Three decisions and one PDF. Choose your binding (your page count decides), your size and your paper, then send us a print-ready PDF.
We check every file for free, there’s no minimum order, and you can start with a single copy. Our paperback and hardback book printing page lets you price your own book in twelve clicks.
Three decisions, then one PDF
You don’t need a publisher, an agent or a big budget. Make three choices, in this order, then send us a print-ready PDF (plus a separate cover file for a paperback or hardback).
Your page count decides. Stapled, perfect bound or hardback, and with 32–72 pages all three are on the table.
A5, A4 portrait and 210 × 210mm square are the most cost-effective. Custom sizes are welcome too.
Silk is the safe all-rounder, gloss gives photos maximum punch, and uncoated is natural and matt.
Prefer to watch? Here are all three decisions, and the PDF, in under a minute and a half.
Binding: your page count decides
A page is one side of paper, so every sheet carries two. Count every side, then pick the binding that fits.
| Binding | Page count | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Stapled | 8–72 pages in total, a multiple of 4 | Zines, booklets and thin picture books. Opens flat and keeps costs down. |
| Perfect bound | From 32 pages (28 inside plus a 4-page cover) | Novels, photobooks and most self-published paperbacks, with a printable spine. |
| Hardback | From 28 inside pages | Gift editions, photobooks and picture books built to last. |
Stapled booklets go up in fours. On 30 pages? Go to 28 or 32: a blank page or an extra image usually solves it.
Past about 40 pages, a stapled booklet starts to bounce open, so consider perfect binding.
The paperback is the self-publisher’s favourite: affordable, light to post and at home on a shelf. Hardback is the premium keepsake, and every hardback quote we send also prices the same book as a softback. Our binding guide goes deeper.
Size and paper: start with the standards
Size
A5, A4 portrait and 210 × 210mm square are the most cost-effective, and we print custom sizes within our limits too. We always give sizes height first.
| Type of book | Popular sizes (height × width) |
|---|---|
| Novel or non-fiction | A5, 210 × 148mm |
| Poetry collection | A6 (148 × 105mm) or A5 |
| Children’s picture book | 210 × 210mm square, or A4 |
| Photo book | 210 × 210mm square or A4 |
| Colouring book | A4 portrait or square |
Paper
Silk is our safe all-rounder, gloss gives photos maximum punch, and uncoated is natural, matt and easy on the eye for long reads. Inside pages are usually 130gsm silk or 120gsm uncoated. Covers are usually 300gsm, laminated so the ink doesn’t crack at the fold.
Paper is hard to judge on a screen, so we’ll post you a free sample pack, free in the UK and usually posted the same day. Our paper guide compares every option.
The files we need from you
One print-ready PDF for a stapled booklet, two for a paperback, and two or four for a hardback, depending on whether your endpapers are printed. Here’s what goes in each.
| Binding | What to send | The cover |
|---|---|---|
| Stapled | One PDF of single pages in reading order | Part of the same PDF: cover first, back cover last. |
| Perfect bound | Two PDFs: cover, and inside pages as single pages | One spread: back, spine, front, plus a second page if the inside covers are printed. |
| Hardback | Cover wrap, inside pages, plus two endpaper files if they’re printed | A wrap that folds round the boards. We send you the exact size. |
- The finished size, with 3mm bleed wherever colour touches the edge
- Words and page numbers at least 5mm inside the trim
- Images around 300dpi at the size they’ll print
- Fonts embedded (PDF/X-1a is ideal)
- Inside pages as single pages in reading order
- CMYK if you can. RGB is fine: we convert it and flag anything that’ll shift
The spine width depends on your page count and paper, so finish the inside pages first. Our spine calculator gives the width, the cover file guide and hardback set-up guide show the layouts, and the Artwork Hub covers the rest.
Both work. Canva has no bleed setting, so build each page 6mm bigger than the finished size (an A5 page becomes 154mm wide × 216mm high) and download it as PDF Print. From Word, simply save as a PDF.
How ordering works, step by step
- Get a priceFor 1–20 copies, our instant calculator prices your book as you click. For more, use the 30-second quote form: we usually reply within an hour or two, and the same working day.
- Send your filesWeTransfer your PDF to hello@exwhyzed.com with your print choices, quantity and delivery address. Google Drive or Dropbox links work too.
- Free file checkA real person checks every file by hand: bleed, page count, page order, image resolution, spine width and colour. If something needs fixing, we’ll say exactly what, and often rebuild the bleed or cover for you. Usually the same day.
- Your proof, where you get oneRuns of 21 copies or more get a PDF proof to approve on most jobs, and hardbacks are always proofed. Runs of 1–20 stapled or perfect bound copies go straight to print after the file check.
- Invoice and paymentOnce your artwork is print ready, we send an invoice. Pay by bank transfer or by card online. Printing starts once payment clears.
- Print and deliveryWe print and bind your books here in the UK, then send them by free tracked courier. Someone needs to be in to sign.
Order a single copy before the full run. There’s no minimum, and you’ll see the paper, binding and layout in your hands.
Until you approve, you can change anything. Once you approve, it goes straight to press. Our proof guide explains what to check.
I had never printed a book before, and had many questions about specific details, and I was so happy to be supported throughout the entire process by the team, special shout out to Mike who sent me many tips/guides! My book is absolutely incredible, it came very well packaged, on time and with absolutely no damage at all!
How long it takes
Stapled booklets with you in 3 working days, perfect bound books in 5 and hardbacks in 7. Free UK tracked delivery. Lead times depend on your run length and print spec, so tell us your date up front. Our turnaround guide has the detail.
- The clock starts when your artwork is print ready, or when you approve your proof where you get one.
- Allow a day or two for file tweaks on top.
- Foil, spot UV and embossing add 5–6 working days; a printed proof copy adds 2–3.
- April–June and November–December are our busiest months, so send files early.
Roughly what it costs
Size, page count, paper and quantity set the price. Three real jobs give you a feel.
Prices checked September 2026 · we confirm the exact price on your quote. UK delivery included. No VAT on books, booklets or zines.
Just want one to test? A single 32-page zine costs about £40. On bigger runs, the price per copy drops sharply between 50 and 250 copies, so ask for two quantities on your quote. Our guide to printing costs has more real prices.
Four first-timer mistakes to avoid
Fix: Stapled booklets need a multiple of 4, and perfect binding at least 32 pages. Add or lose a page before you design the cover.
Fix: Export inside pages as single pages. Already got spreads? Our free Spread Splitter splits them in about a minute, bleed intact.
Fix: The spine changes with the page count, so lock the inside pages first, then build the cover to the width our spine calculator gives you.
Fix: Keep words 5mm inside the trim. On a paperback, keep text 6–8mm from the spine, and 10–12mm on the first and last inside pages, where the cover is glued on.
Quick questions
Can I print just one copy?
Yes, there’s no minimum order. Print a single copy to check it in your hands, then run the full batch.
Do I need a publisher or an ISBN?
No publisher needed: you keep full control of size, cover, paper and binding. We don’t supply ISBNs. Nielsen are the UK ISBN agency, and you add the barcode to your back cover yourself.
Can you design, edit or proofread my book?
We don’t offer design or editing, so have your text proofread before you send it. We do check every file for free and say exactly what needs changing.
Would print on demand be cheaper?
Sometimes. For a text-only A5 novel under about 50 copies, a print-on-demand service may well be cheaper. We come into our own on illustrated books, photobooks and special finishes, and on runs of 50 upwards, with a person checking every file.
Two more short videos for first-timers:
3:23Got a book in mind? Let’s price it.
Tell us the size, page count and quantity, and we’ll come back the same working day. Not sure yet? Ring Harriet or Mike and talk it through.
