Choosing the right trim size is one of the simplest ways to lower your book printing cost. Pick an efficient size and you’ll reduce paper waste and pay less per copy. This guide shows which sizes usually price the lowest, how page count and signature multiples affect pricing, and practical tips to choose the most economical option for your book.
Why trim size changes your price
Paper yield and waste
Pages that tile cleanly on the parent sheet maximize yield. Better yield means less paper to buy, fewer plates, less press time, and lower bindery cost.
Signatures and page-count efficiency
Books print in folded groups called signatures—commonly 8, 16, or 32 pages depending on trim and press setup. When your total page count is a clean multiple of the signature size, you avoid partial signatures, blank fillers, and extra bindery steps that quietly add cost.
Quick planning tips
- A5 / 5.5″ × 8.5″ / 130 × 185 mm: plan in multiples of 32 (32, 64, 96, 128, 160…)
- A4 / 8.5″ × 11″ / 185 × 260 mm: plan in multiples of 16 (16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128…)
- A3 / 11″ × 17″ projects: plan in multiples of 8 (8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72…)
The most economical sizes (and why they win)
The most cost-efficient trims are 5.5″ × 8.5″, 8.5″ × 11″, 148 × 210 mm (A5), 210 × 297 mm (A4), 130 × 185 mm, and 185 × 260 mm. These sizes use standard offset parent sheets efficiently (e.g., 889 × 1194 mm, 890 × 1250 mm, 787 × 1092 mm). For production, we typically trim to press-friendly sheet sizes such as 880 × 590 mm, 880 × 620 mm, or 780 × 540 mm.
On these sheets we can usually impose 32 interior pages for the smaller trims (5.5″ × 8.5″ / A5 / 130 × 185 mm) and 16 interior pages for the larger trims (8.5″ × 11″ / A4 / 185 × 260 mm). Efficient imposition = less waste, fewer plates, less press time, and lower binding cost.
Real-world size comparison (same specs)
Specs used for both comparisons
Cover: 250 gsm matte art with matte lamination
Interior: 128 gsm matte art
Binding: sewn perfect bound
Total pages: 160
5.5" × 8.5" vs 6" × 9" vs 8.5" × 11" — Price Comparison
| Quantity | 5.5" x 8.5" | 6" x 9" | 8.5" x 11" |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pcs | $706 ($7.06/pc) | $1229 ($12.29/pc) | $1274 ($12.74/pc) |
| 500 pcs | $948 ($1.90/pc) | $1619 ($3.24/pc) | $1712 ($3.42/pc) |
| 1000 pcs | $1254 ($1.25/pc) | $2078 ($2.08/pc) | $2237 ($2.24/pc) |
| 2000 pcs | $1937 ($0.97/pc) | $3144 ($1.57/pc) | $3454 ($1.73/pc) |
| 5000 pcs | $4166 ($0.83/pc) | $6457 ($1.29/pc) | $7268 ($1.45/pc) |
| 10000 pcs | $7845 ($0.78/pc) | $12136 ($1.21/pc) | $13712 ($1.37/pc) |
What you’ll typically see
- 5.5″ × 8.5″ usually prices lowest.
- 6″ × 9″ is higher.
- 8.5″ × 11″ is slightly higher than 6″ × 9″.
Even though 8.5″ × 11″ has roughly twice the area of 5.5″ × 8.5″, the price is not double because imposition is still efficient. Result: 5.5″ × 8.5″ is the most economical, while 8.5″ × 11″ can still be cost-effective when you need a larger page.
148 × 210 mm (A5) vs 190 × 250 mm (B5) vs 210 × 297 mm (A4) — Price Comparison
| Quantity | 148 mm x 210 mm | 190 mm x 250 mm | 210 mm x 297 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pcs | $712 ($7.12/pc) | $1274 ($12.74/pc) | $1285 ($12.85/pc) |
| 500 pcs | $960 ($1.92/pc) | $1712 ($3.42/pc) | $1736 ($3.47/pc) |
| 1000 pcs | $1275 ($1.28/pc) | $2237 ($2.24/pc) | $2277 ($2.28/pc) |
| 2000 pcs | $1976 ($0.99/pc) | $3453 ($1.73/pc) | $3530 ($1.77/pc) |
| 5000 pcs | $4268 ($0.85/pc) | $7267 ($1.45/pc) | $7469 ($1.49/pc) |
| 10000 pcs | $8042 ($0.80/pc) | $13710 ($1.37/pc) | $14103 ($1.41/pc) |
What you’ll typically see
- A5 (148 × 210 mm) usually has the lowest unit price.
- B5 (190 × 250 mm) is higher.
- A4 (210 × 297 mm) is slightly higher than B5.
Again, A4 is about 2× the area of A5, but pricing isn’t double thanks to efficient imposition. A5 is most economical; A4 is a sensible choice for image-heavy layouts or workbooks.
How page count affects your price
Your trim and page count determines how many pages fit on a press sheet and how many signatures you need. When those two align, you save on paper, plates, and bindery labor.
Specs used for both price lists
Cover: 250 gsm matte art with matte lamination
Interior: 128 gsm matte art
Binding: sewn perfect bound
Price chart for 5.5" × 8.5" size book
| Quantity | 60pp | 64pp | 124pp | 128pp | 252pp | 256pp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pcs | $435 ($4.35/pc) | $367 ($3.67/pc) | $661 ($6.61/pc) | $592 ($5.92/pc) | $1020 ($10.20/pc) | $958 ($9.58/pc) |
| 500 pcs | $582 ($1.16/pc) | $502 ($1.00/pc) | $857 ($1.71/pc) | $784 ($1.57/pc) | $1512 ($3.02/pc) | $1439 ($2.88/pc) |
| 1000 pcs | $676 ($0.68/pc) | $593 ($0.59/pc) | $1116 ($1.12/pc) | $1034 ($1.03/pc) | $1998 ($2.00/pc) | $1915 ($1.92/pc) |
| 2000 pcs | $963 ($0.48/pc) | $894 ($0.45/pc) | $1658 ($0.83/pc) | $1590 ($0.80/pc) | $3074 ($1.54/pc) | $3004 ($1.50/pc) |
| 5000 pcs | $1976 ($0.40/pc) | $1883 ($0.38/pc) | $3507 ($0.70/pc) | $3415 ($0.68/pc) | $6541 ($1.31/pc) | $6449 ($1.29/pc) |
| 10000 pcs | $3442 ($0.34/pc) | $3498 ($0.35/pc) | $6358 ($0.64/pc) | $6415 ($0.64/pc) | $12135 ($1.21/pc) | $12192 ($1.22/pc) |
At quantities under about 10,000 copies, 64 pages often costs less than 60 pages because of imposition:
- 64 pages = two complete 32-page signatures
- 60 pages = one 32-page signature plus a 16-page, an 8-page, and a 4-page partial signature (four units to plate, set up, and bind)
Fewer signature units = less setup and waste.
Price chart for 8.5" x 11" size book
| Quantity | 60pp | 64pp | 124pp | 128pp | 252pp | 256pp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pcs | $607 ($6.07/pc) | $596 ($5.96/pc) | $1058 ($10.58/pc) | $1048 ($10.48/pc) | $1799 ($18.00/pc) | $1789 ($17.89/pc) |
| 500 pcs | $843 ($1.69/pc) | $836 ($1.67/pc) | $1402 ($2.80/pc) | $1398 ($2.80/pc) | $2662 ($5.32/pc) | $2657 ($5.31/pc) |
| 1000 pcs | $1003 ($1.00/pc) | $997 ($1.00/pc) | $1829 ($1.83/pc) | $1824 ($1.82/pc) | $3505 ($3.51/pc) | $3499 ($3.50/pc) |
| 2000 pcs | $1499 ($0.75/pc) | $1522 ($0.76/pc) | $2794 ($1.40/pc) | $2818 ($1.41/pc) | $5361 ($2.68/pc) | $5384 ($2.69/pc) |
| 5000 pcs | $3165 ($0.63/pc) | $3220 ($0.64/pc) | $5882 ($1.18/pc) | $5937 ($1.19/pc) | $11259 ($2.25/pc) | $11316 ($2.26/pc) |
| 10000 pcs | $5769 ($0.58/pc) | $6032 ($0.60/pc) | $10899 ($1.09/pc) | $11161 ($1.12/pc) | $21131 ($2.11/pc) | $21393 ($2.14/pc) |
At quantities under about 1,000 copies, 64 pages often costs less than 60 pages because 8.5″ × 11″ signatures are typically 16 pages:
- 64 pages = four complete 16-page signatures
- 60 pages = three full 16-page signatures plus an 8-page and a 4-page add-on (five units total)
Complete signatures reduce both waste and labor.
Five practical ways to pay less
- Prefer 5.5″ × 8.5″ / A5 / 8.5″ × 11″ / A4 when your design allows.
- Add or remove a few pages to hit a multiple of 16 or 32.
- Understand binding costs from low to high: saddle stitch, glue perfect bound, sewn perfect bound, Wire-O, spiral, sewn hardcover, Wire-O hardcover.
- Portrait and landscape usually price the same with QinPrinting, so choose based on readability and layout.
- Before you finalize, use the online calculator to confirm the best size and page count for your budget.
If you’d like help, send us your specs and we’ll recommend the most economical trim and page-count plan for your book.
