Why hire a book cover designer?
Think of your book's cover as the first sentence in its story: a strong, professional design can hook readers at first glance.
On Reedsy, you’ll find the most experienced designers in the industry. Our designers have worked with major presses and self-published authors alike and created covers that boost sales by over 50%.
Michael Vito T.
Available to hire
Professional book-designer, editor, and consultant with 15+ years in the business. Competitive rates. I advise first-time self-publishers.
Pascale H.
Available to hire
I am a graphic designer, art director and illustrator with decades of experience in designing book covers.
Danielle S.
Available to hire
Design and typography are my passion. I love to work on both covers and interiors. Self-help and special interest ideas? Bring it on!
Iram A.
Available to hire
Internal book designer with nearly 30 years experience. Beautiful and classical designs across all genres.
Barış Ş.
Available to hire
Devoted to the art of book design. 10+ yrs experience, 200+ covers. I've worked across many genres, with a special love for anything soulful
Conventional wisdom tells us not to judge a book by its cover, but those in the publishing industry know better. A professional cover designer knows what works on the market and will have cultivated their own unique style to make your book stand out. They’ll work with you to create a cover design that satisfies your vision and incorporates their knowledge of genre conventions and publishing trends to give your book that much-coveted mass appeal.
Finally, they’ll help you with the practical considerations of cover design: converting your ebook cover into a print-friendly one and ensuring that your digital thumbnail is visually appealing. Plus, a great book cover designer will constantly think of ways to get more mileage out of your cover design. For example, how might your cover be adapted into a header on your website? Or if you decide to write a series of books, will you be able to use this design as the foundation for all their covers?
A professional book cover designer will have the answers to these questions (and many more you hadn’t even considered). Fortunately, the designers on Reedsy are some of the best in the business, and they’re excited to tackle your project.
Beautiful design for every context
Make sure your book looks great from every angle — and in every format. If you’re publishing a physical book, your cover designer will create a front cover, spine, and back cover that pops off the shelves. Only planning an ebook? They’ll make sure your cover is just as stunning in a thumbnail as it is on a reader’s tablet.
A marketing asset that can increase your sales by more than 50%
How much difference will a professional design really make? We ran an experiment to find out.
We A/B tested Meta and BookBub ads to see which garnered more clicks: self-made covers or professional designs. Across seven genres, the professional covers saw, on average, 53% more interest from readers. The biggest winner was a redesigned fantasy novel, which saw a whopping 164% uptick in clicks thanks to its new cover.
As you promote your book before your launch, your cover and synopsis are your two biggest marketing assets. As your experiment shows, you’ll gain the most momentum with a professional cover.
How can I find the right book cover designer for me?
Whether you’re writing historical fiction or a how-to book, your book cover should communicate your genre. That means hiring a designer with an in-depth knowledge of trends that appeal to today’s readers. Reedsy’s designers have worked with the likes of Anne Rice, George R.R. Martin, and Louise Penny — whatever you’re writing, you can find a storied expert right here.
Assemble your team
Request quotes from up to 5 professionals in your genre with a free Reedsy account.
On the Reedsy Marketplace, you can search for professionals by genre, ensuring that you only connect with cover designers who have worked in your particular niche. You’ll also want to take a close look at each designer’s gallery — this will give you a strong sense of their style and whether they’d be a good fit for your book. If you have a distinct aesthetic in mind, keep your eyes peeled for it; if not, browsing these galleries is the perfect way to figure out what you want.
Once you’ve narrowed down your shortlist, you can select up to five cover designers to receive your project brief. This will be a short description of ideas and expectations for your book cover design, including:
- What your book is about and how your cover might reflect that
- Which colors, fonts, and other design elements you like best
- Examples of covers in your genre that you want to emulate
- Your budget and the ideal timeline for your cover design
How much does a book cover designer cost?
A book cover design typically costs $600 to $900, although that can vary depending on the specifics of the project.
An experienced designer who regularly works for Big 5 publishers like Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster may charge more than a newer designer. Likewise, a design that features custom illustrations will cost more than one that relies on stock imagery. Finally, authors who only need an ebook cover can expect to spend less than those who plan to release their book in multiple formats (digital, print, audiobook).
Browse: Cover designs created through Reedsy
Reedsy book cover designers create stunning, influential designs for books in every genre, every style, and for every type of author. Sign up now to create your free account.
For even more beautiful cover design samples, check out our book cover art gallery.
