Free tool
Trim size and page count calculator
Enter your word count, pick a trim size, font size and paper, and see roughly how many pages your print book will run and how wide its spine will be on KDP and IngramSpark. It runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
By the Wordsmith team · Last reviewed
- Pages
- 274
- About 326 words a page
- KDP spine
- 0.685 in (17.4 mm)
- Room for spine text
- IngramSpark spine
- 0.616 in (15.7 mm)
- Illustrative only: use IngramSpark's calculator for your actual stock
6 x 9 in: Nonfiction, business, self-help and long fantasy: keeps big books from getting too thick.
How the page count is worked out
We lay your words onto the same page our typesetter builds: margins that grow with the trim, a book serif at your font size with comfortable line spacing, a running head, a new page for each chapter (about one every 3,500 words) and a few pages of front and back matter. Dialogue-heavy books and books with many short chapters run longer; dense nonfiction runs shorter.
How the spine width is worked out
For KDP black-and-white paperbacks, multiply the final page count by 0.0025 in for cream paper or 0.002252 in for white. Our IngramSpark number is illustrative only: it assumes 0.00225 in for cream or 0.002 in for white, not a verified printer specification. Paper stock and binding change the result. Use the printer's own calculator and cover template before designing a spine.
Which trim size suits your book
5 x 8 in: Literary fiction, poetry, novellas and memoir: a compact, bookish feel. 5.25 x 8 in: Most adult fiction: a touch roomier than 5 x 8 for longer novels. 5.5 x 8.5 in: Fiction, memoir and lighter nonfiction: the most common novel size in the US. 6 x 9 in: Nonfiction, business, self-help and long fantasy: keeps big books from getting too thick.
Verify your final cover with KDP's cover requirements and IngramSpark's spine calculator.
Ready to lay out the real thing? Read how to format a book for print, or let Wordsmith typeset your book into a print-ready PDF and EPUB.
Questions writers ask
How many words fit on a page of a 6 x 9 book?
About 300 to 330 at 11 pt, fewer with larger type or a lot of dialogue. A 5 x 8 page holds around 230 to 260.
How do I convert word count to page count?
Divide your word count by the words a page holds at your trim and font size, then add pages for chapter openings and front and back matter. The calculator above does this for you and rounds to an even number, since printers bind pages in pairs.
How wide is the spine of a 300-page book?
For KDP black-and-white paperbacks, 300 pages means 0.75 in on cream paper or about 0.676 in on white. For IngramSpark, use its calculator with the exact binding and paper stock; do not use our illustrative estimate to build a final cover.
What is the most common trim size for a novel?
In the US, 5.5 x 8.5 in and 5.25 x 8 in for most fiction, with 6 x 9 in common for nonfiction and long fantasy.