Start Here: Which Tool Are You Actually Going to Use?
Six tools is too many tools. Most authors will use one of two: Canva or the Books.by cover builder. Premium options matter for the small minority who genuinely want pixel-level control. The honest decision tree:
The two-tool reality
If you publish on Books.by, use the built-in cover builder. It calculates your spine width from your page count automatically, outputs a print-ready PDF that the printer accepts on the first upload, and it's free with your subscription. The only reason to use anything else is if you want a specific aesthetic the templates don't offer.
If you want more design freedom and don't mind learning a tool, use Canva. The template library is enormous, the learning curve is gentle, and the $13/month Pro tier unlocks the print-quality export you need. Canva's not perfect at spine calculations — you'll need to look up your spine width separately — but you can build a competent first cover in an afternoon.
Photoshop, Affinity, and GIMP are listed below in the interest of completeness. They are the right answer for fewer people than the internet would suggest. Photoshop is overkill unless you're already fluent in it. GIMP is technically capable but has a notoriously hostile interface and you will fight it the entire time. Affinity is genuinely good — if you have any design background, the $70 one-time license is the best value on this list — but a beginner will not produce a better cover with Affinity than they will with Canva, regardless of feature parity.
Quick Comparison Table
Detailed reviews of each tool follow. The table is for the readers who want the matrix view first.
| Tool | Price | Skill Level | Print-Ready | Spine Calc | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books.by Cover Builder | Free w/ subscription | Beginner | ✓ | ✓ Auto | Books.by authors |
| Canva | Free / $13/mo | Beginner | ✓ | ✗ | Quick, template-based covers |
| BookBrush | Free / $10/mo | Beginner | ✓ | ✓ | Author marketing + covers |
| Adobe Photoshop | $23/mo | Advanced | ✓ | ✗ | Full creative control |
| Affinity Designer | $70 one-time | Intermediate | ✓ | ✗ | Pro results, no subscription |
| GIMP | Free | Intermediate | ✓ | ✗ | Zero-budget option |
#1. Books.by Cover Builder
Strengths
- Automatic spine width calculation
- Print-ready output with correct bleed marks
- No extra cost — included with your subscription
- Integrated with your book files (no re-uploading)
- Generates front cover for ebook automatically
Limitations
- Fewer templates than Canva
- Less advanced editing (no layer masks, filters)
- Only useful if you publish on Books.by
If you're publishing on Books.by, this is the obvious starting point. The killer feature is the spine calculation — every other tool forces you to figure out your spine width manually, which trips up more first-time authors than anything else in the cover design process.
#2. Canva
Strengths
- Huge template library with book-specific options
- Excellent free tier
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
- Good stock photo integration
Limitations
- No automatic spine calculation
- Templates are overused — your cover may look familiar
- Limited typographic control compared to pro tools
- Full wrap covers require manual setup
The biggest Canva trap: downloading a front-cover-only design and assuming it's print-ready. For print books, you need a full wrap (front + spine + back) with bleed. Canva can do this, but you have to set up custom dimensions manually. If you're doing ebook-only, Canva is hard to beat for speed.
#3. BookBrush
Strengths
- Built-in spine calculator
- 3D mockup generator
- Ad and social media templates
- Author-specific templates
Limitations
- Interface feels dated compared to Canva
- Smaller template library
- Free tier is quite limited
#4. Adobe Photoshop
Strengths
- Unlimited creative control
- Industry standard — every tutorial uses it
- Professional output quality
- Massive ecosystem of plugins and brushes
Limitations
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- $276/year subscription cost
- No book-specific features — you set up everything manually
- Overkill if you're doing simple text-on-image covers
Photoshop makes sense if you plan to design covers for multiple books and want to develop a real skill. For a single book, the time investment isn't worth it. Use Canva or the Books.by Cover Builder instead and invest the savings into your marketing.
#5. Affinity Designer
Strengths
- One-time $70 purchase — no subscription
- Professional vector and raster editing
- Excellent print export options (CMYK, bleed)
Limitations
- Learning curve similar to Photoshop
- Fewer tutorials available online
- No book-specific templates or features
#6. GIMP
Strengths
- Completely free — no catch
- Full image editing capabilities
- Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Active community and plugin ecosystem
Limitations
- Unintuitive interface
- CMYK support requires workarounds
- No templates — you start from a blank canvas
- Steeper learning curve than Photoshop in some areas
GIMP is the right choice when your budget is literally zero and you have time to learn. For everyone else, Canva's free tier gets you to a finished cover faster.
The Verdict: Which Tool Should You Use?
Publishing on Books.by? Start with the Cover Builder. It's included, it handles the technical specs automatically, and you can always upgrade to a professional design later once your book is earning.
Need maximum flexibility on a budget? Canva. The free tier is surprisingly capable, and Pro at $13/month is still cheaper than one month of Photoshop.
Want professional-grade control without a subscription? Affinity Designer at $70 one-time is the best value for serious designers.
Zero budget, willing to learn? GIMP. It's not pretty, but it's free and it works.
Regardless of which tool you use, study your genre's cover conventions before you start designing. The best cover design tool in the world won't save a cover that doesn't match reader expectations. Read our complete cover design guide for genre-specific advice.
Design Your Cover in Minutes
Books.by Cover Builder handles spine width, bleed, and print specs automatically. Included free with every plan.
Get Started — Core $99/year →What's Included When You Use the Books.by Cover Builder
The cover builder isn't a standalone tool. It's part of a publishing platform. Here's everything bundled into the same $99/yr:
Frequently Asked Questions
GIMP is completely free with full editing capabilities. Canva's free tier is more beginner-friendly. If you're a Books.by subscriber, the Cover Builder is included at no extra cost.
Yes. Template-based tools like Books.by Cover Builder, Canva, and BookBrush are built for non-designers. Pick a template, add your text, adjust colors, and export. The results are solid for self-published books.
Print covers need front + spine + back as one file with 0.125" bleed on all edges. Your trim size determines the dimensions (e.g., 6×9" front = 1800×2700px at 300 DPI). Ebook covers should be 2560×1600px. Books.by calculates everything automatically from your page count.
For non-fiction and simple designs, absolutely. For genre fiction where covers drive sales, Canva templates can look generic. Consider a professional designer for competitive genres like romance, thriller, and fantasy.
Professional covers cost $200–$800 for most genres. DIY tools range from free to $99/year. If budget is tight, start DIY and reinvest royalties into a professional redesign once your book is selling.
