Book trim size

5 x 8 in trim size

5 x 8 in · 127 x 203.2 mm. A popular, economical size for fiction. It fits comfortably in one hand and keeps per-page printing cost low, though long novels become thick quickly.

8.5 x 116 x 95 x 8 in

About the 5 x 8 in format

A popular, economical size for fiction. It fits comfortably in one hand and keeps per-page printing cost low, though long novels become thick quickly.

Typical uses: Novels, Novellas, Poetry, Memoir.

Genres where this size is a common choice: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Horror, Westerns, Humorous Fiction, Short Story Collection, Novella, Poetry Collection, Grief & Loss, Christian Living & Devotionals.

How many pages will my book be at 5 x 8 in?

Manuscript10 pt11 pt12 pt
40,000 words162 pp192 pp226 pp
60,000 words236 pp280 pp344 pp
80,000 words322 pp382 pp454 pp
100,000 words398 pp474 pp584 pp
120,000 words476 pp584 pp696 pp

Estimates for a typical serif body font with 130% leading, chapter openings and front/back matter. Dialogue-heavy fiction runs longer; dense nonfiction shorter.

Spine width and cover size for 5 x 8 in

Page countSpine (white paper)Spine (cream paper)Full cover incl. bleed
100 pages0.2252 in / 5.72 mm0.25 in / 6.35 mm10.475 x 8.25 in
200 pages0.4504 in / 11.44 mm0.5 in / 12.7 mm10.7 x 8.25 in
300 pages0.6756 in / 17.16 mm0.75 in / 19.05 mm10.926 x 8.25 in
400 pages0.9008 in / 22.88 mm1 in / 25.4 mm11.151 x 8.25 in
500 pages1.126 in / 28.6 mm1.25 in / 31.75 mm11.376 x 8.25 in

Spine factors: 0.002252 in/page white, 0.0025 in/page cream (KDP published values). Other printers vary — use their template.

Margins by page count

PagesMin. inside (KDP)Recommended insideOutsideTop / bottomText block
24–150 pages0.375 in0.625 in0.5 in0.625 / 0.625 in3.88 x 6.75 in
151–300 pages0.5 in0.75 in0.5 in0.625 / 0.625 in3.75 x 6.75 in
301–500 pages0.625 in0.875 in0.5 in0.625 / 0.625 in3.63 x 6.75 in
501–700 pages0.75 in1 in0.5 in0.625 / 0.625 in3.5 x 6.75 in
701–828 pages0.875 in1.125 in0.5 in0.625 / 0.625 in3.38 x 6.75 in

Minimum inside margins are KDP's published values; recommended margins are our comfortable defaults for reading.

Two-page spread

gutter (inside margins) at the spine
5 x 8 in spread at 300 pages with recommended margins. The shaded area is the text block.

Interior PDF page size

SetupPage size (in)Page size (mm)Full-page image at 300 ppi
No bleed (text only)5 x 8127 x 203.21,500 x 2,400 px
With bleed5.125 x 8.25130.2 x 209.61,538 x 2,475 px

With bleed, add 0.125 in to the width (outside edge only) and 0.25 in to the height (top and bottom).

Tip: at 5 x 8 in, a novel of 80,000 words comes to roughly 382 pages at 11 pt. Try different settings in the word count calculator or build a cover with the spine width calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is 5 x 8 in in millimetres?
5 x 8 in equals 127 x 203.2 mm. With 0.125 in bleed the interior page is 5.125 x 8.25 in (130.2 x 209.6 mm).
How many words fit on a 5 x 8 in page?
About 233 words for fiction and 256 for nonfiction at 11 pt with comfortable margins. Larger type or wider margins reduce this.
Is 5 x 8 in available on KDP?
Yes. 5 x 8 in is one of KDP's standard paperback trim sizes.
What is 5 x 8 in best for?
It is most often used for novels, novellas, poetry, memoir.