While the actual story is what your readers will remember, an effective book cover can help catch attention and entice an audience to go check out your book.
For popular authors with established platforms, this won’t be a problem. But if you’re an independent author who’s just starting out? You’ll need some assistance.
That’s where having a handy online design tool can be a big help. In case you’re an author who’s never designed a book cover in your life, we’ll walk you through the 5 best tools to help you design stunning book covers—no complicated software or pricey fees necessary.
What Makes an Effective Book Cover?
Before diving into the different design software, we’ll first provide some tips to help you design an effective and eye-catching book cover. So, whether you’re writing the first installment to a paranormal series or a suspenseful legal drama, below are some ways you can ensure that your book stands out in the market.
Genre Alignment
Even if your goal is to create a highly original cover design, you’ll still need to follow some common conventions that come with your book’s specific genre. Especially for new and upcoming authors, basing your cover design on popular titles that fall in the same category can help your target audience easily identify your book.
You can achieve this by looking for inspiration in categorized bestseller lists, looking up the most popular titles in your genre, and even browsing through some book cover templates to help you start with a ready-made but customizable design.
Readable Fonts
While it can be fun to include a bunch of different fonts on your cover design, your output will be much more striking if you can limit yourself to using just 2 or 3. This already includes the fonts that you’ll use for the book’s title, author name, and subtext.
As a bonus tip, don’t forget to further emphasize your title by ensuring that the font/s you’re using are readable and contrast well with your book cover’s background.
High-quality Imagery
Whether you want to add a photo that represents your characters or the setting that they’re in, always select high-quality photos instead of just grabbing the first image you find online.
With tools like PosterMyWall, you can even get access to millions of licensed and free stock photos to help you create your desired book cover.
Design Consistency
Whether it’s the type of images, graphics, colors, or fonts you’re using for your cover design, always make sure to limit your selections and use them consistently. Instead of just selecting new colors or logos every time you need one, we highly recommend using a Brand Kit tool, which can help you store your specific design assets for accessibility and future use.
The Best Affordable Book Cover Maker Platforms
While it might seem intimidating, designing your own book cover is not at all complicated. To help you get started, below are the best design software platforms you can check out online.
Visme
Features
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Custom branding tools
- Data visualization
- Export in multiple formats (PDF, PNG, JPG)
Pricing (monthly)
- Basic (Free)
- Starter ($29)
- Pro (starts at $59)
- Enterprise (Custom)
Pros
- Customization flexibility
- Ideal for branded designs
- Professionally-made templates
Cons
- Slight learning cover
- Not specifically built for book covers
- Pricey subscription tiers
Why we recommend it
For authors who don’t mind the slightly steeper learning curve, Visme can be a great tool for designing brand-specific covers. With its advanced branding tools, authors can easily create recognizable author-specific or book-specific covers for print and digital use.
Snappa
Features
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Stock photo integration
- 6,000+ templates
- One-click resizing
- Integrations
Pricing (monthly)
- Starter (Free)
- Pro ($15)
Pros
- Ideal for absolute beginners
- Quick design process
- Clean and responsive interface
Cons
- Limited template variety
- Ideal for basic designs only
- Limited AI customization tools
Why we recommend it
For authors who prefer a simple yet effective tool, Snappa is worth checking out. While it offers fewer advanced customization features and templates, Snappa can still be useful for designing quick covers that don’t need complicated design elements.
Desygner
Features
- Available on mobile and desktop
- Brand Kit Tool
- Template Customization
- PDF Editing
Pricing (monthly)
- Free Plan
- Pro+ Plan ($9.95)
- Business ($29.95)
Pros
- Supports multi-device use
- Affordable pricing plans
- Useful branding tools
Cons
- Limited fonts selection
- Fewer export options
- Limited library of book cover templates
Why we recommend it
For budget-conscious users who also prefer designing covers on different devices, Desygner may be a good option. While it’s not specifically created for designing book covers, authors can still make use of its useful branding tools for simple yet effective designs.
VistaCreate
Features
- Template library
- Animation Tools
- Stock Photos
- Brand Kits
- Resizing Tool
Pricing (monthly)
- Starter (Free)
- Pro ($13)
Pros
- Simple interface ideal for quick designs
- Useful animation features for non-static covers
- Large library of design assets
Cons
- Very few book-specific templates
- Limited fonts selection
- Free plan can be limiting
Why we recommend it
For authors in need of a user-friendly yet versatile design tool, VistaCreate is worth considering. The tool is highly recommended for beginners and offers strong creative assets for designing both book covers and promotional material.
PosterMyWall (Our top pick)
Features
- 1M+ free and customizable templates
- AI Resizer
- AI Image Generator
- One-click Resizer
- AI Redesign
- AI Background Remover
Pricing (monthly)
- Free Plan
- Premium ($13)
- Premium Plus ($30)
Pros
- Huge library of book-specific templates
- Highly recommended for authors and beginners
- Offers useful features for book promotion
Cons
- Limited photo editing tools
Why we recommend it
We highly recommend PosterMyWall to authors and beginner designers alike due to its accessibility and ease of use. On top of its affordable pricing plans, PosterMyWall also offers an extensive library of templates and features, including a handy set of tools to help users Create with AI.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it expensive to design my own book cover?
Absolutely not. While you may want to pay for additional premium assets like stock photos or fonts, designing your own book cover doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, all you need is a simple online design tool like PosterMyWall, which can give you access to millions of free and customizable templates. Using the tool’s built-in drag-and-drop editor, you can easily design the book cover of your dreams.
Which design tool is recommended for self-published authors?
While there are various design software online, we often recommend PosterMyWall for beginners and self-published authors due to its accessibility. Not only does it offer affordable and flexible pricing plans, but PosterMyWall also offers a beginner-friendly interface, complete with advanced customization and AI-powered features.
Can I create both e-book and print book covers using an online design tool?
Yes! Regardless of the online design tool you’re using, you can easily create any design, from an e-book to a physical book cover. When doing so, you simply need to keep in mind the specific required dimensions for each type of cover and to export your design in the right format. Using a tool like PosterMyWall’s one-click resizer, you can even instantly adjust your e-book design to a print cover with just a click of a button.
Ready to Design Your Own Book Cover?
Whether you’re an independent author looking to design your next e-book cover or have an author friend you’d like to help out, using a handy online design tool like PosterMyWall is a great place to start. Not only will you be able to save on time and expenses, but you’ll also be able to design the ideal book cover that matches your exact vision.