea for an eBook but need more money or time to hire a designer? No problem — make an online book with Venngage’s easy-to-use online ebook creation software.
Easy to design eBooks: Venngage lets you take the eBook creation process into your own hands, from manuscript to final product.
Editable eBook templates: Start with one of our pre-made eBook templates. Each ebook template is fully customizable so that you can decide the look and layout of your eBook, including the cover.
Download and print your eBook in multiple file types: We offer various ebook formats for your online book: PNG, PDF documents, Interactive PDF, or PowerPoint. You can share ebooks for free or upgrade to a Premium or Business plan to download your finished ebook in the formats you want.
Why use Photoshop when you can do it faster
Designing eBook covers in Photoshop or Illustrator takes a lot of effort if you are not a designer.
Pixelied makes it easy to create awesome eBook covers in just a few minutes. You don’t need to know anything about design principles, fonts, or color pairings. Just upload and edit your images, add text, and select a style, and you’re done! It takes no time at all.
Get top-quality designs – without hiring designers.
Graphics are how you want to accelerate your business; whether you learn all about pictures yourself or hire a designer, they take up valuable time.
You can outsource the work, which often costs as much money as if you were to do it yourself. Get those stunning eBook covers you need and reduce your workload in a few simple steps with Pixelized!
Photoshop makes eBook cover design a chore.
You need to scour the web for free but not cheesy images, figure out the proper dimensions for your eBook cover, and then navigate through a maze of features you need to learn how to use!
Graphic designers are expensive and slow.
You need to wait for your request to reach the top of their to-do list, and that’s if you can even afford a designer. And discount designer sites like Fiverr come with similar wait times and inconsistent quality.
Please choose from our library of premium stock photography.
If you have photographs or graphics you would like to use, you can upload them to Canva for free. Once your images are stored in your library, you can use them as often.
Canva also provides access to a library of over 1 million stock images, graphics, and illustrations. Many of these images are also free, while premium images are all offered at a competitive price. Professional photography will allow you to create a high-quality book cover ready for Kindle and other ebook sites. There are no recurring fees once you’ve published your high-quality design.
What can I do with the free version?
You can design and download a file of acceptable quality for Kindle ebooks with the accessible version of Canva.
You don’t have to worry about the height-width ratio because the templates are designed perfectly for book covers.
I suggest you use the book cover template because the size of your ebook cover is more significant at 1410 x 2250px.
The ebook template is only 512 x 800px. This size is more suitable for book mockups or your ebook covers on Wattpad.
If you want to, you can design your cover from scratch by using a blank template and your images.
Forant, create your shoulder template dimensions for children’s books.
You can then set the blank template size to whatever you like.
Stock images are available on Canva, or you can upload your pictures.
You have a fair selection of free book templates.
But obviously, there are more options with a premium Canva account.
How to Publish an Ebook
Publishing an ebook can be a great way to share your message or content with a broader audience. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to publish an ebook:
Convert to eBook Format.
Converting your ebook to the appropriate format is necessary to ensure compatibility with your readers and their devices. It allows you to incorporate responsive design elements and preserve the layout of your book. It provides a consistent reading experience across various devices, ultimately increasing the reach and accessibility of your ebook.
Choose a Publishing Platform
When choosing a platform, consider factors like reach, royalty rates, distribution channels, ease of use, and the preferences of your target audience. Depending on your ebook’s niche or target market, it may also be worth exploring regional or specialized platforms.
Create an Account and Upload Your Ebook
Sign up for an account on your chosen platform. If required, provide the necessary information, such as your name, address, and payment details.
Once your account is created, follow the platform’s instructions to upload your ebook file and cover design. Ensure that the files meet the platform’s formatting and size requirements.
Set Pricing and Royalties
Determine the pricing for your ebook. This determines how much revenue you can generate from each sale. Setting the right price ensures your ebook is competitive in the market while maximizing your earnings.
Preview and Publish
Before publishing, preview your ebook to ensure it looks as intended and has no errors or formatting issues. Once satisfied, click the publish button to make your ebook available for purchase.
How quickly can I get customer support?
Chat with us in-app or email us, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours. We’d love to hear from you!
What features are included in Simplified’s Graphic Design tool?
In every Simplified Graphic Design plan, you can access thousands of free templates, unlimited design & video projects, millions of free stock photos & videos, and a free background remover. However, additional features such as adding your brand kit, uploading custom fonts, adding guest collaborators, and using the Social Media Calendar and publisher are only available for paid plans. Also, based on your project, background remover credits will vary. To learn more about all the features in specific techniques and decide the best plan for you or your team, check out our pricing plans!